“Deal depends on what you tell us, then,” I said. “Start talking. If I even think I smell a lie, I pull the fucking trigger, understand?”

Roman nodded. “I stopped dealing with Victor about a month ago when Angus Scava got wind of what his nephew was up to. Victor wasn’t very smart in how he did things. He underestimated Angus. He thought an alliance with me would give him the leverage he needed to take over the Scava family. I…made a mistake.”

“Just facts,” I said. I had no interest in his lies.

“I promised to help him in exchange for new territory. Then, once,” he hesitated, choosing his words. “Once I took over, we would assassinate Angus Scava, who has no shortage of enemies, and Victor would take over as head of the family. I thought it would be easier to manage Victor than Angus. That’s why I went along with it.”

“How do the stolen girls fit in?”

He hesitated. “I took a percentage.”

“You had no qualms about kidnapping and selling human beings?” I asked, disgusted.

He simply lowered his eyes to the floor, perhaps realizing it himself.

“My brother,” Gia said.

Roman met her gaze. “Mateo was…uneasy with the girls. Beating up some asshole who doesn’t pay what he owes is different than taking young girls—”

“Because he had a conscience,” Gia cut in.

“He went to the feds, but he got unlucky. That agent happened to be on Angus Scava’s payroll. That’s how Angus found out. Needless to say, he was not pleased with his nephew’s agenda, but he’s family. He couldn’t bring himself to kill him outright, I guess. And he smelled money. Angus Scava took over the operation. He left Victor in charge, at least for the sake of appearances, but he made all the decisions.”

His eyes bored into Gia as if he would make sure she understood that part.

“Angus Scava wouldn’t have ordered my brother’s execution,” Gia said quietly.

“He not only did that, but he ordered yours.”

She shook her head beside me.

“No. I don’t believe you.”

“Victor was supposed to kill you.”

“Why didn’t he?”

“Rebellion against Angus. Lust. Who knows? He’s completely unreliable.”

“What about the agent? Why kill him?” Salvatore asked.

“All human life is expendable to Angus Scava. And there’s more than one corrupt agent employed by the federal government. And now that Angus took over the operation, he wanted me out. He had no use for me, and that presented an opportunity to put the Benedetti family out of commission for good. Franco and/or I would be picked up, and that would be the end of us. Feds don’t take the killing of their agents lightly.”

“Angus Scava wouldn’t have ordered my brother’s execution. He wouldn’t have ordered for me to be killed.”