I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by Leo's behavior since the attack. The Leo I know isn't easily shaken, definitely not by ambushes, not by bloodshed, not even by betrayal. If I didn't know him better, I might've said the whole thing rattled him. But that's impossible.
Leo doesn't flinch at things like this.
Which leaves me with only one explanation; "the girl at the alley".
He hasn't said much about her, but something in him shifted. I see it in the way he stares off sometimes. Quieter. Sharper. Restless. This isn't about strategy or vengeance, it's something more personal.
A sharp knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. One of our men stood outside, breathless.
"One of the captured men… he asked to see you."
I didn't waste time. I followed him to the basement.
We've been working this guy over since the night of the ambush. And yet nothing. Which, to be fair, is expected. In our world, silence under torture is loyalty. We're trained for it. When I reached him, he was slumped over, barely recognizable. The bruises and dried blood covered most of his face. The men had done their part.
He was unconscious.
I grabbed a bucket of water and threw it over him. He jolted awake with a gasp, coughing.
"Hey. I heard you asked for me," I said calmly, stepping closer. "Ready to talk?"
"Not you, son of a bitch", he spat.
I raised a brow. "Alright then". Without another word, I turned to the two men standing on guard. Gave them a small signal.
Tiger stepped forward.
"You know," I said casually, "I hate when people beg for their lives. It ruins the rhythm of things. Let's avoid that, yeah? Tiger, cut off his left toe. Let's see if pain unlocks his tongue".
Tiger nodded. "On it, Sottocapo (Underboss)".
He reached for the pliers.
"Wait!" the prisoner cried out, panic breaking through the arrogance. "Stop, please. I'll talk!"
I folded my arms. "Then start already."
"I want to speak to the Don", he said, panting. "Get me Leonardo Bellini, and I'll talk".
I stared at him for a moment. The audacity was almost amusing.
"You've got some nerve," I said, smirking. "But fine. I'll get you what you want. Let's hope you actually have something worth Leo's time."
"Oh, trust me," he said, lips twitching despite the pain, "I've got clues. Real ones."
I gave him a long look, then nodded slowly.
"Tiger, hold off. Don't lay another finger on him yet."
With that, I turned and left the basement. Time to find Leo.
Whatever this bastard has to say, it better be good.
When I got to Leo's study, I pushed the door open and walked in without knocking. Yeah, you heard me. I walked in like I owned the place, something no one else would dare to do but me.
He was standing by the window, staring out. That alone told me something was off. Leo never just stands around gazing at nothing unless something's weighing heavily on his mind. And that's rare.
Without turning, without even glancing in my direction, he spoke.
"Any updates on who attacked us?".
So typical of him. He already knows I'm the only one who can enter unannounced.
"He's ready to talk", I simply said.
"Then what are you waiting for? Get the information out of him, unless there's a problem", He said, still not turning.
"Well… he insists on speaking to one person only. Leonardo Bellini", I replied.
He exhaled slowly, with a low hum and then there was a brief silence before I decided that it was the right time to clear my doubt and curiosity.
"Ehm…", I let out
He turned just enough to see the look on my face. "What is it?" he asked, brow slightly furrowed.
He knew me too well and he definitely knew I was about to ask something. Something connected to that night in the alley. He tried to shut me down with that cold, unreadable expression of his, like that alone would be enough to make me back off. But he should know better by now. I've never been the type to be intimidated by him. So, I asked anyway.
"So… I've been thinking", I began, his eyes flicking to mine, while I waited for a green light to continue.
"About what?" he said, one brow lifted as I walked toward his desk. He turned to face me fully, settling in like a man preparing for yet another one of my wild theories.
"You've been off since the attack. Distant. Unfocused," I plainly said. "And I was wondering if maybe, just maybe something else is bothering you."
He gave a quick shrug. "We were attacked. That's enough of a reason, isn't it?", He asked back.
Nice move, Leo. Real smooth. What a convenient way to dodge my question, I thought, biting back a smirk.
I noded slowly. Too slowly. He knows that I didn't and would never buy whatever narrative he was selling.
"Right… well," I hesitated, then added with a forced casualness, "Simi, yeah?"
His head snapped toward Me so fast it caught me off guard and I can also see that he is surprised by his own actions. This would he fun I smiled internally.
"What about her?", He asked, trying to smooth the edge from his voice.
"I don't know. Don't you think you should find her?"
"For what?" He cut in, trying to cover up the excitement behind his voice.
"To thank her," I said simply. "She saved your life."
He scoffed, turning his gaze away. "I don't get people like her," he said, frustration lacing his tone. "She should've walked away. Minding her own damn business. What if I had been someone dangerous? What if they turned on her because of me?" His voice wavered slightly, still angry, but there was something else creeping in. Guilt. Concern. Maybe even fear.
I couldn't help but be amused, watching him complain about some girl he met in an alley. Right now, he sounded like a nagging husband, and that alone was entertaining. Whoever she is, she must be something special to have rattled the great Leonardo Bellini like this. It's completely out of character. The Leo I know doesn't waste his time on women beyond a night. No dating, no emotions just flings and clean exits. He pays them off generously so he never has to see them again. And he never f*cks the same woman twice, no matter how good the sex was. That's just how he operates. Cold, controlled, detached. But the man pacing in front of me now? This version of Leo is something else entirely and I have to admit, it's fascinating to watch.
But now that I think about it, that name "Simi", it sounds oddly familiar. I'm sure I've heard it somewhere before, but I just can't place it. Maybe with a little digging, I'll figure it out.
"Alright then", I said after a moment, my tone clipped. "I just figured her name sounded familiar and I was thinking of helping you find her. But hey, you can't stand her, so there's no reason to look into her at all," I said dryly, my gaze fixed on him, curious to see if he'd take the bait.
"Yeah," he muttered. "No need," he added, a little too fast like he was trying to convince himself more than me.
I nodded once and turned toward the door. "I'll get ready. Meet you in the basement".
"I'll be out in ten," He said quietly.
I gave him a thumbs-up without looking back and walked out, letting the door slam shut behind me. As I made my way toward the basement, I wasn't sure what the battered man down there was going to say, but one thing was clear; whatever it was, things were about to get a lot more complicated and busy. That I'm sure about!