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LILY
The days pass slowly,counting down to our big trap. Nero is stressed as hell, and I find it hard to concentrate on anything either, with everything hanging over our heads.
Soon, we’ll know who’s betraying him—and if we can keep the Feds at bay.
But still, despite all the drama and anxiety, I’m feeling closer to Nero than ever. He’s not shutting me out anymore. This was my plan, and we’ve been over it dozens of time together, speculating over the suspects and who might be our mole. I finally feel like his partner, that he values my opinion.
I can only hope the plan is enough to reveal the truth.
Finally, it’s Friday night. We wait at the house together, watching the clock tick closer to eight. That’s the time we told everyone the new meeting was going down—giving everyone a different location.
Nero paces, wound tight.
“We’ll know soon enough,” I tell him. I’m fussing in the kitchen, trying to distract myself by making us dinner. I never cook, but tonight I figured I’d bring out my trusted roast chicken recipe, to keep my hands busy while we eye Nero’s phone, waiting on the kitchen table.
“Here, taste this.” I offer him a spoon of the sauce, but he just shakes his head.
“Why don’t you try taking a few deep breaths?” I suggest, trying to calm him down. “This’ll all be over soon.”
“Will it?” he demands, running his hand through his hair. “Or will there be another traitor to take their place. Fuck, these days it seems like all I do is try to clean up bullshit, I’m sick of looking over my shoulder all day long. Whoever this is… They’re going to pay.”
I feel a shiver of unease. We haven’t talked about what will happen when he has the name. He hasn’t said anything, and I don’t want to know.
Because judging by the look in his eyes, it won’t be pretty.
“If this mole fucks things up for me… For this truce with the Kovaks,” he continues, face set. “There’ll be hell to pay. You know my whole family has been wrapped up in this for a hundred years? None of us had a choice, it was just what the Barrettis did. Family. Honor. Loyalty. Do you know how often my father drilled those things into me?”
He exhales, shaking his head. “I’m done. I’m taking this organization legit. And not one person is going to stop me. They’ll be fucking sorry they tried.”
I gulp. This side of Nero always scares me: The one who sees things in black and white. Ready for retribution.
“It’ll be OK,” is all I can offer.
He gives a sharp nod, eyeing the clock. Eight.
“Now, it’s game time.”
We wait. Suddenly, his phone buzzes to life. Nero snatches it up.
“What?” he demands. He pauses, frowning. “Yeah, give me a second, Chase is on the other line.”
He stabs the handset, moving into the next room to talk. I try to overhear, but I can’t make out much. After a few minutes, he returns.
“No die. There was no raid.”
“What?” I blink. “I don’t understand.”
“Me either.” Nero says, looking frustrated. “Everyone checked in, wanting to know where I was. Why I didn’t show at the meeting spots. But no sign of the Feds.”
“Does that mean none of the suspects are the mole?” I ask, feeling relieved, about Avery at least.
“Maybe,” Nero replies. “Maybe not. Fuck, they could have guessed it was a trap, and decided to lay low. Who knows? I’m still just as much in the dark as before.”
He scowls… Just as the smoke alarm goes off.
“Dammit!” I yelp, diving for the oven. “I forgot all about the chicken.”
I pull it out: The roasting pan is blackened and burned. “So much for a distraction,” I say, rueful.
