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Confusion took over her face. Angela\'s brows furrowed deeply, and she hesitated as she reached for the envelope, pulling away before touching it. She appeared to want to say something, but no words came out of her mouth.

She looked over to her side—to Gael, whose eyes were on her. His expression was unreadable, impassive, even—as if he was only observing her, unperturbed by what his father just revealed. Did he know about this?

"I…I don\'t understand," she said, clutching her clammy hands together. The air in the study felt tense as five Mafiosos stared at her, waiting for something she didn\'t know what. 

Alessandro leaned back, crossed his legs, and steepled his hands together, his stare never leaving Angela\'s. A small smile hinted at his lips, a kind one—one that he showed to Gabriella—and then he said, "This means that we have your back, Angela. Your grandfather is a very dangerous man. You\'re not going to fight him alone. You have us because you\'re family now."

Angela briefly closed her eyes, slightly shaking her head as she tried to make sense of things. She didn\'t question whether Gael would have her back, but his whole family? She was honestly afraid that Alessandro would see her as a hindrance or baggage and ask Gael to get rid of her. It was understandable that he would want to protect his family first before other people. After all, she and Gael haven\'t married yet.

"But… You\'re business partners…" was all she could mutter.

Alessandro gestured towards the envelope. "I keep tabs on all my business partners as a precaution. All of them."

She glanced between Gael and Alessandro, recalling that Gael told her the same thing a couple of months ago. They did keep records of the people they worked with. Gael also held some files regarding the Bratva, but not as extensive as Alessandro did. The envelope was thick; the string binding it could snap anytime. She couldn\'t imagine just how much stuff was in that thing. How dangerous it would be for her to know what was in it.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" she probed.

"You and Gael could go over it and use it however you like. But you cannot act on your own. Always talk to me first before anything else."

That was the protocol, and she understood why. Nothing went by without the Don\'s approval.

When she remained quiet, Alessandro added, "Do remember, Angela. This could also hurt your mother and siblings."

Her chest squeezed at the mention. Cynthia hurt her, but was she really going to hurt her back through whatever the documents contain?

She cleared her throat. "Wouldn\'t this hurt your business too?"

"It could… It would. But we can take care of that. I\'m willing to sever ties with the Bratva." Then Alessandro tilted his head, briefly glancing at Mariano before looking back at her. "I may not go directly against the other Italian families, but I would fight the Bratva if needed."

Angela\'s heart raced at the thought of that. A few weeks ago, Gael told her about his grandfather\'s dying wish. It was why all their movements against the Morellis were calculated, and Alessandro could barely move. It was harder to make enemies with the other Italians, but apparently, he had no problems with other organizations?

Still, that would mean that they would have to throw away what their family had protected and worked for with the Russians for many years. She felt so guilty. "I\'m sorry I put you through this. I didn\'t mean to let my…connection with them affect your family. I don\'t want to hurt your family."

Alessandro waved his hand off as if dismissing her statement. "Don\'t be sorry. This isn\'t exactly new. We\'ve wanted to end our ties with the Bratva for a while now. This could very well just be a means to an end for us."

Gael leaned forward and reached for her hand. It was the first warm gesture he made to Angela since he became cold to her this afternoon, making her heart flutter. He then explained that before the council gave the order to marry the two families—De Luca and Morelli—they had already planned to turn over their collaboration with the Russians to another Italian family. It was like paying their way out to legitimize their businesses without having the council targeting their backs.

The Bratva didn\'t know about it yet, of course. But as long as their business continued and the people who would take over were vouched for, the Bratva would probably agree with it after doing their due diligence.

Before Angela could say anything else, Alessandro said, "Matvey saw you. We would just have to assume the worst that he has plans to do something. This…" He gestured to the envelope. "…could be our weapon, and we could use it to our advantage. I can sense that there will be trouble soon, so you must prepare yourself, Angela. Your grandfather is a destructive man. My family can provide muscle, but you\'re the only one who can protect your mind and heart."

Gael squeezed her hand, and a small smile lifted on his lips when she looked at him. He didn\'t say anything to her, but she could very well understand what his smile meant. \'I\'m here for you,\' it said.

After she told Alessandro that she would think about it thoroughly and discuss it with Gael later, he dismissed her. "I\'ll be with you after this," Gael whispered to her ear before she got up. Angela headed out of the study, aware that she couldn\'t stay for their next agenda.

However, just before she could close the door, she heard Mariano\'s voice: "This is everything I have on Keith Perry." A slap of something like a document tossed on the table sounded before the door clicked to a lock.

Angela wasn\'t interested in learning how the men planned to end Perry, and whoever else was in their way. When she returned to the living room where Gabriella was playing with Alice\'s daughter, Honey, Gael\'s dog, jumped to her lap and whined.

She readily picked Honey up and cuddled with her on the sofa, letting the dog lick her hand and arm. Honey was staying at Nonna\'s for now, and she could only guess that Honey missed her daddy. Gael wanted to keep Honey with him too, but so many things were happening lately, and Honey needed more attention now that she was older and weaker. He would feel bad if Honey was left alone for a long time; thus, the latter stayed at Nonna\'s where there were always many people around.

It was half past ten when Gael and Angela drove back to Williamsburg. The ride was still quiet, but the stiff air between them diminished, and he now held her hand. She relished the feeling of his warmth, leaning against his side and her head on his shoulder and hugging his arm that was holding her.

Once they arrived outside of Gael\'s brownstone, they got out of the car and walked up the stairs. But before they entered the house, Angela tugged him lightly, making him pause in his tracks. He turned towards her, his brow arching in question as he waited for what she was about to do.

She bit her bottom lip, a slight tint of blush coloring her cheeks as she stepped inside his space and wrapped her arms around his midsection beneath his coat. "I\'m sorry. I don\'t like fighting with you."

Gael froze for a second before exhaling a sigh—out of relief or perhaps resignation. Opening his coat, he placed it around her body, covering the two of them inside it. And then his arms went around her, pulling her tight against his chest and kissing the side of her head. "I\'m sorry, too."

A few moments passed before Gael spoke again. "But I\'m not changing my mind, Angel. I can\'t let you see him. It won\'t be good for you. Not for anyone who isn\'t used to it."

Angela could only imagine what happened to Evan. She had seen movies and read books about how people get tortured. She didn\'t particularly like it, but fiction was different. It was just that, fiction. And seeing it with her own eyes would probably scar her more than she thought it would. Gael only wanted to protect her, and she could understand that.

She nodded. "I won\'t ask again." She just had to believe that Evan was no longer a problem. He could never hurt her again.

"Come on, let\'s get inside." Gael began to walk her towards the door.

The loud hum of a motorcycle whizzed on the street, growing loudly. And then the noise lessened as if it was slowing down as it came nearer. Gael snapped his head towards the sound, and his eyes grew wide. 

"Get down!!!" he shouted as he instinctively whipped around her, shielding her with his body and then pulling her down with him.. As their bodies slammed against the hard concrete behind the column of the porch, suppressed sounds of gunshots fired through the air, hitting the walls around them.