War of A Rose

War of a Rose • Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-eight
Rosaelia

I pressed my ear to the brown door, trying to hear what the voices on the other side were saying. It was a jumbled mess of deep voices. I knew Alessio was in there. It was his office after all. I'm sure Niccolò too and probably Pietro since he is consigliere. But by the sound of it, there was more than just them.

Finally, I was able to hear a rough voice ask, "You're sure Domenico will be there?" I knew that voice. I pressed further into the door as they continued. I couldn't shake the twisting of my gut as I heard my father's name. Why were they talking about him without me?

"Yes. Our men have been watching him since Gabriele turned up here. He will be there." This time it was Niccolò who spoke. Then Pietro as he agreed.

The one voice I least expected to hear spoke next, "My uncle will be there. I know his schedule like the back of my hand. I spent my life following him around. He won't miss this opportunity for the world. He'll be there and he'll be ready."

I shoved open the door before any of them could respond. All eyes flew to me while their hands rested on their guns. Glaring my way around the room, I looked at my cousin and then at the man leaning against his desk. Alessio was the only one who hadn't reached for his gun. He kept his arms crossed over his chest as he looked back at me.

"What is this?"

Alessio started, "Little rose—"

"Rosaelia," I corrected while throwing my glare at the man beside him, "What is this?" My cousin only stared as I stepped further into the room. Niccolò and Pietro watched but said nothing. Dante, Enzo, and Giovanni were here as well. I looked around the room searching for Liliana. Surprisingly she was the only one who wasn't a traitor. Standing from his desk, Alessio stepped forward.

"We were tracking your father."

"Without me?"

"I didn't think it was a good idea to involve you right now."

"You told me that I could get my revenge yet you all stand here collaborating behind my back."

I swiveled to the man beside me and with a glare, I said, "And you—you're something. You're supposed to be my cousin. My fucking brother and you had the audacity to belittle me for fucking the enemy but what about you? What about now? What are you their little lap dog?" I had never spoken to my cousin like that before. Never in my life, but at this moment I did not care. I noticed the way Alessio's eyes shifted to my cousin at the mention of our previous conversation.

I turned to him pointing my index finger straight out, "Don't act like you're fucking perfect either. You're full of shit promises and lies."

Gabriele ran his hand through his hair as he tried to explain, "Lia, it's not what you think." I was too angry to listen. Too angry to do anything other than coldly stare at each man in this room, resisting the urge to shoot them all. Starting with Alessio.

Throwing my hands up, I asked, "Then what the fuck is it?"

I waited for my cousin to answer. He didn't. Someone else did instead, "We weren't going to kill him." Enzo said with a soft expression. Even his gentle tone wasn't enough to calm me. It wouldn't spare him from my wrath either.