My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 649

Chapter 649

Giovanni continued before anyone interrupted, “Only then did I understand why one of your soldiers had crossed into my territory. The messages explained everything. I understood your concern. I understood why your family responded the way it did,” he paused briefly.

“And I also understood that my daughter was living under Capone protection.”

Something cold settled inside my chest. He’d done his fucking homework.

Vincenzo spoke again, “Leone Caruso threatened a member of my family. Gianna is my family.”

For the first time, Giovanni went completely still. A faint hardness entered his eyes as he held Vincenzo’s gaze, “My Underboss, Leone. He was also my daughter’s fiancé.”

I corrected him immediately, “Former fiancé.”

His eyes shifted toward me, he looked me up and down and then he inclined his head, “Former. Leone has loved Gianna since they were children. He allowed emotion to outweigh judgment. That is not an excuse. It is simply an explanation of what happened. I’ve already dealt with him. He understands that my daughter is never to be contacted against her wishes again.”

Vincenzo tilted his head, “And if he ignores you?”

“He won’t,” the certainty in Giovanni’s voice left no room for debate, “If he values breathing.”

I studied him again. Everything he said followed a logical structure. Every answer addressed the question without wandering.

Vincenzo finally spoke, “So after all of this, what exactly do you want from us?”

Giovanni held Vincenzo’s stare, “I simply want my daughter.”

The answer was simple but it made Vincenzo laugh. He leaned back in his chair, the low sound filling the room. It wasn’t amused. It was the kind of laugh that made experienced men think twice.

For the first time since he’d arrived, I saw a flicker of caution cross Giovanni’s face.

Vincenzo’s smile faded, “Hazel entrusted Gianna to my family before she died. You know exactly what that means… especially to a man who leads a family of his own.”

Vincenzo gave a nod, “I’ll consider what you’ve asked but until I make a decision, you’re not free to move around my city You and your Underboss will stay at one of our secured properties. You’ll be treated with respect, but you’ll remain under surveillance until you leave Chicago,”

A small smile crossed Giovanni’s face and she stood and adjusted his coat, “I expected nothing less. Thank you for hearing me.”

Vincenzo gestured to the soldier and they opened the study doors. Four armed Capone guards quietly fell into position around Giovanni before escorting him from the room.

Nobody spoke until the footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

Then…

Vincenzo’s expression changed. He looked toward Adriano, “Adriano, get Ciro. I want every minute of the last seventy-two hours reconstructed. Question him! Compare every word with what Giovanni just told us. If one detail doesn’t match, I want to know why.”

Adriano nodded once, “And afterward?”

“He dies,” Vincenzo ordered, “Ciro exposed one of our secure locations. He led another Don to our front gate. I don’t care whether it happened through stupidity, panic or misplaced judgment. The outcome is the same. A soldier who compromises this family puts every Capone at risk and this isn’t his first mistake.”