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“It wouldn’t have changed me, Gino! I would have still been the filthy Albanian, a good for nothing employee of the family, just like you said. I’m the help, and she’s the princess.”
“As I said, stupid motherfucker. Is that how you always felt, like my employee?”
“It’s just the truth.”
“Then I failed you just like you failed me, fratello. Let’s call it even.”
He finally pulled up in front of the Metropolitan hospital. The drive here felt like it had lasted days.
“I thought that term was not allowed anymore.”
“Brothers have to find a way, Mustafa. You are family. I meant that. I know dad polished you to be a man killer, and that’s very fucking useful, but our bond goes both ways. You’d die for me because that’s what you were taught, and I would do the same. As your boss and your brother, I want you know you can come to me, no matter how fucked up things are.”
“Appreciated.”
“I regret the words I said to you yesterday. That was not me talking; it was that ugly part of my father that rubbed off and sometimes comes out. Catherinelle pointed out that I’ve been acting a lot like him in the past twenty-four hours.”
Ouch! That must have been a hard hit for him. All of our adult lives, I got to watch Gino giving blood and sweat to get as far away from his father’s image as possible.
“Understood, boss.”
“I can’t let your betrayal go without punishment, but instead of killing you, which would be the easy way out, I thought of something more permanent.” That couldn’t be good. “You’re in charge of Cat’s security for the rest of your fucking days. She will drive you crazy, but you’re not going to leave my sister until she asks me to shoot you dead. Mustafa, if you hurt her, I will make you wish you would have died in the streets so dad couldn’t find you.”
For a second, I thought he was joking, but the man was dead serious. I couldn’t understand it. He was giving me his blessing. After all my sins, Gino was ready to turn his back on everything.
“I would never hurt her.”
“If I ever catch you with another woman, you can kiss your life goodbye.”
“It’s not going to happen, but I’m pretty sure Cat can take care of that herself.” My princess was the one to be feared.
We both got out of the car, and he started walking towards the hospital entry, but I just couldn’t understand what had happened.
“Gino.” He stopped and looked at me over his shoulder. “Why? Why forgive me?”
“What did you expect me to do? Kill you both?”
“Obviously not her.”
“She’s my sister; you’re my sworn brother. There’s no difference.” I was suffocating with a strange emotion I’d never felt before. I didn’t know what it was, but it felt good. Overwhelming, but good. “I never heard you utter the word love until this morning. I’m happy for you, man.”
This time he left, and I wanted to follow. I wanted to get to Catherinelle, but I needed a fucking second. I had never felt more whole in my life. I felt part of something, and that was strange.
I didn’t have the time to stay and take everything in; all of that had to wait. I had to get to Catherinelle and see for myself that she was alright.
God, she just lost her…our baby. A fainted jolt of sadness crossed my heart. She was too young to be a mother, and I’d never imagined myself bringing a human into the world, but for a second, I allowed myself to think about it. A second of grief for a small baby with her beautiful blue eyes.
Shaking it off, I caught up with Gino right as he was pushing through the doors of the private recovery wing, and I followed. I stopped dead in my tracks when I looked up and saw an awful lot of people looking at me. The hall was packed with familiar faces: Ignazio, Frank Sr. and his entire family – Bianca was looking at me with a frown – Lola and Vincenzo, Pepe and his wife who were comforting Simona in the far corner, Roman and Vito closer to me. Shit, they knew. They all knew. Some of them were blaming me. I could read it on their faces.
Roman was the first to come to me and talk.
“I wasn’t sure you’d make it here in one piece, but I’m glad Gino got his head out of his ass. You were needed here.”
“How is she? I need to see her, Roman.”
“Still out, but the doctors said it’s normal. Hey, I have to ask. When we met in the Hamptons, you two were a thing, right?”
I was already sick of this conversation.
