27. Max

27

MAX

" I ’m done fucking around with you. Start talking." I squeeze Benny’s throat so he knows I’m serious. Then I loosen my grip enough for him to talk.

His eyes show terror as he looks up at me. "I told you, I don't know anything!"

“You know something or you wouldn’t be trying to barter. Or was that all a lie?” I release him and pull out my gun, holding it to his temple. “If you know nothing, I might as well kill you now just for wasting my time.”

"I might…" He swallows hard. "I might have overheard some stuff… rumor… you know how it is. People in a bar like to talk…”

“Talk about what?”

Benny squirms in his chair, sweat trickling down his temple. His eyes dart between me and the door like he's still searching for an escape route. But there is none. Not for him.

“Some guy’s unhappy about your ending the girlie business.”

Girlie business? Motherfucker calls trafficking a girlie business? He deserves to die just for that.

“What guy?”

“Ricardo… Ricky Avila.”

“I already know he’s involved, Benny. Tell me something I don’t know like who he’s working with and where? Where would he take Gia?”

His eyes widen. “He took Nic’s sister?”

“Yes. Where would he take her?”

“Jesus, that kid has balls the size of?—”

I poke my gun in Benny’s head again. “Where!”

He flinches. “I… I don’t know. Like I said, all this is fuckin’ talk. Complaining about Nic taking over. Wanting things back the way they were under Gino."

"Keep talking."

"Ricky's convinced himself he's got what it takes to be the new Don. Says he'll bring back the real money makers, the girls in particular." Benny shifts uncomfortably. "He's been studying Nic's moves, looking for weak spots. He bragged about how much Nic respects him and sees him as a top soldier.”

“What’s his plan?” Every word from Benny's mouth feeds the rage building inside me. The thought of Ricky laying hands on Gia, planning to use her as some pawn in his sick game, it takes everything in me not to snap Benny's neck right here.

“I don’t know, Max, I really don’t.” His expression is pitiful as he looks up at me. “It was just the booze talking. I thought he was just griping, you know. I mean, who’d ever think Ricky could outsmart Nic?”

I hear footsteps behind me and know it's Nic without turning around. His presence fills the room, making Benny shrink even further into his chair.

"Tell him what you just told me," I growl at Benny.

Benny's eyes dart between us, his chest heaving. "I… I…"

"Speak," Nic commands, his voice carrying the full weight of his authority as Don.

"I don’t know anything except Ricky wants revenge on you. He wants to take over the business… restart the girls… that’s it.”

“Who’s with him?”

Benny shrugs, his eyes darting from me to him. “I don’t know. Like I said, I thought he was all talk.”

“Where would he take my sister?” Nic leans over him, and I step back, giving him space.

“I’m telling you I don’t know anything.”

“Where did you run into Ricky?” I ask.

“Atlantic City. I was gambling. Drinking… You know how it is.”

I look at Nic. “What did you do with the properties your father had in Jersey?”

Nic sucks in a breath as he thinks. “Some are empty. Others are holding imports from Italy.”

They’d gone from holding women to storing counterfeit olive oil or something. Gino had to be rolling in his grave.

“Oh… Ricky said he was going to make his father proud,” Benny says. “Does that help?”

“Was Ricky’s father in charge of any of them?” I ask.

Nic nods and pulls out his phone, I suspect to pull up a list of buildings.

"There's one… Newark, I think. Your father used it for his special merchandise." Benny's voice cracks. "Ricky talked about it once, said it was perfect because you'd shut it down temporary-like."

“Avila was helping Gino run the girls up to Buffalo in that deal with Rinella,” Nic says. “That warehouse isn’t being used at the moment.”

"If he’s out for revenge, it adds a poetic justice to use the building his father was in charge of.”

"We need to move fast," Nic says, already poking buttons on his phone to mobilize his men.

Before he finishes, the phone rings. He studies the screen and then looks at me. “Speak of the devil.” He pokes the answer button.

"Hello, Don Nardone. Missing something?" Ricky’s smug tone makes my blood boil. I’m already envisioning torturing him before finally killing him.

Nic's face hardens. "Where is she?"

