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“Oy, sisters. Tell me something intelligent before my brain dies.” Vanya runs her hands through her hair, flopping into one of the patio chairs.

“I can’t help you. Gi-co told me today that he found an olive in his pants and proceeded to shake his willy at me and run naked through the house.”

“Highbrow stuff,” I comment, stifling a giggle.

“Myka finishes every picture book we give, will not reread them. I found her today, sitting onBol’shoyBorya’s lap while he napped in living room, reading Dostoevsky.”

“Pretending … ?” Isa makes a face.

“Net. She reads first sentence of chapter out loud, slowly. I turn around and leave room.”

“She takes after her father…” I snort.

“If by this you mean she is crazy and smart?Da.” Vanya smiles, taking it in stride and apparently as a compliment. “I hope the next one will be a bit more energetic.”

“Next one…?” I raise my brows.

“No one is surprised. Ciro and I, we fuck nonstop. Destroy the house. Only surprise is that it didn’t happen sooner.”

Isa and I both erupt in peals of laughter, leaving Vanya a bit baffled and smirking. I swear to God, she knows exactly how funny she is.

“So, how’s life at top of the food chain?” Isa segues into part of the reason we’re all here.

“Volk is solid. Secure. Lots of branches and brotherhoods always shifting, rising, falling. No more full-out war and infighting. We allow competition. Keep things entertaining. But all sects swear to the same blood when they join.”

“Wow. that’sintense.”

“You’ve met Vanya, right? Boss Bitch handles her shit,” I raise my glass.

Ciro

“Whoa, there, Chips Ahoy,” I push my imaginary glasses up my nose. “Um, you can’t come out of retirement.”

“It’s not … I mean, I’m still?—”

“Finally not a sour, dried up, bitter, soul-draining, fun-sucking, tired-ass, beat-down, grizzled, burned-out, crusted-up, withered?—”

“Hey!” Aless interjects.

“—cantankerous old dumpy diaper with a chip on your shoulder,” I finish in one breath.

“I amnota dumpy diaper.” Aless’s scowl turns into a grin.

“But you are debating making a move. Back to New York, or…?” Adriano presses.

“Man, I don’t know. It just seems like someone needs to fill the void?—”

“I’ll fill your mom’s void,” I snort. “Aw, dammit. That’s not cool.”

“So not cool. And you really don’t need to even consider this, Aless. You put in years of your life. The old throne is gone. I’msure something will rise to take its place,” Adri shrugs, glancing away.

My eyes go wide, my mouth dropping open. “That’s his tell! He’s hiding dirty secrets. Did you get caught wearing Gloria’s dirty socks on your nose while you stared at pictures of her feet and?—”

“Fucking—no!” Adriano sputters, laughing and flushing. “For the last time, quit telling everyone you meet that I have a foot fetish!”

“The person that you hurt the most when you lie…is yourself, Adriano,” I close my eyes, bowing my head.

“Holy shit,” Alessandro perks up, hammering Adriano withthatstare. Fucking hell, I hate that stare. Even seeing it applied to someone else makes me want to spill my guts about crimes I didn’t commit.