LAKE
“Fuck.” Fuck. Damn it. I grabbed Maverick’s hand and pulled her out of the chair. “Come with me.”
“What the hell? Care to tell me what’s going on?” She looked horrified but came with me anyway.
We entered the house, and I took the stairs to the hallway towards the study. I’d discreetly contacted Terzo to see if he could get to the country to surprise Maverick.
She had been worried about her brother for months, but this was not a coincidence since Gaetano was here.
I unlocked the door to the study and pushed her in. Then, quietly, I shut the door behind us.
“We’re not making out- Oh, my God!” She jumped before me with big eyes, staring at the man standing in the corner. “Terzo!”
I’d never seen her so happy, like a kid who just received a pony. She ran towards her brother, and Terzo caught her on the waist and hugged her tight.
I would have punched Terzo’s face until his eyes popped out from each socket if they weren’t siblings.
“I miss you, too, little sis.”
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you’re here. This is the best day ever.” She stared at him and strolled her gaze from head to toe. “You look different. What’s with the haircut and tattoos?”
I noticed it, too. He had a buzz cut with a line and a well-trimmed beard. He also had tattoos on his neck and hands.
“I have to blend in.”
“You did not get a lip ring or earring?”
Terzo smiled. “You graduated, sis. I’m proud of you. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” She still had a smile on her face. “I suppose you can’t talk about when you were gone.”
They settled on the couch, and I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and glasses.
“Nope, and it’s not important. Tell me he took care of you while I was gone.”
“I’m so worried about you. I know you couldn’t tell me, but I’m glad to see you here. Is this permanent, or do you have to go back in?”
I didn’t want to spoil them with bad news and ruin my wife’s day. I poured whiskey into glasses and gave one to Terzo.
“Thanks,” he told me. “For keeping your promise.”
“Of course.” I raised my glass before I took a little sip.
“I’m waiting.” She nudged her brother.
“Sis, I can only tell you that you may see me often. You’re going to throw up at seeing my face every day. I cleared my name from the agency, but I’m an informant. From the business associates and underground, I’m still a criminal. Siciliano is still a criminal. I can’t be seen with you in public and put your life at risk.”
“I know that.” She dropped her gaze and snatched my drink.
“Baby-”
She drank it empty and grimaced. “SOB. That’s pure isopropyl alcohol.”
Terzo laughed. “Don’t do that. Stay with wine.”
Her gaze shifted to me. “Why are you so silent?”
“He contacted me a few weeks ago. He asked if I could be here.”
“Aw.” She came to hug me tight. “Thank you. It means a lot. I mean, I’m not complaining, but I have so many things to be grateful for, like Nana’s house. Mr. Braddson paid for it already. I’m finally getting a degree. I have all my family and friends here.”
“Baby?” I called her. “You two should bid goodbye. He can’t stay here longer.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” She stared at me, horror filling her eyes. “Oh, my God. You were terrified earlier when I-”
I breathed deeply. “Your father is here, Terzo.”
“I know,” he simply said, but I felt the heaviness in his words.
“What am I missing here?” Maverick asked, shifting her gaze between us. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. How is it Gaetano being here a problem?”
“His father didn’t know he took a job from the agency.”
“No. That’s impossible.” She looked at Terzo. “Kelsey said you made a deal so they would leave your family alone.”
“That’s true, sis-”
“Why do I feel like there’s a but.”
“Papa didn’t know.”
“What the-”
“And he thought it was a violation of trust. I didn’t want more bloodshed. I want a reset, a clean business. That’s why we started the vineyards. Of course, there were always tensions with Conti, our sister’s husband, but there has been no death in five years. If Papa is here, it means-”
“He knew about your deal. How? Who told him that?”
“I have no idea.” He shook his head.
“Then what? He’s not going to hurt you, is he?”
“No, sis. He will make me an example.”
“Siciliano!” I warned him. He didn’t have to tell him the truth.
“What-what do you mean by that?” Deep inside, she knew. It just shocked her. Tears began welling in her eyes. “He’s going to kill you. Is that what you’re trying to say?”
“It’s better he puts a bullet in my head than flog me in front of his soldiers. I would not let that happen.”
I pulled Maverick in my arms when tears streamed down her face. She sobbed so hard as she held onto me.
“He can’t do that to you. You’re his son.”
“I’m so sorry, sis. I wish I wouldn’t have come here to ruin your night.”
“Don’t ever say that. I won’t let that happen,” Maverick said as she pulled away, launched into her brother, and hit her brother in the back.
“It’s fine, baby sis. I’m happy that I get to know you.”
“Don’t! Please, don’t! I don’t wanna hear it.” She pushed him away, pointed a finger at Terzo, and got up. “If he will kill you, then he has to kill me, too.”
My heart almost stopped as I stared at her in disbelief.
“Give me your phone, Lake,” she just ordered with urgency, extending her hand.
“What are you planning to do, Maverick?”
“Just hand me your damn phone.” She glared at me. She was hurting. I was afraid that she might do something reckless.
I grabbed my phone from my pocket, unlocked it, and gave it to her.
“Sis, don’t do something stupid and reckless for me. It’s not worth it.”
“You don’t get to say shit, asshole. You, both of you, are the reasons I’m going to die young.”
“Why me too?”
She scrolled through my Phonebook and dialed someone.
“Who are you calling?” I stood up and went to her. I hadn’t gotten the chance to check the caller ID, and she was already warning me.
“That’s my baby sis.” Terzo was still relaxed as if there was no target on his head.
She glared at her brother. “How are you so calm- Hello? No, it’s Maverick. I need a favor. Please, don’t say no. It’s a matter of life and death.”
I squinted my eyes at her, but she kept her finger pointed at me.
“Yes, Mr. Braddson. I need to speak to my father.”
“Fuck.” Terzo cursed, resting his back.
“I know you know how to get in touch with him. Just set up a meeting, please? I will owe you big time. Whatever you want in return.”
“Maverick.” I grabbed her. “Give me the phone. Let me talk to my uncle.”
“No. He doesn’t, but he is here listening and wants to talk to you. Thank you, Mr. Braddson.”
I snatched my phone from her. I was torn between being pissed and admiring her courage. “Uncle?”
“What’s going on? Why does she want to talk to her father?”
“Terzo is here.”
“Jesus Christ.” I felt the heaviness in his voice because he understood it and probably knew about the deal with the agency.
“That bad?”
“Gaetano has never set foot in this country for over twenty years. The last time he was here was when he found out he had a daughter. Figure that out. He came to see Maverick earlier?”
“Yes, but that’s not it.”
“I know, son. If Terzo is there, too, we’re in big trouble.”
“Why is that? I’m confused.”
“He was forbidden him to see Maverick. That’s one thing, and for someone like Gaetano, you should never break his word. Second, they can’t be together in one city. The heir, his underboss, should always be safe to replace him if something happens to him, but Terzo must have done something to make Gaetano travel all the way from Sicily.”
“I know why.”
“I think I know it, too.” He breathed deeply. “I will get in touch. In the meantime, tell Terzo to stay at Osmium.”
“Thank you, uncle.”
“Just wish this issue won’t end us all in a body bag.”
Shit.