"Your sister's been asking for you. Why don't you come get her?” He gives the address, and like we thought, it was the location his father had been in charge of. “One hour. Come alone or she dies."

The line goes dead. Nic's already heading out the door, but I step in front of him.

“Let me go,” I say.

"He has my sister." Nic's eyes flash dangerously.

"And you're the Don. The family needs you alive." I grip his shoulder. "Think about what happens if this is a trap. If you die, Gia and her kids, Bella and your kids, they’re all at risk."

"So I'm supposed to sacrifice Gia?"

"No." I meet his gaze steadily. "But this is about you. She’s bait. Don’t give him what he wants or you and Gia won’t be the only casualties. You know that’s true. Let me lead the approach. You can coordinate from a safe distance."

"Max—"

"You know I'm right." My voice drops lower. "If you die, Gia, Bella… the kids, they're all at greater risk. And you know I'll do whatever it takes to get her back.” I nearly tell him how I love her. Love her with every fiber of my being.

Something shifts in Nic's expression, recognition, maybe understanding. He studies me for a long moment before nodding slowly.

"Fine. But I want eyes on everything. And if anything goes wrong?—”

"It won't. We're getting her back, Nic. Trust me." And if I die, it’s no real loss. Not to Nic or Gia. At least I would finally be doing something to save her and the children.

Fifty minutes later, I pull up to the warehouse. My men are moving into position, some covering the roof, others at strategic points around the perimeter. We've run dozens of operations like this, but none where the stakes felt so personal. None where my heart threatened to burst from my chest with each passing second.

In the past, operations like this might have a thrill to them, but mostly, they were emotionless tasks. Me doing my job. Now? I feel the weight of everything I stand to lose. Gia. The twins. The life I should have fought for years ago.

I check my watch. Ten minutes until the deadline. Nic's voice crackles in my earpiece, updating me on surveillance positions. He's coordinating from a mobile command center two blocks away, probably climbing the walls with the need to be here himself. But this is my responsibility, my duty not just to the family or to Nic, but to the woman I love and the children I've failed for too long.

The warehouse office door stands partially open, a silent invitation into whatever trap Ricky has laid. My training screams at me to wait, to coordinate a full tactical approach. But each second that passes is another second Gia spends in that monster's hands. Another second where he could…

I push the thought away, forcing myself to focus. This isn't just about saving Gia anymore. It's about making things right with her, with the kids, with Nic. If I survive this, I'm done hiding, done letting fear and duty and obligation keep me from claiming what matters most.

The metal door groans as I ease it wider. My finger settles beside the trigger of my gun as I step into the gloom, every nerve ending alive with anticipation.

I move silently through the warehouse office, years of training taking over as my eyes adjust to the dim light filtering through grimy windows.

A soft whimper echoes from deeper inside, and my heart nearly stops. I look through the office door into the warehouse, and I spot her. Gia’s bound to a metal chair, her dark hair falling across her face. Even from here, I can see the trembling in her shoulders, the way she keeps testing her restraints. But there's steel in her spine, a familiar stubborn set to her jaw that tells me she hasn't broken.

My chest constricts at the sight. This is my fault. If I'd been man enough to claim her, to stand up to Nic and everyone else, she'd be safe at home in Vegas with our children right now. Instead, she's here, at the mercy of a psychopath, because I was too much of a coward to protect what matters most.

Raw fury builds inside me, a protective rage I've never felt before. Not in all my years of violence for the family. This is different, primal and personal. Every fiber of my being screams to rush to her, to tear apart anyone who dares threaten her. But I force myself to stay focused, to remember my training. One wrong move could get her killed.

I scan the shadows around her, looking for Ricky or his men. The warehouse feels too quiet, too still. But I know he's here somewhere, waiting. My finger rests beside my gun's trigger, ready.

Gia's head snaps up suddenly, her eyes widening as she spots me through the gap. I press a finger to my lips, silently willing her not to give away my position. She gives an almost imperceptible nod, but I can see fresh tears gathering in her eyes.

Never again , I swear silently. No one will ever hurt her again. Whatever it takes, whatever price I have to pay, I'm done letting fear keep me from protecting what's mine.

