ALESSIO


    “I can stop this. Your choice.”


    I remained calm, but an avnche of fury blew through my mind, obliterating everything but the need for vengeance.


    A man sat in a chair, shivering. A defiant eye red at me through a mop of mousey hair stered to his head. Sweat had soaked it through. He was ridiculously young, early twenties, full of bravado despite the two bullet holes in his knees. All he gave was his first name-Jack. He was a bag of bleeding flesh. We’d beaten him for hours. He was going into shock and still hadn’t given us information.


    I couldn’t believe he’dsted this long.


    “Who sent you?” I fisted his hair, throwing him onto the concrete floor where he cowered. “Or I’ll spray Mace right in your fucking eyes.”


    “Do it.”


    He couldn’t mean that.


    “Then you’ll be blind and in agony. We can keep you alive for days. Ask Vinn. He’s done this many times.” I motioned toward the hunched figure leaning against the wall. “Vinn, meet Jack.”


    He flinched when Vinn stepped from the shadows as though conjured from the darkness. He was my ace in situations like these because there was something about his dead-eyed stare that terrified people. He was like a ck hole trapping all the light. His shadow blended in like wings spreading over gray stone.


    Jack couldn’t take his gaze off the slow-moving giant who knelt beside his head and ripped the Ka-Bar knife from his boot. Vinn smacked his cheek with the t of the de.


    “Vinn’s a former Marine,” I growled. “And he’s seen things in Iraq he’d like to show you.”


    “I’ve witnessed men die in every imaginable way,” Vinn chimed in with his graveyard voice. “I have a lot of stories.”


    “Tell him about the missing soldier.”


    I’d heard him repeat that story once, and the visuals had stayed with me.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “We were trying to find this guy. A deserter. He wandered into a nearby vige, alone. They tortured him. When I found him, he had cups for eyes. They were collecting rain after the vigers had dismembered and torched his corpse.”


    “You’re fucking sick,” Jack hissed. “All of you.”


    I kicked his stomach. “You bombed a building filled with women and children!”


    “If he’s been to Iraq, he’s done the same!”


    Vinn snorted.


    I seized Jack’s neck and squeezed, my fingers going numb. “You attacked my wife. You can die slowly or I can end this now.”


    The man choked and sputtered.


    Vinn’s finger pressed into my shoulder. “He’s passing out.”


    I let Jack breathe. “Who was it?”


    “They didn’t-” he coughed, regaining his speech. “They didn’t say who was inside!”


    “I don’t care.” I grabbed Jack’s knee and dug my finger into the wound. “Who was it? Vinn will rip off your balls.”


    Two soldiers caught the waistband of Jack’s jeans-


    “Wait! Stop!” Jack curled in a ball, screaming. “I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you, don’t-don’t-”


    “Name.” My fury rippled down my arms, into my hands, manifesting in the punishing blow of the police baton that cracked his leg. “I’m tired of waiting.”


    “Patrick!” he howled. “The order came from Patrick.”


    The Irish. “Why the fuck would he do that?”


    “Retaliation for a car bomb. Someone on your side attacked them.”


    “Car bomb?” I frowned at Vinn, whose forehead wrinkled. “Did you know about this?”


    He shook his head.


    I faced Jack. “I call bullshit.”


    “It’s the truth!”


    “Whatever.” I headed for the door. “Put him out of his fucking misery.”


    A loud bang echoed in the room, and Jack’s protests fell silent. I turned my back on the flurry of movement as the crew packed the kid’s body and prepared it for disposal. My stomach churned, and I left the warehouse to brave the wintry chill.


    Vinn joined me, his cheeks flushed. “Is Mia all right?”


    “She’ll live.”


    He glowered.


    I must’ve sounded like a cold asshole, but I couldn’t think of my wife. Opening the floodgates of remorse could wait until we were alone.


    “Maybe you should go to the hospital.”


    “What I need to do is handle this before it spirals out of control. You’re exhausted. You’ve been up all night. But we’ll be up shit creek if we don’t take care of this.”


