A N D R E A

For someone who'd only gotten out of a coma ten days ago, Lorenzo was doing considerably better, not that I thought he'd take long to recover. He'd also bonded with the twins over the last week, and each time he smiled at Tori or Riccardo, my heart swelled inside my chest with a flicker of happiness that I was positive would elude me for the rest of my life. He never looked at me with more than a vacant gleam in his eyes. Of course, that vacancy became smoldering embers the moment someone from his family entered the room.

Vittoria had just taken the twins for the night. After a few days of them staying with me and Lorenzo in his hospital room, she'd offered to take them at night since a hospital was no place for babies, and I'd agreed. It was also a relief that they'd gotten attached to Lorenzo's family and didn't mind being held by one of them anymore. I sighed, closed the book I'd been reading, and allowed my gaze to roam around the room. The screen of my new iPhone lit up, and I picked it up to see it was Alex.

Swiping, I opened the messaging app and read her text,

You hanging in there?

She'd taken to texting me at night, sometimes, it was a funny meme she came across or just a dress she'd liked. Other times she'd text me to check up on me, and I didn't think how much I was grateful for her friendship, even if I'd done my best to ruin it.

Yeah. Doesn't Creed mind you being on your phone at this time?

I attached a winky face emoji to hit my message home, and immediately the phone pinged with her message. Before reading her new text, I turned the ringer off and focused on the words she'd written,

That's a shitty way to deflect, and Creed's in the shower.

I smiled, almost imagining her eyes rolling, and sighed at her perceptiveness. She was too intelligent for me to hide anything from her, or maybe it was because she knew Lorenzo.

I didn't deflect. I'll be okay.

If you say so.

Her reply came almost instant, and this time, I didn't reply and placed the phone on its screen on the table. I'd been sleeping on a couch in Lorenzo's room, waking up at dawn just so Vittoria wouldn't come in and see me sleep away from my husband. My lips turned down at the thought of the man who barely gave me a second look these days. My eyes darted to his sleeping form, an arm draped over his eyes as the other one rested on his abdomen. The blanket barely covered his stomach, leaving entirely too much skin for me to ogle.

He'd trimmed his beard the other day, but he hadn't gotten rid of it entirely, joking with Alessio that now that he was a father he had to look the part. I smiled at the memory of the brothers playing cards, Roberto claiming they'd cheated and showing his hand in his tantrum. Alex and I were supposed to be shopping when this was happening, but we'd finished early, and she had business to take care of so she'd rushed off after dropping me. My heart clenched inside my chest as my eyes veered downwards on his body. His abs weren't toned anymore, and even then he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

Unable to help myself, I uncurled my legs from under me, and padded barefoot on the tiled floor, my shawl in my hands. Dropping on the couch beside his bed, I let my fingers brush his palm, and when he didn't respond, my touch became less hesitant. My eyes went to his ring finger where he was donning our wedding ring, and then my eyes came back to my empty finger, a lone tear leaving my eye. Perhaps this was the perfect representation of our marriage. Our marriage was a convenience, it was a deliberate facade masterminded by Lorenzo to get rid of my father, and then he'd stayed with me out of duty. I wiped my eyes with my free hand and touched the white-gold band. Exhaling, I leaned down and brushed my lips against Lorenzo's wrist before holding his hand in mine.

*

Lorenzo had over-exerted himself today, and it was evident that he was tired. His mother had just left with the twins, and I'd had to leave to pump so I could send her with extra bottles for the night, so I was only seeing Lorenzo stumbling through the large room. I rushed to his side without a second thought and pulled his arm over my shoulder. He stilled, holding his breath,

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Helping you," I rolled my eyes, "Now lean on me, and we'll get you to the bed."

He tried removing his arm from my shoulder, but I kept my hold on his wrist, "I don't want your help. You've done enough."

I averted my gaze from his, flinching, "Let me take you to the bed. You'll set yourself back."

He remained silent, and I led him to the bed in the middle of the room. Once he sat down, his head hanging between his shoulders as he breathed heavily. I turned to walk toward the couch.

"Why are you doing this?" His breathless whisper stopped me in my tracks, and I looked at him over my shoulder.

"What?"

