21. Max

21

MAX

I stare out the window of my office, the bright lights of the Strip doing nothing to lift the heaviness in my chest. I let Gia and the kids down, but it’s for her protection, dammit. I grab onto the resentment that she doesn’t understand that because I like it better than the guilt.

Unfortunately, the guilt quickly returns. Memories of Dario and Daniella’s faces lighting up each morning as we made breakfast together haunts me. They probably sat at the dining table tonight wondering why I wasn't there.

My phone buzzes with another update from my men canvassing the city for Benny. No sign of him. I turn away from the window, refocusing on why I’m here and not with them. If Benny is behind the threats, finding him is more important than turkey and stuffing. More important than the feeling of finally having a real family under my roof. Because it’s not real.

For the umpteenth time, I review the surveillance photos spread across my desk. Grainy images of Benny outside the casino, his confrontation with Gia. This is what matters. This is what I promised Nic and Gia’s mother. Keep Gia safe. It’s my one duty, and so I have to find Benny. I have to send her home. Away from me. It's better this way. It has to be.

My phone rings. Dominic.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“Got ’im, Boss.” Dominic reports he has Benny in one of our secured storage facilities.

Halle-fucking-lujah.

When I arrive, I find Benny zip-tied to a metal chair. I remove my suit jacket and roll up my sleeves, the familiar ritual helping me focus on what needs to be done. The weight of my shoulder holster serves as a reminder of who I am, what this life demands.

I’m getting ready to question him when my phone vibrates. A text from Gia. I silence it and slip it into my pocket. I can't let thoughts of her cloud my judgment right now.

“Hello, Benny,” I say as I grab a chair and sit in front of him.

Benny struggles against his restraints. His cocky attitude from the casino is gone, replaced by darting eyes and nervous sweat. Good. Fear makes people honest.

I lean forward, ready to work. Time to find out if Benny's really behind the threats.

Sweat beads on his forehead despite the room’s chill. His eyes watch me like a cornered rat.

"Let's talk about Gia Cantore."

“What about her?” He tries to sound brave, but I hear the fear.

“Why are you stalking her?”

“Stalking?” He looks to Dominic standing behind me as if he’s wanting clarification.

“I have it on video. You stalking her. Confronting her in my casino.”

Benny jerks against the zip ties. "I didn’t stalk her. She walked in, and I saw a chance to finally get the money she stole.”

I slam my palm on the metal table beside him. The crack echoes through the empty space. "Cut the bullshit. You've been following her for months."

"Following her?” His eyes again dart to Dominic. I don’t know why. Dominic is a meaner son of a bitch than I am. He looks back at me. “Like I said, I just saw her at the casino. Pure coincidence." His voice pitches higher.

“What about the messages? The photos? The calls?"

"What messages? What photos?" Benny shakes his head frantically. "I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

I grab his chin, forcing him to look at me. "You expect me to believe you just happened to show up in Vegas right when she's here, being protected from a stalker?"

"This is Vegas. You know me. Where else would I go?" His words tumble out faster. "Atlantic City's dried up for me. I figured I'd try my luck out west. That's all this is."

I study his face, looking for tells. Fear is there, but it's the desperate kind that comes from owing the wrong people money, not the guilt of being caught stalking someone.

I release Benny's chin and pace the cold concrete floor, processing his words. Something doesn't add up.

“If you’re here to gamble, why approach her at all?”

"Because she stole my inheritance. That ain’t right. It’s my money.” Benny spits the words.

“Your beef is with your father. Frankly, I can’t blame him. Why give you his hard earned money when you waste it on gambling and women? Everyone knows you were a disappointment to him. Dario is a Nardone. He’s more important as a kid than you’ll ever be.”

Benny glares at me. I’ve hit a chord. Good. Maybe I’ll get answers.

“That bastard isn’t my father’s son.”

My hand flies out, striking Benny. “Watch your mouth.”

He surprises me by sneering. Where is the sniveling Benny I saw a moment ago?

"Come on, Max. Everyone knows those twins can't be Aldo's." Benny's eyes take on a calculating gleam. "Look at them. They don't look anything like him.”

“That’s your proof?” I scoff.

“No… I got more.” He sits up, as if I’m an eager listener. “I dated a nurse?—”

“Jesus, Benny, I don’t want to know about your sex life.”

“No listen. Really. I told her about the kids, and she said there’s no way my dad was their father.”

I roll my eyes. “How would she know that? Especially from the bullshit you spew? You’re just desperate. You're talking shit to save your own neck." I circle the chair again. I need to get back on track.

“The timing is wrong.” His head tries to swivel to follow me as I round him. “If he’s their father, those kids were born too early.”

“So. Kids are born early all the time.”

“They were five pounds each,” he says as if that makes any sense to me.

