The Don's Trust

Chapter 36

''It's not mine,'' Vito put his finger under Valentina's chin to make her meet his eyes. Her concerned silver eyes were still present, ''Valentina, it's not my blood. There's nothing for you to worry about.''

Relief washed over her. Valentina parted her lips but closed them after a few seconds. She wanted to know whose blood was on Vito's shirt, but at the same time, she wasn't sure if she really wanted that kind of knowledge on her conscious.

''What is it?'' Vito said while trying to read her eyes.

Valentina looked down and noticed the red colour had transferred onto her own clothes. She refocused her attention on Vito's clothes. Only now she took note of the way the fabric of his shirt clung to his middle and lower right arm. There was a light sheen on the black dress shirt.

''If it's not yours then whose blood is it?''

A faint dark smile tugged on Vito's lips, ''Philip's.''

Her eyes widened in shock at his confession. Last time someone killed a man from law enforcement, that person didn't get away with it. A price had to be paid. If it wasn't for Christopher's protectiveness, Enzo would have been the one in prison. In no way did Valentina want Vito to be locked up again. Especially not so soon after he got back home. Back with her.

Vito clenched his jaw, ''Do you feel bad for him?''

She shook her head, ''What if you get caught? It's not going to be five years or anything close to that. It's going to be like what happened to your brother,'' Valentina clutched his shirt, ''You shouldn't have done it.''

The mere idea of it made her eyes well up. Not wanting to cry again, she surpressed the tears from spilling out.

''There is nothing for them to find. I didn't leave behind any traces that would lead them back to me. I had more than enough time in prison to think it through. It wasn't some last-minute thing like it was with Enzo.''

Vito's reassurance eased her worries. He rested his forehead on hers and caressed her cheekbone with his thumb. Vito leaned in and connected his lips to Valentina's. A slow and passionate kiss. His grip on her waist didn't match the same tenderness as their shared kiss.

Valentina frowned slightly at his firm hold on her but let it go. She pulled back, ''I thought you wouldn't get released until next week.''

''I behaved during my time there and got an early release. It's only a few days less but still better than nothing.''

For the most part, Vito didn't cause any sort of havoc. There had been times where Vito got caught communicating with his soldiers by the warden. Something he wasn't allowed to do. During those instances, Vito let the money do the talking. An effective method to make the corrupt warden turn a blind eye to his actions.

She nodded in understanding, ''Why didn't you tell me? I would've taken a day off and made you something."

''You can cook? Since when?'' He raised an eyebrow in amusement.

She tried holding back a smile, ''I had to learn it eventually, but you're avoiding my question.''

''I needed to get rid of Philip. If it was up to him, I'd never set foot out of that damned place.'' Vito made no mention of the brutal way he took the detective's life. He didn't see a reason to get into the gory details. That part of his life wasn't meant for her ears.

''Couldn't you have sent someone to do it? Damian told me you still gave out orders when you were serving time. Couldn't you have given an order back then?'' Valentina believed this course of action to be more fitting to his character. She often associated cold logic with him.

''That would have been no good,'' He paused before saying, ''No, I had to personally take care of him,'' Vito moved a few strands of hair to the side of Valentina's face.

Originally, Vito decided on sending a hitman after the detective but this changed when Philip made a move on Valentina. Even though he was behind bars, Vito knew what Philip had been up to. The moment detective Coleman involved Valentina in his cunning plan to get intel on Vito, he wouldn't give the detective an easy death. In addition to this, Philip's frequent and unwanted visits to Vito only fueled his desire to have the man gone. The words exchanged between the two in the prison's visiting area always left a bitter taste in Vito's mouth.

''You look tired,'' He said.

Valentina laughed lightly, ''I could say the same about you.''

She lifted her hand to brush over the stubble on Vito's face but halted her movement. Once again, reminded of the blood on her palms.

''You're not as queasy of blood as you used to be,'' He remarked.

''I got used to it. I can't really avoid it,'' She referred to her work, ''You should take a shower.''

Vito nodded and let go of Valentina. He picked the silver gun up from the table to put it back in the place it belonged.

Valentina lowered her gaze to the weapon in Vito's hand. It had been thoroughly cleaned. Not a speck of dried blood on it. She had seen Vito with a gun before but never this one. Valentina trailed after him and watched him put it in the top drawer of his nightstand.

''Has that always been there?''

''Yes,'' Vito looked over his shoulder, ''Including the time I caught you snooping around.''

Valentina's cheeks heated in embarrassment. She looked at the closed drawer and wondered why he stored the gun there. It was clear the gun held more meaning to Vito than any other weapon she had seen him carry into the house.

''It's the same gun I used against my father,'' His voice got lower, ''I only use it when things get personal.'' The look in Vito's green eyes gave Valentina a chilling sensation.

Valentina knew Vito didn't regret killing his father. Much less someone like Philip. It didn't make him lie awake at night. To Valentina, it looked like Vito replayed the events of fourteen years ago in his head.

Vito's statement dawned upon her, ''If the gun was there the whole time then why didn't you let me know you came here?''

Vito sighed heavily, ''Trust me, Valentina, you wouldn't have wanted to see me. I wasn't in a good state of mind. I was vengeful.''

Still am, Vito thought to himself.