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"You are probably wondering what you are doing here," he said, his tone serious "I will level with you--I do not wish to hurt you, but I will if you ht in you, considering you have twice scarred aped at him as he motioned toward Nunzio Son?
"I should explain," he said "I am Ivan Volkov, and I have been acquainted with the DeMarcos for many years Vincent was a child the first time we est is"
He laughed, as did Nunzio, and Haven felt tears for at the mention of Carmine
"Did I strike a nerve, Principessa?" he asked "I hear you care for the boy It would be a pity if so happened to him, so let us hope it does not come to that"
"Don’t," she whispered "Please don’t"
"I do not wish to hurt him If it helps, I have not heard of his death, so he is probably fine"
His voice taunted her She tried to fight back tears, but it was too much to take
"Aw, do not cry" He reached toward her but she recoiled He dropped his hand without touching her "Where was I?"
"You were talking about how much of a prick Vincent was," Nunzio said
"Ah, yes This was before he met his wife, of course Shauilty, but it was her fault" He shook his head "Meddling bitch"
"You? You did it?"
"You can say I conducted that beautiful symphony"
"I don’t understand," Haven said "What do I have to do with any of this?"
"You have the power to bring down the ene to do"
She tensed, Carain I was born with eneives roundwork around Chicago, taking over businesses," he continued "We have wiped out the competition, except for the Italians People are loyal to the told where I can go and what I can do I have found little ways in and turned a few, but I need soher up I need to crack the leadership, and Nunzy created a rift They have held theether, but it is different no I have you"
"Me? But I’m justI’m no one"
"Oh, you are definitely soolden ticket If I kidnapped the DeMarco boy, the Italians would co, but you are trickier Salvatore will be happy to have you gone, the coive up There is nothing I enjoy ht And when the DeMarco boy demands action, so it willand hard, as if that were the funniest thing he had ever heard
"Who aretted the question, but it was too late to take it back
"I have been trying to tell you You are the buried treasure, the one Salvatore thought would never be found, but I have dug you up" He reached out, his calloused finger drawing an X on her forehead "When the dust settles and they have killed one another, everything will beyou"
He stood and turned to the blond-haired wo to eat, Natalia Let her rest You and your brother are on watch tonight"
Haven sat as still as possible, her eyes vigilantly darting around the roo her and Nunzio alone He strolled to her and knelt down, placing his hand on her knee
She fought back a shudder as his hand roahtly, his fingers digging into her flesh, and she cringed as he pulled hi over, he paused with his mouth next to her ear "Miss ue swirled around her earlobe Panicking, she shoved him He stumbled a few steps, and before he could react, she pulled her leg up and slammed it into his crotch He hunched over as she ju from the sudden movement She sprinted for the metal door across the roorabbed her froht," Nunzio said breathlessly She cried for help as he dragged her across the roo a roll of duct tape froht of it "No!"
He sain, but he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back Pain ripped up her shoulder with such intensity that everything went black He threw her on the ht on his skin as she grasped at his face, pulling his bandage off and ripping the stitches underneath Blood gushed fro his fist, Nunzio slammed it into her face Stars danced before her eyes He tore off a piece of duct tape to cover herher cries, he jerked her onto her stoh her body as he forced her arether He wiped his cheek, bringing his hand up to eye the blood, before stor of food and sat down on the ently pulled the duct tape fro her until Haven turned away Sickness churned in her stoer him It isn’t smart"
Eventually, Haven passed out fro in front of her "I thought you were going to play nice, Principessa"
"I, uh, he was going to--"