    “Agreed.”


    “Find out more about this car bomb. Who did it-why-everything. I’d ask Michael, but it’s Christmas, and he has kids.”


    “I’ll do it.”


    “One more thing.” I grabbed his shoulder as we walked into the parking lot. “After this is over, I’m leaving for a couple days. I’d like you to pick up the ck while I’m gone.”


    I waited for questions, but Vinn’s face was nk.


    “Understood.”


    I WAS JUST as rattled as only seconds after the explosion. My dad showing up after eight years was a barely a blip on my radar. What I’d told her was the truth. I didn’t give a damn.


    I had bigger problems. Like a rogue father-inw. He’d bombed an Irishman’s car in North Dorchester. Vinn had gotten the intel off the streets.


    Ignacio almost killed us all. Family drama had nothing on my shit.


    A Christmas wreath banged the door as an ecstatic Maria closed it behind me. “Alessio, wee! Merry Christmas. We didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”


    Right.


    We were supposed to arrive at noon and spend the whole day there. I had not been looking forward to spending an awkward Christmas with my sister-inw sh former fiancée. Nico’s big celebrations were no longer an option-especially after tonight-it’d been reckless in the extreme.


    “Hi, Maria. Merry Christmas.” I kissed her cheek and straightened, searching for Ignacio. “Need to speak with Naz immediately.”


    “He’s out on a walk.” Maria frowned as she looked around me. “Is Miaing? We’re doing the feast of the fishes. We’d love for you to join. Hungry?”


    “No, I’m-”


    “Come. I’ll fix you something.”


    Knowing better than to refuse an offer of food, I followed Maria. Ginger and spices scented the air as she led me into the kitchen, where Carm scraped cookies from a sheet and piled them onto an overflowing tter.


    Great. Thest person I wanted to run into.


    “Carm, look who’s here!”


    Terror rippled across her features as her huge eyes zeroed on me. She flinched when I stepped closer.


    “What is he doing here?”


    “I have to talk to all of you. Mia’s okay, but she’s in the hospital.” I ignored their panicked gasps and demands for more information. “Maria, please get Ignacio. We have urgent business.”


    “He’s out. What happened to my daughter?”


    “There was a small fire. Mia got woozy from inhaling too much smoke. She’s really fine.” Guilt nagged at me over the lie, but I needed to keep things calm. “Please call Ignacio.”


    She ran, leaving Carm and me alone.


    Carm’s looks had improved since I’d found her. Her cheeks weren’t as sunken, and she’d dyed her hair with caramel streaks. It was odd, being confronted by someone who reminded me of Mia without that swirl of warmth. It was like all those times I’d eaten with the family. I’d funneled my attraction to Mia into Carm, hoping it would catch.


    Carm aimed the spat at me like a knife. “Tell me what happened.”


    “Or you’ll y me with that?”


    “No, I’ll tell my dad you tracked me down months ago.”


    That would cause me a few problems. “Ruining my rtionship with your parents serves nothing.”


    “I’ll do anything to protect my sister.”


    “From what?” I snarled, bile eating my throat. “You should be thanking me. I pulled her out of a burning building. I saved her life. We’re on the same side.”


    “You said you weren’t interested in Mia.”


    “I lied. So did you. We’re even.”


    “I don’t care about even. My sister is my priority.”


    My lip curled. “That makes two of us.”


    “I don’t trust you.”


    “Then ask your sister. She’ll tell you the same.” I sighed when Carm continued to re at me with suspicion. “Mia’s happy with me. Why are you trying to fuck up something we both want?”


    “How can she know what she wants when you decide everything for her?”


    “I’m not what you think.”


    “I’ve known men like you forever.”


    “There’s only one me. Give me a fucking chance.” I blocked her from leaving, raising my hands in surrender when she nched. “I stayed away when I should’ve brought you back. I did what you asked, Carm. I was merciful. All I’m begging for is the same kindness. Please.”


