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Rocco
“Can someone please tell me what just happened?” Mom whispers. “Did I say something wrong?”
I clap my hand against my forehead and let out a deep sigh. “No, you couldn’t possibly know.”
Dad puts an arm around Mom’s shoulders. “It’s not your fault. Kat has just had…” He looks at me. “A difficult life. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?”
Mom has obviously heard this excuse plenty of times in the past, but it’s new for Lindy. And unfortunately for me, the kid doesn’t know when to quit.
“What happened?” she hisses. “Something with her family? Is someone sick? Or dead? Why can’t you—?”
“Look, it’s not something we can talk about, especially now.” I run a hand through my hair and stand up, pacing around the island. How the hell am I going to handle this? How much longer am I going to be able to keep this secret from her?
Dad grabs my arm and pulls me into his office, leaving Mom and Lindy guessing about what the hell happened to Kat. “Listen, you can’t say anything. You know that.”
“I know.” I trace my finger along the wood grain on his desk. “She has no clue that I know…anything.”
“It has to stay that way. You’re in enough trouble now that you’re on their radar. You know what Viktor will do if he finds out you opened your mouth.”
“Part of me doesn’t even care anymore. There are plenty of people ready to pop me, why not add him to the list?” I press my fingers against my temples. “Goddammit! I hate that Vito roped me into this.”
“That’s your own fault.” Dad lifts an eyebrow. “If I’d known the shit you were pulling behind everyone’s’ backs, I’d have straightened you out myself. You got yourself into this mess, and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it.”
“I know!” Christ, it’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him why I did it, why it wasn’t because I was some prick out to screw over the family. But I keep it to myself. It’s nobody’s damn business. And for everything I stand to lose, I’d do it again in a hot second if it would bring my grandma peace of mind.
So, yeah. I’m prepared to deal with the consequences. I don’t regret what I did at all.
And it might get me killed, but screw it. My conscience is clear.
“First thing tomorrow after dropping us off at the airport, you need to get your ass up to that farm and stay put until this situation is handled.”
My mouth drops open. “How did you—?” And then I realize for the umpteenth time how shit works with the Salesis. “Joe told you.”
“Of course he did.” Dad rolls his eyes. “He wouldn’t have let me leave the state without telling me the plan. I may be out of the game, but I’m still part of the family. And they’re trying to protect you.”
“Yeah, well, according to Viktor, the place isn’t so safe anymore. That’s why I’m still here. He said the location has been compromised.”
Dad lets out a deep sigh. “I was afraid that might happen. Does anyone know how?”
“Who the hell knows? I mean, how it got out is a shock to me since Nico’s lips are tighter than a duck’s ass when it comes to ‘family business’.”
“Well, you know they’re watching. I trust them with my life and the lives of my family, Rocco.”
I’m quiet for a minute because there’s still one thing that gnaws at me, a question nobody will answer, and I need to know the answer. “Dad, why did they spare Kat? Nobody called the cops after her mom and sister were killed, there was no rush to finish them off and escape. It doesn’t make sense. If those assholes wanted revenge, why didn’t they kill her, too?”
Dad looks at me for a long minute. “Because they need her, son. She’s the only leverage they have left.”
“What are you talking about? Leverage for what?”
Dad sighs. “We don’t have a lot of time. She’s going to come out, and you—”
“Screw that!” I whisper-shout. “That sonofabitch Nico has been holding out on me, telling me the littlest dipshit details about this whole clusterfuck, feeding me crumbs when my ass has the big red target on it. So, you’d better tell me what I need to know, Dad.”
“The only thing you need to know is that Nico and his dad are all over this. They need you to watch over Kat while they handle the people who put the hit on Kat’s mom and sister. You did your time in California, and now they have to handle the rest.”
“No.” I grit my teeth. “There’s more to it. Tell me what it is!”
“Rocco, I’m trying to help—”