one else kill them?”
“I won’t have them killed.”
If it were anyone else—even his own mother—Carmine could have said those words and then killed the man anyway. It was the way of this business, ugly as it was. Loyalty or death was the law of the land, and sometimes it was kinder to lie to those who could be spared the knowledge of how brutal and how bloody this life really was.
But he couldn’t pull the trigger now. Furious and betrayed or not, he couldn’t shoot Vincente, and deep down he’d known all the way here that he wouldn’t.
Because he’d made a promise to a man who spent enough time on his mind without also tearing apart his conscience.
Carmine lowered the gun, and then he tucked it into his jacket.
Vincente gasped, staring up at him with wide, wet eyes. “You’re…”
“Someone I greatly respect asked me to spare your life,” Carmine gritted out. “If not for him, your brains would be all over this field. You understand me?”
The man nodded vigorously, fresh tears rolling down his bright red face. “Yes, sir. Yes. Thank you, sir.”
“But you ever cross a Pulvirenti again,” Carmine said in a low, warning tone, “I won’t be sparing your life for nobody. You got it?”
More nodding. “Yes. I understand. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Battaglia.”
Carmine looked at Sal, whose usually blank expression was mildly bemused. With a sharp nod, Carmine indicated the car, and he and Sal started walking.
Vincente scrambled to his feet and followed, staggering after them on the soft, uneven ground. At the car, Fedele opened the door, but before Carmine got in, he gestured at Vincente. “He’s walking.”
“Walking?” Vincente blinked. “But… I don’t even know where I am!”
“Neither do I.” Carmine slid into the car. “Maybe while you walk, you can think about how lucky you are that you ain’t dead.”
The door closed, and Carmine couldn’t make out anything else Vincente said.
Fedele and Sal both got in, and Carmine didn’t look back as the car started down the dusty country road.
Sal twisted around in the passenger seat. “You sure about this, boss? Letting him go after he disrespected you like that?” There weren’t many people who could question Carmine but Sal was one of them.
“I don’t think he’ll be a problem for us now. Not unless he wants to see this field again.”
Sal eyed him, then laughed and shook his head as he faced the front.
As Fedele drove, Carmine stared out the window at the passing scenery. He’d have to put a new man in charge of his warehouse security. Maybe promote someone. Maybe hire someone altogether new. That wouldn’t be difficult. There were plenty of soldiers itching to prove their mettle, and there were plenty more men outside the family who were desperate for work.
Whoever he hired, hopefully this would be the end of the mysterious thefts in his warehouses. Paying Danny and his crew to break in had been expensive, but well worth it if it meant he was no longer paying people to let others steal from him.
Letting Vincente live was risky too, but Carmine didn’t regret it.
He had, after all, given Danny his word.
“There was a different man at the drop house.” Danny rocked on his feet as Carmine counted out the money a few days later. “My crew says the usual guy is gone.”
“He is.” Carmine glanced up. “He’s been promoted to oversee my warehouse operations since his predecessor was the culprit in all those thefts.”
“Oh. Was he?”
Carmine nodded as he handed over the cash. “He’s been dealt with.”
Danny took the money, but he didn’t start counting it. He didn’t look away from Carmine. “Dealt with?”
“Yes.”
An eyebrow rose.
Carmine exhaled. “He wasn’t shot, and he wasn’t tortured.” Vincente might disagree about torture, but he’d been left unscathed, so as far as Carmine was concerned, he’d kept his word.
“He wasn’t?”
“I told you he wouldn’t be.”
Danny studied him, maybe trying to decide if Carmine was lying. Or maybe he was just surprised. After a few heartbeats…
Oh, God help me. That smile.
Carmine had wondered more than once if he should have left Vincente alive. If he should have just shot the man and told Danny he hadn’t. But that smile on Danny’s lips warmed his heart right now, and it would have torn Carmine’s conscience in two if he’d earned it on false pretenses.
What in the world is wrong with me?
Danny dropped his gaze to the money, and he thumbed through it. Apparently satisfied it was all there, he handed it back. “What’s become