"Ricky!" My voice booms through the warehouse, echoing off metal walls. "Show yourself, you coward!"

A chuckle emerges from the shadows behind Gia. Ricky steps into view, one hand resting on her shoulder. My jaw clenches at his touch.

"Well, if it isn't Nic's faithful dog." His smirk falters as he notices my steady approach. "Where's the Don? I said to come alone." He raises the gun by his side and points it at Gia’s head. Fuck!

I pull my shit together. "You really think Nic would walk into such an obvious trap?" I take another step forward, watching Ricky's hand twitch. "Let her go, and maybe you walk out of here alive."

"Stay back!" He yanks Gia's head back by her hair, making her gasp. "I'll kill her if Nic doesn't show his face in the next five minutes."

My voice drops low, dangerous. "Like how your father died, crying, begging for mercy when Nic caught him planning against him?"

It might seem counterintuitive to antagonize him, but I know from experience, putting your opponent on edge is the best way to force a mistake. It’s a risk to be sure, but it’s my best bet to save Gia.

Ricky's face contorts with rage. "My father was a good soldier. Nic had no right?—”

“Your father was a traitor to the family who got what he deserved." I edge closer, watching his grip on Gia tighten. "You're even more pathetic than he was.”

"Shut up!" Spittle flies from his mouth. "You don't know anything! My father helped build this family. Nic never appreciated everything his father, my father, did. He’d be nothing without them.”

I can't stand another second of his ranting, not with his hands on Gia. Something primal snaps inside me. My body moves before my mind can catch up, lunging forward with a roar that tears from my throat.

Ricky's eyes go wide. His gun turns to me, muzzle flashing. I drop and roll instinctively, feeling the bullet whistle past my ear. My training takes over as I come up in a crouch, weapon already aligned.

One shot. Clean through his throat. A little low for the head. A little high for his heart. But still effective.

Ricky's gun clatters to the ground as his hands fly to his neck. Blood sprays between his fingers as he stumbles backward, eyes bulging with shock. He collapses in a heap, making wet, choking sounds that echo through the warehouse.

My hands shake as I lower my weapon, the acrid smell of gunpowder burning my nostrils. “He’s down,” I say, knowing Nic and the team can hear me.

I turn to her as I approach Ricky, wanting to make he’s neutralized. “You okay?”

Her head bobs up and down.

I look down at Ricky’s writhing form, my gun still warm in my hand. Blood pools beneath him as he claws at his throat, eyes wild with pain and fear. Good. He deserves every second of agony for what he's done.

The warehouse door bursts open behind me, boots thundering on concrete as my men flood in with Nic at the lead. Through my peripheral vision, I see him rush to Gia, working quickly to free her from her bonds. Every cell in my body screams to go to her, to hold her, to make sure she's truly safe. But I have unfinished business first.

I crouch beside Ricky, watching him struggle for breath through the hole in his throat. "Would you like to suffer, or should I end this now?" My voice comes out cold, detached. The monster he deserves to see in his final moments.

Ricky's only response is a wet gurgle, his fingers now scrabbling weakly at the concrete floor. Behind me, I hear Nic leading Gia away, her soft sobs fading toward the exit. My chest aches with the need to follow.

"I don't have time for this." I press my gun against Ricky's forehead and pull the trigger. “Enjoy hell with your father.” I rise, standing over Ricky's lifeless body. "Let’s get this cleaned up.” I want nothing more than to follow Gia out of this nightmare, to hold her and never let go. But I have responsibilities to handle first. Evidence to clean up, loose ends to tie off.

The men are already at work, efficient and discrete as always. I pull out my phone to coordinate disposal teams and set up surveillance sweeps of Ricky's known associates. No one else will ever get close enough to threaten Gia again.

Once I’m sure the men are taking care of Ricky, I slip away. Nothing else matters now except getting to Gia.

I get into my SUV and weave through traffic, making a beeline to Nic’s house, knowing that’s where he’ll take Gia. The drive takes forever. Every red light feels like an eternity, every slow driver an obstacle between me and Gia.

