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“Because everything you’ve done for me has been out of loyalty. You’re always ready to jump, and you’ve saved my ass plenty. But has it always been for the right reasons?”

“If your ass was kept intact, isn’t that the most important thing?”

Nico shakes his head. “No. If you were backing me up because of my role in the family, that’s one thing. But you weren’t. You were there to defend your best friend, to make sure I was safe. Those aren’t the right reasons. You get too involved, Max. It’s almost like you can’t even help yourself sometimes. And even when you know things will come back to bite you, you do them anyway because they make you feel better. When you planted those drugs in the back of Gianni’s car last year and got him arrested…I told you not to, that it would fuck us later. You didn’t care, though. He screwed you over, and you wanted to pay him back even though it would be an issue for the family.”

I lean against the doorway. “That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, and look what we’re dealing with now because of what you did back then.. He sighs. “We have to stay under the radar. That’s why it’s so important to run the businesses without emotion. When you get all caught up in anger and rage, it’s hard to make decisions. You need to keep a clear head.”

These are all reasons why I went to Brooklyn on Thanksgiving night. Everything Nico is telling me right now is exactly the opposite of how I handle things. He takes a few breaths, figures out a plan, and executes it. But that makes me crazy because I just want to run in, guns blazing.

Act first, think never.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m not cut out for business after all. But does that mean I shouldn’t try? “I think I at least deserve a shot.”

“Show me you can put the family first, Max. Then I’ll consider it.” Nico’s lips stretch into a thin line. “You have to separate yourself, no matter what happens.”

“I can do that.”

“We’ll see.”

We look at each other for a few seconds, silent. The look in his eyes chills me. When I told Sloane I couldn’t fully trust anyone but her, I was right. There have been plenty of times when Nico has kept me in the dark or iced me out to protect ‘the family’. Would he sell out my sister, too? I finally get why my dad was so against them being together. He really does know Nico better than I do. I was just against it because I didn’t want him fucking around with his whores on the side. I never thought she’d ever be in danger.

I guess nobody is ever really safe.

“We good?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah. I’m gonna get going. I’ll let you know what I hear from Louie.”

“Just be ready, Max. And stay close.” He lifts an eyebrow. Fuck. He knows I’m gonna try to get my dad out of here.

And just like that, I’m letting shit get personal again.

Does he expect me to just wait for someone to put a bullet in my father’s brain? Is that what he’d do?

I open the office door and walk down the hallway, jogging down the back staircase that leads to the parking lot.

Yeah, I think he just might.

I turn up the collar of my coat once the cold air blasts me. Damn, it’s cold. How nice would it be to get the hell out of here for a few days and lay around on a beach somewhere? With Sloane in some tiny bikini…or naked…naked would be better.

I pat the pockets of my jeans again, why, I don’t know. The phone hasn’t magically appeared since the first time I checked.

The walls are closing in, something is going down.

And time…dammit, it’s running out.

For a lot of things.

And a lot of people.

I pull my keys out of my jacket pocket and click the alarm to unlock the door. After pulling open the door, I let out a loud sigh and start digging around for my lost phone. I look in my gym bag, under a sweatshirt, on the floor in the front and back seats…nothing.

Christ, did I leave it at the hospital?

After a few more minutes of searching, I start the car and gun the engine. I should’ve had Nico call Louie before I left the club to find out what the hell is happening with this drug deal that Tommy got himself messed up in. An uneasy feeling knots my stomach as the thought of Tommy in the middle of some fire fight blasts through my mind. I can’t sit back and let the kid go into something like that.

I slam my hands on the steering wheel as I round the turn headed into the Lincoln Tunnel. I can’t fucking do anything without my damn phone!

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