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“I’m working on that. I figure I can probably find someone on our payroll who’s willing to roll over to the right side for the right amount of money.”
I shake my head. “Do you realize how fucked up that sounds?”
He scoffs quietly. “Yeah. It’s fucked up, Sav. You think I don’t know that? But this was always my fucking birthright. Not Mikey’s, and not yours. It’s mine, and I’m claiming it. Just not for the reasons Grandpa thinks I am.”
“Do you think it’s weird that he’s welcomed you back with open arms after seventeen years?”
He shakes his head. “No. It was always supposed to be me. In his eyes, I’m the prodigal son.”
I look at the ground and scoff. “I never understood that parable. One son leaves his family and lives a life of indulgence, while the other works his ass off for the family. Then the spoiled brat comes home and is welcomed.”
“Calling me a spoiled brat, now?”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“It’s a family thing,” he says. “I was always supposed to be the one, and now I’m back.”
“So Michael and I were sloppy seconds?”
“Not in my eyes, but in Grandpa’s? Yeah, you were.” He puts a hand up right as I’m about to respond. “I’m not saying it’s right, Sav. What I am saying is that he’s glad I’m back. I’ll do what I have to do to earn his trust.”
“And then use it against him?”
“Bingo,” he says. “This will end, and it will end on my watch.”
I open my mouth to respond when someone else walks into Falcon’s room. Vinnie turns at the sound of the door.
“It’s probably just the nurse,” I say, standing.
But it’s not the nurse.
It’s Falcon’s sister Raven.
And my brother can’t stop staring at her.
“Hi, Savannah,” she says to me. “How is he doing?”
“He’s still asleep.” I keep my voice low. “Raven, this is my brother Vinnie. Vinnie, this is Falcon’s sister Raven.”
“Nice to meet you.” Vinnie holds out his hand.
Raven takes it. “You too.”
“How are you feeling?” I ask Raven.
“All better. It was just a silly virus.”
“I’m so glad,” I say. “Vinnie and I can give you some time with Falcon. Come on, Vin.” I drag my brother out of the room.
“We can’t talk here,” Vinnie says.
“I get it, but she deserves some time with her brother. He saved her life, after all.”
“Yeah. Wow.” He takes a slow breath in. “I wouldn’t have expected a bald woman to be so damned beautiful.”
“Everyone in their family is beautiful.”
Vinnie stares at Raven through Falcon’s door. She’s sitting in the recliner I vacated, leaning over and talking to him. Is he awake?
