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I moved to his bed, sitting down. He’d kept his old posters of football heroes on the wall. Football. Now, when I heard that, I thought of the Giants, not soccer. “Do you remember when you announced you were going to become a soccer star?”

My brother seemed confused at my question, but he softened somewhat. “Yeah, but it’s football. Dad was horrified.”

“Not in America and actually, he wasn’t. He told me later how proud he was of you.”

His wariness continued, but I could sense how much he wanted to believe me, how much heneededto believe me.

“He did?”

“Yeah, he did.”

“Papa never told me he was proud of me,” Marco said with a pained tone.

“You know how Papa was. He wanted to make you strong. But it’s okay not to be sometimes. I don’t feel very strong right now. In fact, I feel overwhelmed.”

He said nothing.

“Do you have any suggestions?”

His eyes highlighted his surprise in me asking. “All the soldiers don’t believe in you.”

“I know.”

“They should. You’re very capable.” He furrowed his brow. “Some respect Jago. I don’t know why.”

“Because he’s a good leader from what I can tell.”

He shook his head. “He’s an arrogant bastard.”

“Yes.” I laughed. “He is that and so much more.”

“But he does have weight in France and Germany. Papa did too. Maybe if you built something together, you could become one of the strongest cartels in Europe.”

“Maybe. But I’d need help and support. The decision I need to make will haunt me either way. And it’s a crap shoot.”

Reading my brother was so difficult. “I could help you. I mean… if you want.”

“I’d like that very much.” I wasn’t about to place parameters on what that meant. Not right now.

I was rewarded with a slight smile and breathed a sigh of relief. A small celebration when there were few to be had.

“Just be careful of him. He’s a viper.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I grinned.

Conversing with Marco had never been easy and another wave of tension spiked between us.

“Look, I got someplace to be,” he said. “I got a friend.”

“Oh, yeah? The same friend you were with on the night of my party?” Instantly every muscle bristled, but I had to remind myself that being cooped up in the estate wasn’t good for him or his state of mind. I also reminded myself I wasn’t his mother.

He shrugged as if it was no big deal and I was suddenly grateful he hadn’t been at the restaurant. And that he had a friend.

“Yeah. He’s got a new video game. It’s kind of the one I wanted. He invited me over.”

We had all the money in the world and he was pining away for a video game? I’d never been put in this position before and I didn’t like it. “It’s not a good idea.” I could tell instantly he was about to shut down again and this time, I might lose him forever. “But as long as a couple men go with you and remain outside, I’m fine with it.”

At least his eyes lit up if only for a few seconds. “That’s cool.”