27. Ambrose

Chapter twenty-seven

Ambrose

" W hy don't you tell him?" Adriano asks me, as Valerie goes to join Natalia, Antonio and Gus.

"I will, I just have to be sure. I don't want to hurt him and then it isn't even worth it," I say

"You're not sure about her?" Adriano asks wide-eyed, and I look around at the men checking that none of them heard him but they're too consumed in their conversations.

"Of course, I'm fucking sure about her, don't think I've been more sure about anything in my life."

"Then what are you worried about?"

I watch her dance with Natalia, evidently a little drunk, happy and carefree. "I'm worried she won't be sure of me, that I won't be enough for her. Why would she choose me over him? He's the ever-perfect Vitale with a pristine reputation. Known for being the most polite, most humble. Least fucked up."

"You're an idiot," Adriano says, and throws the rest of his tequila back in in a swig. "Always have been, always will be."

"Why? "

"If you saw the way she's looked at you since she was sixteen, you wouldn't have a single doubt in the world about who she'd pick between the two of you."

He gets up to join the rest of them and it all looks so natural. The five of them, so similar in age, so similar in many ways and then there's me–sitting here alone, surrounded by men that only seem to care about two things, drinking shitty whiskey and bragging about their money.

A sinking feeling sets in when I realise how much I've become like my father. This is all I do these days, kiss ass, brag and then drink shitty whiskey. Just like he did at the start of his career

It's only been a few months but with each day that passes and every meeting that drains the living hell out of me, I see more of him in myself. The way he'd come home too tired for my mother but somehow have enough energy for whatever mistress he fucked at the office. The way he drowned himself in his work and a bottle on the side.

It's a darkness none of my brothers will ever possess, nor will they ever need to as long as I'm here.

They get to live their happy little lives, doing their parts to keep the company afloat and I'll sit here and take the hits on their behalf when things go wrong. I'll take a bad reputation if it means theirs stays spotless. I'll risk losing the girl if it means it'll make Antonio happy.

"They're quite close?" Horatio says, suddenly a lot closer.

I want to smack myself for zoning out as much as I have and letting my guard down enough to not even notice him coming closer.

I follow his eyes to where Valerie is leaning into Antonio's shoulder as they watch Adriano and Natalia bicker about something.

"We all grew up together, they're best friends," I say in the most convincing tone I can muster, even though it's killing me to justify it knowing how much he likes her.

"He looks at her as if he's in love with her," Horatio points out. "I'd kill a man for doing less. "

Worry surges through me. Will he think this is fake? Does he already question it? Have we given him any reason to think it isn't real?

It feels real.

"If he wasn't my brother I would, but I trust him more than I trust myself," I reply confidently, this time it isn't a lie, or at least it isn't until my eyes find them again and I pay closer attention to the way his hand rests on her waist, or the way he leans down to whisper into her ear.

"Blood makes you related, but loyalty makes you family," Horatio says and pats me on the back.

My head snaps up to him so fast I fear I may have given myself a self-induced case of whiplash. He's gone through the crowd before I can even stop him to ask where he heard that. I've never heard anyone other than my father utter those words before. I'm sure he didn't invent the quote, but the way Adriano said he doesn't trust Horatio only leaves me to question it even more.

I'm on my feet the next second, rage flooding through me as my mind runs a million miles a second with possibilities.

I stop in front of Adriano, probably looking a bit like a madman and I don't even have to say anything before he nods and follows me towards a room behind the bar, one only Vitales are allowed into.

It is unfortunately occupied by Enzo, Mattia and a few more of our cousins, presumably discussing Vitality Life.

"Get out, now," I growl and everyone but Enzo stands to leave.

"No, we're busy."

"I couldn't give a flying fuck if you're having tea with The King, I said get out, or I'll have you escorted out."

He holds my stare for a beat until he eventually stands to leave and follows Mattia out.

"Horrible timing for a family meeting, Brosy," Antonio says, teasing me with the nickname .

"Couldn't agree more," Gus says, taking a seat next to Antonio. Only Adriano remains silent, I assume trying to figure out exactly why I've gathered them here, and more importantly why I've done it so abruptly.

"You were right, something is off with Horatio."

I was expecting a more smug look from my brothers but instead, their faces are all varying degrees of concern, Adriano's being the most alarmed.

Gus leans back in his chair, his expression almost sceptical. "What makes you say that?"

"Just something he said." I try to remain vague.

"Would you just tell us so that maybe we could try and help? Instead of pretending to be mysterious" Antonio speaks up.

"He quoted one of papá's sayings. ‘Blood makes you related, but loyalty makes you family' I know it's probably nothing bu–"

Adriano interjects, his fingers tapping on the table. "I've been doing some digging into him," he says, pulling his phone out. "The company Horatio works for has some discrepancies in their financial reports and connections to some interesting individuals."

"How interesting?" I ask.

"French cartel and the Sicily side of the Vitale's interesting."

Fuck.

Antonio nods. "So, we need to tread carefully. We can't afford to let someone like him into our inner circle."

I lean onto the table as I stare blankly ahead trying to process all of this. "Agreed. But we can't simply dismiss him without concrete evidence. We need to gather more information, discreetly."

Adriano glances up from his phone, a spark of determination in his eyes. "I have an idea. We could use the investor dinner as an opportunity to probe further. I'll set up some surveillance, hack into their systems if necessary, and gather intel on Horatio and his associates."

We all nod in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. We'll play nice at dinner while Adriano works his magic behind the scenes," Gus says .

"And if Horatio proves to be as suspicious as we suspect, we'll be ready to take appropriate action," Antonio says.

As we finalise our strategy, the air crackles with anticipation. The stage is set for a high-stakes game of deception, with the bonds of Vitale Holdings in the balance.