Page 137 of Vicious Addictions

“Gotta say, this meeting was super entertaining. Don’t you think?” Gio feigns amusement as he pulls his chair back and whistles his way out of the room.

However, I don’t move a muscle. Not when I see all thecaposgiving Mina a distasteful glare as they move out. If they were on the fence about her attending these meetings solely on her gender, her cousins pulling guns on my father didn’t win her any favors.

Mina and the twins don’t leave until everyone is out, except for me, of course.

“Thanks for the assist, Jude. It looks like you forgot where you came from,” Remus accuses, nostrils flaring, while his brother throws daggers at me with his gaze.

“No, he didn’t forget. This place is exactly where he’s always belonged. Remember that in the future, cousins. He’s not one of us. Never was. Never will be.”

Mina then wipes her hand over her bloody bottom lip and spins on her heel, leaving me alone to think about the shitshow I just watched… and did absolutely nothing to stop.

She’s right, though.

I always wanted to belong here. To have a seat at this very table.

However, today, I’m almost ashamed that it was ever my dream to start with.

Chapter 23

Jude

“How’s he doing, Doc?” Gio asks with crossed arms as he surveys Mina’s so-called gift to my father—an unconscious Demitri Mikhailov hooked up to more tubes and machines than I can count. “Think he’ll pull through?”

“I’d rather not answer that, if you don’t mind, Mr. DeLuca,” the doctor replies, eyes fixed on Demitri’s chart. “Self-preservation and all.”

“Smart man,” Gio smirks, throwing me a knowing wink.

Dr. Goldberg has been working for thefamigliafor years, long enough to know that Vincent doesn’t handle failure well. If our Bratva prisoner doesn’t survive, the good doctor will land himself on my father’s shitlist, and that’s the last place anyone wants to be.

“I’ll do everything possible, but it doesn’t look promising. It also doesn’t help matters that he seems to have no will to fight. A patient who’s already given up on himself is usually the hardest to save.”

After the doctor leaves the room, Gio lets out a low whistle. “Those Crane twins really did a number on him, huh?”

I don’t respond, mostly because I’m about ninety percent certain that his injuries weren’t their handiwork. If anything, they were Mina’s doing. Judging by the cuts and bruises she was sporting, Demitri didn’t go down without a fight either.

“Now that we’re alone, do you want to tell me what’s going on with you and Mina Crane?” Gio asks point-blank.

“Nothing is going on,” I lie, shoving my hand into my pocket and grabbing the chess piece inside it.

“Nothing?” Gio asks, unconvinced. “Then explain to me why I saw you aim your gun at Dominic and your own baby brother?”

“Marcello isn’t a baby anymore. Not if he’s attending meetings now.” I scowl, trying to deflect the question.

“Boy, don’t change the subject,” Gio retorts accusingly. “The fuck was that about?”

“You’re mistaken, Dad. I didn’t point a gun at Marcello or Dom. I was aiming at the twins.”

“I saw what I saw, Jude,” he counters, disappointed with my answer. “And so did Vincent. Not only that, so did everycapothat has sworn his fealty to him.”

I straighten my spine at the threat in his voice.

I’m so fucked.

As my father likes to say, that’s tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, everyone will be too focused on Dimitri and his health to dwell on the clusterfuck I just made of my life with one fucking move.

“Answer me, son,” Gio insists, with less heat in his tone, placing a hand on my shoulder.

When I refuse to answer him, he lets out an exaggerated exhale.

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