Lorenzo tilted his head to pin me with his startlingly blue eyes, "Andrea."

He whispered my name with practiced restraint, and my heart bled at the subtle rejection in his demeanor.

"I have no hidden agenda if that's what you want to ask." I swallowed the words threatening to leave my mouth and faced him again, "I didn't mean to...." He narrowed his eyes, almost like he was daring me to confess my sins, "I promise it was an accident, I–"

His lips turned down as he pushed the strand of hair that had fallen above his eye back, "Your promises mean nothing."

I sighed, turning my face away, willing myself not to cry as I walked to the couch and sat down, my legs hanging off the edge.

"And Andrea?" I looked at him from behind my hair, unwilling to let him see more of my vulnerability, "Don't touch me again when I'm asleep."

My cheeks heated as embarrassment washed over me, and I turned to the blanket I kept at the foot of the couch, fixed the pillows beneath my head, and turned away from him, finally allowing the tears to fall.

*

L O R E N Z O

Ignoring her sniffles should have been effortless. After all, it wasn't the first time I was hearing someone cry, nor would it be the last but her tears got a visceral reaction out of me. My hands fisted at my side, but I forced myself to stay in place, closing my eyes to silence her soft whimpers from echoing inside my head.

It was good that the day's tiredness was catching up with me, my muscles were already protesting, but I wanted to get out of the hospital soon. I had to get back to my routine and take care of Carlo and Cillian. It was becoming impossible to stay still when I knew the games Carlo had been playing with Andrea. He had manipulated her, and she'd fallen right for it, and I was fucking furious at her for not confiding me in, but fuck, I had to make sure she had killed him. Snakes like him often slipped through death's hands and came back to inject their venom.

Andrea quietened in her corner, and I forced my muscles to relax and tried to relax enough to get some sleep for an hour or two. I didn't know how long I'd been sleeping when my phone vibrated, and I got up to pick it up, bringing it to my ear without checking who it was on the other line.

"Lorenzo Santini," I said, making sure the sleep wasn't apparent in my voice.

"I hear you've finally woken from your slumber, Sleeping Beauty," Kyzer Knight's infuriating voice came through the speakers, and for a second my fingers tightened on the phone before I eased my hold, years of relentless training forcing my body into a state of calm.

"Knight. What makes you call me?"

"I was expecting gratitude, Lorenzo, but I suppose you don't know,"

I could just imagine that fucking grin on his face, "Know what?" I said carefully, hiding my curiosity, lest he smelled it and jumped after it like the shark he was.

"Can't say on the phone," I gritted my teeth, bored of his mind games, "But I am on the rooftop. Good day to have a smoke, don't you think?"

"I'll be there in five." I hung up and whispered a curse before swinging my feet out of the bed.

Reaching for my t-shirt, I threw it on, reached for my gun under my pillow, and tucked it into my waistband, hiding it beneath my shirt. Before leaving, I gave one fleeting glance to Andrea as I'd put my shoes on, and left the room, closing the door behind me. I texted Luca about this new development as I made my way to the elevator, walking slowly to avoid the protests from my muscles that'd forgotten what movement felt like.

Once the elevator opened, and I could see the night sky, alight with the city lights, it wasn't hard to make out Knight's form. He was leaning against the railing, and I made my way to him. His leather jacket became clear the moment I stopped a few arm lengths away from him. His blonde mane was unkept, and I suppose that was a look he often donned. I doubted my hair looked any better, considering I'd just woken up and rushed up here, running my hands through my hair.

He threw his cigarette on the floor before stomping on it with his left foot and faced me with a grin. I stiffened when he took a step forward. He stopped an arm's length away,

"What? No hugs?" He ran his hand through his hair before relaxing, but I was no fool. I knew his relaxed stance didn't mean he hadn't sized me up the moment the elevator doors had slid open.

"You'll want to after I tell you what I know."

"Speak." I ensured my voice had just enough bark to sound casually impatient because I didn't want to give him the impression he held something on me.

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering why Cillian Murphy, a fucking cockroach, came after you." I arched my brow, "Your uncle orchestrated that." I clenched my jaw at the word uncle but otherwise said nothing, and like I'd expected he took my silence as an invitation to continue.

