Page 35 of Dark Alliance
Swimmer’s ear, that’s what he’s given me. No, swimmer’s brain.
Buckle up for the steady deterioration of your mind, your body, and life as you know it. Brought to you by Connor Gallagher.
Even if I can’t talk to my father about what’s happening between me and a certain Port King underboss, I’m hoping seeing him will soothe my heavy heart.
If our one-on-one time leads to progress where the Russians are concerned, who am I to complain?
He greenlit the ambush. Eduardo Ricci remains our boss, so there’s no way Nino acted without his blessing. Still, I want to know why he’s siding with my brother. Why we thought wiping out more Gallaghers would help us in the long run. I know Nino’s stuck on his Roguilin thoughts, but I just don’t see the positives.
I’m also surprised they willingly risked Sal Padovesi’s life. I mean, I didn’t like the guy, but he spent a year in captivity and—as far as we know—never leaked a single Ricci secret.
Or maybe…Ninodidn’tget Father’s permission. Not for all of it. The voicemail said “no alliance” but nothing specific about the trade.
I don’t want to believe my brother’s capable of risking the whole operation by undermining our father like that. For anyone except Nino, doing such a thing would be grounds for death…ifthe theory holds weight.
No.
Even in a situation like this, the possibility that my brother’s a traitor is too painful to bear. Instead, I do my best to scrub the thoughts from my mind.
Dry and dressed in a comfy lounge set, I intercept our house manager in the hallway on the main floor of our estate and grab my father’s dinner tray from her hands with a smile. “I’ve got this, Marlene.”
The tray contains two of his favorite dishes, polenta with red sauce and minestrone soup. I hope he has an appetite for once.
When I reach his bedroom, I push open his door with my hip. “I brought your dinner.”
I stop short at the threshold, the smile freezing on my lips. Nino sits at our dad’s bedside, talking shop.
Damn. I really thought he’d still be off plotting Connor’s demise. Make a whole night of it with the boys. Instead, he’s here with Father, discussing work. Without me.
“Hey, guys. I don’t mean to interrupt you, but can we take a break?” I step closer. “Father, it’s polenta and minestrone.”
“Thank you, Cat.” He smiles and waves the tray over.
I stride through the room, my eyes flitting to the back of Nino’s head. “I didn’t know you were in here, Nino, or I’d have had Marlene fix you a tray.”
He shrugs, not bothering to glance at me. “It’s fine. I ate.”
Nino ate, and our dad didn’t? I never eat before I’m sure Father has.
Stop judging. It’s not a good look on you.
I set the tray over my father’s lap. He picks up and dips the spoon into the soup, blowing on it before sipping. His satisfied expression tells me that Cook did a fine job, as always.
I sit opposite Nino on our father’s left.
It stings that they’re having yet another meeting without including me. Surely they both knew that I’ve been in the house for a couple of hours now.
Is my opinion on the Roguilin alliance too clear, too unmoving, too overbearing?
Has Nino…written me off? Is that it?
I realize the connection we shared started fraying a while ago, but I still don’t get why. As children, we shared some good times together. Then I wake up one day, those days are over, and I don’t understand what I did to cause the rift.
I just know I’m on the outside looking in. I’m standing on the road’s edge, watching Nino drive off as I get smaller and smaller in his rearview mirror.
While I’ll fight to retain my ever-shrinking place in this family, my heart’s been breaking for years. Now that I think about it, it’s not unlike what Connor said about the werewolf amoebae. Does my own family plan to exterminate me in the same stealthy fashion the Russians like to use?
The thought chills me to the bone.
