Page 50 of Home Free

They followed Marco into a large, paneled room, the walls lined with shelves groaning under the weight of more books than Finn had ever seen in a place that wasn’t an actual library.

An ornate wood desk dominated the area in front of a window that gave a view of the pool area through the trees. He strained for a glimpse of Elise, then gave up when Nico Vitale rose from behind the desk.

“Good afternoon.” He nodded but made no move to shake their hands, gesturing instead to the chairs opposite his desk. “Please, sit.”

They did and Finn used the time they spent getting settled to study the man Ronan said had reimagined the Italian mob, ousting the former leader and taking over with Farrell and two others a few years back.

He was larger and more imposing than Finn had expected, with thick dark hair and eyes that reminded him of a lion. He wore gray trousers and a white button-down that Finn guessed cost as much as a first-class ticket to Bali, and when he lowered himself to the chair behind the desk, Finn was struck by the elegance with which he moved.

He didn’t know what he’d expected in a mob boss, but Nico Vitale wasn’t it.

“Farrell says you need a favor,” Nico said, getting right to the point.

Ronan nodded and explained: the murders in Ukraine, the invasion of the mountain house, Aldrich Cromwell pulling all the strings as Achilles.

When he was done, Nico stared at them a long time. “This man ordered the murder of a child’s parents in front of him.”

Ronan nodded. “Finn was there when it happened, with the boy.”

Petro’s face flashed in Finn’s mind.

“And these people were innocents?” Nico asked.

“Yes,” Finn said without hesitation.

“Forgive me if this is a crass question,” Nico said to Finn. “But why didn’t Cromwell’s men kill the boy?”

“I hid him,” Finn said. “In the woods.”

Nico seemed to consider his words. “There was a time when the Syndicate wouldn’t involve itself in such affairs. A time when it might even have participated in them.”

“It’s my understanding that time has passed,” Ronan said, his voice like steel.

“The withdrawal of protection is a serious thing,” Nico said, his voice low. “A dangerous thing.”

Finn heard the menace in it, understood that while Farrell Black might be a machete-wielding devil, Nico was a surgeon with a scalpel.

They were different, but both could be deadly.

Ronan nodded.

Nico studied them for a long moment, then reached for a notepad. He slid it toward Finn with a pen. “Write this man’s name down please.”

Finn did, then slid it back to Nico, who rose to his feet.

“I’ll need a few minutes. Can I get you something while you wait? A drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“We’re good,” Ronan said.

Nico turned on his heel and left the room.

Finn looked at Ronan. His brother met his stare in silence.

They were in it now. Nico would either agree or not. If he did, they would go after Cromwell, end this once and for all. If they didn’t, Finn would have to decide if he was willing to defy someone like Nico Vitale.

He thought about Elise, about the future they’d finally agreed to share. For once, he felt like he had something to lose.

It wasn’t a decision he wanted to make.

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