Pure Vengeance

Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Claire

“Anton, your brother?” I look to Vince and Dimitri still standing at the doorway. Their expressions are blank, I can’t get a read on them.

Anton’s jaw tenses.

“Is he around today?” Anton asks.

“He is,” Vince answers. “I saw him in the gym this morning.”

Anton’s eyes go dark.

“Get him.”

“Anton.” I step toward him. “Maybe he doesn’t have anything to do with this. Don’t get angry until you know for sure.”

Anton turns his darkness on me.

“He’s involved. I can feel it.” He moves behind his desk. “You should go upstairs.”

“No.” I shake my head. “If you’re going to question him about my brother, I want to be here.”

He takes a deep breath. “Stubborn woman.”

“Yes. I am.” I stand at the front of his desk. “When it comes to those I love, I am.”

His expression softens, sending a warm current through my body.

“I don’t want you to do anything that you’re going to regret.”

“If he killed your brother?”

I’m taken back. A week ago, I was ready to kill Anton thinking he was responsible. Why would I think any different now if it’s his brother?

“Do you think both of us losing a brother will make my pain better?” I ask, raising my chin. “I don’t want you to feel this sort of loss.”

He’s silent.

We stare at each other in some sort of standoff and I’m not sure which of us is winning.

The throbbing in my head that had been manageable an hour ago is quickly becoming nearly blinding. After this is done I’m going to need a long nap in the darkest room I can find in this massive estate.

The door swings open and a man looking nearly identical to Anton, only with a smaller stature saunters in.

“You wanted me?” He stops a few steps in when he sees me and his features harden. “What’s going on?”

“Marco, this is Claire Montecelli.” Anton gestures toward me.

Marco’s jaw slacks but he recovers quickly.

“This is the woman you’ve been holding here?”

“Do you recognize her name?” Anton pushes forward. He’s not one to beat around the bush, especially if he can just set it on fire.

“No. Should I?”

“Michael Montecelli. Does that name ring any bells?” His steadfast voice doesn’t give away his anger, but I can see it boiling just below the surface. He’s already made up his mind about his brother.

“He was my brother.” I take a small step forward. “He worked at the casino?” I keep my voice gentle, trying to sooth the temperature of the room.

“No.” He shrugs. “Don’t know him.”

“Marco.” Anton walks around his desk, heading for his brother. “Now’s a really bad time to lie to me.”

“I’m not fucking lying. I don’t know the guy.” Marco looks at me. “Didn’t she try to kill you? Why the fuck is she even here still? Why don’t you just get rid of her?”

“What did you say?” Anton’s eyes narrow into slits.

“Is she putting ideas in your head? You’re gonna believe her?” He points at me.

“She hasn’t done anything, but I’m getting a real feel for you now. You were working with Salvatore Luparo last year, isn’t that right? It’s how you got all that cash. It wasn’t any investment; it was fucking theft. From the casino.”

“You’re nuts.” Marco tries to laugh. “It’s our family casino, why would I steal from it?”

“Because I won’t give you any real authority there. Because you waste every fucking penny you’re given so I keep you on a financial leash. So you went and teamed up with one of Fanelli’s men and fucking robbed me.” Anton’s hands flex at his sides.

“How does Michael play into that?” I ask. “Michael wouldn’t do what you keep saying he did.”

The edges of my vision blur as the pain in my head heightens. My stomach rolls.

Marco swallows hard, looking at the office door.

Dmitri and Vince stand there, blocking his exit.

“I’m your brother.”

Anton’s jaw clicks. “You stole from me. Did you use her brother as your patsy?”

He heaves a heavy sigh.

“Fuck.” He drags his hand through his hair. “Fucking Salvatore got caught and he tried pinning it on that dealer. Which would have been fucking fine, but Salvatore told him later that I’d make things right. I’d get him his job back.”

“So he went to meet you?” I ask, pressing my hand to my stomach. Nausea rolls through me in heavy waves.

“He did. And I told him to just leave it alone. That I couldn’t do anything. Because I couldn’t.” He glares at Anton. “I had no fucking say in the family business. I’m only good when you want me to disrupt shit.”

“It’s what you’re good at,” Anton shoots back. “Did you kill Michael?”

He bounces on his toes, chewing his lip.

“She’s just some fucking girl, Anton. I’m your brother!” he yells. “Why the fuck would you care?”

Anton moves forward, his hands fisted.

“You did. You killed him,” he accuses.

My head spins, bile rises in my throat.

“He wouldn’t fucking stop begging and then he said he was going to go to the casino and talk with you. He was gonna ruin everything!”

“Anton.” I say his name so softly, I don’t think he hears me because he’s on his brother in the next instant. His fist flying into Marco’s face.

A crunch.

Blood spurts.

I take a slow breath, trying to focus my eyes.

Pain erupts in my head and I spin.

“Anton,” I say again just before the black curtain falls over me.