36. Switch

36

SWITCH

W hen we pull into the lot of the derelict manufacturing plant, Alessio is already there.

There are no signs of drones or other vehicles. At least, no obvious ones.

But I'm hopeful that Alessio just set the tone for this meeting by showing up as instructed.

"Biker," he says when I flip the lid on my helmet.

"Mobster," I say, leaning the bike so Sophia can get off.

Vex appears and holds out an arm to help her stabilize herself. I debated long and hard about bringing the truck, but as Bates pointed out, our exit would be faster on the bikes.

Alessio rubs a hand over his face. "I love your definition of ‘come alone.'" He tips his head in the direction of the bikers behind me.

"I like to think it's insurance."

"Can you two stop bickering?" Sophia says. She walks closer to Alessio, and in spite of the urge to hold her back, I let her go to him. "Hey, Ale."

"Hey, Puparu." There's emotion in the way he says it.

And the next thing, they're hugging.

And while I'm watching, Vex shoulder checks me. "You didn't think to stop her from going over there?"

I shake my head as they say something to each other I can't hear. "No. He's not gonna hurt her."

Vex glances at me. "How do you know?"

"Call it a sixth sense."

Alessio throws his hand over Sophia's shoulder and leads her back to me. When he's standing in front of me, he offers me his hand. "Welcome to the family," he says.

I take it and shake it.

I glance back at my brothers, who are standing in an arc behind me. "Wish I could say the same."

Alessio laughs. "Fair. So, tell me what you know."

I let Sophia lead, telling Alessio what she found. About the spreadsheets and the double accounts and the syphoning of money off the top of every project. Vex loaned us a laptop that is cleaned of everything except the files and evidence. There is also an email address specifically for her and Alessio to communicate that Vex has worked his magic on to make sure Sophia will never be tracked when using it.

She explains that she doesn't know what it all means, that she can't remember compiling it all, and can't necessarily confirm all her sources.

But it's enough.

Alessio blows out a breath, then looks up at the sky. " Sulu pa morti un c'è rimediu ."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"Only for death is there no remedy."

"What are you going to do?" Sophia asks.

"I'm going to speak with our brothers. You are welcome to join, but only alone. I'll share this information, and we will vote."

Sophia rolls her eyes. "You men and your votes."

"It's the only way," Alessio and I say at the exact same time.

A measure of respect passes between us.

"We need to get ahead of this before?—"

The first bullet hits the dust by my feet. The second pings off my bike. The third slices through the hem of Alessio's suit jacket.

It's rapid fire, but before the fourth shot is fired, I've dragged Sophia behind Alessio's car. "Theo," she cries as she lands on the ground.

"Stay down, Sparrow. Until we know where the shots are coming from."

Halo pulls his weapon on Alessio and drags him by the collar behind a low wall. "You fucking betrayed us, motherfucker."

"It's not me. I swear," Alessio says, pulling his own but aiming it toward one of the buildings. "Don't know who the hell this is."

"They're aiming for Sophia and Alessio," Clutch shouts. "Can we draw fire?"

Vex drops down next to me behind the car as one of the car windows is blown out. "We need to get Sophia out of here."

Sophia clutches the laptop to her chest. "I'm okay. Do what you need to."

I climb to my knees and peer over the hood of the car as a bullet bounces off it, missing my face by inches.

I feel the heat and air of it as it blows past me.

Spark and Saint close in on the building under the cover of Bates and Niro to commence a cordon-and-kick search. Vex and I add additional firepower as four men come around the side of the building. I take down one; Alessio takes down another. As we provide cover, King and Clutch take out the remaining two.

A handful of shots are fired inside, and then Spark shouts, "Clear!"

Alessio sprints to the four downed men, and I follow him. One of the assailants is injured. I can't tell whether it's a fatal wound.

It sure as hell doesn't help that Alessio kicks him in the gut, making him groan. "Who the fuck sent you, and how did you know I was here?"

The guy opens his eyes and attempts to stare Alessio down.

