I felt her throat work as she swallowed. Her lips tightened, and her little hands fisted at my chest.

“I asked you if you understood.”

“Yes,” she bit out.

I gave her a grin. “Good.” I released her. She took a full breath of air and stood against the wall as I left. I didn’t lock the door behind me. I went downstairs to Salvatore’s study. My study. There, I switched on the light and dragged the sheets off the chair and desk and sat down. Using my cell phone, I scrolled down to Roman’s number and hit Send.

He answered on the second ring. “Dominic?”

“It’s been a while, Uncle.”

He exhaled deeply. “Yes, it has.”

I hadn’t seen him in almost seven years, and his voice told me Salvatore was right. He’d hardened in that time.

“I heard about the body,” I said, getting right to business.

Silence, then, “And you want to know if I ordered Mateo Castellano’s killing.”

“I am curious why you’d mark him for everyone and their fucking grandmother to know it was you.” I played dumb. Even if Salvatore had spoken with him after our call—which I doubted—he wouldn’t betray me.

“I have enemies, Dominic. You know how it is for us. And snitches aren’t tolerated. Period.” He sounded stern, unmoved, like a real head of the family.

But he still didn’t answer my question.

“He’d done work for us in the past. His father was a friend to Franco.”

“Business is business. Where are you, Dominic?”

“West.” I wasn’t giving him anything. The more I thought about it, the guiltier Roman became.

“Do you need money? I can send you something. Franco won’t know.”

My lip twitched at his charity. His giving away the Benedetti money like it was his.

“No, Uncle. I don’t need money.” I could hear the hostility in my tone. Surely he could too.

Silence. “You’re well, then? Do you want me to do anything with the house? Will you be coming back?”

“No. I just grew curious when I heard about the murder, the brand. It didn’t seem like you.”

“The body shouldn’t have been found,” he said flatly.

Again, not taking responsibility, although not quite denying it either.

“But it was left where it could be. Seems like quite the oversight.”

“I need to meet with Franco, Dominic. Good to hear from you.”

“Tell him I said hello.” I hung up and leaned back in my chair. I had eight days until the auction. Eight days—at the most—until Scava would come looking for Gia and me. Eight days to figure out how Roman was involved.