The image of her bound to that chair burns behind my eyes and with it, guilt, my constant companion for six years, attempts to swallow me whole. I should have been there sooner. Should have claimed her years ago. Should have confessed my feelings for her and the kids. Each mile closer to Nic's house brings a fresh wave of self-recrimination mixed with desperate need to see her, to know she's truly safe.

My tires screech as I pull into Nic's driveway, barely remembering to put the car in park before I'm out and running toward the front door. The guards recognize me, stepping aside as I burst through.

"Where is she?" I demand, pushing past Nic in the foyer with Bella.

"Max, wait.” Nic's hand catches my arm, but I shake it off.

"I need to see her." My voice cracks with an emotion I've never let anyone hear before. "Please."

The desperation in my tone must register because Nic's grip loosens. "She's up checking the twins. She's fine, Max. You saved her."

My heart stops as Gia appears at the top of the stairs. Her gaze latches on to mine as she descends the stairs.

The sight pierces my chest, straight through to my soul. "Gia." Her name comes out rough, desperate. My feet carry me forward without conscious thought, drawn to her like a magnet.

She pauses on the lowest step, one hand gripping the banister. The space between us crackles with everything I've never said.

"Why are you here?" Gia's voice is soft but guarded, her fingers still gripping the banister like a lifeline.

Before I can answer, Nic steps forward. "Max had concerns about other potential threats. He came back to protect you."

Gia’s shoulders stiffen, her eyes flatten, and I see that Nic’s words have hit wrong. Of course they would. Didn’t she accuse me of operating only out of duty? She thinks I’m here solely out of obligation.

"I see." Her voice is carefully neutral now as she turns away. "Thank you, Max. Once again, you’ve saved the day.”

“Are the kids still sleeping?” Bella asks.

“Yes.” Gia glances at me but then turns her attention to Bella. “Thank you for taking care of them.”

I’m desperate to tell her that my being here has nothing to do with duty. I flew across the country to tell her I love her and the kids.

"That's not why I'm here." The words burst from my throat, rough and desperate. "Not just for protection."

Gia looks at me, but it’s almost as if she is seeing through me.

"I've fucked up, Gia. For six years, I've been fucking up everything." I take a step toward her. "I told myself I was protecting you, protecting the family, but I was just… I was a coward."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nic’s eyes narrow, his head tilt to the side as if he’s confused by my words. But I can't stop now. The words I've held back for so long spill out like a broken dam.

"I should have fought for you instead of running away to Vegas. And last year, when I saw you again…" My hands clench into fists at my sides, trying to avoid taking her in my arms because I don’t have that right. "I pushed you away because I was terrified of how much I still wanted you."

"What the fuck?" Nic steps forward, but Bella stops him.

Gia's eyes soften slightly, but she remains silent.

"And now…" I swallow hard, my throat tight. "Now I know about the twins, and I've messed that up too. Six years I could have been there for them. For you. But I was too wrapped up in duty and obligation and what everyone else would think to see what really mattered."

I take another step toward her on the stairs, my heart hammering against my ribs. I’ve never felt like my life, my future was on the line as much as in this moment. "When you left Vegas, you took everything with you. The house, it's just empty walls now. No laughter, no kids running around, no light in the morning when I walk into the kitchen." My voice catches. "You took my heart when you left. My reason for being.”

I feel like I’m still fucking this up, not getting the words right. “Like always, I tried to convince myself that it was better this way. But it’s not. I can’t pretend I don't need you, pretend I don't love you.”

Gia's eyes glisten with unshed tears. The sight of her pain slashes at my heart. I want to rush the last few steps between us and take her in my arms, but I force myself to stay put. The next move is hers.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Max?" Nic's voice cuts through the tension. "My sister? The twins?"

The moment I've dreaded for six years has arrived, but I find myself more terrified of Gia’s rejection than Nic’s reaction, which could quite possibly be my death.

I wait a moment for her to say something, but she’s just looking at me.

I try again in case I wasn’t clear. "I love you, Gia. I have for six years. And I love the kids… our kids."

"You mother fucker!" Nic's hand pulls back, and when he releases it, it catches me in the jaw, knocking me back. “Get the fuck out of my house before I kill you."