Alessio responds by shoving the muzzle of his gun into the guy's mouth. "I'll find out who the fuck you are. I'll go to your house. I'll kill anyone I find there. And then I'll find your mom's house and kill her too. Now. Who. The fuck. Sent you?"

The guy almost chokes until Alessio removes the gun. "Your father."

"Fuck," Alessio says before putting the gun to the guy's head and pulling the trigger.

The sound of the last bullet ricochets through the air.

The bullet fest is over.

Vex has helped Sophia to her feet.

Alessio takes a deep breath and turns to Sophia. "Our father's done."

Sophia comes to my side, wincing as she walks. "You have my vote," she says to Alessio.

Clutch squeezes Alessio's shoulder, and I remember something about his father getting shanked in prison.

Alessio faces King. "What would it take for you to help me make it happen?"

King blows out a breath. "We aren't a hit squad."

"Yeah. But this solves both our problems. Because if anything happens to my sister while she's on your watch, I'll kill each and every one of you."

I huff. "Wow, you really know how to ask for a favor."

Alessio shrugs. "It's obvious I can't ask any of our men yet as I'm not sure who is on my father's payroll."

"Technically, they are all on your father's payroll," Niro says.

Alessio glances at Niro and rolls his eyes. "You always this pedantic?"

"Just getting started," he replies. "Are you always this much of a cunt when you're alone with a bunch of bikers who have no time for you at all?"

"That doesn't mean I haven't left clear, time-delayed information for my right-hand man to let him know where I went, who I was meeting with, and what we found. Anything happens to me, you won't survive the wrath of the five families."

"What do we get if we assist?" I ask.

"Beyond my sister?" Alessio asks. "And the promise to never come for your side of the docks?"

"Touché," Bates says.

"The next time you need an army-sized backup for something, we'll answer," Alessio says.

"You have the authority to authorize that?" Clutch asks.

Alessio stands tall. "I have over a thousand soldiers at my command as a captain. But if this works, tomorrow I'll be the boss of our family. Don Viscuso. Then there won't be anything I can't authorize. But back to the issue at hand. The easiest way to fix the problem we all have is to get rid of my father."

"Where does he live?" King says.

"Brooklyn. But it's a busy neighborhood. His brownstone is a fortress. We need to get him out of there in a believable way."

"You need bait," Sophia says. "You need me."

"No fucking way are you being bait to get your father," I say.

"Why not?" Sophia looks up at me with defiant eyes and a level of bravery that amazes me.

"Because I won't let you get hurt."

"I call him. Tell him what happened here. That I'm confused. That Alessio is dead, and I'm scared. That I need him to come and get me."

"Still no."

"It could work," Alessio says. "He'll have to think on his feet and move fast. He might bring cleanup with him. But we could be ready. In position."

Saint looks up to the buildings. "Plenty of good spots to set up. If Soph could get him to say on the call how long it will take to get here, we'd know what we are working with."

I think through what they are saying, and the thought of Sophia caught up in the crossfire makes me feel so ill, I want to throw up. "She makes contact with him, and then I get her out of here."

Spark nods. "I'd make the same call."

"But if Papà arrives and doesn't see me, will he even get out of the car?" Sophia asks.

"Sophia," I warn. "We're not staying."

Not wanting a fight in front of my club, I take her hand and lead her away from the group a little. "Soph. We've done everything backwards. We married before we fell in love. I met you when you were already injured. I can't stand here and watch it happen in the present."

"You love me?" she asks.

"Off topic. We're talking about why you can't stay here if your dad comes."

"For the record, I love you."

"Your timing is terrible," I say.

"Maybe. But it's always the right time to tell someone you love them, right?"

I cup her cheeks and kiss her with all I have. "Yes, I fucking love you, Soph. Which is why I can't let you stand out here as bait."

"I'll be safe."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I have you. Because I know you aren't going to let anything happen to me, are you, Switch?"

The use of my road name catches me off guard. Not in a bad way. Something settles.

I glance back at my brothers, knowing they'll back whatever decision I feel is right today.

I take in the chaos of this life. That I'm here. That the air threatens snow. That blood pumps throughout my veins.

