Page 89 of His Dark Vendetta

“Yes, of course. But at what cost? You have family here too, no?”

“Yes.”

“And Marco thinks of you as family. So does Anna.”

“I know.” I dropped my gaze. I couldn’t hold her penetrating stare; it reminded me too much of Marco.

“There’s a price we pay for living in their world, regardless of whether or not it was our choice to live in it. I wasn’t given a choice. Marco made it for me, made it for our entire family. And because of his sacrifices, I live the privileged life I lead. But make no mistake, it’s come at a cost, and some of the prices I’ve paid are very personal and very painful.” Her voice hitched, caught on words that held deep sorrow. “But I don’t begrudge Marco.” She shook her head vehemently. “I love my brother, and that kind of resentment eats at your soul. I’d much rather accept the consequences of his world than face a life without my family.”

Had all those years in Ireland been worth the price? What would life have been like had I accepted the cost of being a Shaughnessy? What if, instead of running, I’d come back before Da’s mind started to go? Rebuilt a relationship with my parents? Would I feel so alone? Regret punched me in the chest.

“You’re a wise woman, Gina,” I said.

She gave me a wry smile. “Remind my brother of that the next time you see him.”

I chuckled. “Would you mind not mentioning this to Marco and Anna?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Fidati di me, I know when to keep a secret. Luca is a difficult subject, and Marco loves you like a favorite niece. This stays between you and me.”

“Thank you.”

“Prego. Ora, I’m going to get a box of biscotti for Marco.” She picked up her purse. “He doesn’t get up here often, and he loves their biscotti regina.” She squeezed my shoulder and left for the counter.

The parking lot outside the bakery window bustled with activity. A man and woman got out of their car and walked quickly toward the hardware store next door. He said something with a goofy grin on his face, and she punched him in the arm. They laughed and were lost from view.

Buddies. Like me and Ciarán, once upon a time. Grabbing sodas from the convenience store. Going to movies. Joking. Laughing. We didn’t spend nearly as much time together now as we had when we were kids, but I’d seen him more in the past two years than in the previous twenty. What had I missed by being away for so long? How many memories had I sacrificed so I could feel safe? Had it been worth it?

Rory drove me crazy, but I still loved him. He was my brother. I wanted to see him do well and maybe one day pull his head out of his ass. Could I have helped guide him had I been around?

As much as I struggled with how my parents had handled the shooting, they loved me. They’d done the best they could given their upbringing and their abilities. I’d accepted them for who they were years ago, and with that acceptance, I’d found peace with those relationships. Thank God for therapy.

And my found family. I left Da’s sister behind when I moved back to Boston. All the friends I’d made in Cork over the years. Did I really want to uproot myself again? Walk away from Marco and Anna and my crew at Terme di Boston?

My entire life I kept everyone at a distance. No matter how close I grew to someone, there was always a separation, because I didn’t trust them. No one else would take care of me or keep me safe. The only person I could rely on was Siobhán. At least, that’s what I’d told myself for the past twenty-five years.

Marco’s actions flew in the face of those beliefs. He had never let me down, even if working for him came at a cost. Ciarán had stepped up to help with Mam and Da to the extent he could. I had my family back even if it meant proximity to danger.

And then there was Luca, the man I seemed tethered to by fate. I had no idea what we were doing or where this was going, and there were enough red flags to scare off any sane person. Send them right back to Ireland or, at the very least, away from Boston. But I wasn’t sure I could walk away. When it came to Luca Moretti, rational decision-making took a back seat to my heart, and my heart wasn’t ready to leave.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Luca

Vito climbed out of his pickup truck just as I turned into the Lake’s Edge Casino in Worcester. I jogged from the far end of the parking lot to where he leaned against his tailgate sucking down a cigarette.

“Vito,” I said.

“Luca.”

“How’d it go Wednesday?”

“Fine,” he said through an exhale of smoke. “Mikey’s out on bail. Judge didn’t set a court date though. The prosecution requested additional time for investigation.” He raised an eyebrow.

“The feds?”

“I’d put money on it.” He tossed the cigarette butt on the ground and slapped me on the shoulder. “Andiamo.”

Marco, Vito, and Vinnie had been coming to this high-stakes poker game for years. Run by wealthy French financier and information broker Assane Durand, the game hosted some of the most powerful and deadly men in the Northeast. And the occasional celebrity. Durand either cut a deal with the owner or had dirt on him, because once a month, the penthouse gaming suite transformed into his personal battlefield where cutthroats tested their mettle over green felt on neutral territory.

---