AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Isabella exchanged a quick look with her brother. “Well, yes, but also because Hudson’s dad is the governor.”
What? “Didn’t Hudson leave the navy to take care of his mom? Why didn’t his father help, too?” Not relevant, and yet, the questions popped free from my mouth anyway.
“His parents divorced when he was young. His mom raised him. His dad wasn’t home much. Military,” Alessandro quickly answered as a buzzing sound greeted us. “Hudson’s outside the safe room. Looks like we can go out.”
Alessandro punched in a code, and the door slid open. Hudson stepped into the room, and Isabella rushed his way. Hudson flinched when she wrapped her arms around him for a hug.
From over her head, Hudson looked at us, a nervous expression on his face; then he gave in and hugged Isabella back. “It’s okay,” he told her.
“Alice died in Bianca’s room,” Isabella whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.
“I know,” he murmured, “but I promise everything will be okay.”
Alessandro faced me and added, “The Brambillas are small fish compared to the marks we’ve gone after in the past. We can handle them. You can trust us.”
Isabella didn’t seem to have any plans to free herself from Hudson’s muscular arms as he softly reassured her, “It’s over.” He stroked her back. “We’ll make sure no one is ever a threat to any of you ever again. You have my word.”
THIRTY-TWO
Enzo
I’d promised Maria I’d get her home to her daughter by today, and I was still in FBI custody. No charges had been drawn up, but I’d been in holding since Thursday with frequent interviews from the top down to the rookie sitting across from me now.
But we were nearing the seventy-two-hour mark, and I was confident I’d be released any minute.
I trusted my family to keep Maria safe while I was here, but I was losing my mind every hour away from her. I needed to apologize in person for what she witnessed three days ago.
“I didn’t think people like you existed outside of film.”
I looked up from my hands cuffed to the table at the agent, not sure where he was about to go with that statement.
“Yeah, we have a file on you. I did a little light reading this weekend.” He fingered his butter-blond hair, swiping it away from his forehead. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to bait me into a conversation to get me to talk about my past, but that wouldn’t be happening.
“Where’s Special Agent Lee?” I asked, my way of letting him know I had no plans to discuss my past.
The fresh-out-of-Quantico agent—and yeah, I could read him that well—checked his watch. “He’ll be here any minute.”
Agent Lee was a friend of Hudson’s, and he’d been keeping me abreast of all details since I’d been in custody per the ADIC’s orders.
I’d asked him for a report about our security team and had requested to see photos of every person who’d come up against us on Thursday, and he’d secretly followed through with my request.
My team hadn’t suffered any losses. Many wounded, but they’d all be okay. Alice’s people and the Brambillas ... not nearly as lucky, though.
And I wouldn’t cry over the fact the asshole who’d straddled Maria on Wednesday died on Thursday. He’d been on one of the boats, trying to kill Hudson. And the other two idiotas from the failed attack were in the ICU. One in a coma. And Jensen, Giovanni’s nephew on his wife’s side, would be on a liquid diet for weeks. A broken jaw the least of his worries.
I was pretty sure Agent Lee also felt indebted to my family, considering he’d been after the Brambillas for years. Between the cleaner’s files and Nico’s and Giovanni’s statements, he could finally close his case.
Of course, Constantine offered the FBI evidence from the cleaner’s files only related to the Brambillas for now. We didn’t want to screw up whatever work Carter and Jesse were doing and have the FBI blow their covert op.
The door cracked open a moment later, and Agent Lee was there with another guard. I hadn’t seen him since last night, and I’d never thought I’d be so happy to see a Fed.
“Uncuff him. He’s free to go,” Agent Lee requested. “No charges are being filed.”
The rookie stood and looked at Lee as if he might protest but then smartly shut the fuck up and left.
“I’m sorry this took so long,” Agent Lee apologized once I was uncuffed and the guard had left us alone. He angled his head toward the camera in the room. “It’s off, so we can speak freely.”
I slowly stood, planting my hands on the table. “Tell me you got Brambilla. Tell me he’s off the streets.” I needed the head of the crime family behind bars or dead. Dead would be preferable.
