Page 56 of Righteous Enforcer
He waits a beat, but Eva doesn’t answer.
"It’s convenient that she appears just as our conflict with the Bratva escalates again. How do I know you’re not fucking my brother again as their plant?"
Eva's hands clench in her lap. "I would never?—"
"Never what? Lie? Deceive? That's all you've done." Alessandro's eyes are cold. "What would you do if the Russians threatened your daughter? Would you sell us out to save her?"
The question hangs in the air. Eva's attention darts between us. She’s looking more and more like a skittish cat.
"Answer him," I say, needing to hear it from her own lips.
"I…" She swallows hard. "I would do anything to protect Mirabella."
Alessandro slams his palm on the desk. "There. Honesty at last."
“Wouldn’t you do anything?” she asks me.
“I guess I would, including taking her from you, because your time running from the Bratva will run out, Eva. It nearly did the other night. I won’t risk her life. You need to understand that I’m your only hope.”
“You should listen to him.” Alessandro rises, coming around his desk then leaning against it in front of Eva. “You want the Bratva off your tail? You want us to believe you’re not working with them? Then tell us what you know.”
“I don’t know?—”
“Don’t lie to me. Not to my face. Not in my house.” Alessandro’s tone sends a chill down my spine, which isn’t easy to do.
Eva flinches, and for a moment, I wonder if she has legitimate fear that Alessandro might hurt her right here and now.
I have no qualms about using violence, except against women or children.
I pull away from the wall. “Alessandro?—”
"What did you do for the Bratva, Eva? Why are they hunting you now? Did you steal from them? Betray them like you betrayed Adriano?"
She trembles as she looks to me again for help.
“Or are they after you because you failed to deliver the last time you were here? Was your job to fuck my brother to get inside the Dante family? Is that what you do, Eva, spread your legs to spy on the Dantes?”
“Alessandro.” My tone is a warning, letting him know he’s going too far.
“My father thought you did. And I don’t believe for a moment that he made a deal to let you walk out of here. I think you figured out he was on to you and you ran, faked your death to hide from all of us. But the Bratva found you. And now we have you. And I have no qualms finishing what my father would have started with you.”
Eva shrinks back, and something in me snaps.
"Back off." I step between them, blocking Alessandro's view of Eva. "You've made your point."
"Have I? Because she still hasn't answered the question."
I lower my voice. "Look at her. She's terrified."
"Good. Fear loosens tongues."
"Not like this. Terrorizing her isn’t going to?—”
"Since when do you let pussy cloud your judgment?" Alessandro shakes his head in disappointment.
My jaw tightens and it takes all my strength not to grab my brother by his expensive lapels and slam him against the wall. "One more word, and I forget you're my brother."
Alessandro studies my face, searching for something.
