"I'm the one who should apologize," she says, wrapping both her hands around mine. "I'm sorry for everything, Finn. If I hadn't lied to you, then you wouldn't have had to protect me. Declan would have..." Her voice breaks again, and she looks away.
I bring my hand to her chin and raise her eyes back to mine. "If that didn't happen, we wouldn't be here now, Gianna," I say, tightening my grip on her hand. "I don't regret anything."
A small, trembling smile appears on her lips, the one that makes everything better. "I'm glad you're okay," she says, and I raise her hand to my lips, planting a kiss on her palm. Her fingers curl slightly around my hand, like she's holding on to this moment as tightly as I am.
"So, where are we on the plan?" I ask, slowly dropping our hands to the bed. Her face becomes serious.
"I handed the recording to Vito and Liam," she says. My brow knits in surprise. She immediately senses my confusion and clarifies.
"I made a deal with Liam to create peace with Vito if I got him Declan's recording. I figured if we were going to take down Declan, we'd need both sides working together." A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. Gianna has always been a smart girl; this just proves it further.
"So, Vito and Liam will work together to take Declan down?"
She nods. "They're planning to force a meeting with Declan soon."
I lean back on the pillow, finally feeling like all the pain and the blood wasn't for nothing. "Good," I say, a breath of relief leaving my chest. "That's really good."
Before either of us can say another word, a knock comes from behind the door. I look towards it, brow raised, then shift my eyes to Gianna. "Is someone here?" I ask, my voice low with curiosity. As she nods, the door opens and Liam walks in.
Gianna squeezes my hand gently. "I'll be outside if you need me," she says, planting a kiss on my cheek before walking out the door. My eyes land on Liam, a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips as the door closes.
"She refused to leave your side until you woke," Liam says, strolling deeper into the room, his eyes taking in everything except me. "She's really stubborn... damned Italians."
I shift slightly, ignoring the ache pulsing in my ribs. "She told me everything," I say, running a hand through my greasy hair. I need a shower. I need air. I need to feel normal again.
"Yeah. Vito and I will be working together to take down Declan," he answers, finally letting his eyes settle on me. There's tightness in them, a trace of resistance he's not bothering to hide. I sense he didn't exactly like the idea, but he knows it's the only option he has.
"I'm sure it took a lot to face Vito and accept the deal," I say, knowing all too well the history they had together.
Liam chuckles, but there's no humor in it. "Oh, trust me. I never wanted to see that face again, but..." he shrugs. "We're grown men who can put aside our differences." He pauses, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "And it helps that we have a common enemy."
The room falls silent, and the air grows tense. I adjust my weight again, wincing as pain blooms across my side.
"Thank you for helping, Liam," I say, breaking the silence. "We couldn't have pulled it off without you."
Liam stops in front of the bed. His expression is unreadable at first, guarded, sharp, but then it softens. He nods slowly, his jaw working as if he's chewing on something difficult to swallow. "Well done, Finn," he says, his voice dropping low so that I can sense emotion in it. "I'm proud of you."
I freeze. My heart stutters. The words are simple, but coming from Liam... they're monumental. "I'm glad you're alright," he says again, and from the tone of his voice, I know he means it.
We weren't raised with affection. Our parents didn't teach love; we were raised on hierarchy, dominance, and competition. Feeling anything, let alone showing it, was a weakness. This is the closest we've ever gotten to understanding each other, and this is the closest it will ever be.
"Thank you," I say, my throat dry as I press my lips into a thin line.
"Just know you have a place in the family when all of this shakes out," he adds, resuming his quiet tour of the room.
A place in the family.I think about what he said. I've spent most of my life chasing that very same thing: acceptance, belonging. I gave everything I had to prove I was worthy of the family name, of loyalty, of legacy. They were all I knew. All I had. But now... things are different. I'm different.
"I'm not sure that's what I want anymore, Liam," I say, and he stops moving. His eyes flick back to me, brows drawing together like he didn't quite hear me right. Then, slowly, they relax. Something shifts in his face: understanding, maybe even respect.
Liam smiles, and this time, it's real. Not calculated, not sarcastic, an actual, genuine smile.
"I remember when you were still young," he says, coming to sit in the empty chair across from me. His tone softens. "You always wanted to do things differently from the rest of us. You never cared for chaos or blood. The concept of simple things, peace, quiet, something normal, those were the things that made you happiest."
His words hit harder than I expect. I lower my gaze for a second, as a sad smile pulls at my lips. "I think one of the hardest things to escape is the family you're born into," Imurmur, swallowing past the lump in my throat. "Eventually, whether we like it or not... they shape us into who we become subconsciously."
Liam leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, fingers laced tightly. "Whatever decision you make, I'll support you," Liam says with calm finality. There's weight in his words, a sincerity I haven't heard from him before. I nod slowly, respectfully. I don't know what the future looks like for me, but I do know I'm no longer chasing someone else's version of who I should be. I've earned the right to make my own choices.
"But," Liam adds, his voice laced with purpose now, "I need your help once more. Do you think you can help me?"
