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“Room 218,” Bricker says, slowing and stopping at a door. His voice is soft, almost tender, like speaking too loudly will shatter the fragile balance of life and death in this place.
I know exactly how he feels.
Giddy is in this room, the door slightly ajar. He’s sitting up in bed with a wide grin plastered on his face, as if he just won the lottery instead of narrowly escaping death. Tank is perched on the edge of the bed, tending to his brother with a gentleness that belies his gruff exterior. Van stands near the window, arms crossed and gaze locked onto the rain outside.
“Look who finally decided to show up!” Giddy exclaims, his cheerfulness only serving to heighten the tension. Because Tank’s eyes narrow into slits as they lock onto Bricker, and Van doesn’t look much friendlier as he turns around.
“Taking time out of your busy schedule, huh?” Van mutters under his breath. I want to protest, remind these two that this is their Capo they’re talking to, to show some damn respect. But Bricker ignores it, so I do, too.
And of course, Anna-Vittoria will be disbanding the crew—if she hasn’t already. But in my mind, Bricker Soldano is still my Capo, and Van and Tank and Giddy’s, too.
“Giddy, man, I’m so glad to see you’re okay.” Bricker goes in for a hug, but he pauses as Tank rises from beside the bed, stabbing an accusing finger into Bricker’s chest.
“It’s your fault he’s here at all!” he snarls.
I step closer instinctively. “Tank, cool it. We all knew the risks when we—”
“Shut the fuck up, Pedretti! You weren’t even inside the bank when Giddy got shot, so don’t act like you know what it was like.”
“Okay,” Bricker says, holding up his hands in defeat. “Giddy, we’ll come back when you—”
“The fuck you will!” Tank spits.
Van steps forward. “Tank, maybe you wanna take a walk, cool off.” Apparently he’s remembered his role.
“You need to show some respect to your Capo,” I add, which probably isn’t helpful—but itistrue.
“Respect?” Tank scoffs. “My brother almost dies and you want me to kiss the ass of the man responsible?”
“Tank!” Giddy snaps. “Get out of here for a second. Iwantto talk to Bricker.” Tank shoots Bricker one last glare before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. “He’ll get over it,” Giddy says after a second. “You know how he gets.” He holds out his arms for that hug that Bricker was originally offering, and Bricker goes in to return it.
“Sorry about how things went down, Giddy,” Bricker replies, his voice hoarse. He clears his throat. “How are you feeling?”
“Ah, you know, could be worse,” he replies as Bricker pulls back. He wiggles his fingers in front of his face. “Still got all ten of these bad boys. If my trigger finger’s good, I’m good.”
Van jerks his head at me. “How about we give them a minute?”
I head out of the door with him. I’m pretty sure I know what’s coming.
“Look, it’s great that you’ve got Bricker’s back,” Van begins, his voice low and measured, “but if we’re going to point fingers at anyone for this mess, it should be you.”
I give a bitter smile despite the anger flaring in my chest. It’s not fun being right, sometimes. “How you figure, Delligatti? You thinkIsold you out to PacSyn?”
“Did you?”
“Of course not. I would never betray a crew I was working with.”
“Maybe,” he concedes, but his eyes remain cold. “But let’s not forget who wasn’t in any real danger during the heist. You were outside while the rest of us risked our lives inside that bank. You got to run in and play hero right at the end.”
“Fuck off, Van,” I say softly. “I mean it. Get your face out of here before I put my fist in it.”
I’m surprised myself at my reaction. I’m not normally so quick to threaten, but what Delligatti is suggesting…
It’s disrespectful. And I won’t be disrespected.
He’s lucky Bricker chooses that moment to come out of Giddy’s room. “He’s tired,” he says, “and I said I’d find Tank.” He looks between Van and me. “Uh, is something—”
“Let Tank shake it off,” Van says shortly. “He needs a few days, Cap. I’ll go find him.” With that, Van turns on his heel and stalks off. Bricker watches him with a troubled expression.
