Gael thought about calling Savannah as she was his first contact whenever he needed legal help, but she wasn't in New York at the moment. So he dialed his father's consigliere instead.

The phone conversation didn't last long, and Gael had to be careful what to say because an officer was in the room with him and in case they tapped into the phone they provided.

Fabiano told him that he was already aware of what was happening. He didn't exactly tell Gael the specifics, but with the way Fabiano spoke, Gael knew he couldn't go to him yet because he and Alessandro were still with the council for the blood oath contract and waiting for their decision after reporting the attack by Filippo's right-hand man. Those meetings took time, especially since the elders liked to argue with each other and were slow as fuck. Fabiano didn't think he would be back soon, but he reassured Gael that he would send another trustworthy lawyer.

Gael didn't mind. He understood that there were more important things than getting him out of the police station. He wasn't the priority at the moment—the contract and their war with the Morellis were. Gael was trained to withstand torture, and waiting in the room was nothing. And since he was innocent, he didn't worry. But he still had to get out of there—the sooner, the better—so he could find Mika and give justice to J's death. He had faith in his men that they recovered Mika safe and sound.

There should be no problem with the elders honoring the nullification of the marriage order between the two families, given that it was clear the Morellis breached the blood oath—ignorance about the agreement wasn't valid.

It was why intercepting Don Mario's route back home yesterday after their meeting was crucial. The older man didn't get to announce the agreement. It would appear that he and Lauretta had gotten into an accident with no evidence that would trace back to the De Lucas. Gael's father was careful. And even if it would be proven that Alessandro was behind it, there was a loophole in the agreement that would get them off the hook.

Neither party could attack the other in their respective territories. That essentially meant attacking the other—by means of the "accident"—in Pennsylvania which was neutral ground was technically not a breach. It's a deceptive method. Fabiano was sly. He wouldn't be the Don's consigliere if he wasn't smart.

However, even though Gael would be free from his engagement to Lauretta, he just couldn't be happy. There was, of course, a big part of him that was hopeful he could get Angela back. But it sickened him thinking that J died for it to happen. What a cruel world.

During the wait, Gael had to take a gunshot residue test. He now understood why they didn't let him wash his hands. They needed to test him, and they could only do that if his hands were dry and unwashed since they brought him in—fresh from the apartment where the crime happened.

They sent the test kit to the crime lab, and when it came back, it said that there were small particles of residue on his hand. Gael thought it probably transferred when he held hands with J who shot one of the men who came with Bruno last night.

Gael's clothes were also tested—even the bloodied jacket found on J's body that was identified to be Gael's—but there were no particles found on them. It was proof that he didn't shoot anyone.

He found the procedure a waste of time, nothing but to satisfy Lieutenant Clark's obsession with the De Lucas. GSR testing had already been deemed as problematic due to the possibility of cross-contamination where even the analysts and lab technicians could transfer GSR to objects or another person during the testing. It was why it was no longer used as leading evidence by the FBI but instead only to corroborate points for the investigation.

Of course, Clark didn't think it was unnecessary because he had to do everything he could to put Gael into jail. If Gael didn't believe that the lieutenant was such a "clean" cop, he would think that Clark would resort to tampering with the evidence just so he could throw Gael into the can.

It was already noon when Gael was released from being detained. Lieutenant Clark tried to keep him longer, but the lawyer Fabiano sent to the station threatened to sue everyone who was on duty for wrongfully detaining Gael. The latter didn't know the lawyer personally, but he must be good if he was Fabiano's acquaintance.

The threat was only to scare, but Gael didn't doubt Fabiano would slap the police officers who handcuffed him and put him in the investigation room—including Clark—with a lawsuit in the next few days to serve as a reminder to never fuck with the De Lucas.

They had a few people on the inside—dirty cops who accepted bribes from them for many years, and even they would face the consequences because of how they treated Gael. Alessandro would make sure of it.

In the end, they released him. Lieutenant Clark was seething as he watched Gael walking out of the station—once again, a free man.

Gael thanked the lawyer who left in a hurry as soon as they were out.

Giovanni stood next to the waiting SUV in front of the police station, looking somber in his black peacoat and dark jeans. He pulled Gael in a man hug, giving him a tight squeeze. "I came as soon as I heard. I'm sorry."

At first, Gael didn't hug back, but damn he needed that, so he tentatively clasped the other in return. He was still a mess with dirt and dried blood all over him, but Giovanni didn't even care. His uncle was the first one who expressed sympathy because of J's death. Fabiano didn't even say any consolation when they spoke on the phone earlier. Gael doubted the man cared much about J.

At the moment, he felt like a zombie for being awake for more than twenty-four hours. But there were a lot of things to do. "Did they get Mika?" he asked when they pulled back.

"Your men got to Bruno before they reached New Jersey, and they brought the two to the Bunk. Your car's there too. Mika's at Nonna's. She's…physically okay apart from a minor scratch."

"Does she know?"

Giovanni's jaw ticked, and then he nodded. "They didn't want to tell her about Jino yet, afraid that she'd fall ill, but she found out a few hours ago. She went to see her brother at the morgue, but then she fainted and is currently staying at the hospital. Mika's fine...as fine as she could be."

Gael felt exceedingly terrible like a whole elephant was sitting on his chest. "What about Gabby?"

Giovanni didn't answer—rather, he didn't know what to say, and Gael understood his silence.

"Let's go to the Bunk," said Gael as he walked past Giovanni and got in the backseat of the SUV.

"Don't you want to change and wash up first?"

Changing clothes was the last thing on Gael's mind. He wanted to get his hands on the man who took J's life. He wanted to beat the living shît out of him.

"I've got clothes in my car."

When Giovanni climbed in after him, the SUV pulled away from the curb. "What are you gonna do?"

Right at that moment, memories of J flashed in Gael's head, and his chest squeezed once more. He was filled with guilt and regret and immeasurable pain. "I'll make sure he'll wish he was dead."

***

Bruno was hung with his feet a couple of inches off the ground, his wrists tied to a chain that was bolted to the ceiling. He was all black and blue, busted lips and swollen eyes—the soldiers roughed him up when they took him to the Bunk. Everyone was grieving for their loss, and they wanted to take several hits on him. Jino was like a brother to the soldiers. He was the life of the party and the only one whom Gael really cared for more than he was expected to after he took the siblings in.

They wanted to kill Bruno, but they knew instant death was too kind. So they waited for Gael to come, and when he did, everyone was allowed to watch. They weren't usually allowed in the basement unless they were one of the guards on duty, but today was an exception. They needed to see Bruno suffer.

"There's nothing you can do. No matter how much you torture me, you won't bring your little boy toy back," Bruno sneered and grinned through bloody teeth.

"I'm perfectly aware he won't come back." Gael picked up a switchblade from a table full of different objects and sauntered towards the other, an ominous halo blanketing his entire being as he tested the blade on his finger. The skin immediately split, and blood beaded out. "I'm doing this for me."

"I can handle torture." Bruno gritted his teeth.

Gael didn't particularly like torturing people. He didn't find pleasure in inflicting pain and seeing them bleed. It was gruesome and violent and could easily pull someone further into the darkness.

This was different.

Gael slashed the blade across the man's cheek, deeper than what Bruno did to J's. "I promise you.. Not this one."