Page 101 of Disgrace

Andino gave John another pointed look. “It has always belonged to someone else. Aren’t you ready to take back what was rightfully yours, John?”

A heavy realization fell on John.

A weight on his shoulders.

A birthright denied.

A promise …

For a long while, John and Andino only stared at one another. John decided to be the first one to speak between them.

“That’s why you had me sit—why we are equal,” John said quietly.

Andino nodded. “We have always been equal, cousin, and we always will be.”

“You didn’t think to let me in on this bright idea of yours, or what?”

“I needed to position myself where I could not be challenged,” his cousin admitted, “and while this plan of mine is for you, it is also for me. I married a woman not up to the standards Cosa Nostra demands—I have effectively guaranteed the line of Marcello bosses will end with any sons I have, if I do. But there’s always you.”

Andino smirked, tipping his head in John’s direction, “There is always you in one of the Commission seats who will not deny my position, or my wife. There is Cross Donati as another boss—we know he’ll marry one of our cousins—and because of that, will be unwilling to start a war for the sake of his own family. And there is Chicago—too far away, and too caught up in controlling their own city to worry about us. Vegas, too, but my uncle still runs that syndicate, so I felt comfortable enough to push that line there, too.”

“But had the Calabrese been sitting in that seat …”

John let his words trail off.

Andino cleared his throat, and sat back in the chair. “It would have been an opening for them. A weak spot in the Marcello chain to pick at until it broke. I love Haven—I wasn’t giving her up for anything, or anybody. Not this life of ours, and not this family. You understand, don’t you?”

John thought about Siena.

He thought about her.

About them.

“Yeah, I understand.”

Andino smiled, although fainter than before. “Then let’s finish this.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SIENA DIDN’T START in fear when someone crawled into bed with her before the sun had even properly come up in the sky. She didn’t have to be scared when she knew who it was without even opening her eyes. His presence was like a tangible aura to her. Something that sunk deep into her senses, and made itself at home there.

She felt him.

Smelled him.

Loved him.

“Go back to sleep,” she heard John murmur.

Siena reached for him the second John was close enough to grab, but he seemed to have other plans. His arms tangled around her—like strong, steel bars keeping her close to him, protected, and hidden from the world. He dragged her closer in the bed, tucked her head under his chin, and refused to let go.

Siena could have fallen back to sleep like that. It would have been easy given how comfortable and tired she was. Instead, she dared to tip her head back on the pillow, and look up at him. Dark hazel stared back—familiar eyes that hid so much from the world, but showcased nothing more than a beautiful soul to her.

She was happy to see he looked better than the last time they were together. Less darkness in his eyes, and fewer lines of worry and anxiety on his face. His voice hadn’t held that same low, unsure quality as it had before, telling her that his mind was likely in a far better space than before.

It helped her anxiety that hadn’t left since she took off from his place to know that he was doing better. She didn’t need to know the reasons why, or what pushed him back in the other direction. Just knowing he was there was more than enough for her.

Ten days ago.