Page 7 of Fractured Devotion

As though summoned by my intense focus, my brothers suddenly appeared in the casino. Massimo led the way, with Vincenzo and Antonio flanking him. They had the look of men on a mission. I pressed myself farther into the shadows, my heart pounding as I watched them stride purposefully down a corridor, eventually vanishing from view.

Despite the risk of potentially being recognized, especially with my hair now dyed a stark platinum blonde, curiosity propelled me forward. Stealthily, I followed them down the hallway, my footsteps softly padding across the floor. They entered a small room, and I positioned myself against the wall outside, ears straining to catch their conversation.

“What did you find out?” Massimo’s deep voice was the first to reach me.

“He’s on his way back from Atlanta. He said he had something that might help us find her,” Vincenzo replied, frustration clear in his tone. “I just wish he had told us he was leaving to begin with. I’m worried about him.”

“You going soft, brother?” Antonio teased.

The sudden sound of a slap, followed by Antonio’s shocked voice, jolted me.

“What the hell, Vin? You slapped me.”

“And I’ll do it again,” Vincenzo retorted sharply.

Antonio laughed it off. “Seems like having another baby on the way’s got you on edge.”

“I could say the same about you, fucker,” Vin growled, making me smile to myself.

The news of another child in the family hit me like a wave, turning into a pang of guilt. I was missing out on so much in their lives, all by my own choice.

“Maybe you, Vin, and Beckett should swap stories,” Massimo’s voice came through again. “Celestina is about to give birth any day now. She nearly bit my head off for no reason. Between her due date and people going MIA, she’s really stressed.”

“She thinks it’s her fault,” Massimo sighed, his words trailing off as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Anyway, Lorenzo says he might have some info for us. He should be here in a few moments. I want to get this done so I can go home to my wife and kids.”

Kids. The word left me feeling a pang of sadness. My brother had children. Children I hadn’t been around to see born. Not to mention he was married—he’d finally done it. I was happy for him, but my heart shattered at the realization they were moving on, and I was absent to see it all. I retreated from the door, my mind racing. Who were they talking about being in Atlanta? And Celestina was pregnant again? The shame of hiding from them was overwhelming. Part of me wanted to reveal myself, to rejoin my family, but I couldn’t. Not yet. Not when I was so close to tracking down the man responsible for all this chaos.

Slipping from my hiding spot, I made my way to the bar, hoping to find my target. The big fight was in two days, and I was certain Lipovsky and the ‘Saint’ would be around. I had to figure out why the ‘Saint’ was going to such lengths for a guy who almost killed him, then robbed him of his freedom. I slid up to the bar, leaning casually on the solid wood.

The bartender, an older man who appeared to have years under his belt, approached. “What’ll it be?” he asked.

I slid a crisp hundred-dollar bill across the sleek surface. “Jack and Coke, if you don’t mind.”

I observed him as he worked the bar with ease. While he prepared my drink, my gaze drifted to a striking redhead who settled on a nearby stool. She was accompanied by a breathtaking brunette and a guy who screamed ‘bodyguard.’ The redhead and her burly companion were caught up in a heated discussion. Their words were lost in the bar’s buzz, but I kept watching. The brunette, clearly frustrated, threw her hands in the air and strode toward me. I glanced at the mirror behind the bar, only to find her taking the seat next to me, much to my surprise.

“Whiskey shot, please,” she called to the bartender with a mix of exasperation and humor in her voice.

He grinned at her, sliding a napkin in front of her as he poured the drink. “Tough day?” he inquired, his tone light.

She sighed dramatically, her eyes darting toward her friends. “Honestly, those two should just fuck it out in bed.” She quickly covered her mouth, glancing my way, “Oops, sorry for being so crude.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I took a sip of my drink, then turned to her. “No worries. It’s pretty clear they’ve got some issues to untangle.”

“I only invited Libby, my best friend with the red hair, because I wanted her at my wedding.” She nodded, holding up her left hand to show off a sparkling diamond. She glanced back at them. “But she and Luke, that bulky guy hovering behind her, are just a bundle of unresolved… tension.”

I took a quick peek at her friends and laughed. “Seems like they might be on their way to resolving that tension.”

She turned to see Libby and Luke now passionately kissing. “Wow, guess they figured it out. Makes me wish I was with my hubby right now because that kiss is hot,” she said, a playful yet wishful tone in her voice.

“You’re a newlywed?” I asked with a hint of curiosity as she nodded. Raising my glass to clink against hers, I offered a warm smile. “Congratulations. So, where’s your other half? Shouldn’t you two be celebrating together?”

“He’s prepping for a big moment.” She let out a deep sigh, frustration coloring her voice. “He’s a boxer and had to spar with a teammate who’s also competing in the upcoming expo. But he’s supposed to join us here in a bit.”

The mention of ‘boxer’ set off an alarm in my mind. “A boxer, really?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, her voice dropping to almost a whisper, lost in thought. “And you? What’s brought you to the glitz of Vegas?”

“Just business,” I replied shortly, downing the rest of my drink in one go and setting the glass back on the bar with a definitive clunk.

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