Page 126 of Unlock My Heart

“Now you’re superstitious?”

“After the last meeting with your brother, I’m cautious,” he corrects me.

“Fucking Kirksey,” I grumble. “I’ve got two hitmen on the job, but neither of them can find the little bitch.”

“He’s likely holed up, waiting for you and Angelo to kill each other for him,” Saint speculates.

I release an annoyed breath. “Should’ve shanked him when he brought up my baby sister. Fucker had to have been behind the attempt to kidnap Al at Lundi Gras. What a screw up that was.”

“Will there be retribution for Angelo kidnapping your wife?”

My eyes turn to flames. “You’re a little too concerned with my wife, Saint. If you weren’t into dudes, I might be worried.” That I’d have to kill you.

“Boss, I only worry your wife has been through too much⁠—”

“Don’t tell me what my wife’s been through. I fucking know what she’s been through.” All because of me. If I were a better man, I’d set her up for life and let her live it without me.

If.

We arrive at the Garden District house, and if I’m being honest, I chose this location as a final fuck you to Vitto.

Haven’t set foot in this place since I went away to prison, and entering now, I’m not sure what I feel. I linger in the entrance hallway, taking in my Mama and Papà’s oil portrait. My ice pick’s now in my hand, and I stab it through my old man’s face, cutting from top to bottom.

“If you’re working your way through the family album, just know that I’d look terrible with a facial scar.”

After the chaos of the Kirksey backstabbing, Nic and I didn’t have a chance to talk one-on-one. And from his nervous shifting back and forth, it looks like he doesn’t want to.

I yank my ice pick out of the canvas, giving it a twirl in my hand. “You were more a brother to me than Angelo ever was, and yet so eager to bend the knee for him.”

“Fabien, I was in an impossible situation,” he argues. “To side with you would’ve been my death sentence.”

“And I haven’t decided if you siding with Angelo will be yours,” I warn him.

Nic holds up his hands. “You’re pissed, and I get it⁠—”

“You get it?” I say incredulously. “Didn’t realize you lost nearly a decade of your life and your position in the family. Oh, wait, you didn’t. But you did take my position while I was gone, so it all worked out great for you, huh, cugino?”

“If you think your suffering brought me any joy, then you don’t know me at all,” he says, hurt flashing in his eyes.

Releasing a frustrated breath, I give my ice pick a toss, catching it mid-air. “Who in the family was aware that Michele laid hands on Sienna?” Might as well line them all up, making my retribution more time-efficient.

Nic rubs the back of his neck. “No one, to my knowledge, ever saw it firsthand. There was speculation, sure, but Michele was a capo.”

And I hate that fucking answer. “Why did she become the madam for the family’s call girl ring?”

“You know Michele guarded that racket closely, so I don’t have all the details. All I know is Jade was replaced with Sienna, and then your girl dragged her feet on getting Angelo all the financials. Kickups were taking a nosedive, but whatever she delivered must have satisfied him, because he didn’t order me to…” He trails off now that I have my ice pick angled against his jugular.

“And if Angelo would’ve ordered you to?” I challenge him, pressing the pick deeper to where I’m close to drawing blood.

“I would’ve at least given Sienna the heads–up to skip town.” He gulps against the cold steel.

“Should I offer you the same deal?” My voice is balanced on the spike of my ice pick, now digging harder into his flesh.

“Fabien, I fucked up that night.” Nic releases a shaky breath. “But so did you.”

His words are like a strike to my achilles heel, and I laugh mirthlessly, lowering my ice pick. “Touché. I’ll be in Vitto’s office. When Angelo arrives, send him back.”

“You got it, cugino.” He starts to walk off, but pauses. “The night Angelo was sworn into the family, he slit Vitto’s throat.”