Page 68 of Vicious Behaviors (The Next Vicious Generation #3)

Isobel

Every single Romano waits impatiently in the hospital hallway, anxious for news of the family’s patriarch.

Selene sobs silently in the corner, Gio and Dom never leaving her side.

Annamaria weeps into Stella’s embrace, and although Stella masks her own pain, Carmine’s steady hand on her other shoulder offers quiet support as she shields her heart and puts on a brave face to comfort her younger sister.

Frankie consoles an uncharacteristically mute and distraught Lucky, while Alejandro and Enzo remain locked away in the hospital chapel, praying for Vincent’s survival.

As for Mina and me, we sit side by side, watching Jude and Marcello pace back and forth, neither one saying a word, too deep in thought.

“He better fucking pull through,” Mina mutters beside me softly.

“He will,” I reply, though I wish I could be certain.

Vincent lost a lot of blood by the time the paramedics arrived with him at the hospital.

And I’m not sure if the asshole, Haynes, didn’t shoot Vincent in the spine.

Even if he does miraculously survive, who’s to say that he’ll recover or even be the same Vincent his family has known and loved all their lives?

Unlike me, Mina’s mind is not on the surgery taking place, but on something even more troubling.

“Marcello isn’t equipped to handle being boss of anything right now, let alone the Outfit,” she says, keeping her voice low for only me to hear.

“Jude filled me in,” she adds, flicking her eyes to Marcello.

“He told me everything. And though my heart hurts for all that Marcello has gone through, business still needs to be the number one priority.”

“That’s a bit cold, don’t you think? Your father-in-law is basically fighting for his life as we speak, and you’re thinking about business?” I counter, disappointed with where her mind is at.

“I’m not going to take that disdainful glint in your eyes to heart.

You’re new to our way of life, so I won’t hold it against you.

Vincent would be the first to say exactly what I’m thinking.

This life—it’s not for the faint of heart.

And though I’m worried for my father-in-law, who I adore as much as my own father, the fact remains—if Vincent dies tonight, the Outfit is without its capo.

And since your boyfriend was last seen being taken in cuffs by the FBI, unrest will soon follow.

Our very lives are at stake here. Not only Vincent’s, but his entire family.

Jude has been with me in England too long to be able to stop the vultures who would like nothing more than to get Marcello out of the way just to usurp his seat at the throne.

And I hate to be the one who has to say it, but things will only get worse when word gets out that Marcello has taken you as his woman, an FBI agent. ”

“How worse?” I ask, feeling my throat tighten.

“Remember that little rant Stella gave us earlier today… Well, that worse. I didn’t say anything at the time because it was Vincent’s show, but Stella was right.

The Outfit takes the omertà very seriously.

With Vincent gone, every greedy capo who thinks he can do a better job leading the syndicate than Vincent’s successor will pounce and use everything they can against us.

That includes us welcoming you into the fold.

Pray that Vincent lives, Izzie, because if he doesn’t, every person with Romano as their surname will have a target on their back—including you and me. ”

I suddenly realize why Mina is the boss of the Firm. She may be worried for Vincent’s health right now, but she’s more worried about the probability of what his death would mean for all of us.

I can’t think like that. Because if I do…

“Bollocks.” Mina instantly grabs my hand and places it in her lap, showing me some comfort. “None of this is your fault, Izzie. Don’t even think it,” she says, going to the crux of my guilt.

“Isn’t it, though? I’m the one who brought Haynes into their lives,” I say, looking at every member of the Romano family. “Because of me, they’re now in danger.”

“That might be all good and true, but it’s also because of you that Marcello isn’t stuck in some ward.

This life… Well, it’s tricky. Sometimes it feels like we’re walking on a frozen river, never knowing when the ice beneath our feet will crack and pull us under.

All we can do is be tactical when these hurdles come at us.

The Romanos have survived much worse than this, I assure you. ”

“I bet Vincent loves you. You have his strategic mind.”

“Comes with the job,” she grins. “But don’t worry.

If worse should come to pass, I’ve got a private jet fueled and ready to get the hell out of Dodge.

That’s the right colloquial American expression, right?

” I nod, laughing nervously. “That’s what I thought.

My cowboy over there says I’m terrible at American expressions. ”

“Cowboy?” I cock a brow.

