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Only I know I’ll never have it for myself. Not since Sonia.
There’s a soft knock at the door and I step back as it opens. Karah steps into the room, blinking from Casso to me, a smile spreading across her lips. My youngest sister’s wearing flowy white pants and a short-sleeve top and her hair’s pinned up. I think she’s been getting fashion advice from Elise, which isn’t a good thing.
“There you are,” she says, shutting the door with a gentle click. “I heard you’d snuck in through the back.”
“I was having a meeting with our illustrious Don,” I say, grinning at her. Fucking hell, I’ve been avoiding Karah for a few weeks, but I have to admit it feels good to see her. Of everyone in our family, I’ve always been the closest with her.
She walks over and pours herself a drink. “And how’s the Don doing?”
“Tired,” Casso complains. “Who said getting older was fun?”
“You prick, you’re barely in your forties.”
“Says the girl still in her late thirties.”
Karah rolls her eyes. “Very late thirties.”
“And I’m mid-forties.” Casso puffs on the cigar. “I’ll admit smoking and drinking doesn’t help.”
“If you ask me, you’re both too soft,” I say, grinning at them. “You should spend some time with me and my crew.”
Karah rolls her eyes. “Right, sometimes I forget you’re the hard one these days, Gavino. What’s it like hanging out with guys half your age and running around the streets like you’re a low-level soldier again?”
“Please, he’s not running around anywhere,” Casso says. “He’s too busy running his restaurants.”
“I do a bit of this, a bit of that.” I shrug and accept a drink from Karah, against my better judgment. I really should get the hell out of here before—
“Maybe you could try doing more with the family instead. You know your nieces and nephews have been asking about you, right?”
Before she guilts me.
“I’m sure they’re doing just fine.” I glance away and sip the cold whiskey. It burns my belly and spreads fire into my veins. I decide to change the subject before she can beat me over the head with it and really stab that guilt in as deep as possible. “Casso, I meant to tell you. I saw that girl again.”
Casso’s eyebrows raise. “Which girl?”
“The one I caught trying to ransack Malcolm’s office.”
His eyes widen. “You didn’t tell me about that.”
I grin innocently. “I didn’t? I guess it slipped my mind.” I give him a quick rundown of what happened and both he and Karah listen, completely transfixed. “So I spot her again tonight and she’s trying to pick Benedict’s pocket. Got away with it too.”
Casso whistles. “She’s trouble.”
“She’s insane.” Karah sits on the couch against the far wall and crosses her legs. “What was she doing going through Malcolm’s stuff?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I have a couple of my guys looking into her, but so far they haven’t found anything. I think she changed her name a few years back and there’s nothing on paper before that. It’s like she erased her old life and started over new.”
“Bad sign,” Casso says, shaking his head. “Stay far away.”
“I don’t know. I’m curious.”
“Gavino,” Karah groans.
“I’m just saying, she’s interesting, that’s all. I saved her ass twice now, and think about it. If she really does dislike Malcolm as much as she seems to, she might be a useful asset.”
“You like her,” Casso says, glaring at me. “You want to fuck her.”
“Please.”