"Esposito wants the Camorra gone," Kyzer chuckled to himself, "He is giving Murphy the resources he needs. And as for your wife. Carlo Murphy is pussy-whipped. He was promised Andrea if he got you dead,"

"But I'm not dead." I pointed out, and Kyzer nodded, his fingers running over the lighter in his hands.

"And you got her pregnant, which slowed down their pitiful plans." Kyzer rubbed his jaw, seemingly debating something, but then he exhaled, "One of Cillian's men was the second shot. Cillian knew Carlo couldn't finish the job because he'd go after your wife."

Knight had only filled in the blanks to a story I'd managed to construct inside my head, but I couldn't help but wonder about his motives for giving me all this information. After all, it was the arsenal that built empires.

"Why are you telling me all this?" I narrowed my eyes at him, "What is it that you want?"

"I knew you were a smart man." Kyzer laughed before he met my eyes, "I want you to stay the fuck out of Chicago. I don't need you messing up my plans."

"Your revenge? It's been more than a year, Knight. Esposito is unharmed and plotting from what it seems."

"It takes time to break the foundations of an empire, and trust me when I am done with him. He will beg for death." Knight's eyes darkened, almost hauntingly, before he caught himself and that maniac smile slipped back on his face.

His request wasn't reasonable, I had to weed out New York of rats and let my men know I wasn't dying anytime soon. There was also the matter of dealing with Andrea and fucking Murphy. If Knight was taking one of my enemies off my hands, it did me no harm. If anything, it saved me from putting my hands in the same mud my parents had barely made it out of.

"You can have him." I straightened just as a gust of wind flew past us, "But, Knight. Deal with him before I finish off Murphy."

"Come on now. You can't time perfection." Knight drawled, "Sit back and let the movie play out. Also, because I'm in a nice mood, I'll do you another solid. This one free of charge."

My brain ran with all the possibilities. Men like Knight didn't give up anything from the goodness of their hearts. This was about more than keeping me away from Angel Esposito, though it was too early for me to figure out why he was so cooperative when he was known to be a lone wolf. Perhaps I would find that out when the time came because of one thing I was certain of. Kyzer Knight wanted a favor, and for that reason alone, he was slipping into my good graces.

"Tell your wife to check the pulse next time." I held in my breath, and Kyzer grinned, turning to leave, saluting at me with his finger, "Until next time."

"Where is he?" I found myself asking just as my fingers twitched for me to finally wrap them around the motherfucker's throat.

"It's no fun hunting when you know where they are hiding." He turned around, completely giving me his back and my hands fisted at my sides as anger coursed through my vain. "After all, you do have an army at your disposal."

He jumped off the roof after that, the metal clanged against the pipes, and if I wanted to, all I had to was cut the rope, and get rid of the nuisance that was Kyzer Knight, however, I knew he'd only left himself vulnerable to fucking test me. He was trying to fuck with my head, and that was enough for me to turn around and walk back towards the elevator.

My head was a fucking mess with Knight's revelation. This changed things. If Carlo was alive, it meant that he would still come after Andrea, and this time he would take her, considering that she'd attempted to kill him. He would show her the monster he'd been hiding for years hoping she'd fall for him.

Fire simmered beneath my skin, and I wanted to kill someone, but before I could fan the flames licking at my skin or come up with a strategy to draw out the fucker without harming my wife and children, I had to get out of this wretched place.

The elevator stopped at my floor, and I got out, walking back towards my room, the tiredness in my muscles long forgotten as I had bigger fish to fry, starting with getting them back to my penthouse.

I still hadn't decided if I should tell Andrea that the monster she was so adamant had died was alive and would come back for her. Except this time, it wouldn't be desperation she'd be seeing, it'd be vengeance, and she couldn't survive that. As I opened the door to my room, I knew I'd tell her the truth if she asked, but I was certain she wouldn't. Andrea had built herself a castle inside her head that she thought was impenetrable, and even though I didn't give a shit about her feelings, this was a burden I doubted, she could carry.

Maybe it was a worry better left for another day.

I said to myself, closed the door behind me, and laid back down, even though sleep was the last thing on my mind.

* * *

So... Carlo isn't dead... 

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