Rocco by Sarah Castille

Author:Sarah Castille [Castille, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2018-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

“Put him on his knees.”

Cesare folded his arms as Rocco shoved the Falzone crime family soldier down on the rocky shore of Newtown Creek. The soldier had shot up a Gamboli family restaurant, killing the don’s aunt and nephew as well as two civilians. The don had called in the De Lucchi crew, and in a matter of hours they’d found the soldier hiding out in the basement of his brother’s home.

“Are you sure you caught the right man?” Cesare demanded. “Let me see his face.”

Rocco worked loose the knot on the hood he’d placed over the soldier’s head when he dragged him out of the house. Rocco had felt nothing when he pleaded for his life, nothing when his sister had begged Rocco to spare him, nothing when his son screamed not to hurt his dad. After years of torture and beatings, he’d learned to retreat into a cold, dark place when there was work to be done, a void without emotion or feeling, where all that mattered was obeying Cesare’s commands.

“Hurry up.”

Rocco released the hood and ripped it over the soldier’s head, locking his hand on the man’s shoulder in case he tried to get away. They always tried to get away, just like he had always tried to get away when Cesare took him to the basement for training. And just like Rocco, the victims quickly learned there was nowhere to go and no one to save them.

“Yes, that’s him. Well done.”

Rocco breathed a silent sigh of relief. It had been his first solo mission, and Cesare did not take failure lightly. Had he failed to capture the solider, or worse, brought the wrong man, he would have been expected to offer himself up for a beating by the five most senior members of the De Lucchi crew. The last time he’d messed up, he thought he would die from his injuries. If Grace hadn’t gone looking for him because he didn’t show up to pick her up at school, he wouldn’t be here today. She had called an ambulance and saved his life, but as he stood on the bank of the creek knowing what Cesare expected him to do, he wished she had let him die in her arms.

“I trained you well,” Cesare said into the silence. “But not well enough. You have a weakness, Rocco. A chink in your armor. Tonight, we repair it.” He gestured behind him and Cesare’s right-hand man, Benito, the most senior member of the De Lucchi crew, stepped out of the shadows holding Grace in front of him, one hand over her mouth, the other holding a knife against her throat.

“Grace.” Her name was a strangled gasp on Rocco’s lips as adrenaline surged through his body, the cold, dark void crumbling beneath a tidal wave of rage. He had been so careful. So very, very careful. He knew the risk, but he couldn’t resist. Now he would pay for his selfishness with her life.

“You think I wouldn’t find out?” Cesare sneered.

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