Chapter 476: You Ungrateful Selfish Bitch
There was nothing left in her but anger anymore and years of swallowing pain. Years of being the older sister, the shield, the plan, the sacrifice. Years of pretending she was fine so Valentina could stay soft a little longer. Years of carrying their mother’s absence on her back like a curse and a duty.
"How dare you, Val?!" she screamed. Her chest heaved. Her hands shook. "Every single thing I have done since Mom died was to make sure you do not have to see the cruelty of life. I worked myself to the bone to make sure you had everything you needed. I put my life on hold. I walked into the unknown because I couldn’t let you!"
That ugly, filthy accusation Val had thrown at her like all Vee had ever been was a body passed to Luca was an unforgiveable slap.
"You ungrateful selfish bitch!" Vee shouted. "How dare you!" She wanted Val to finally hear what all her blame sounded like when it was thrown back. "I may have found something special while I was dying for you," Vee said, "and yes, I held on to it with something fierce. Because I deserve it! I fucking deserve to be happy. I deserve to be protected. I deserve to be honoured."
It hurt that she had to say them. Hurt that her own sister needed reminding that Vee was not built only to serve, save, and suffer.
"And if I have to bleed for that happiness, so help me God, I will!"
Val’s lips parted, but no words came.
Vee pointed toward the door. "Go. Leave. You can take care of yourself? Go on! I am done protecting you. I am done with you disrespecting Luca when all he has done is love you, helped you, cared for you, protected you. Even now, even now, risking his life to keep your husband safe, and you stand there and sound like he owes you anything."
She drew in a ragged breath, but it did nothing to steady her. The tears came anyway. "I just hope to God that you do not bury your husband and yourself with your foolishness while you are at it." Vee turned away. Her bare feet hit the stairs hard as she climbed, one hand gripping the banister, the other pressed to her mouth.
She had not meant for it to become this. Love had become war, family she would have died for now standing on opposite sides of an invisible line drawn in blood and Luca’s name.
Val wiped at her own face with shaking fingers. Matteo fussed softly in his carrier, and the sound dragged Val back to her body. She bent down and picked him up carefully, holding the carrier close. She left behind the wreckage of her relationship with her sister.
******
Voss stood facing a trembling and nervous Tony Lombardi in a safehouse. One narrow table. Two metal chairs. Frosted windows. A camera blinking in the corner.
Tony sat hunched in one of the chairs, shoulders up near his ears, eyes darting from one window to the other, wall to wall, as if Luciano Genovese might crawl out of the air vent.
Voss studied him. Sweaty forehead. Trembling hands. Too many quick breaths. A man scared of everything, including his own shadow.
There was no way this dude had anything to do with Luca’s actual business. Luca didn’t use men like Tony. Men like Tony did not survive around Luca long enough to be useful.
But Voss was very interested in what Tony had to say.
"I already told this to the other guys," Tony muttered. "How many times do I have to repeat it?"
"As many times as you need to," Voss said, taking the seat across from him. "Tell me again, how you say Marco made you carry out these killings. Of all the people, he could go to. He could even do it himself, why you?"
"No one would suspect me," Tony said.
That was the first believable thing Tony Lombardi had said since Voss walked in.
"And what do you get in return?" Voss asked.
Tony swallowed. "He gave me money."
"Money..." Voss leaned back in his chair, nodding slowly. "Ah... the root of all evil."
Tony’s eyes flicked to the camera, then to the window, then back to Voss. Voss followed the movement with mild amusement.
"Relax," he said. "If Luciano Genovese knew where you were, I doubt that window would stop him."
Tony went paler.
"See, Tony, I don’t believe you. These losers, they may." Voss pointed to the agents in the room with them. "I don’t believe you. You killed Cassidy? You killed Ricardo? You killed Rosa? And then by some miracle you attempted to kill Marco?"
Tony’s face twitched. "Attempted?" he asked, his voice suddenly thin.
"Yes, attempted. They didn’t tell you?"
Tony’s hands tightened around each other.
"Marco isn’t dead," Voss said.
Tony’s eyes grew larger. "But I..."
Voss tilted his head. "But you what?"
Tony stopped. He could see clearly now, he had been double crossed. David did not only want him to take the fall with the police, he wanted him to take the fall with Luca too. If Marco was alive, he would tell Luca everything.
Voss saw the panic racing behind his eyes. "Scared now, right?...Good. Now tell me who actually did these killings."
Tony shook his head immediately. "I’m telling you, I did."
"Stop lying to me," Voss snapped.
"I’m not lying!" Tony cried.
Voss leaned closer. "You are afraid of someone. Yes, you are. That’s the only thing I actually believe. Are you being threatened? Blackmailed? Talk to me," Voss said, softening his tone. "I can help you."
"No one can help me."
"Try me."
"You don’t understand. If Marco isn’t dead, then I am a dead man."
"Then why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?" Voss asked. "It doesn’t matter either way."
Tony looked up. "It does."
"You already confessed. You already put your neck under the blade. At least tell me who is holding the handle."
"I can’t," he said. "I got myself into this. I will do my best to get only myself out."
(Brought to you by Missy Dionne 1/2)
