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She immediately searched for any explanation—an excuse that would offer him the benefit of the doubt. He prosecuted criminals like her brother; it only made sense for him to have a weapon for protection. Heaven forbid her father sent goons after him. The panic room made sense, too. The world they lived in was dangerous, and Alessandra couldn’t fault Drake for finding a way to protect himself.
She continued looking until she found financial documents for offshore accounts. Drake had never hidden the fact that he came from family money—hell, she’d met Bitsy. He lived in a million-dollar penthouse, but the number of zeros threw her for a loop.
A dossier with the familiar name of Anthony Russo caught her eye. In picking it up, Alessandra accidentally knocked a stack of them over. The others were labeled Marcello Russo, Alessandra Russo, Riley Watson, and Luca Donato.
Alessandra picked them up, intending to return them to the shelf, but the temptation to find out what those files contained called to her. After all, the purpose of her excursion was to find answers. Be careful what you wish for.
***
Chapter Sixteen
Anthony Russo:
A telephoto lens had captured a picture of her father and was paper-clipped to the front cover. In it, Anthony wore a black pin-striped suit with a black shirt and black tie. His tan face was twisted like a snarling beast, barking orders into the cell phone held up to his ear.
Alessandra had been on the receiving end of his ire more than enough times to know that whatever had made him angry, it was personal. And if it was personal, someone was as good as dead. The fact that his white hair was longer than usual told her this was a recent photo.
Anthony Russo is the current head of the Russo family. His father, Francisco, emigrated from Italy in the 1940s, post-World War II. He settled in Chicago and quickly built a successful butcher business. Francisco retired at the age of 75, leaving everything to his son.
Francisco Russo wasn’t known to be a kind man, but he was fair. He helped immigrants in the community find work, housing, or whatever else they needed. This led to him being seen as an integral part of the Italian-American community. As such, it was easy for Anthony to call upon those who owed his father and quickly rise in reputation.
Tony’s oldest son Marcello’s mother, is unknown, as he was born out of wedlock. Marcello was being groomed to take over the family until his arrest.
Anthony was only married once, to Marina Toretti, the daughter of Sal Toretti, head of a Sicilian family. Through his marriage, Tony absorbed Toretti's strength, and the couple birthed a daughter, Alessandra.
Luca Donato is the adopted son of Anthony. Luca moved from being Tony’s top enforcer to being groomed as the new head of the Russo family.
Threat level A: Anthony can handle himself in a fight. He is ruthless and has ample resources to serve his means. Anthony is known as a shark. He has ties to racketeering, firearms, and drugs.
* * *
Marcello Russo:
Marcello’s mugshot was paper-clipped to the front cover. Marcello stood before a gray wall. His brown hair was shaggy and dirty, falling around his forehead and ears. Soot was smeared across his round cheeks.
Alessandra had seen her brother’s mugshot on several news broadcasts, but she had never studied it like she did when it was in her hands. The hardened expression on his face filled her with dread and sent a shiver down her spine.
Drake was right when he told Alessandra she had blinders when it came to Marcello. She remembered their last confrontation and how there was no remorse in him. She no longer held onto hope that he was innocent, but he would always be her brother.
Marcello Russo is the only biological son of Anthony Russo and an unnamed mother. He is the Russo family’s former heir and is imprisoned for an indeterminate amount of time while his trial is ongoing.
Marcello was tasked with burning down a warehouse. Once he realized the targeted structure was occupied, he attempted to rescue the trapped civilian. He was caught by law enforcement on the scene and charged with arson and murder.
Updated: Marcello was recently released from Cook County Jail after evidence in the case went missing. A court date has been set to determine the fate of the trial. He is likely to be acquitted, and without evidence, the DA’s office is unlikely to refile charges.
Marcello moved out of the Russo family home and lives with his girlfriend, Jenny Nguyen. She remains the Russo family attorney. Rumor has it they will be wed soon, though no official date has been set.
Threat level C: While he carries the Russo name, he has no power. His current status poses no immediate threat.
* * *
Luca Donato:
A photo of Luca with his fists raised and taped to the wrist as he stood in a boxing ring fell out of the folder. Beads of sweat were visible on his brow and bare chest. His tattoos wrapped around rippling muscles like barbed wire. The cobra on his lower abdomen was ready to strike at any moment.
Conflicting emotions tore through Alessandra as she studied Luca’s photo. She wished that her only feelings for him were anger and disgust. She mourned the boy she used to know and love as much as she mourned her own innocence.
He, like Alessandra and Marcello, had hope once. They had moments of being carefree children who laughed together, giving the guards hell. They were ensnared in Anthony Russo’s grasp, and it was the worst thing that could’ve happened to them.
