“I’ll go.” I leave the conversation because I’m just too tired to follow the circle talk anymore. I walk into the room where Rocco is laid out on his gurney, an IV stuck into his hand. Fucking needles. I’ve always hated them. “How are you doing?”
Rocco lets out a low moan. “I’m okay. As long as he keeps giving me morphine.”
“Listen, Rocco. You really went above and beyond for the family tonight. You could have bailed when Max called. You could have dissented and gotten in with Cap’s team. You could have done a lot of things differently, things that would have gotten most of us, if not all of us, killed.”
He didn’t. He stuck with the family and put his own life on the line. He just earned my eternal gratitude and respect, two things I don’t give easily.
“So what does that mean for me?” he mumbles. “I still have to work for that asswad Max?”
“For a while.” I chuckle. “But I’ll be there to referee, don’t worry.”
“I’d better get some of the good jobs, Nico.”
“You’re not really in a position to make demands.”
“Eh.” He smirks. “I figured I’d give it a shot.”
“I’d rather not see you take any more shots tonight, okay?”
“Yeah…” His voice drifts off and his eyes float closed. The morphine has officially kicked in. I back out of the room and nod at the doc. “He’s out.”
“He’ll be in surgery for a few hours, and then it’ll be awhile before he’s awake.” Doc heads back into the exam room.
Dad claps me on the shoulder. “Want to head out? Or are you staying?”
“I’m staying. He did a lot for me tonight. I’m not going to leave him now. Besides,” I wink at Tony and Max. “My girl’s still in there. You couldn’t chase me out of here with a machete.”
Dad looks over at Tony. “Coffee?”
Tony stares back at him. It looks like he’s debating his answer. He’s always been a stubborn bastard. Let it go, Tony. Let it fucking go already. “Yeah,” he grumbles. “We’ll be back soon.”
Max collapses into a cushioned chair. “Yep, you’re stuck with me. Sorry. I owe that jackass, too. Wouldn’t feel right to leave.”
Dad and Tony disappear into the elevator. Max swipes through screens on his phone without looking up at me. “Think they’re gonna finally put this shit to rest?”
“I hope so. It’s been long enough.”
“Cappodamo is bad news.” Max sticks his phone back into his pocket. “You know that, right? He’s like gonorrhea. He’ll always be around, waiting to flare up. And he’s invaded all of the families in some way or other.”
“He never infiltrated ours.”
“No…” Max looks up. “And that pisses him off.”
“You mean pissed him off.”
Max taps his fingers on the arms of the chair. “No, I meant pisses. The dude ain’t dead. He’s got claws into everything, and he has an army who will carry out his plans. Those plans include taking us down, more so now than ever. Kidnapping Shaye was only the beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he never intended for you to leave that place alive. Anyone else would have been a bonus, but you? You’re the top prize. Don’t think they’re gonna walk away from seeing his plan carried out just because he’s six feet under. And don’t think you can ‘business’ your way out of this.”
I lean forward, my head in my hands. “I did what I had to do.”
“I know. Just don’t be stupid enough to think they won’t try to finish the job. Because they will. They always do.”
Except this time, they won’t. But nobody needs to know why…yet.
I stand up and stretch my arms overhead. “I’m going to check in on Shaye.”