Page 125 of Vices and Vows

“Listen, there’s something you need to know.” He rubs his hand over his face. He looks exhausted. “She was shot in the head.”

I freeze at his words, my hands gripping the siderails.

“There is also evidence of blunt force trauma. The bullet went in here”—he traces the tip of his hairline before turning and showing me the spot behind his left ear—“and came out here. She lost a lot of blood, too, and the bullet caused damage to the areas of the brain it came into contact with. On top of that, she was deprived of oxygen, and when they were operating on her, she had a stroke.”

“What are you telling me, Isaac?”

“She woke up, but Vice… Fuck, I don’t know how to say this. She doesn’t remember anything.”

“That might be a blessing. Was she raped?”

“They don’t think so. There was evidence that she’d had sex recently, but there was no bruising or tearing to suggest she put up a fight. But Vice, when I said she doesn’t remember anything, I don’t just mean the attack. From what we’ve pieced together, she’s missing about two years of her life. She doesn’t remember us. She doesn’t remember you, and the doctors say she probably never will. When she became combative, they put her in a medically induced coma to stop her from hurting herself and so her body could heal a little longer.”

His voice softens, his own sorrow bleeding through.

“I’m sorry, Vice. I wish I had better news.”

“Me too. But she’s alive Isaac, and that’s more than I had before.”

I was released a little over a week ago, but I’ve spent all my time at my wife’s bedside since.

Except for today.

Standing in front of the other families, I laid down the law, not giving a single fuck if they complied.

“Aldo is dead. He kidnapped and attacked my wife. She managed to kill him before Gia shot her in the head. She is currently in a coma. I’m sure you’ve heard all of this, but I wanted to give you the courtesy of letting you know what’s happening next. I’m taking over Fiore territory.”

They start to protest, but I hold up my hand. “He forfeited the right to it when he attempted to rape and kill my wife and Vigo’s daughter. That is not the legacy Vigo wanted to leave behind. The family is grieving. Not for Aldo and Gia but for Nova, who they all liked and cared for. I will not let someone else step in and fuck them around anymore. I understand that with my current territory, what I got from the Cahills, and now this, I will have far more than any of you. But I don’t care. I have zero interest in taking yours from you. You stay in your lane, and I’ll stay in mine.”

“You can’t have all that?—”

I cut Leone off. “Try to take it from me. I fucking dare you. I havecaposto see to the day-to-day running of things while I help my wife heal. But make no mistake, if you come for us, I will burn your world to ash.”

I turn to leave, pausing when Mattia calls my name.

“How is Nova?”

“Alive. And right now, that’s a whole lot more than any of us expected.”

I walk out and feel Miles step up beside me as we head to the car. “You’ll need more guards if you insist on making uscapos.”

“Isaac is stillconsigliere, as much as it pisses him off, and Conner is going to be my underboss. The territory is too big for me to manage alone. I need you all to step up and stop fucking bitching about it.”

“You know we will, Vice. But I won’t leave you unprotected. We need more guards for both you and Nova.”

“Contact Steven. He’s already proven he’d do anything to protect Nova. Alessio is due to fly back in two weeks. He’ll know trustworthy people loyal to Nova as well.”

“How’s he taking things?”

I shrug. “We don’t sit around and chat, but not good. She won’t remember the bridges they mended.”

I get in the car and wait for Miles to get in. The driver nods to us before driving us back to the house.

“Isaac and Veck are meeting us there. Conner is staying with Nova.”

I nod, reaching up to finger the chain around my neck. It’s stupid to be wearing the very thing that put this all in motion, but after going through Nova’s belongings at the hospital, I found hers. I slipped it around her neck before I started wearing the other half. It makes me feel connected to her.

I’ve never had much faith in higher beings, but we both died. Something or someone was watching over us and brought us back. Maybe it was St. Michael himself. Either way, I won’t squander the second chance I was given.

---