“I feel the same about my own family at times.” A shame they were meeting as enemies, since Rico had the feeling the two of them might have been friends.
“Well, then, we two have some business to conduct,” Gianni said, holding the dagger so that the overhead light caught the blade and glinted like diamonds. “Here is your property. And now I would like to see this evidence my father claims you hold.”
Rico nodded, walked to his desk and unlocked the top drawer. He took out a thick manila envelope and carried it to Gianni. Handing it over, he said, “That is everything I collected over five years.” As a compliment of sorts, he added, “There wasn’t much to be found.”
Gianni grinned. “The Corettis are not easy to catch.”
“I noticed,” Rico said and took the dagger when it was offered.
The heavy gold weight felt solid, right, in his hands. He was relieved to finally have it back and yet…it felt like a hollow victory. He had set his sights on the return of his property and hadn’t looked beyond that. Now he could see that retrieving his dagger could cost him the woman he loved.
Gianni opened the envelope and flipped through a few of the pages. He whistled low and long before looking up at Rico. “What you have here would have seen me and my family locked away for some time.” He tucked the pages back inside and slapped the envelope against his palm. “Tell me, would you really have done it? Seen Teresa’s family jailed?”
Setting the dagger down onto his desk, Rico pushed one hand through his hair and looked at the other man, standing quietly, watching him. It was past time for complete honesty, he thought. With himself as well as everyone else.
“Had you asked me that question two weeks ago,” he said, “the answer would have been yes. Absolutely. Now…”
Gianni’s eyes warmed as he smiled. “You do love her. My sister.”
“I do.”
“Which makes what I have to say next that much more uncomfortable. You have to release her from this bargain you and she struck.”