Page 74 of Protective Phlox

My mom pulled back and stared at me just as Titus joined us.

“What do you mean this is your father’s fault?” My mom looked like she was ready to kill as her face twisted into confusion and rage. “I’ll be the one he’ll need to be afraid of if that’s the case.”

“He’s no longer my father. I don’t care if he gets down on his hands and knees and crawls over broken glass, begging me for forgiveness. The blood he’ll spill can go straight to hell with him. I’ll never call him family again,” I growled, and Mom looked at me and then Titus.

“What am I missing?”

My phone rang, and I pulled it out expecting Ronan or Aaron, but it was an unknown number. My thumb hovered as I thought about declining, but the last time I did that, I missed two calls from Goran. Fuck. If this was a telemarketer….

“Explain to them what happened. I need to take this,” I said to Titus and stepped away.

“What?” I bit out and clenched my shaking hand, trying to get control of the emotions squeezing my chest.

“Nathaniel, it’s Romeo Mancini.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Romeo, you’ve got some nerve calling me. Did my father call and warn you that I knew about his deal, or did Aldo call you himself?”

“I was the one who sent you the voice clip.” My brow furrowed. I’d thrown that idea at my father to punch him in the middle of his ego, but I hadn’t actually considered that it could be the truth.

“Why would you do that?”

There was a heavy sigh from the other end of the line. “Nathaniel, we were born into the same world. You know as well as I know how this game is played. We’re cut from the same cloth. But that doesn’t mean we have to do things the old way.”

“I think it’s a little too late for that. My wife is in surgery right now, and I’m not sure if she’s going to make it because of the deal you made with Dimitri.” I looked over my shoulder as a shadow was cast along the floor. Goran silently signaled that no matter what, they all had my back.

“I’m aware that I was too late. It was sent as a warning when I learned that my uncle had snuck into the U.S. through a port. He was paranoid and didn’t inform anyone that he was coming. You may not believe that, but it is the truth.”

I glared at the poster on the wall, declaring the importance of heart health and how stress was one of the leading causes of angina and other issues. Fucking ironic. You couldn’t find a more stress-inducing situation than sitting in an emergency waiting room.

“How the hell did you already find out about my wife? I just found out.”

“I am in the area. I was supposed to meet with your father tomorrow, but that’s not happening. Earlier, my idiot uncle and his soldiers called for more protection while they arranged to leave the country. I also have someone who works for me at St. Mary’s. She notifies me of anything interesting. A Mikhailov last name is an immediate flag.”

That was really fucking smart and something to consider. I hadn’t thought of placing people at hospitals. “So, what exactly is this call about?”

“I have a peace offering for you. I’ll give you Aldo and the soldier who shot your wife. In exchange, you don’t retaliate, and the rest of the men are mine.”

I ran my hand through my hair and walked in a small circle as the emotional part of me wanted to tell him to shove his deal up his ass. I could find Aldo myself and kill him, as well as the rest of the Mancini family. The logical part of me knew that it was a good deal and that I should take it before Aldo slithered into a hole. I’d find him, but it could take me years.

“What makes you think I’ll make a deal with you after you agreed to work with my father to go after my son? Especially when you’re breaking Dimitri’s trust? Doesn’t make you very trustworthy, does it? This could’ve been your plan all along, to implode the Mikhailov family from the inside.”

“I never initiated that deal, Dimitri did. Besides, I think you’ll take it because this is not only a guarantee to get your hands on Aldo, but you can have him tonight.”

I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “Why are you doing this? You already have agreements in place with the council and Dimitri. You don’t need me.”

“That may be true on the surface, but like I said, we are more alike than you think. Look, I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t like this plan. My gut said not to go along with it, but the temptation to get rid of Aldo, keep my hands clean, and find traitors in our organization was too much to pass up.”

“You really hate your uncle that much?”

“Let’s just say he’s done things to this family that can’t be forgiven. Killing him outright causes more political drama and infighting. But if he deserved to die for going after a council member’s family…I’m sure you get the picture.”

“I do.” A set of doors opened, and I turned, my heart leaping at the sight of a nurse, but she casually walked by us as she snacked on an apple.

“Bottom line is I’m not fond of doing business with people who are so quick to throw their loved ones into the line of fire, especially a child. Long term, I don’t want to work with Dimitri. His values do not align with my own, but Nathaniel, we have always had a good working relationship.”

“Until you agreed to my father’s deal, we did,” I said flatly.

“Not my finest hour. I regret my part if this may have cost a little boy his mother. That is a pain that I understand and do not wish on anyone. Sometimes, we make decisions in this life that others never have to worry about. Heaviest is the crown on the heir’s head. Am I right?”