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I do. I’m not sure what to say, though. “I got no idea. Back in the day, crews that worked the docks might get a little friendly, maybe. Share cigarettes or whatever. But not for a long time. Not since…”
“Not since the cold war between our Families got a little warmer?” Sandro suggests. His mouth pulls up on the non-scarred side. I think he’s smiling.
“Yeah,” I say. Julian still stands next to me, looking down at me anxiously. “Back up, would you?” I snap at him.
He takes one step back.
“Julian,” Sandro says mildly. “The doctor will be here soon.”
Why the fuck is Julian so worried about me? As I study his uneasy expression, it dawns on me that he may be trying to protect me. From Sandro? Or maybe he’s just trying to keep me alive because he knows that me winding up dead will create big fucking problems for the Castellanis.
I shift in my seat, eyeing Julian warily. “What’s your deal, Castellani?” I ask him, low and rough. “Why are you so concerned about me?”
Julian’s gaze flickers to Sandro before returning to me. He shrugs.
“I want to see Roxy,” I tell Sandro. “And I want to know why the fuck she’s here.”
Sandro leans back in his chair and steeples his fingers. “She’s here because I wanted her alive rather than dead.”
I take a good look at him, then thumb at Julian. “You’re saying you actually sent this crazy fuck in to infiltrate us Bernardis?”
Sandro is definitely smiling now. “It worked, didn’t it?” He stands as there’s a knock at the door. “And actually, it was Julian’s idea. Ah—here’s Ms. Rochford.”
I get up slowly, because sudden movements still make my head ache, and turn to see Roxy standing there, just as Sandro says. She gives a tentative smile. “Hi, Leo.”
“Where’s Gino?” I demand.
She looks away. “We couldn’t tell him.”
“What do you mean, you couldn’t tell him? Where is he?” I’m angry now. Not just at Roxy or Sandro, but at my father, too, and at the whole stupid situation. Gino must be worried sick about his woman, and here she is, perfectly fucking fine, leaving a blood-stained bedroom behind her.
“He—he’s in Vegas,” she whispers.
I take a step towards her, and my voice rises. “Why hasn’t he been told that you’re safe? He deserves to know!”
Roxy looks away again, but not before I see the shame in her eyes.
Julian shifts on his feet, but Sandro puts out a placating hand. “That’s one of the things I wanted to discuss with you. Ms. Rochford, if you’ll leave us, please.”
She gives me one last teary glance before fleeing the room.
Sandro clears his throat, interrupting my thoughts. “Mr. Bernardi—“
“Stop calling me that. Leo’s fine.”
“Leo. We need your help.”
I give a dark laugh. “The Castellani Don asking some lowlife Bernardi for help, huh? Wonders will never cease.”
“Leo,” Julian murmurs, “just hear us out.”
Sandro goes on as though no one else has spoken. “We have a common goal. We both want to keep Ms. Rochford alive.” He pauses, looks at his brother, and continues, “Julian has been able to infiltrate your Family and get close to your father. But I forbade him from carrying out any unjust orders, and I believe we are in agreement that killing Ms. Rochford is an unjust order. Yes?”
I mean, I can’t argue with the asshole. “Yeah,” I say grudgingly.
“We had planned to make Ms. Rochford disappear for a while, until Julian could get the information he needed from your father.”
I shake my head. “Dumb plan. Dad wanted Roxy all laid out on display.”
