Page 63 of Winter's End

“I have every right to get to know my uncle, Travis. This isn’t just about you.”

“It’s not about me at all! Do you have any idea how many people you’re hurting? How many people that man is hurting? Fuck, Devon, get over your daddy issues and give your head a shake. That was stupid, even for you.”

“Fuck you, Travis. I’m practicing forgiveness and getting closer to salvation while you’re working at a bar and sharing a woman with God knows how many men. It’s not me who needs to get my life together.”

“Christ, Devon. I guess me being dead is the better option, huh? Because you probably just dug my grave with that stunt.”

The heated exchange with my biological little brother three days ago continued on loop in my mind as I trudged up the steps to Bourbon & Blues in the morning, long before my scheduled shift was to start.

I’d been waiting for this call—dreading it—and it had finally come. Georgio wanted to meet, to discuss the revelation of our family ties, no doubt. I cursed myself for ever believing Devon could be trusted with such information.

The bitter irony, of course, was everything I’d done for Georgio—every sin I’d committed, every felony I’d perpetrated—had been to protect Devon. To pay for his recovery, to get him out of town and away from the shit show that was our existence. Yet here I was, about to dig an even deeper hole because of my gullible, brain-dead, self-loathing little brother.

I wanted to rip him a new asshole while bringing him into my arms for a soul-soothing hug. Brotherhood was its own branch of insanity.

Janet met me at the door with a loaded glance and silently led me up to Georgio’s office without a backward look.

Yeah, I know, Janet. I fucked up, okay?

I steeled myself for whatever was to come as I walked into the familiar, intimidating office.

“Welcome,nephew.” Georgio’s friendly invitation mimicked the smooth, enticing tones of a snake-oil salesman. “Take a seat.”

It was a command, not a request.

He was leaning against his monstrosity of a desk, arms folded across his chest in a relaxed manner. Like this was just a casual meeting and not a soul-crushing acknowledgment.

I sat inone of the stiff chairs in front of his desk, unsure how to play this. I’d given Kellan a head’s up, and he’d cursed Devon to high heaven, but what else could he do? At least I hadn’t shared any of the new developments with my dim-witted brother, so he had no idea about Kellan’s involvement, or that Cam was actually a part of our family.

Still, he knew enough to cause serious damage, and my main goal was coming out of this conversation alive and unmaimed.

I hadn’t wanted to tell Winter, but I wasn’t willing to keep any secrets from her after it nearly destroyed our relationship the first time. She took the news better than I thought, but not without a couple of breath exercises and extracting promises from me to call her as soon as I was done.

“Travis, in light of your new discovery, I’d like to officially welcome you into the family business.”

Okay, we were diving right into the good stuff. Awesome.

I swallowed hard as my saliva, like gritty sand, threatened to choke me.

He looked at me expectantly, and I realized he wanted me to say … something. I forced the sand down my throat and stuttered out the words he wanted to hear. “Thank you.”

It came out more of a strained question than an affirmation, but my acting skills weren’t enough to give him any more than that.

Frustration ravaged me; I was scared for my family, and I was so frigging pissed with Devon, I could hurl him off a cliff.

“I’ll keep this short and sweet.” Georgio circled his desk and sat down like a king on a throne. He steepled his fingers and watched me through them.

“You are too good a bartender to lose, but I’m moving you from your financing position to my personal security.”

Financing position.What an elegant description of running drug money to be laundered.

The personal security title threw me, though.

“Um.” I summoned my inner calm, whatever was left after Georgio’s call had smashed it into tiny shards, and cautiously tried again. “I’m not a big man, Georgio. And I have no fighting experience. Hell, I’m not even very good with a gun. I’ll?—”

Georgio cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Angelo can teach you these things. For now, I want you with me. I have no sons, and now that you know your true heritage, I will groom you to be my successor.” His lips twitched into a dangerous grin. “Should you succeed in your initiation, of course.”

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