ACCARDI: BLOOD KNIGHT (Now On Webnovel and Goodnovel Coming Soon To Mega Novel)

Chapter 16: Strict Confidences

Chapter 16: Strict Confidences

Back Alley, Renovated Neighborhood, Verdicci, Sicily, Italy...(1665)...

      A thirty-year-old Vincenzo Accardi had been quite concerned about the developments he'd heard about his wayward younger brother and the shame he'd been bringing to House Accardi in the form of his dalliances with loose women and young men alike since his return from his studies abroad. In the years before his younger brother's return, Vincenzo had done his utmost to ensure the name of House Accardi had been a well-respected one and one to be feared amid the streets of Verdicci. Athan's reckless hookups and constant drinking seemed to undermine all of his hard work and effort to make the Accardi name mean something worthy of respect. Sergio's concern for Athan and his future had been just the thing Vincenzo needed to curb his baby brother's habits and enforce the need to have him seen as soon as possible. He had been plotting to confront Athan about his behavior for quite some time, even going so far as to recruit a paid informant to get his younger brother's attention.

A good deal of rage passed across the rather handsome tanned face of Vincenzo Accardi as he stood amid the filth and squalor that had been the tourist-attracted main portion of the city, He had detested foreigners almost as much as any worthy Italian noble and as such didn't venture anywhere near this place if he had not a good reason for being there. As he waited out in the cold as Emiliano hastily made his way toward him, they ducked into the nearest alley where they had a chance to speak in private.

"How did it go?" asked Vincenzo with an arched brow, choosing to speak in English as he had known most of the Italian residents that might happen by couldn't understand the language.

"As well as expected," replied Emiliano replying in English lest someone over hear them. "I must say I much prefer your little brother's larger cock to yours."

Vincenzo rolled his eyes not at all wishing to hash out the nature of their association when he'd been pressing Emiliano for information on Athan's less-than-savory habits and not his own.

"He's quite talented you know, when it comes to using it to his advantage," admitted Emiliano. "It's a pity that he's chosen to spend most of his time with it embedded deep within the confines of another less worthy ass."

Vincenzo seemed quite annoyed with the conversation but remained poised as he listened to Emiliano recant the details of his romps with Athan. He had elected to use this blond imbecile to seduce his younger brother and lure him into a trap that would no doubt see their father adhering to his many solutions to his brother's unsavory behavior and the way it made the family look to the outside world, but he'd gone and ruined it by allowing Athan to indulge himself with Edmond instead.

"If he has chosen another then you are of no further use to me," growled Vincenzo once Emiliano had been done with his explanation before suddenly advancing upon the rather clueless and terrified blond lad with a dagger and shoving it into his chest full force.

Emiliano gasped in shock and horror as the blade pierced the handsome young blond's bare flesh and vital organs in one instant as blood began to gush from his mouth.

"And for the record, you were never worthy to ride my cock, nor my baby brother's," growled Vincenzo once more before twisting the blade and ensuring the wound he caused wouldn't close. "That is for being the loosest arse I've ever had the displeasure of fucking."

With that Vincenzo took his leave of the dying Emiliano and silently wiped off his dagger and placed it back into its hidden sheath. He casually strolled down the alley knowing all too well that there would be no one to assist the dying fools as it had been an empty area due to the renovations. Emiliano slunk down to the cold hard ground gasping as he bled from the gaping hole in his chest and the blood that poured from his mouth.

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The Study, The Accardi Estate, Verdicci, Sicily, Italy...(1665)...

Following his meeting with the young and less-than-savory lad Emiliano Gardosi, Vincenzo had been quite annoyed with the results of his carefully chosen plant being upstaged by Edmond Reeves of all people. He had dismissed Emiliano and turned his attention to finding an alternate route to curbing his baby brother's antics if only to ensure his efforts to make the Accardi name greater mean something. At the moment of his return to the family estate from his stroll into town, Vincenzo had been more than convinced that he needed to properly get his baby brother under his heel, and to do so meant using the only person in the world that he had known for a fact that Athan couldn't ever defy, their father Sergio Accardi.

Vincenzo had plotted his means of control over his father and brother for many years in a bid to ensure that the Accardi family had been one of respectable note and power beyond measure and he had not been about to let his baby brother's unseemly reputation undermind all of his hard work and dedication to making it so.

Sergio Accardi who had been quite visibly getting up in the years the more his sons had advanced in age themselves had been quite alarmed to see that Vincenzo had wished to speak with him about an urgent matter concerning Athan. The elder Accardi had not been one for bad news, especially news that concerned his youngest son as he had hope for the lad to become the kind of man his wife would have wanted him to be.

"Papa," began Vincenzo laying it on a bit thick given he had not referred to his father in such terms since before his mother had died.

Sergio had given him his undivided attention as a result of it.

"What is it, my son?" asked Sergio with a look of outright concern filed across his aged face.

"I have some rather unsettling news," replied Vincenzo in a seemingly concerned tone. "And I'm afraid it has to do with Athan and I'm afraid you are not going to appreciate it, but I tell you this out of it being the strictest of confidences."

Sergio arched a brow at this.

"Well son of mine, do tell," he replied steeling himself for the worst of it.

"Well Papa, I am afraid that the company he's been keeping isn't in his best interest," explained Vincenzo. "I have just received word from a few close friends that Athan has been venturing to the tourist section of Verdicci to frequently bed young men and one of said young men had turned up dead in an alleyway just this morning."

Sergio looked positively horrified.

"Athan?" he said not at all liking the idea of his son bedding other young men and even less liking the idea of his youngest son being accused or capable of murdering one of his past lovers. "There must be some mistake."

"I'm afraid there is no mistake Papa, Athan's former lover is indeed dead and just after an incident with him this morning....apparently Edmond is involved and it was supposedly due to Athan taking him as a lover in his dead lover's stead."

The horrified Sergio had been rendered speechless and weak in the wake of all that was revealed to him.

"Vincenzo..." he began stunned.

"Not to worry Papa, I have thought up a solution but I wished to get your approval before executing it outright," admitted Vincenzo casually. "We can still salvage this if Edmond was the one that killed Athan's most recent lover and saved both him and face at the same time."

Sergio took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Let's hear it," he said evenly. "What is this solution of yours?"

Vincenzo nodded and approached his father whispering what he had in mind. Sergio nodded in agreement as he turned his attention to Vincenzo and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do it then," he said in a rather firm tone. "And do it quickly, this cannot go on and I will not lose my youngest son to scandalous sensation and debauchery."

"As you wish, Papa," replied Vincenzo dutifully.

Sergio took his leave of him trying to process all that he'd heard that day. While Vincenzo smirked rather wickedly as he neared the study window. All had been going according to his plan and now he had permission from their father to do with Athan as he pleased regarding the little situation that he had created.