And I take in the warmth of my wife's cheeks, the affirmation of life as I run my thumb over the scar that crosses her cheek. The fact I'm fucking loved.

"My road name sounds good coming from your lips," I say before planting another kiss on them.

"Help me. Theo. Help me take back what happened to me. Help me be a part of its resolution. I just…I need to be a part of how this ends."

I take in a deep breath. When she looks at me like this, her eyes pleading with me, resolute in her faith in me, I can't say no.

"I'll help you end this. I'd scorch the earth for you if I had to."

"Then we'll do this how we've done everything else. Together."

Which is how I find myself passing Sophia a cigarette five minutes later.

"You sure this is going to work?" Halo asks.

I take a draw on the cigarette because fuck knows I need the nicotine, then blow the smoke away from Sophia before handing it to her. "Yeah. She needs to look distressed. I let her try one once and she coughed and spluttered like she was dying."

"I did not look like I was dying," Sophia says. Niro applied some dirt to her face and clothes to make it look like she's been through some shit.

"Sparrow, your eyes streamed for a good five minutes."

"Because these cancer sticks are poisonous. When we're done here, you need to stop."

Halo chuckles. "You should ask King about his Stop Smoking stickers."

"Fuck you," King says, dragging one of the dead bodies to Alessio's car.

Clutch is clearing off a ledge so he can rest his gun on it, pointing towards the lot. "One gold star for not smoking that day was a blow job. Went all the way up to twenty points for?—"

"You say another fucking word and you'll be the dead body sitting in this car," King says.

Sophia takes the cigarette from my hand, steps up onto her toes, and places her lips close to my ear. I grab her arms to steady her. "What if you could write your own pain chart?" Her words are breathy against my ear. "Like, one point and I dig my nails in real hard, and ten points mean I'll stitch your skin whether it needs it or not."

"Jesus, Sparrow," I say as my cock hardens in my jeans.

"Always willing to help." The smile on her face tells me she knows what she just did to me.

I reach into my pocket, grab my half-finished pack of smokes, and toss them to Halo. "I'm quitting smoking."

"Of course you fucking are," Halo says as he catches them. "Not sure I ever want to know what you're gonna redeem your points for."

"I'm going to need to bleach my ears out," Alessio says. "There are some things a brother isn't meant to know about his little sister."

Sophia grins. "Maybe you shouldn't be listening in on private conversations."

King slaps Alessio's back. "That fucker is engaged to mine." He points to Clutch. "And I know exactly what you mean."

"You ready?" I ask Sophia.

"I am."

I settle everyone around us, and Sophia takes two long, spluttery, coughing inhales on the cigarette before she hands it back to me, then huddles into the corner of the old building.

Tears stream from her eyes. The coughing fit brought color to her cheeks. The dirt Niro applied to her face becomes tearstained.

"Papà," she says when he answers the video call. "Please. Can you come get me?" She pauses and pretends to look around, terrified.

I can't catch everything he says in response. As planned, Niro lets off two rounds of bullets into the air outside, and Sophia winces as she jumps.

"Something happened. We were attacked. Men. I don't know who. Alessio is dead. Theo abandoned me."

She swipes at her eyes and sobs. "Please, Papà. I don't know who else to trust."

When she finally tells him where we are, I breathe a sigh of relief.

The moment she ends the video call, I rush to her. "I'm proud of you."

"You okay, Puparu?" Alessio asks.

Sophia nods and I help her to her feet before using the sleeve of my Henley to wipe her eyes.

"Puparu? What does that mean?" I ask.

Alessio checks his phone. "It means ‘puppeteer,' because even from when she was little, she's been able to pull everyone's strings. How long until he's here?"

"Forty minutes," Sophia says.

And it's the longest forty minutes of my life. We construct a place for Sophia to wait, and a concealed spot right next to it for me to hide in made from abandoned crates and lumber. There is the tiniest sliver in its construction that allows me to see a little.

Alessio lies on the ground by his car as if dead. The guy had cooly swiped some blood from the guy he shot through the head and wiped it over his own shirt to give the appearance of a lethal wound.

