Nicco slammed my door, the force causing it to slam against the wall as he entered the office. His anger was a living, breathing thing these days. I knew he was upset about the lockdown, but we couldn't risk being out in public at the moment.
"Cousin, what can I do for you this fine morning?"
"You know what I fucking want, Mas. Don't start playing dumb now, man. It doesn't suit you."
Sighing, I hung my head as I rubbed my temples. My headache didn't look to be leaving me anytime soon. The past week had been an utter shit show of epic proportions.
As soon as I'd dealt with Uncle Seth's treachery, I'd gotten word about the explosion at the restaurant. I hadn't known at the time that Immy had been there. I was livid when I'd been informed. A level of fear I hadn't known hit me square in the chest. It didn't dissipate until I saw her safe in the house.
Implementing the lockdown protocol was standard, and the guards had extracted Imogen and Nicco and brought them to the estate. It was standard procedure for any time an attack against the family occurred. Nicco and Immy both knew this, yet they couldn't think clearly about the situation, too twisted up in romantic entanglements to understand the bigger picture. It was another example of why love was a myth in the mafia.
"Nicco, you know the rules and the procedures. It's been drilled into all of us since we could understand words. Don't make me into the bad guy here. I'm doing what's necessary to keep our family safe."
"Yeah, well, what if there are other people just as important? Huh? What if there is more to life than family?" he sneered.
Slamming my hands down on the desk, I rose slowly, my own rage now showing. "You forget your place, Nicco. I've allowed you to storm the mansion in a fit of fury this past week because I understood you were upset. I, however, will not tolerate dissension. Especially not now when we're up against outside threats. Do you think I don't care? I'm not a heartless bastard! Fucking cool your heels, or I'll have you sidelined myself."
The eerie calm that came over me as I spoke to him settled my own frayed nerves. I'd tried to be patient, knowing they both were upset and worried. My patience had run thin, though, and I needed them both to fall back in line. Nicco glared at me, but he kept his mouth shut. It was a start.
"Things are going on that you're not aware of. I've kept you out of them for your own protection and to honor your wishes. I know you want out, Nicco. I know this isn't the life you envision for yourself."
Nicco's face would've been comical if I wasn't so pissed at him. He quickly schooled his features as he attempted to hide the effect my words had on him. Nicco was an idiot if he thought I didn't know what was going on in the family. I might seem nicer than Dayton, "the Grim Reaper" on the outside, but my father had groomed me from birth to run this empire one day. That type of training left a mark on one's soul.
So while I wanted things to change and be a better environment for our family moving forward, it didn't negate the ruthless killer I was underneath. At the end of the day, I was the boss of this family, and I intended to keep us all safe regardless of what I had to do. It was the weight I had to bear alone.
"Did you think I didn't know about your classes? That you bought the shop and started that foundation? I know you're smarter than that, cous. Don't play dumb now. You've been shouting at me for days. Who knew all I needed to shut you up was reveal I knew your secret."
Sitting back down, I waited for him to gather himself. His jaw ticked as he thought things over. I watched as he clenched and unclenched his fists, his breathing unsteady. Finally, Nicco seemed to have gathered himself enough and took a seat in front of my desk.
"So, what now? Now that you know, I mean?"
Leaning back, I was the picture of calm reassurance as I regarded him. This was the moment I'd been waiting for with Nicco. The chance to either fully bring him in or push him firmly over the edge. I didn't want this life for him if he genuinely despised it. I needed him, but I'd let him make his own decision, even if that was to walk. This was how I'd be different from Dayton. Family was everything, but you had to want it. It couldn't be forced.
"I'm going to give you a choice. After this conversation, you can fully walk away, no strings or repercussions from the family, or..." I drifted off, waiting to see if he'd take the bait.
"Or what?" he huffed, clearly annoyed now as he leaned back, crossing his arms.
"Or you fully commit to the family and this life. You take Immy's place as the Underboss."
The tension in the room was thick as he glowered at me. His eyes had shone in surprise at my request, but he gave nothing else away. After a few minutes, he broke the silence with a question.
"I don't know how you expect a conversation to change a decision I've had for years, but go ahead, see if you can change my mind."
Disbelief weighed heavy in his words, and he settled back in the chair. Nicco thought he would be walking out of this office a free man to pursue his goals and finally get Loren. Except I knew differently. After he heard what I had to share, it would be the tipping point for him to commit. If it didn't, nothing else would.
"The note you said you got before the explosion. Who do you think it was about?"
"I don't know. I thought it was odd, but I guess," he paused, blowing out a breath as he weighed his words. "I guess I thought it was concerning Immy."
"It's a fair guess, but this time, I believe it didn't only concern her. I have no doubt that Darren left it vague to include both of them."
"Them?" Nicco sat up straighter, a look of worry etched in his brow.
Opening my desk drawer, I pulled out the manila envelope I'd gotten the week prior. Nicco would need to choose if he was ready to see the contents or not. Pushing it across the surface, I left it in front of him. With shaky hands, he picked it up and slid out the 8x10 photo from inside. He stared at it for a while, the color draining from his face, his eyes memorizing every detail before swallowing and putting it back in the envelope.
"Tell me everything."
* * *