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As an NCIS fan myself, I understand the references she’s making about Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his first wife, the love of his life, Shannon, who was killed along with his daughter in a senseless act of violence from the cartel. The fact that when she looks at Teeny—who looks nothing like the character Shannon from the show—she sees Leroy’s true love really says it all.

“Well, was it worth it? Breaking the rules and wading into the mess?” Dom asks, knowing damn well he’s only searching for the answer because he knows it’ll be a pat on his back.

I give it to him anyway. Poor bastard has to win our verbal sparring matches from time to time, just to keep up morale. “Yeah, Dom. It was worth it. You were right.”

“Damn right, I was,” he says happily.

And win or lose, I’m happy too.

Three weeks ago, I was falling in love without a clue how I’d make it to the other side.

Now, I’m living the dream.

Valentina

Thursday, November 18

6:00 p.m.

My mom’s quiet sobs haunt the otherwise quiet house as I pull her door closed behind myself and take a deep breath.

She’s struggling with the news of my father’s criminal involvement, struggling with the rift between him and my brother, and struggling with her purpose now that she’s the head of an empty house with no Tommy, no Leo, and no Damon—since they’re all in prison. And I can’t blame her.

Since the day my parents married thirty-five years ago, her sole purpose in life has been my father. His meals. His parties. Special gifts for his employees, and their trips to Europe. That’s all gone, and so is my dad, and—possibly even worse—so is the money. Every asset, every dollar—seized by the government as official evidence in the pending case against my dad.

“Still the same?” Nico asks when I make it back into the kitchen, the eviction notice from the door still in his hand.

I scoff. “The same? Yeah. Possibly worse. I’m sorry, but she still doesn’t want to see you.”

Nico nods, resolved to the fate he created for himself in a way that impresses me. If I were him, I don’t know if I’d be able to stomach that much hate, even if it was the right thing.

“I understand.” He sighs, pulling a key from his pocket and holding it out to me. “Since they’re taking this place, I got her a place to move to in Franklin. It’s a lot smaller, and it’ll be an adjustment, but the rent’s on autopay, and at least she’ll have a roof over her head.”

I take the key when he pushes it toward me, but my eyebrows knit together. “Why are you telling me this like I’m in charge? I know she doesn’t want to talk to you right now, but she’ll come around event—”

“I’m leaving,” he interrupts. “I tried to get more leave to help you deal with everything, but they’re sending me on assignment in two days.”

“What? Assignment? Where are you going?”

He groans. “Come on, Teen. You know I can’t tell you that even if I want to. Just . . . just know that I love you, okay? And that as much as I hate to fucking admit it, I’m glad you have Shane here to have your back.” He leans forward and pulls me into a deep, tight hug, whispering the rest into my ear. “I’ll be in touch when I can. I promise.”

After Nico graduated Georgetown University, he spent a good eight years of his life doing a lot of traveling the world, working in tech and helping companies with cybersecurity and risk systems before coming home to work with my dad to “digitize” the company’s aging infrastructure. And thanks to the groundbreaking case against my father, I now know he’s really in the CIA.

But when he says things like this, it still feels like I’m standing outside my body looking at someone else’s life—at someone else’s brother.

Nico is, for all intents and purposes, a quiet, reserved kind of guy. I think that’s why so many women fall at his freaking feet.

I guess if I really think about it, the CIA thing is the final piece to that puzzle when it comes to my big brother. It makes total sense, even if it doesn’t seem real.

“Be careful,” I whisper back, ignoring the tears in my eyes and rushing to grab all my stuff instead of living in this moment.

“I will, sis. I will.”

Nico crosses his arms over his chest and leans into the kitchen island, turning to face my mom’s bedroom door like he has every night since everything went down. She doesn’t want him here, but he’s here anyway, looking out for her.

Though, I guess, that’s coming to an end soon.

I toss my purse on my shoulder and rush out the door, wiping at my eyes and checking my makeup in the visor mirror of my car before heading off to meet Alfred and Shane.