Pure Vengeance

Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Anton

Claire paces my office while scratching at the scab on her knuckle. It’s been four days since I promised her we’d find out who killed her brother, and so far we’ve gotten nothing.

Salvatore Luparo has turned out to be a big fucking thorn in my ass.

“You’re going to make yourself bleed.” I cover her hands with my own and bring them down.

She frowns.

“I don’t like all this waiting, Anton,” she confesses as though I couldn’t tell by the trench she’s trying to wear into the floor.

I check her knuckles to be sure she hasn’t torn off any of the scabs. The woman has a problem with not picking at them.

“He will be here soon,” I remind her, running my thumb over her palm. “And when he is, you’ll remember what we talked about this morning?”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m not going to say anything that will make him want to leave before telling us what he can.”

“You’re sure? Because you’ve not yet been able to hold back accusations and any thought that pops into that pretty head of yours.” I level her with what I hope is firm stare. This woman has been in my life too short of a time to have made so many changes in my heart. Yet, I would put a bullet through anyone’s head who dared make her sad.

No matter the consequences.

“Yes. I can manage it. But why do you think this Fanelli person will even help us? Isn’t he your enemy?” She starts chewing her bottom lip.

I pull it from her mouth.

“He’s been trying to get licensing for a casino on the river uptown. I’ve been able to keep him from getting it. If he helps us, I might consider getting out of his way.”

“You’re able to do that? To stop someone from starting a business?”

I grin. She really doesn’t understand the power I hold. And even if she did, I doubt she’d be impressed by it.

“I can.” I nod.

“And you’d do this for me?” She sounds suspicious. “Why?”

I run the back of my hand across her cheek. There’s still a little white mark from where the bush cut her skin, but it’s fading fast.

“Because. The sooner we find out what happened, the sooner you’ll find peace.”

Her eyes narrow. “I still don’t understand this. Any of it. I’m trying to hate you, but…” She sighs. “I can’t.”

I laugh.

“Don’t worry. There will be plenty of times you will.” I gesture to the couch. “Why don’t you just relax until he gets here?”

She plunks down in one of the chairs and rubs her temples. Her face has less coloring than this morning.

“Are you alright?” I ask taking a step toward her.

“I’m fine.” She sighs. “I just want this all over with.”

Before I can question her further, the door swings open and Vince walks in. Joseph Fanelli strolls in behind him with two of his own men.

“Joseph.” I give a curt nod and reach my hand out to him.

After a brief shake, he turns his gaze to Claire who is now standing right behind me.

“This is Claire, my fiancée.”

My introduction gives him pause.

“Nice to meet you.” He nods to her, then looks back at me. “Congratulations, I hadn’t heard.”

“It’s new.” I gesture to a chair for him to sit.

“Very.” Claire’s voice is tight, but she doesn’t contradict me. I’ll take that as a win.

“I don’t have a lot of time. You said you needed to talk to me about one of my men?” Joseph asks. His two men stand move to the wall. Vince and Dmitri do the same.

It’s all very tense for a simple question about Salvatore.

“Yes. I understand a man named Salvatore Luparo works for you.”

“Worked. Yes.” He nods. “Why?”

“He doesn’t anymore?” Men don’t just quit the Fanelli family and move on to another job.

“No.” It’s the only answer I’m getting.

“Do you know where I can find him?”

“What do you want with him?” he asks, probably sensing the information is important to me.

“To talk to him,” Claire answers.

“About what?”

“Does it matter?” she questions.

I reach behind me and squeeze her hand. If she’s going to make this more difficult, she’ll have to leave the room.

“Salvatore Luparo was caught cheating in my casino last year. I need to speak to him about the dealer he said was helping him,” I explain.

“The dealer? This happened a year ago, yet you want to talk to him now? Why?” He eyes Claire. “Is the dealer important in some way?”

“You’re not going to make this easy.” I frown.

“You know what I want,” he states, victory already in his eyes.

“The dealer was Claire’s brother. He was murdered, and Salvatore had something to do with it. For all I know, he was in my casino under your direction.” I roll my shoulders back. “Maybe you were trying to steal from me to help grease the wheels in the commissioning office?”

He arches a brow. “You’re reaching. Besides, if it was your dealer that was cheating, I don’t see how you can involve me.”

“Michael wasn’t cheating,” Claire insists.

He stares at her a long moment. “Either way, I had nothing to do with it. Unlike your fiancée here, I try not to meddle too much in other people’s businesses.”

I search his features. He has me, and he knows it.

“The license will be approved within the week.” I give my word.

“And your brother?”

“He’ll get out of the way on the construction jobs,” I agree. He’s not going to like it. Causing trouble is his favorite part of the day.

“Salvatore doesn’t work for me anymore, we had to… let him go.” He eyes Claire again. “He had sticky fingers in my business as well.”

I nod with understanding.

“You got rid of him?” Claire steps forward. “Like, he’s dead?”

“Claire,” I warn.

“But, this dealer you mentioned. This was a year ago?”

“Yes. Thirteen months ago,” Claire presses.

He thinks a long moment.

“I don’t think Salvatore had anything to do with his death.” He gestures toward me. “When did you say he got caught at your casino?”

“Beginning of April, last year,” I inform him.

“And your brother was killed a month later?”

“Yes. May sixteenth.” Claire’s tone hardens. I step closer to her, so she knows I’m right with her. She’s not alone here.

“It was brought to my attention at the beginning of May, I remember because it was my niece’s first birthday and I had to leave her party early to deal with the bastard.” He shakes his head with a heavy sigh. “If your brother was killed after that, he had nothing to do with it.”

“And you had no knowledge of Salvatore’s dealings with anything outside your own people?” I question.

He scowls. “Not that I’m aware of, and we got a good deal of confessions from him before we let him go. None of them had anything to do with you or your family.” He stops a moment. “Though, I can’t guarantee there wasn’t something he didn’t say.”

I nod. A man in pain, a man knowing he was about to die, wouldn’t be to compelled to admit to all his sins. Especially ones that would hurt his case for mercy. And going against Fanelli, working outside of his say would have hurt Salvatore’s chances for a quicker death.

“Understood.” I slide my hands into my pockets. “Like I said, the licensing will go through by the end of the week.”

“Good.” He turns, but pauses to address Claire. “I hope you find whoever is responsible. Revenge does well for a grieving heart.”

“Thank you,” she says.

Joseph files out of the room with his men and Claire begins her pacing again.

“We’re no closer now than before.” She moves to the window, pushing the curtains to the side. The sunlight hits her face and she winces, dropping them back into place.

“Your brother told you he was meeting Mr. DeMarci to get his job back.” Darkness descends over me ask puzzle pieces move into place.

“Yeah, but you said you never met Michael. You don’t deal with personnel at the casino.”

I set my jaw.

“I’m not the only Mr. DeMarci.”