Page 126 of Gilded Saint

I smile, thinking about my littlest sister. “She’s tiny, but she’s fierce. I’ll need to get back upstairs with the fam unless you have something else. I’ll shoot you a text once my niece arrives.”

“I wasn’t calling about Sage.”

My gut clenches in resistance. I am not doing this. “What’s up?”

“Nick’s in trouble.”

I close my eyes, inhale deeply through my nose, and exhale through my mouth with an audible huff.

“My cover’s burned. You realize that, right? A wig and colored contacts won’t cut it. If anyone recognizes me, we set off?—”

“That’s not what we’re asking. We need to strategize. I need you in the room when we do it. You know the syndicate players better than anyone we have. Hell, most of our intel came from you. You’re on leave. I get that. You’ve put in the time and deserve a break. But we need to do some fancy footwork on this one. And your wife’s cousin, Scarlet Gagliano, is in danger too.”

“Did things go south with Grigi family?”

“FUBAR is the term I’d choose.”

Damn Navy acronyms. Fucked up beyond all recognition. Fanfuckingtastic.

“Scarlet’s working with Nick.”

I look to the sky for guidance. What the hell? Why would Nick bring Scarlet into his schemes? How did that even happen?

“She’s been doing the books for the Lupi Grigi,” Jack says.

“Don’t tell me he used her in his petty battle with them.” Yes, he was pissed over Lina, but there are bigger irons in the fire.

“We’ll brief you in person. But, Sam, we need you.” Jack’s voice is stern.

A woman with her hair wrapped in a purple scarf and tattoos along her fingers steps outside and whips out a cigarette. She glances at me as she lights it, then drops the lighter in her coat pocket and pulls out a phone.

“What do you want me to do?”

It’s not like I can let anything happen to Scarlet. She’s Willow’s…Lily’s family. And I owe Nick.

“You want me in Virginia?” I ask, hoping my nondescript word choice successfully conveys I’m no longer alone on the sidewalk.

“No. The Highlands. Not too far, not too close. You think you could be there tonight?”

The door opens, and my wife walks out, flushed with excitement. She lights up when her gaze finds me. She puts both thumbs in the air and beams.

“My niece has arrived. Gotta run. Send me the address. I’ll be there.”

Lily steps up next to me as I end the call. “The delivery went smoothly. For a few minutes, there, Knox thought they’d have to do a C-section, but Sage pulled through. Knox came out and told us. He looked…god, you should’ve seen him. He looked like he just ran three marathons.” She pauses, studying me. Concern flashes, and she gently runs the pad of her thumb over my beard. “Are you okay?”

The woman with the cigarette stamps it out on the concrete and heads back inside, leaving us alone.

“I’ve got to go do some work tonight.”

“But—”

“It’s nothing to be worried about. Nick’s got himself in a twist, and I’m going to go meet up with some brains to strategize.”

“Is it to do with my family?”

“Probably not entirely.” My fingers comb her hair, and I inhale deeply, breathing in her soothing scent. “I’ll learn more tonight.”

“You’re not going to disappear, are you?”

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