“They’re good.”
She also sounds exhausted. Maybe I’m just looking for something after what Remo said, but her tone doesn’t sit right with me.
“Are you home?”
“Yes.”
I end the call and meet Nico’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Valentina’s place.”
During the drive, I think about my upcoming meeting with Constantin Dragomir. He’s head of the Romanian mafia and one powerful motherfucker who can either become a thorn in my side or a valuable ally. We’ll only know once we sit down for a meeting.
A meeting that took me months to secure.
Nico parks the vehicle behind Valentina’s BMW, and as I get out, I glance at the mansion our parents bought for them when she got pregnant with Asher.
Will is a so-called realtor who can’t sell a property to save his fucking life. If it weren’t for the money I pay Valentina every month, they wouldn’t survive.
It’s another reason I despise the fucker.
Not giving a shit, I don’t bother knocking and shove the front door open. I hear Talia crying and Asher whining, “I’m hungry.”
“Food is almost ready. We’ll eat soon, my baby.” The exhaustion in my sister’s voice hits me square in the chest.
I stalk into the kitchen, and seeing my sister frazzled by the stove, with her hair piled on her head in a messy bun and tired lines on her face, my temper flares. Talia is sitting in her kiddie chair, looking feverish from crying, and Asher is tugging on Valentina’s pants.
I pick up Talia, and she instantly rests her head on my shoulder while popping her thumb into her mouth.
Smoke starts to creep out of the oven, and as Valentina panics, ripping the door open to get to whatever’s burning, I stalk toward her.
“Uncle Christiano!” Asher shrieks happily and runs toward me.
I ruffle his hair before I lean past Valentina to switch off the stove and oven.
“Christiano,” she gasps, her eyes going wide as saucers.
I glance at the half-cooked meal she’s preparing, then look at Nico and order, “Go get them something to eat.”
He quickly leaves, and when I turn my attention back to Valentina, I take in how pale she is.
Violence spreads through my blood like a wildfire.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I demand.
“Don’t curse in front of the kids. It’s just been a rough day.”
I stare at her until her chin begins to quiver. “I had a lot of errands, and then I started feeling sick. I think Talia is sick as well. Things just got away from me.”
“Where the fu…” I catch myself before I curse again. “Where is Will?”
“In his office.”
Handing Talia to her, I say, “Stay here.”
When I walk toward the doorway, she sounds panicky as she asks, “What are you going to do?”
Not answering her, I head straight to the office, and when I slam the door open, it’s to see the fucker leaning back in his armchair with his feet propped up on the desk. A baseball game is blaring loud enough that he doesn’t hear what’s happening in the rest of the house.
As I stalk toward him, Will notices me, and turning as white as a ghost, he scambles to his feet.
