Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Domani rubs a hand over his face, trying to hide a smile.
Angelus doesn't even blink.
Neither of them answers her. They won't. We don't exactly run around advertising that we're La Cosa Nostra. Anyone who does is a fucking idiot. Rafe doesn't tolerate stupidity.
"We're Rafe's associates," Domani says, letting her interpret that as she wishes.
"Associate what? Sumo wrestlers?" She scrunches up her nose at him. "Why are you both so freaking big?"
"Genesis," I growl, pinching the bridge of my nose as the smile breaks free on Domani's face. Angelus even grins.
"What? It's just a question." She rolls her eyes at me. "I was just curious if you guys send them to freaking mafia ninja school or something."
"Mafia ninja school?" I crack a smile.
"Whatever. My point is, I've seen the movies. No one in the movies looks like the three of you. So…" She eyes me expectantly, waiting for me to answer the unspoken question.
"We ate our Wheaties," I say dryly.
Her face slips into a scowl.
"Where do you want us, boss?" Angelus asks.
"Out front for now." I hesitate, glancing between him and Domani. "No one touches her. No one gets close to her. Including the two of you. If you put a hand on her, it'll be the last fucking thing you do."
"Noted," Domani says as if he's heard the speech before. I'm guessing he has since he's been guarding Amalia.
"Yes, sir," Angelus murmurs.
"Rafe told me to let you know that Diego is on the way too. He thought you might be able to use him."
I arch a brow, surprised. Diego Butera isn't exactly Rafe's favorite person at the moment. He dragged us to the brink of war with the Genovese family and nearly toppled us all in his quest for revenge. I think Rafe would have killed him if he weren't Amalia's brother.
But I guess they're working their shit out if he's bringing Diego in on this. I don't trust the fucker, but that doesn't mean I won't use him. He has the connections I need at the moment. If Rafe is sending him, then Rafe must have drawn the same conclusion.
Genesis waits until Domani and Angelus exit the house before she spins to me with her hands on her hips. "Why are they here? What's going on, Gabriel?"
"Mattia sent them."
"Why?"
"Where did you hide the records your dad has on Santorum?"
"In a locker at the train station. Why? What's going on? Why are they here?"
I rake a hand through my hair. Cristo. I need to cut it. When did it get so long? "Come, tesoro." I hold out a hand, waiting for her to take it.
She glares at it for a minute and then mutters something under her breath and slips her fingers into mine, allowing me to pull her toward my office. She draws to a stop over the threshold, glancing all around.
I cast a cursory glance over the office, trying to see what she does. To her, it probably seems cozy. Does she see a man who surrounds himself with memories of his family? Or does she know I lock them all in here to hide from them? That I can't stand looking at them so I avoid this room?
"I always forget there's a fourth brother," she says quietly, dropping my hand to float toward a picture of the four of us on a shelf. "Nico, right?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't he a teacher?"
"He's an astrophysicist. He teaches a seminar at Northwestern." At least he did until he fell for one of his students, Norah. Now, I'm not entirely sure what he does. We don't talk any more than I talk to Rafe and Luca. I chose a side when I took the vow, and it wasn't his.
I've lived with that shame my entire fucking life. To protect one brother, I turned my back on another. I figured it was better that way. The less time he had to spend in this world, the better. But like so much else, I'm no longer sure it was the right decision. I'm not sure I was ever at peace with making it in the first place.
But this way of life takes a little, and then it takes a little more.
Frankly, I'm fucking tired of living that way. I've been tired of it for a long time.
"You don't spend a lot of time in here," Genesis observes, wandering around the room. Of course she sees the truth instead of the lie. She's too fucking smart for her own good. "Why not?"
"It's hard to face the past when you're just trying to survive the present, tesoro," I answer quietly. "It's even harder when you aren't sure you or your family deserves to survive it."
She spins to face me.
"I killed a girl six years ago." I swallow hard, pushing the memories of that night back down. "Rafe and I had a disagreement, and I rode off. I was speeding. I ran a red light. I'm not sure why." I stop abruptly and shake my head. "That's a lie. I wanted to tempt fate. I wanted to challenge God, I think."