Page 27

Chapter 27

Massimo

I don't have time to process Nova's stricken look before she turned her back to me and walked into my safe room.

I spin to my desk, remembering the food tray, plates, and glasses for two.

But Gabe is already on it—my chair is back behind my desk, and he's sitting in Nova's chair and starts to eat off her plate as Vito fills the doorway of my office.

Vito is the tallest of us brothers at six-five, and leaner than Creed and me. He's the protector of our family, the known apex predator. He hates suits, so he's in his usual dark jeans, boots, black shirt, and jacket. His blue-green eyes scan the room and fall on me.

"Hello, grumpy motherfucker," he taunts with a smirk.

I walk to my desk and grab my vodka, sipping it as he comes into my office. "Aren't you supposed to be home, reclined with an ice pack on your nuts?"

"Gabe." Vito hikes his brow as he sits—carefully, if I'm not mistaken—in the other chair beside Gabe. "Is this starting to become a regular thing with Massimo? That's twice in two days he's cracked a joke."

Gabe smirks and puts a piece of salmon in his mouth. Vito grabs a piece of broccoli off Gabe's plate and turns to me.

"I got the no-scalpel procedure for the big V," Vito informs us. Gabe balks at the thought of any sharp instrument close to his nuts, and I can't say I'm any different. "I'm not saying my nuts feel like getting played with or anything." He laughs when I grunt. "The worst thing is I have to wear fucking underwear."

Gabe chuckles. "For a commando guy, yeah, that would be torture."

Vito relaxes back and winces.

"Really, brother. What the hell are you doing here?"

Vito eyes me, his joking demeanor gone. "Just checking on something."

"And that is?"

"If you happen to have a little snake here."

I force myself not to stiffen while keeping my expression unreadable. Once word got out about the missing Mancini Princess, I knew my family, especially Vito, would question me.

"Word is that the Mancini Princess didn't run like the evidence points to, and Mancini is spreading rumors that you stole her, Mass."

"And why would I want that snake's spawn?" My words are cold, and bile pushes into my throat.

Thank fuck, the door to the safe room is closed, and the room is soundproof.

"Why, for revenge, of course." Vito's keen predator eyes haven't left me. "You're trying to tell me, after having to let Mancini go free, you don't have any retaliation plans in place until you can kill that motherfucking piece of shit?"

"I didn't say that," I say gruffly.

His jaw shifts. "And you're telling me that you don't have the Mancini Princess?"

"Does it look like she's here, Vito?" I ask instead of outright lying.

His eyes narrow, then he relaxes. "You backed me with Eden, brother. But even without that, you know I'll always have yours."

"I know, Vito."

He sighs. "That's not the only reason I came by." He looks at Gabe, then back at me. "We need to tell Creed that it's likely Mancini was involved in what happened with Sophie. "

"No." I've already made this decision and have discussed it with Vito. "We're making sure Sophie is protected. There's no need to add stress to her during her pregnancy."

"Creed needs to know, Massimo." Vito fists his hand that has scars crisscrossing on the back of it. He has scars all over of his body from his role in protecting our family.

" Mamma said Sophie had spotting and cramping again yesterday," I argue. "Even though the doctors say the baby is fine, I'm not risking it, Vito."

"Then only tell Creed. He won't tell Triple S."

"Creed will go apeshit about her protection, and you know it. That will be enough for Sophie to suspect something is going on."

He huffs and drags his hand over his close-cropped hair.

"You know I'm right, Vito. You and Raf have added the extra protection for Sophie, over and above what Creed already has. Mancini won't be able to get to her if that's his play."

"Goddammit. I hate keeping this from Creed."

I sigh and rub my forehead. "I don't like it, either, but that doesn't change my decision."

"Mancini has had months to act and come for Sophie," Gabe reminds us. "And he hasn't."

"Still…" Vito shakes his head, frustrated. "This fucking sucks a bag of dildos."

Gabe barks a laugh. "You've sucked a lot of dildos in your day, Vito?"

"Hey, no kink shaming." He kicks Gabe's shin. "And why the hell are you here when Gemma is in town, you big simp."

"Fuck you, dick." Gabe laughs.

Vito snorts and turns back to me. "What's a guy gotta do to get a drink here?"

I don't want to leave Nova in the locked room, but I can't just chase Vito out without him becoming suspicious. It's not that I don't trust him; with the risky work-around I'm doing with our syndicate's vote and decision, it's safer for my family not to know right now. Plus, given Vito's tone and words, I'm not sure how he'd take it if he learned about my plans for Nova before I could implement them .

"Get your own drink. You got the no scalpel procedure, brother, not a nut replacement," I deadpan. "You know where the bourbon is."

"God, you're such a grumpy motherfucker sometimes." His mouth twitches, though.

"I'll get you one." Gabe claps Vito on the shoulder and goes to the beverage counter and pours him a bourbon with no ice. He brings the red wine over and fills the glass that was Nova's.

"Since when do you drink wine, Gabe?" Vito eyes him as he sits back down.

He shrugs. "Red wine's good for the heart, no?"

"Pretty sure that's been disproved."

"What, you're a doctor now that you got your nuts cut off?" I taunt.

Vito chokes on his drink. "Another joke?" He turns to Gabe. "Who the hell is this guy?"

I relax back in my chair, listening to my brother and best friend banter back and forth, but my mind is mostly on the woman waiting for me in the room hidden behind my bookcase.