Page 44 of A Sinner's Virtue
“What’d Gabe get done for?”
“An arms deal,” Gio says. “Xavier’s on his way up here. We’ll get it sorted, but I need you to keep shit under control at home.”
“Arms dealing? Fucking hell,” I curse under my breath. My brother could be away for a long-ass fucking time for that. “How likely is it that Xavier will get him off?”
Xavier Christianson is the solicitor we keep on retainer. He’s also Dom’s future brother-in-law.
“No idea, but we’ll do everything we can,” Gio says before disconnecting the call.
“Okay, we have to keep this shit between us. The last thing we need is the city finding out,” I tell Santo.
“Agreed. Where’s Vin?”
“No fucking idea, but wherever he is, he has my car,” I say. Just as I’m about to reach out to the baby brother in question, Zoe’s name flashes across the screen. “Give me a minute.” I walk out of the living room and swipe answer. “Hey.”
“Marcel, are you busy?” she asks.
“For you? Never. What’s wrong?” I’m not sure what else could possibly fucking happen at this point.
“I, um, I just wanted to hear your voice,” she says.
Something isn’t right. I’ve talked to Zoe a few times since she’s been gone, but she’s never sounded so withdrawn. “What did you do today?”
“I went to a bar. I thought… well, I thought I could do it. You know, it’s just a bar. New York is just a city. I should be able to go out to a bar.”
“What happened?”
“I’m fucked up is what happened. I couldn’t even go to a bar. I feel like I’m never going to be normal again. When I was in Melbourne, I could go out. Now that I’m back here, it’s like every step forward I’ve taken has vanished and I’m back where I started. It’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid. And there is nothing wrong with how you’re feeling. You are strong, Zoe, one of the strongest people I know. You can do anything you want, but you don’t have anything to prove to anyone. If you don’t feel comfortable going out, then don’t go out. If you don’t want to be in New York, then come home.”
“This is supposed to be my home,” she mumbles.
“Where is your heart, Zoe? Wherever your heart wants to be, that’s where home is.”
“What if my heart doesn’t work properly? I don’t think I’m strong enough, Marcel. I see the women who survive in this life. They’re brave. They fight for what they want. Me? I’m not that brave. I got too close to you and ran.”
“That heart of yours is pure, Zoe. Maybe you have enough good in you to outweigh the bad in me? And you don’t need to be anyone else. I don’t want someone else, babe. I want you, just the way you are,” I tell her. I know I’m not good for her, but she’s fucking mine anyway.
“What have you been up to? How’s school?” she asks, changing the subject.
“School is boring. It was way more fun when you were able to stop in and visit me.” I smirk at the memory.
“I bet it was,” Zoe says with a little more lightness to her tone.
When Santo steps out of the living room into the hallway with a questioning brow lifted on his face, I know I need to get off the phone and deal with family shit. Honestly, I’d rather be with Zoe. Not that I’m ever going to leave my brother rotting in a damn cell without doing everything I can to help him, though.
Truth is I don’t usually get too involved in the family business. Have I done shit that’d give even the demons in hell nightmares? Absolutely. Would I do all of it again? Without a doubt. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for my family. No line I wouldn’t cross if it meant saving one of my brothers.
“Babe, can I call you back? Santo needs help with something.” I can’t tell Zoe exactly what it is that Santo needs help with; although I’m sure it won’t be long before she hears that one of my brothers is presently behind bars.
“Sure. I’m sorry to bother you.”
“You aren’t bothering me. I’ll call you back,” I tell her before hanging up.
“Babe? You still holding out hope she’s coming back?” Santo says.
“She is coming back.”
