Page 7 of Devil Among Men

The last thread of my restraint snaps in half.

“You listen to me, you little stronzo. I’ll cut your fucking dick off and shove it down your throat myself. You hear me? I’ll gut you like the little bitch you are and mail the pieces back to your father one at a time.”

“Big words for a man who just lost his house.”

“I’ll burn your whole family down to the ground, cazzo. Everyone you’ve ever loved. I’ll make sure your father watches before I put a bullet in his skull,” I shout. “Tell Vito I’m coming for him. Tell him I’m going to rip his fucking throat out with my bare hands and enjoy every second of it.”

“He said you’d say that.” Anthony Jr. simply laughs. “Guess some things don’t change, huh? Still hot-headed. Still thinking you’re better than the rest of us just because Vito took a liking to you when you were nothing but a street rat with a gun.”

“I earned my place,” I growl, teeth clenched. “You wouldn’t know anything about that. You’ve had everything handed to you your whole life.”

“And you had your mask,” he says. “Everyone knows the only reason you ever meant anything to Vito is because you were willing to put it on. It was never about merit or you being deserving.”

“I’m going to enjoy killing you personally,” I say. “Slowly. I want you to remember this call when I do.”

The line goes dead before I can say anything else. I stand in the drive, chest heaving, phone still gripped tight enough to crack the screen.

Portia’s hand lands on my arm. “Rafael, what did he say?”

“Vito’s making sure I know this was him. He had his little errand boy call to let it be known.”

Maurizio comes over from where he’s been inspecting the perimeter, his face stoic yet vaguely grim. “Found the points of origin. Two of them. Kitchen and the east wing, both lit within minutes of each other.”

“Accelerant,” I say.

“Smelled it the second I got close enough. This wasn’t some soldier acting on his own. This took planning. Somebody scouted the layout first.”

Which means Vito’s been watching us long enough to know the villa’s floor plan after only a few weeks inside it. Long enough to know exactly where to hit us for maximum damage, exactly which exits to leave clear so we’d survive to understand the message.

“He wanted us alive,” I say slowly. “If he wanted us dead, he had ample opportunity. This was never about killing us.”

“Just reminding you who’s still in charge,” Maurizio says.

My phone buzzes again, and my stomach drops thinking it’s Anthony Jr. calling back to finish gloating. It’s Adagio instead, his name lighting up the screen.

“Tell me,” I say the second I pick up.

“Concussion,” he says. “Doctor says she’ll be okay, but they want to keep her overnight for observation. Maybe longer if the swelling doesn’t go down like they want. I’m not leaving her.”

“You don’t have to.” I glance at Maurizio, who’s gone still beside me, listening. “Stay with her. We’ll figure out where we’re going next and let you know.”

“Maurizio there?” Adagio asks.

“He’s here.”

A long pause stretches out on the line. “Tell him... tell him thank you. For getting to her before I could.”

I glance at Maurizio again. His throat works harder than usual, his dark eyes fixed on the ground.

“Take care of her,” I say. “We’ll be in touch the second we know where we’re headed.”

The call ends, and Maurizio finally speaks without me having to ask. “She’s tough. She’ll be fine.”

It isn’t what Adagio would want to hear right now, and both of us know it, but I let it go without comment. Tonight’s already given all of us more than enough to carry.

We return hours later, once the fire has been put out by the local firefighters.

It’s obvious we can’t stay here. The three of us stand in the drive surveying what’s left of the villa as it smolders, the gray light of morning illuminating the true damage.