“Hey, you have your kinks. I have mine. Don’t judge.”

I relax a little now that Mina has tried to lighten the tense mood after her warning had dampened all my hopes. I glance over at my phone and see it’s been five hours since Vincent was taken to surgery. But that’s not all I see. I also see the notifications of a few emails from Director Roderick.

After flying from DC to meet me earlier today, she didn’t hold anything back, letting me know exactly what she thought of me.

She knew I had been exposed—thanks to Haynes emailing her photos of me and Marcello in various compromising positions—and she didn’t appreciate me going over her head just to get my boyfriend out of trouble.

She didn’t buy anything Alejandro had said in the interrogation room, either, since her mind had been made up.

As far as she was concerned, everything on record was a lie.

Not that she can do anything about it. Her hands are tied.

Somehow, Vincent’s not-so-subtle leverage over this mysterious man named Owen Turner worked.

He got President Hamilton to pressure the FBI’s higher-ups, ensuring the chain of command reached Director Roderick and forced her to do his bidding.

President Hamilton’s orders were clear—Marcello Romano was to be freed at once.

Alejandro’s testimony was just the story we needed to seal the case shut, never to be reopened.

Whereas I was able to save Marcello from seeing a day in jail, my job was now something I no longer had.

I don’t need to look at the emails to know what they contain.

They’ll probably suspend me first and then fire me a month after the dust has settled on the case.

I’m officially out of the FBI. Not that the Outfit will care if I’m currently on duty or have been handed my walking papers.

Still, it’s better than what Haynes got. He’s the one who will see the inside of a jail cell. Not Marcello.

As my eyes flicker to the man I love with all my heart, I see how hard he’s fighting to keep it together.

“Give me a second, Mina,” I say before going to him, stopping his mad pacing. He lifts his eyes to mine, red and swollen, and pulls me into a hug, craving my warmth to keep the monsters away.

“How are you?” I ask, though the question sounds stupid when hearing it out loud.

“Not good. Not fucking good, bella. ”

I rub his back as his embrace tightens. “He’ll be okay. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope so. I fucking hope so,” his voice cracks at the end. He hides his face in my hair and breathes me in just to find one second of peace in the chaos surrounding us.

“Marcello!” we hear Jude shout, just as a doctor in blue scrubs pushes through the double doors and walks in our direction. Selene rushes to him, begging for news of her husband.

“I won’t lie to you. It was touch-and-go there for a minute.

Even though he was lucky that the bullet didn’t hit his spinal cord as we had first presumed, the bullet did do a lot of damage to his cardiac tract,” the doctor says, gesturing to his chest. “But Mr. Romano is a fighter. He didn’t want to go off into that good night, and from the look on all your faces, I can see why a man like him would want to hold on.

His family must have been what kept him going. ”

“So he’s in the clear, doc?” Dominic asks, rubbing Selene’s back.

“He is,” the doctor nods. “He’ll need plenty of rest and must avoid any stressful events, but all in all, I believe he will make a remarkable recovery.”

“And when can we see him?” Gio hurries to ask, looking just as relieved by the news as we all are.

“Right now, he’s asleep, but I can have a nurse call you when he wakes up.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Selene says gratefully, happy tears streaming down her face.

“You’re very welcome. If you need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask.”

The doctor has barely turned to leave when we all cheer with joy, thankful that the worst has passed.

However, it seems not all of us have gotten the good news about Vincent.

Stella, who had kept her mask intact until now, suddenly starts crying hysterically.

Annamaria tries to comfort her, but to no avail.

Only when Selene sits next to her daughter does Stella turn to her, her head falling onto her mother’s lap, her tears unending.

“It’s alright, Piccolina. Your father is alright.”

“I was so scared, Mammà. So scared.”

“I know, sweet girl. I know. I’m here. I’m here.”

Stella grabs hold of her mother and breaks apart into a million pieces, leaving us all stunned and tongue-tied, while also feeling her pain. Knowing that her eldest daughter would prefer to fall apart without an audience, Selene helps a trembling Stella up and starts walking her down the corridor.

“Marcello, please tell Alejandro and Enzo that our prayers have been answered. Stella and I are going outside to catch some air.”