"I know. Thank you." My voice caught slightly. "For all of this. For having our backs."
"That's what family does." His voice was firm. "You've been there for all of us. Now we're here for you. Whatever you need."
After we hung up, I sat with Valentino on the couch. Neither of us had the energy for much else. We put on a movie neither of us watched. I held his hand and he leaned against me and we both waited.
Day three became day four. Then day five.
By Friday morning—day five after Reeves's threat—we were both strung so tight I thought we'd snap. Valentino was pacing the penthouse, unable to sit still. I was checking my phone obsessively. Every noise made us jump.
"Maybe he was bluffing," Valentino said, though he clearly didn't believe it. "Maybe he's not actually filing charges."
"He's filing. He's just making us wait. Making us suffer." I watched him pace. "Come here."
"I can't sit still."
"I know. But come here anyway."
He came over and I pulled him down onto the couch. Wrapped my arms around him and just held on. Both of us breathing too fast, both of us terrified, both of us trying to be strong for the other.
"I keep thinking about my mom," Valentino said quietly. "About how she'll feel when she sees I've been arrested on the news. About how embarrassed and scared she'll be."
"We'll call her immediately after. Explain everything."
"What do I say? 'Hi Mom, I was just arrested on federal conspiracy charges but don't worry'?"
"Something like that." I kissed the top of his head. "She loves you. She'll understand."
"Will she? Or will she think I've made the worst decision of my life by staying with you?"
"Maybe both." I made him look at me. "But we can't control what anyone thinks. We can only control how we handle this. Together."
He nodded and we sat there in silence for a while. The waiting was agony. Worse than anything else because there was nothing to do except wait.
Around ten AM, my phone rang.
Elio.
"Luca. Stefan just got word from his FBI contact. Arrest warrants were issued this morning. Agents are likely already en route."
My stomach dropped. "How long?"
"Could be minutes. Could be hours. But it's happening today."
"Fuck." I looked at Valentino, who'd gone pale. "Okay. Thank you."
"We'll be there soon. All of us. You're not alone in this."
I hung up and turned to Valentino. "It's happening. Today. Warrants were issued this morning."
He stood, suddenly needing to move. "Okay. Okay. What do we do?"
"We wait. When they come, we go quietly. We don't resist, we don't argue. We ask for our lawyer immediately. We say nothing else."
"What if they ask questions?"
"We say nothing. Literally nothing except 'I want my lawyer.' That's it." I stood and took his hands. "Valentino, this is important. No matter what they say, no matter how they pressure you, you say nothing without Emilio present. Understand?"
"I understand."
