“Come on, husband,that’snot fair.” It’s fucking Finch D’Amato, walking out from behind one of the larger boxes strewn around the warehouse floor. “I can hear it in his voice, he’s telling the truth. Nick killed to protect Carlo because he loves him, pure and simple. Just like you’ve done for me before and you will again. You can hardly blame him for that.”
The slight twitch below Luca’s eye tells me that Finch was supposed to stay hidden and quiet. But really, the Boss should’ve known that would never happen. Finch just can’t help himself. If there’s an audience, he likes to put himself in front of it.
“It’s a regular get-together tonight,” I say with a bark of laughter.
Luca’s jaw clenches before he speaks. “Baby bird, this is business and it does not concern you. Vitali, take my husband out to the car. I’ll finish this myself.”NowLuca takes out his gun, the sleek Sig Sauer he favors. But he’s so focused on me that he doesn’t see Vitali hesitate, or Finch move two steps closer, fingers fluttering though he keeps his hands by his side. “Luca,” Finch says, “youmade it my business when you took me here with you tonight.”
I’ve gone so far now, I feel like I might as well ask whatever questions I have before the end. “Man has a point, Boss. Whydidyou bring him?” As far as I know, Luca and Finch have found a way to make their marriage work while also preserving Luca’s ironfisted control over the Family. Part of it relies on them keeping their business interests very separate.
I’ve hit a nerve with my question. Luca steps forward and grabs me by the shirtfront, leaning down to hiss in my face. “He’s here because ofyou, you stupid fuck. Because I’m not the only one who knows your killing style. The other Families are up in arms, talking like I ordered a hit on some worthless shit like Gatti. The alliance has fallen apart. And so Finch is in danger again, and that’s down toyou. You wonder why he’s here, why I don’t trust anyone else to guard him? Becauseyoushowed me that I can’t trust a goddamn single person in this Family.”
His eyes aren’t cold anymore, his voice no longer calm. He’s angry at me, and not just because of the stupid shit I’ve done. He’s angry because we were brothers, and now I’ve broken that relationship. Betrayed him. Painted another target on him and his husband.
And he knows, when he looks into my face, that I’d do it again if it meant protecting Carlo.
He glances over his shoulder. “You. Vitali. You’re standing there like I didn’t just give you an order.”
Vitali says nothing, but he looks at Finch. We all know there’s only one person Luca might listen to right now, but I can’t imagine Finch actually begging for my life. Who am I to him?
“Luca,” Finch begins, and then shoots me a look. “Come talk to me a minute.”
“No.” Luca shoves me back against the chair, the legs scraping across the cement floor with a squeal. “Vitali, you have five seconds to do what I’m telling you or I will kill you along with Fontana.”
“That’swayout of line,” Finch protests. “Hey.Luca.”
At last, Luca turns those burning eyes away from me and gives his husband their full blast instead. But Finch must be used to them, because he just comes closer and takes Luca’s hand. “I’ll go to the car with Teo. But you need to think this through more. If what Nick’s saying about this Dellacroce is true, it means Sonny Vegas—”
“He’s just trying to save his own skin,” Luca snarls. “He hadeverychance to come to me, and he didn’t.”
“But if Sonny owes him—”
“I do not give the slightest fuck about Sonny Vegas or any of those West Coast assholes. What I care about is loyalty. Trust.Family. And this man here has shown me exactly what he thinks about that.” Luca turns and spits at my feet. “Before I came here tonight, I planned to let Vitali kill you, because I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. But seeing your traitor face? I’ll do it myself.”
“I’d rather it was you,” I tell him evenly, because it’s true. “And I hope one day you can understand why I did what I did.”
Luca doesn’t give any indication that he’s heard me, although he hasn’t taken his eyes off me again. He clicks his fingers at Vitali and points to the back exit.
“Come on, Mr. D,” Vitali says, and damn if his voice doesn’t break a little. He goes to Finch and pulls him away, walking him backward, while Finch still stares with worry at Luca.
“I’m not kidding, Luca,” he calls over. “You kill Nick, I’m gonna be pissed.”
Irritation makes Luca scrunch up his nose, a gesture so familiar that it breaks my heart to see it right. “Love, huh? Makes a man crazy.”
“Don’t talk to me about love. What the hell would you know about it?”
That just pisses me off again. “You think you’re the only guy in New York who’s ever been in love? Fuck you, Luca. You’d sacrifice this whole Family to protect that man out there,andyou act like that’s fair and reasonable.”
“I would never—”
“Yeah you would,” I growl. “Don’t you fucking deny it, D’Amato, not when you’re planning to end me. You told me yourself when I asked you the other day; you said you do all this so Finch is safe and happy. And it doesn’t suit your plans for me to be in love, but that’s too bad. I care about Carlo Bianchi more than you, more than this Family,waymore than my own shitty life, and I won’t let you disrespect that.”
A convulsion runs through his whole body as he fights to keep his temper. I’ve never seen anyone but Finch make him so mad. He comes around behind me and I feel the hard press of his gun barrel at the back of my head. “You talk about love,” he hisses. “But this is about respect.Loyalty. You broke your vows to this Family, and so you die.”
“You brokeyourvows,” I tell him, staring at the cement floor. He can kill me whenever he likes; I have a picture of Carlo fixed in my mind and my heartbeat is steady and regular. “You abandoned Tino Morelli in his last hours. You chose Finch over him. Well, I chose Carlo. There’s no difference between you and me, and if you tell yourself different…” I pause, wondering for a second why I’m not dead yet. “Well, you’re just a goddamn liar.”
The seconds tick by.
“What are you waiting for, huh? Judge, jury, executioner. Don’t lose your nerve now, D’Amato.”
