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"Something is wrong."
"No it isn't," I snap. "Everything is fucking fantastic. The kids had a great fucking Christmas and I remain everyone's favorite uncle, once again."
Elio nods. "This is true. I hate you for getting Luna a full drum set, but she seems to be plenty happy."
That was a particularly inspired idea, and I can't help but smile. "You're welcome."
"And yet,' Elio continues, coming closer to me. "It still seems as though something is...Amiss."
"Nothing is wrong," I grunt.
He looks at me before turning. "Well. Then you'll be ready to tell me how long you plan on sticking around this time."
They could be regular words that any brother-in-law would say to his family.
Or a best friend, to his.
But with Elio, I have known him too long, and I detect the darkness underneath his tone.
For better or worse, Elio may be the only person who understands me and my position.
I open my mouth, ready to say something to him about the fact that I don't feel as fucking content as I’ve worked to feel, that I'm fucking lost in this sea of family and smilies and happiness, when my eyes drift to the apron.
Best Dad.
It slams into me, then. Elio and I are not alike. At least not in this.
Elio looks at me, his eyes searching mine.
He is a man who has everything he wants.
And I'm one who has nothing.
I shake my head, my smile tight and barely there. "No. I'm fine, Elio."
"You're lying."
I shrug. "If I am, it doesn't change my answer."
Elio studies me for a minute longer, then sighs. "When is the trial?"
Something inside me tightens. "Three weeks."
He nods. "And how do you plan to pull that off?"
I'm not quite sure yet.
I agreed to testify for Interpol, a star witness in a gun running trial against the Irish. My only stipulations, of course, were that my family would not be harmed, and that I would have immunity and protection for my twin nieces. Dino came to me with the secret of their existence many years ago, and I'veslowly fed Interpol bits and pieces of information, enough that they continued to watch over Marisol and the two girls.
Until recently.
Recently, the small tidbits of information became a torrent. When Caterina and Elio married, I wanted Caterina to find out if Elio had killed our parents. However, I needed to be sure, so I asked for a bunch of favors with my Interpol handler as well. Compounded with the fact that Dino's now-wife and the mother of his children was kidnapped by her father to be married off...
I had to call in favors.
And favors with Interpol usually mean that you have to return them.
In my case, it's testimony. I'm being forced to show my face in court in three weeks, metaphorically speaking, in order to testify against Liam MacAntyre, and his brother.