I shrug and shake my head to let him know he’s talking nonsense.

“My nurse friend says five-pound twins had to have been close to full term.”

“What are you saying, Benny?”

“I’m saying she fucked someone else before she married my father.”

I grab his shirt collar, knuckles white. “What did I say about watching your mouth? This is Gia Nardone we’re talking about.”

His eyes narrow. “You mean Cantore, right?”

I push him back, his chair rocking onto two legs before dropping back in place. "You're desperate, making up lies to save yourself."

“I’m not. Do the math.”

"Aldo… hell, her father would have killed her if she'd been with someone else. You know that.”

“I do. That’s why she passed them off as my father’s, but I swear to God, they’re not.”

“There’s no fucking way she could have pulled that off, Benny. You’re grasping at straws.” But fucking hell, I’ve got a cloying sense in my gut. “You don’t know shit about babies.”

“I don’t, but like I said, I dated a nurse. She said at five pounds, the kids came out way too developed for being preggers for only five months." Benny shifts in his restraints. “She said twins are often early, but five pounds would be close to full-term for twins. She’d know. She worked delivering babies.”

The warehouse suddenly feels too small, the fluorescent lights too bright. I force myself to focus on the task at hand, which isn’t the kids. "This isn't about the twins. This is about you following Gia."

“Ah, fuck, back to that? I wasn’t following her. She walked into my path. I just took an opportunity, that’s all. I just want what’s mine. I deserve that inheritance. Those kids don’t. Not when they were in Gia’s oven before she married my father.”

My mind races back to that night with Gia six years ago. But no. I used protection. Like I always do. Well, except this time, but she’s on the pill this time.

"You're reaching, Benny. Making connections that aren't there."

"Am I? The timing?—”

"I said enough." My voice is deadly, telling him to stop if he wants to live.

He sits back and watches me, like he sees something. “You were doing her protection back then, weren’t you?”

I arch a brow. “Careful where you’re going with that.”

“Rumor was her father didn’t like it because she had a big crush on you. It’s why you got shipped here.”

How does he know so much? “You don’t know shit.”

He shrugs. “I can’t blame you. A pretty woman who has goo-goo eyes for you. How could you resist?”

I pull my gun out and place it against his temple. “You can talk shit about me all you want, Benny, but if you disrespect her again, I’ll kill you.”

His jaw tightens, but he wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"The stalker. What do you know?" I press again.

He blows out a breath. “Nothing. But if you’re looking for trouble against the family, maybe you should check closer to home."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugs.

I tap his head with the gun. “Spill.”

“Not everyone was happy about Nic taking out old man Gino or those who followed him.”

“Like who?”

“How the fuck do I know? I’m not in the family. Not since you killed my father. It’s just whispers here, grumbling there."

I put my gun away and circle him, thinking about who could be a traitor in the family.

Benny twists his head to track my movement. "Some don’t like how much money Nic has walked away from.”

Benny isn’t wrong. Nic has no trouble breaking the law, but he’s adamant it won’t be in trafficking women as his father had done. For the last year, Nic has spent a lot of time dealing with the fallout of killing his father and taking over the business. That includes killing those in the family who dared try to go up against him.

I think back to Nic’s list of suspects. Rinella he’s already removed from suspicion. Benny here could be telling the truth. Then there was the Bratva, angry about Nic ending a deal, but would they stalk Gia? Those guys always struck me as direct. They’d go after Nic or his businesses. Then there was Ricardo Avila. Nic did kill his father, but Ricky has been a good soldier, moving up in the ranks. Could it be part of an elaborate scheme to get back at Nic?

“What about Ricky Avila?”

Benny shakes his head. “I don’t know. Like I said, I’m on the outside. I just hear rumblings.”

“Rumblings about what, specifically?”

“Jesus, you’re going to get me killed.”

“You can die right here and now, if you’d rather.”

He makes a face. “Vengeance is what I hear.”

“For what?”

"I've said too much already." He stares at the concrete floor.

“You haven’t said nearly enough, Benny. The truth is, I think you’re too dumb to be Gia’s stalker. I can help you. But you have to help me.”

He glances up, hope on his face even though I’ve just called him dumb. "How about we make a deal? I'll tell you what I’ve overheard, and you can help me get my money. My rightful inheritance.”

I let out a harsh laugh. "You think I'd betray Nic's trust so you can get your grubby hands on his niece and nephew’s money? You’re dumber than I thought."

His jaw clenches. “You want to know what I know, you have to pay. Ask Nic. See what he says.”

“Do you really think Nic would help you take from his sister’s kids?”

"If it saves his sister, yeah, I do." Benny leans forward as far as his restraints allow. "Family first, right? Isn't that what he’s all about now? Betraying the family is the worst crime.”

I try not to think about how I’ve betrayed Nic with my actions toward Gia because Benny isn’t wrong.

