Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I peer down at the sleeping beauty in my bed and don't want to leave. I have to. This family has too much fucking shit going on not to get up and get moving. But I could easily say fuck it all, pick Zoe up, and just run away with her. I want to take her somewhere far away from all this bullshit.

If I could get away with it, I'd wrap her in bulletproof clothing and then add some bubble wrap on top just for added protection. The Petrov family has been trying to identify whoever the fuck is after her. All we know about the one dead body left behind at the club was that the fucker was Italian.

He was nothing but a foot soldier for whoever the fuck he's working for, though. No identification. His fingerprints aren't in any databases. Right now, I have his image running through facial recognition software, although that could take days before it brings back a hit.

Zoe's going to want to go to work today. I know I can't keep her locked up forever. Santo volunteered to go with her, which shocked the fuck out of both me and Gio. Santo has been hellbent on keeping women away from the family ever since Shelli was killed. He's been different with Zoe, though. I was watching him over the weekend. He likes her. Not that he doesn't like Eloise or Daisy, but there's something about Zoe that my brother connects with.

I'm not going to question it. If my girlfriend is the key to getting through to Santo, then I'll take it. I'm desperate to get my brother back. At the moment, it feels like my family is being torn apart at the seams. Gabe's locked up, and the longer he stays there, the more my hopes of him getting out diminish.

I can see Daisy losing hope as well. It doesn't help that Gabe has taken her name off the visitation list. She can't even go and see him. She's holding out for the trial though. After that, I'm not sure what she'll do. He could be locked up for years if all the charges stick.

The fuckers wanted him to turn on Gio. That'd never happen. None of us would ever turn on the other. It's the one thing that's unbreakable. Our loyalty, our bond. Trust me, our father tried it more than once over the years. He couldn't stand our brotherhood. He wanted us to hate each other as much as he hated us.

"Babe, I have to go," I whisper into Zoe's ear while pushing her hair away from her face with my fingers.

"Mmm, where?" she groans while slowly blinking her eyes open.

"I have to go see Gabe," I tell her. "Santo is going to take you to your office this morning. Don't give him too much hell." I pepper her face with kisses.

"I don't need a babysitter, Marcel."

"I know you don't. It's for my peace of mind. Just go with it for me. I love you," I tell her.

"I love you too. I'll let Santo come with me, but he's going to be so bored," she says.

"He'll be fine. He likes you."

"I doubt he likes anyone," Zoe grumbles.

"That's not true. He likes me and he likes you. I'll call you later," I tell her, forcing myself to get off the bed.

"Okay. I'm just going to sleep a little longer," she says before rolling over.

I watch her for a second. Then I gently close the door and go in search of Gio, finding him in his office. "You ready?" I ask him.

He looks up from his desk with a glare aimed my way. "Yep," he says, pushing his chair back and standing. "Xavier is meeting us there."

I don't utter a word until we're in the car, away from all the prying ears inside the house. "What are his chances, really?"

"They're not good," Gio grunts, cursing under his breath as he slams his fists down on the steering wheel. "Fuck." It's not often my brother loses his composure. It takes a lot to rattle him. "He shouldn't fucking be there. It should be me," he says.

"We know this is the reality of what we do. Gabe knew the risks. This is the life."

"Maybe it's time to get out of the life…"

"And do what?" I ask, honestly curious. I know there is no getting out of this life, not for Gio, and not for me. I could see Gabe moving on to a more legit role once he gets out. I was supposed to be studying business to run that side of the family empire. Which I'll do, but I don't mind getting my hands dirty either.

"Fuck knows. I just need the family to get back on track. It feels like we're dealing with one hit after the fucking other at the moment."

"I know." My mind drifts to Zoe and finding the fuckers who are after her. I won't rest until I know they're no longer a threat.

"What's going on with Vin?" Gio asks.

"What d'you mean?" I shrug, doing my best to play dumb. I know that Gabe talked to our youngest brother. He didn't elaborate but I don't need him to. There's no good reason for the kid to know about that house our father was keeping behind our backs.

I knew the man was a sick bastard. But that? What Gabe and I found in that house while looking for intel on the old man's secret contacts? That was a whole new level of fucked up. Our father, along with one of his disgusting friends, was running a child sex ring.

Boys and girls as young as ten were locked up in rooms, where they were used against their will. Gabe and I shut that shit down quick. As for the fucker who was running the show, well, we made sure he was no longer able to do shit. But Vin… I can't bring myself to imagine what he was doing in that house, what our father made him do…

That's not my story to tell, though. The kid doesn't want people knowing. I get that, and unless I think he's not coping, I'll take that knowledge to the grave with me. Besides, Gio doesn't need that on his shoulders as well. He'll blame himself, like Gabe and I have been doing since we found out.

It's the only reason I haven't put a stop to the pot. We don't tolerate drugs by any means. But at the moment, I think the kid needs it. It's fucked up, and I shouldn't be okay with my little brother using drugs to ease his mind. At the same time, it's only pot. Anything else and I wouldn't be sitting idly by watching him self-medicate.

"Something's bugging him lately. You think it's all the changes? Something happening at school?"

"He's seventeen, Gio. He's a moody teenager. You were one once too. I know it was a lifetime ago, but you were." I laugh.

"Fuck off. I'm not that much older than you," he grunts.

"Is that a grey hair?" I reach up and touch the side of his head, where there isn't a single grey to be seen.

"Fuck you. There's no grey. And even if there were, it'd be because of you four fuckers stressing me the fuck out."

"Imagine when you and El have your own kids. What's that gonna be like if you're this stressed over your brothers?"

"Our kids will be angels, just like their mother," Gio says with a smile.

"Or they'll be girls and hot, just like their mother ." I laugh at the glare Gio sends my way.

"I'll buy a farm. Move them out to the middle of nowhere. Or I'll build a town where no boys are allowed to live within a hundred kilometres."

"Yeah, let me know how that works out for you." I shake my head. No way in hell would El let him do all that.

"I'm thinking of moving out," I tell him. "I think it's time."

"You're not moving out," Gio grunts. "Have Zoe move in with you at our house."

"It's not about her. It's just time."

"No, it's not. This isn't the time to be separating. We need to stick together," he says.

"It's not separating. It's moving out."

"Same thing. I can't fucking protect you if you're spread out all over the city."

"Gio, it's not your job to protect us from everything."

"That's exactly what my job is, Marcello. You're not moving out," he repeats like his word is final. In a lot of situations, it is. Except right now. I've already decided on this. I'll have Eloise find me a house nearby, but I am moving out.

When we arrive at the jail, we go through the process of getting through to the visitation room. This is the part that always hits me hard. Seeing my brother cuffed while he's forced to parade around in a fucking dark-green tracksuit.

"Hey." Gabe nods at us. His face is healing from a beatdown he took when he first got here.

"How you holding up?"

"How's Daisy?" It's always the first question he asks us.

"You'd know for yourself if you let her come and see you," I remind him.

Gabe glares at me. "Don't fuck with me, Marcello. How is she?"

"She's okay. Still holding out hope you're getting out," I tell him.

Gabe shakes his head. "It's going to hit her hard when that doesn't happen."

"Then put her name back on your visitation list," I groan.

"I don't want her here. This isn't the place for her. Would you let your woman come here?" he counters.

I picture Zoe. And truth is… there's no fucking way I'd want her near a prison. I get his point. It doesn't mean it's right though.

"Should we talk business? Or call doctor Phil for a family counselling session?" Xavier asks.

An hour later, our time is up and I have to walk away. Leaving my brother behind in this fucking hellhole. "I fucking hate this," I tell Gio.

"Yeah," he says while nodding his head in agreement.