Got to admire the man's balls and commitment.

When Vincenzo Viscuso arrives, it's with three other vehicles. But I'm grateful that when they exit, there are only seven people that I can see.

It's almost suffocating, remaining hidden the way I am. Reminds me of all the time in hospital, being squeezed into tubes while doctors tried to figure out what had happened to me.

Sophia steps forward. "Papà," she says.

She isn't meant to move. I know Halo and Saint have the area covered from an upper floor of the building. And, I see Bates, Niro, and Vex shifting behind the vehicles, preventing an exit. King, Clutch, and Spark are behind my position.

"Sophia," he says. "What the fuck happened here?"

She moves closer to him.

"Sophia," I hiss. But she ignores me.

"A lesson," she says coldly.

Vincenzo walks closer to his daughter, and I'm ready to burst out of my hiding place. Given we don't want a war with the Sicilians if this goes to shit or if Alessio goes back on his word, I remain out of sight.

I've often wondered what I felt the night I got injured. Was I scared? Did I know I would get hurt and did it anyway? Did I think I was safe and then get caught off guard?

But if it was anything like this, then it was a gut-level belief that what I was about to do was the right thing.

Because when I see Vincenzo's arm lift a fraction of an inch, I know he's going for a weapon. And I'm running before he even has time to acknowledge my presence.

Alessio jumps to his feet and throws a garrote around his father's neck.

My brothers take out Vincenzo's men until he's the only one standing. With my gun raised, I reach Sophia's side.

I don't have a clear shot because there's every chance a through and through would happen, taking out Alessio, who stands behind him.

"What happened that morning?" Sophia asks.

"The two of you will never survive this," Vincenzo shouts as sweat beads on his forehead.

"We'll take our chances," Alessio says, tightening the wire around his father's neck until he's squirming, trying to get his fingers beneath it to make some room to breathe.

His face gets redder and redder.

My brothers emerge, creating a circle around us, their weapons drawn.

"You're dying today," Sophia says calmly. "There will be no priest to hear your confession, no one to act ‘in persona Christi.' So, tell me."

Vincenzo's shoulders drop. "You know what I did."

"Why? Why try to get me to Sicily to marry a stranger? Why set this up? Why any of it?"

"Because it all got out of hand," Vincenzo says finally. "It was getting harder to hide the missing amounts. I knew if you were married to Don Consolo's son, it would be harder for him to kill me or ex-communicate the rest of you from the family. But you wouldn't let it drop. You came to me with spreadsheets you said made no sense. You thought someone else in the family was stealing first, and I could tell the day you realized it was me. I saw the security footage of you in my office after mass. I tried to stop you from running that morning, but you stole one of the cars on the driveway. I chased after you, but…"

"It was you in that car? Not one of Aglieri's men?" Sophia asks.

"There were two cars close to the house on the driveway. They'd both left their keys in ‘em so Carmine could take a look at them. You remember how he was good with cars."

"Thanks to you, I don't remember shit," Sophia says.

Her father shakes his head, showing no remorse. "They were closer to the bathroom window. You just grabbed one and took off. When Carmine told me what he saw, I took the other. I followed you until…"

"You just left her?" Alessio asks with fury. "You saw her fucking accident happen and left?"

Sophia laughs. I can see the panic in her eyes. Alessio loosens the hold of Viscuso for a moment, worry etched across his features.

"Soph?" I warn and pull her to me as she breathes, then stands up straight.

BAT.

"They estimate I was stuck in the wreck for several hours before I was found. That maybe if I'd received medical help sooner, the injuries wouldn't have been as severe."

"Should have stayed and made sure you were dead," her father says.

Sophia shakes in my arms, and I do the only thing I know will comfort her. I reach into my cut pocket for my switchblade and offer it to her. "I can do it for you, or you can do it yourself, Sparrow."

She takes it from me and as she walks to her father, she flicks the blade open and closed.

Vincenzo starts to fight harder against Alessio's hold, struggling to break free, even as he recognizes his fate.

"Sophia. No. Wait."

And when she reaches him, she stabs it straight through her father's eye.