Page 25 of Vow

Going through the back was an easy way to keep Snaps from being seen. The hallway led past the offices, and into another section that allowed someone to go to the main floor, into the kitchen, or the private area. A patron never even saw someone coming in and out of the back.

Made for easy, clean business.

Lucian was smart like that—all his restaurants had this sort of design in the back.

It wasn’t the first time the dog had been inside this particular business, but he did know it didn’t belong to Andino. So when they entered the private section, Snaps was quick to sit his ass down next to the doorway just inside the room, and he didn’t move even when Andino greeted his uncle and father.

“Starting without me?”

Gio grinned around the bite of waffle in his mouth. “We weren’t sure how long it was going to take for you to drag your ass out of bed, son.”

Lucian pointed a fork in his younger brother’s direction. “Exactly that.”

“Excuses.”

Andino dropped into the chair beside his father, and didn’t miss how Lucian was quick to press a button on the table. Less than a minute later, a server came in with fresh coffee, and a hot plate of breakfast food. She set it down in front of Andino with a smile before making her presence scarce.

“See, I didn’t forget about you, nipote,” Lucian said. “Eat first, business later.”

Andino couldn’t find it in himself to argue. Even though he’d gone several days being locked inside his house to rest after the shooting, and that meant he’d needed to let business slip a bit, this was a good way to start the day.

Food.

Family.

Business last.

Usually, business always came first.

The three ate in a comfortable silence. Snaps only left his position beside the door when Andino offered him two strips of bacon as a treat for behaving, but he was quick to go back to his spot once he had the meat.

It was only when Andino had finished his plate, and was sipping on the black coffee that his uncle decided to break the silence.

“We have a problem,” his uncle said.

Gio was still working on his plate, so he said nothing. Andino, on the other hand, was all ears.

“We have a lot of problems,” Andino returned, “so you’re going to have to be more specific.”

“John and Siena.”

Shit.

Yeah, that.

Andino set his cup down, and scrubbed a hand down his face. “With the way things are right now, I don’t see how the two of them can—”

“We made her a promise,” Lucian interjected quietly. “She wants to be with my son, and he is happy with her. I don’t give my word if I can’t keep it.”

“And you think I do?”

Lucian gave Andino a look that spoke volumes without actually needing to say anything at all. No, his uncle knew him well. Andino’s word meant the world. If he gave it, then he kept it. That was the end of it.

But this … this was fucking complicated.

All sorts of messy.

John was still in the psychiatric facility working on his shit, and Siena Calabrese was now locked away by her brothers. There were the beginnings of a street war echoing through the city between their family, and hers.