Page 55 of His Sinful Need

Bricker is crying, unashamed, but he sniffs and rubs his hand over his cheek as he nods at me. “Max helped me,” he mutters. “Max was…amazing.”

Her eyes, when they meet mine, are speculative, but when she says, “Thank you,” she sounds sincere. “The funeral will be next week, fully paid for, of course,” she says, taking Bricker’s hand. “And you will be there, and you will speak in remembrance of him. Then the Family will seek blood for blood. We will have vengeance.”

“Hellyeswe will,” Bricker says, his tears drying now.

I’m so damn proud of him, of his strength as well as his vulnerability, so that when Anna-Vittoria speaks next, it’s as painful for me to hear as I think it is for Bricker.

“But your crew,” she says, “your work—it’s at an end.”

He pulls back from her. “No.”

“Yes. For now, your crew has been disbanded,” she says softly. “And the Family will seek revenge. But you, Fabrizio, will take some time. Mourn. Reflect. And make yourself ready for when I call on you again.”

I don’t think she’s trying to punish him. I think she’s trying to help him. But Bricker doesn’t see it that way.

“No!” When her eyebrows go up, he backtracks at once. “I mean, of course I’ll do whatever you want me to, but—someonebetrayedus.”

“Yes. And we will find out who.”

“Iwill find out who,” he says obstinately.

This is going south. Fast. Her eyes narrow.

I take a step forward. “Maestra, if I may?” She regards me for a long moment before giving a brief nod. “I know Bricker here needs some time, like you say. But he’s smart and he’s capable and he wasthere, working with these people. If one of them’s betrayed you, he’s got the best chance to figure out who.”

“Please, Maestra,” Bricker adds after a second, when it seems like she’s considering it. “Whoever it is, they killed one ofmine. If it was Marty G or any of your other Capos…you’d letthemhandle it. I just want the same chance.”

I wonder then if she was only waiting for Bricker to prove himself by demanding his shot, because she doesn’t look surprised, and she doesn’t look mad about it, either. “Very well,” she says. “Signor Pedretti, of course we will not keep you any longer. You are free to return to your Family, with my thanks—and my apologies.”

“Ma’am,” I say, “if it’s all the same with you, I’d like to stay. While I’ve been here, Bricker’s crew has been my crew, and it doesn’t feel right to walk out on them now in their time of grief.”

She stands. “I’m afraid that decision is not in my hands, Signor Pedretti, but in your Don’s.” I’m about to tell her I’ll clear it with Sandro myself when she keeps on. “In fact, Don Castellani has inquired after your health.”

“That’s how the Boss is, ma’am. He’s…polite,” I say, and there’s a flicker of a smile across Anna-Vittoria’s face.

“He asked for proof of your well-being,” she says. “Given the situation, I agreed that he could send a representative.”

A representative? Surely the Boss wouldn’t have sent...

Bricker and I exchange a glance, but then whirl around as Anna-Vittoria motions behind us. The door creaks open—

Oh, thank God. Not Julian.

But I’m still wary as I see Johnny Jacopo saunter into the room, hat held casually in his hand. He grins crookedly at me, completely at ease in these unfamiliar surroundings.

“Hey there, Pedretti,” he drawls, as if we’re meeting for a casual drink. “How you doing?”

“Jack,” I respond, unable to keep from grinning back. Jack has that effect on a lot of people. Gregarious type. Even Anna-Vittoria doesn’t seem to mind him. “Well, I’m just fine, as you see. What are you doing here?”

“Sandro thought I should look in on the neighbors. Make sure things are running smoothly.”

“And they are,” Anna-Vittoria breaks in. “So Don Castellani can call off the National Guard—or at least his brother.”

Shit. So shedidhear about that. Not from Bricker, who looks as blindsided by that comment as I am.

Jack winces a little at the mention of Julian. “Julian gets a little possessive sometimes. Doesn’t like to share his toys, if you know what I mean.”

Anna-Vittoria tilts her head a little as she considers Jack’s words. “Children who don’t like to share need more discipline, I’ve found,” she says at last.

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