Page 5 of The Coldest Season

Vito's fists clench and a muscle in his jaw jumps. "The streets?" he asks in outrage and when he looks at me, I keep my face even. I know he wants me to have an outburst as well, to ask Maximo what the fuck is wrong him.

But I know exactly what's wrong with my brother.

And it's the reason I go easier on him than I should.

He's the only person who makes my hand waver.

I prop my elbow up on my chair, staring at Maximo. "We don't take in outsiders."

"Every insider was once an outsider," he responds. "The family wouldn't exist if it weren't for outsiders."

True.

But the rules have always been clear, people not already connected to the family aren't allowed in, especially ones who aren't even from this fucking town. And I know that Enzo can't be, he would have given his last name if he were, because surnames are one of the most important things in this town. It tells people who you belong to.

And this man doesn't belong to anyone.

"There's no way, Maximo," Vito says, shaking his head.

"The last time I checked, it's not your job to decide who's in," Maximo informs him, tilting his head slightly. "It's to clean up messes."

"Which this man clearly is," Vito says, pointing at Enzo.

I watch Enzo, taking in the way his body tenses in response to Vito's comment. His hands close before reopening and his shoulders stiffen as he keeps his gaze on Vito.

"Tell your guard dog to get lost so I can replace him," Maximo says to me.

"He wouldn't need me to be a guard dog if it wasn't for-"

"Enough," I cut Vito off. I'm not in the mood to listen to him and Maximo bitch at each other.

Maximo aims a look of excitement at Vito, before looking back at me. "So, what’s it going to be, G?"

Oh yea, he's definitely up to something if he's using the childhood nickname.

And I should know better than to fall for it.

I meet his gaze. "I'll think about it."

I hear Vito let out a curse and I know he's pissed. He won’t directly oppose me though, at least not in front of others. Andifhe does bring up his opinion it will be carefully thought out. If he's nothing else, Vito is loyal to the core and definitely a professional. Even with how tense things have been lately and hissituationhe's never been insubordinate.

"In the meantime, clean him up, he reeks," I tell Maximo, glancing at the strange man again. I should have known Maximo picked him up on the streets from his look and smell alone. "We'll talk later," I tell him.

Maximo smiles before climbing to his feet. He leans over the desk and pats my shoulder before turning to leave. Enzo follows behind him and the door to the room closes with a click, leaving me and Vito, whose gaze burns hot on me.

I lift my gaze, meeting his eyes.

"Are you trying to sign your damn death certificate?"

CHAPTER FOUR: VITO

Maximo is a piece of shit.

He hasn't always been that way, but the past doesn't matter, only the present and thefuture,in which Maximo is going to get his brother killed.

When it comes to weakness Giovanni Costa only has one: Maximo Costa.

He's protected and babied him from the moment he came home from the hospital, and he still hasn't learned how to stop. Not even when his brother almost startedanotherwar just a few days ago.

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