    “You’re a stranger.”


    “Then get to know me. Don’t ruin my rtionship with Mia because you’re jaded.” I was suddenly weary of her negativity. “I’m not asking you to do anything. Just hold off.”


    Carm set down the spat, not looking relieved in the slightest. “If Mia keeps getting injured, I swear to God I’ll tell him. I’ll make it sound like you knew I was in trouble, and you left me.”


    “That’s not what happened.”


    “As long as it saves my sister.”


    I’d never liked Carm much, but this sealed the deal. “She doesn’t need to be saved. She’s where she wants to be-with me. We’re trying for a baby. I don’t want her hurt.”


    The kitchen echoed with my voice as Ignacio sprinted into the room, wearing a tracksuit and tennis shoes. He gaped at me.


    My stomach clenched.


    “Is Mia pregnant?” he blurted. “Is that why she’s in the hospital?”


    “No-I mean-she could be.” My muscles rxed as Ignacio and Maria exchanged hopeful looks. “There was a fire at the party. She inhaled a bit of smoke. She’s fine, but if you’d like to see her, we should go now.”


    A frantic Maria insisted on driving to the hospital. Carm threw me an expression of contempt as she went after her mother, but when Ignacio moved, I grabbed him.


    “Let’s talk,” I snarled.


    “Alessio,ter.”


    “No.” Twisting his arm, I forced him into the office and mmed the door. “She could’ve died, you idiot!”


    “What happened?”


    “They pitched a pipe bomb into a dumpster. Burnt down the whole bar. Nico’s business is gone, thanks to you. We nearly walked into our deaths. What am I supposed to do with you? How will I keep Nico from killing you after this?”


    “You promised me vengeance for Carm!”


    “I was giving it to you.”


    “You were taking your time!”


    “You couldn’t wait a fucking week?”


    “I don’t want a meeting! I’ll kill them all.”


    My hand whirled into Ignacio’s cheek. Ignacio staggered. It was a love tappared to what I wanted to do to him.


    “I can’t snap my fingers andmit mass murder. How does a war help your daughters?” When he continued to look insolent, I gripped his cor and hurled him into the bookshelf. “You have no idea what you’ve done. You blew up that prick’s car while he was with his girlfriend, who is a sister-inw of a patched member! So now we have to offer restitution to both Legion and the Irish. And it gets worse. They live above a ce where the Irish run a gambling operation, so they had to shut down when police swarmed the area. We’ll also be expected topensate them for that. That’sing out of your end, or I will-”


    “Mia would never forgive you.”


    A fresh wave of rage crashed into me, because he was spot-on.


    Another smack threw Ignacio to the ground.


    “Wake the fuck up! If you think you’llst longer because I’m your son-inw, you’re wrong. If you cause a problem for Nico, he’ll whack you. I don’t want to kill you, for Christ’s sake. You’re Mia’s father. Don’t force me to tell Nico you’re not cooperating. You know what he’ll do. Don’t be stupid!”


    “You don’t understand,” he moaned, struggling to his feet. “You’re not a dad!”


    “Keep this up, and they won’t have one anymore!”


    His lips thinned, dragging forth a visual of my wife so strong that I stepped back. A pang sank between my ribs to the core of my fury, melting it down. I copsed into a chair and raked my head.


    “You have toe to your senses, Naz. Make this right, or Nico will…”


    And then I’d have to choose between my father-inw or my surrogate dad. Pain shed into my chest at either of them dying. I promised I wouldn’t hurt her ever again, but stopping Nico meant killing him.


    I couldn’t do that.


    “I’ll do what you want.” Ignacio slid off the desk and grasped my shoulder. “You found my daughter.”


    “Don’t.” I pushed his hand away. “Never put Mia in danger again.”


    “I won’t,” he softened. “Alessio, I’m sorry. I’ll fix this. Thank you for being so good to my daughters.”


    It was as though I still stood in a burning building.


    I needed a break.


    I just wanted to be with her.