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“I knew that,” Rinaldo says. He rubs his chin with his fingers. “I’d forgotten, honestly, but I knew Stark was his original trainer. Do you think he’s involved now?”

“I haven’t found anything concrete, but it might make sense. Assuming he’s connected to the rest of the crime world at all, he’s heard I’m not dead. He may confront Sebastian. I have the feeling Sebastian would tell him about the deal we struck.”

“To get rid of Joseph Franks.”

“Exactly.”

“So it could be about revenge.”

“Possibly.”

“Sebastian could be involved as well.”

I’d only spent a few hours talking to Sebastian Stark when we were trapped in an avalanche, but I still feel I know him pretty well. We aren’t so different, my half-brother and I, but I am positive his motives were focused on his family.

“I don’t think so.” I shake my head. “He wanted out, and Franks was the only person keeping him in. He moved out to the burbs and has a kid to raise now. I don’t think he’d put himself in the middle of this.”

“So Joshua is definitely involved,” Rinaldo says, summarizing, “but has to have someone on the inside working with him if he’s receiving money from my businesses. Landon Stark could be involved as well.”

“I think so.”

“Find out for sure.”

“Yes, sir.” I start to gather up my stuff, then pause. There’s something else I really should tell Rinaldo, so I turn back to him. “Sir?”

“Yes?”

“I should probably mention something else I came across about Sebastian Stark.”

“What is that?”

“Well, he’s from the Chicago area. Landon found him street fighting before he trained him for tournaments. Before that, he was in the system after being abandoned by Alexander Janez—the same man who put me up for adoption.”

“What are you saying?”

“Sebastian Stark and I are brothers.”

Rinaldo looks at me for a long time.

“Is that how you talked him into letting you live?”

“No, sir. I never told him.”

“You should call him,” Rinaldo says without hesitation.

“Why?”

“If you didn’t have me to call family, wouldn’t you want to know?”

I hadn’t thought about it that way. If our positions were reversed, would I want to know? What benefit could he possibly receive, knowing he’s related to the crazy hit man who tried to kill him? If I were to contact him, what would happen next? Christmas gatherings with his family? Birthday celebrations?

As stupid as it sounds, the idea isn’t abhorrent to me.

Was some family, no matter how fucked up they were, better than none?

Rinaldo groans as he stands up, rubbing at his back and bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Are you all right, sir?”

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