The moment the words left the man's mouth, everything felt almost stiffened.
"She will kill me!"
Alessandro immediately sat up straight in his chair, his entire posture shifting. He whistled sharply — a clear, authoritative signal. Marco and the other men stopped their beating instantly.
The warehouse fell into heavy silence leaving only the sound of the man's sobs.
Alessandro slowly rose from his seat, the cigar still burning between his fingers. He walked closer to the battered man, his eyes narrowed.
"What woman?" he asked, his voice now much calmer than before.
The man was panting, blood dripping from his lips. He stammered heavily as he spoke.
"A… a woman. She hired me. She promised to pay me a lot of money… enough to pay off my debts and take care of my mother's medical bills."
The man's voice cracked as he continued.