“He’s got a cancer in the family… one after his sister. All I’m asking is to get what is rightfully mine.”

I study his face, looking for tells. There's fear there, definitely, but something else too. A certainty that makes my skin crawl.

I check my watch. It’s late. I’m exhausted yet keyed up too. Benny’s words bounce around my brain like pinball.

“Stay put, Benny. I’ll be in touch.” I turn to leave.

“Hey, you can’t leave me tied up like this. I need to piss.”

I step over to Dominic. “We’ve got a cell, right?”

He nods.

“Put him there, but I want eyes on him every second.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

I leave the building, sucking in the cool air to rid the stench of Benny. I climb into my car, unable to stop thinking about five pounds. I pull out my phone and search for information on twin pregnancies. The information suggests most twins are born a little early, and the average weight is five-point-five pounds. My gut clenches. Surely, Benny is just talking shit.

I start running numbers. I was with Gia the summer she turned eighteen. Shortly after, Gino sent me to Las Vegas. I wasn’t even allowed to attend her wedding to Aldo, which took place two months later. If Aldo’s the father, those kids were born about six months after they were married. I search for average twin birth weight at six months. Two pounds. At eight months, the babies are five pounds. Eight months puts their conception around the time I was with Gia.

Oh, fuck. What if Dario and Daniella are mine? Then I’m a father. I feel like I’ve been hit in the chest with a two-by-four. I can’t breathe.

I give my head a shake. This is ridiculous. I toss my phone in the passenger seat, chastising myself for letting Benny send me down a rabbit hole of nothing. I return to my office. I need to let Nic know that I’ve found Benny and his accusation of a traitor in the family. I won’t tell him about the bullshit of Aldo not being the twins’ father.

I drive back to my office where I text Nic, telling him I have Benny and to call when he can. I should go home, but I can’t. I’m not sure if it’s because the house will be too quiet since it’s the middle of the night or because I might see Gia. This new twist is fucking with me. Surely, she’d have told me if she was pregnant. Right?

I lie on the couch in my office to get a little rest before I have to be back at it again, working to get more information from Benny. I hope that after a few hours locked up, he’ll see reason and tell me more about what he’s been hearing.

When I wake, it’s nearly eight in the morning. I’ve slept too long. Crazy dreams of Gia and the kids… of their being mine… have haunted me.

I scrape my hand over my face knowing I need to go home. I need a shower and… fuck, I need to talk to Gia.

I pull into my driveway, killing the engine but remaining in the car. Through the window, I can see lights still on in the kitchen. I wonder if she and the kids are making breakfast. It’s a little late for that. At nine, they’re normally having school now. But it’s the day after Thanksgiving, so maybe they’re taking a day off.

I force myself out of the car. Each step toward my front door feels like walking through cement. I enter the house forcing a smile on my face.

“Uncle Max!” The kids come running in. But this time, it’s different. I study them. Do they look like me? Did I abandon them? Or did Gia abandon me?

“Hey. How was Thanksgiving?” I kneel down so I can look them in the eyes.

“Good. We ate with everyone.”

“Why weren’t you here?” Daniella’s face drops, and I feel like shit for not being here.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to be, but I had important work.”

“More important than us?” Dario asks.

No . That’s the first thought that comes to my mind. But if the kids and Gia are more important, why wasn’t I here? Because I have a duty to protect them and that’s important too , I remind myself.

Gia appears, and I know without a doubt that I’ve hurt her. She has a wan smile, but her eyes are filled with wariness and a growing distance.

“Can I talk to you in my office?” I ask her.

“Of course.” She’s so civil. But I guess I am too.

“How about we go outside?” Maria says to the kids.

“Can you watch me swing?” Dario asks me.

“Maybe later. I have a few things to talk to your mom about.”

“’Kay.” The kids run off, and I watch them for a moment before heading down the hall to my office.

Gia enters behind me. I lean against my desk and study her, searching for signs of the secrets she might be keeping. Am I being ridiculous or could Benny’s accusation be true?

"We need to talk." I gesture to the chair across from my desk. "About the twins."

She stiffens slightly but takes the seat. The silence stretches between us because I can’t figure out how to ask this. Will I offend her by asking if I’m wrong? Will I look like an idiot for considering Benny’s accusation?

"I had an interesting conversation with Benny." I cross my arms. "He made some… accusations about their parentage."

Her fingers twist in her lap, but she maintains eye contact. "What kind of accusations?"

“That Aldo isn’t their father.”

She sucks in a breath, but her face remains impassive.

“It had me doing some math.”

The color drains from her face, and now I know. Holy fucking hell… I know.

Tears well in her eyes as she looks up at me. The moment stretches, every heartbeat an eternity as I wait for her to say something. To tell me I’m a father.