Harrison and Seb stride in, both of them wearing the kind of expressions that make the air in the room feel heavier.
“What is this, the fuckin’ airport?” Leo calls out.
Seb’s eyes snap straight to me. “You weren’t going to call us?”
I don’t even get the chance to answer before Harrison’s voice follows, sharp and furious. “How did you think pulling men off my wife and kid wouldn’t get noticed?”
Right. Ethan.
Seb stalks toward me, and for one irrational second I’m genuinely afraid he might deck me.
So I do the only thing I’m certain would stop him.
I angle my body cowardly and keep Maddie between us, because Seb might kill me, but he would never put a hand anywhere near her.
“Our family doesn’t do things like this alone, Nate,” Seb says, voice low and lethal. “You know that. We handle the hard shit together. As a unit.”
“I know,” I mutter guiltily.
When it comes to Madeline, I get tunnel vision and have a one-track mind. I didn’t even think to call the other brothers.
“Do Mom and Dad know?”
“Dad does, he’s already spoken to Ethan,” Seb says. “I went over for an early-morning coffee to go over hotel business.”
Harrison’s jaw flexes. “Mom will find out soon enough. They don’t keep shit like this from each other.” He gives me a pointed look, then both of them head toward the living room.
Maddie hasn’t lifted her head until she uses my shirt as a tissue.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I was so excited to see the shock on your face when I finally told you. Now look at what I’ve done.”
“I am so proud of you, and I can’t wait to hear more about it. But this between my brothers is not on you, Mads. I should have called them first thing this morning.”
“What if…” Her voice breaks.
She can’t finish the sentence because the truth of it is too terrifying to speak out loud.
“For now, let’s not think about the worst. I’ve given all the information to Ethan and Matteo, and we’ll see what they have to say. These letters might not have anything to do with it.”
“Matteo?” She pulls back just enough for me to see her frown. “Your friend who moved to Italy?”
Shit.
I didn’t mean to mention his name.
I could lie, make something up, or go for the truth…or a semi-truth to not involve her.
“Matteo’s family has connections that can assist Ethan.”
She narrows her eyes. “What type of connections?”
“The kind that I won’t involve you in.”
She studies me. “When someone in New York says‘connections’and you pair it with‘Italy,’all I can think of is the Mafia.”
I reach down and give her a light, teasing slap on the ass. “You watch too many movies.” I move the conversation in a different direction. “How are you feeling?”
“I haven’t thrown up in at least two hours. I think that’s a good sign.” She pauses. “I’m scared, Nate. What do we do?”
