“I knew you were too young when I sent you in undercover.”
I shrugged. “I was already so old in my own head, you know that. I was forced to live a rough life, and you gave me an out. I’ll never forget that.”
“And yet…” His smile was sad. “You choose the bad guys.”
“They aren’t bad,” I said defensively. “Just…misunderstood.”
“Justified killing is misunderstood?”
“You tell me,” I fired back.
He tossed the black file toward me. “One more job, and then I’ll be taking that badge, son.”
My eyebrows rose in surprise as I leaned forward and checked out the folder. It was me standing next to Kartini at Valerian’s wedding last year.
God, she’d been so pretty that day.
And then she’d just disappeared on everyone after the scene with Ash. Fucking Ash. Thank God he was himself again and not such an asshole, though he still had his moments.
Annie, his girlfriend, balanced him like a pound of Xanax.
“Kartini Abandonato.” I gulped. “What about her?”
“A few men in the field were killed that day. One of them was undercover for the Petrov Crime Family. I received his head in a cake box with a note signed: xoxo, K.”
I barked out a laugh. “Yeah, she would never do that.”
“The daughter of a mobster? You sure?”
“Positive.” But even as I said it, I knew something had shifted in her. But it had to be something other than chopping someone’s head off. “What do you want me to do? I’m already her new babysitter for the next two weeks. So, if it’s following her around, save the energy. It’s already done.”
He grinned. “Follow her. Befriend her. Get her to trust you. Seduce her.” I flinched. “And find out what really happened to my men.”
“You mean other than death?”
“Very funny.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
He sighed again. “Tank, it’s your last assignment. Keep it clean, get as close to her as possible. She’s your new job.”
“Great. So, both bosses want me to follow the terrifying Tiny Abandonato…what could go wrong?”
He frowned down at the picture. “You’re literally three times her size.”
“You haven’t seen her balls.”
His face cracked into a small smile. “Wait, are you…afraid of her?”
“Hell no!”
“Sure, okay.”
“Can I be excused now?”
“Are you ten?”
I growled and shot to my feet. “Last job, and then I’m out.”
“And then you’ll...do what? Stay permanently at Sergio Abandonato’s compound? Become a captain? Underboss? What?”
I was silent. And then… “I like his compound. It has a theater room.”
“You used to hate pulling your gun,” he said softly. “And now, it almost seems like you can’t wait to use it.”
“Yeah, well, if you’d seen what I have.” I nodded. “You’d feel the same way…blood protects blood, sir. And no matter how many badges or awards you give me, nothing will change that.”
Something that almost seemed like respect flickered in his eyes as he nodded and whispered, “You can go.”
I left the black folder on his desk and ignored all the whispers and stares I received as I stomped through the offices.
I was rarely there, and when I was, people always talked about the guy who the FBI had somehow allowed to switch sides.
But I knew something they didn’t.
A very long time ago, they’d had two FBI agents in the Five Families working for them.
Phoenix Nicolasi.
And Sergio himself.
So…they could judge me all they wanted.
Because they had no idea that the Five Families were on the fucking government payroll.
Idiot sheep.
I slammed the door to the offices behind me and groaned when I saw Giana Lang waiting in front of the elevator.
If Kartini was Satan’s mistress, then Giana was the spawn of Satan. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a tight, severe bun, and the only color on her body was her trademark pink lipstick that always made her lips look too big, as if her mouth were just waiting to devour its next victim.
Her green eyes flashed when I went and stood next to her. I had no other choice at that point.
“I don’t trust you,” she said it as if she were bored.
“And I don’t care.” I shoved my hands into my jeans’ pockets. “But your concern is noted.”
She tapped her boring black heel against the concrete floor. “You’re in too deep, Tank. And one day, the water’s going to drown you.”
I sighed. “Pretty sure the mafia will throw me a life jacket—they need me too much.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Something flashed behind her green eyes. “They don’t need you. You need them.”
“Excuse me?” Okay, now I was getting pissed. What the hell was her problem?
“That. Right there.” She jutted a finger in my direction then tapped it once against my chest. “You’re emotional about it. You’re defensive in every meeting, and now you think you can just walk away from the bureau and set up camp with criminals and nobody’s going to bat an eyelash? You’re wrong, Tank. God, I can’t believe they gave you a promotion last year.”
“Still stings, doesn’t it?” I grinned knowingly. “To know that no matter how many bad guys you arrest, I’ll still be the favorite.”
“I hate you.”
“You hate yourself,” I spat.
The elevator doors opened as I ignored her and grabbed my cell, dialing Sergio right in front of her like it didn’t matter because, quite honestly, it didn’t.
“What’s up?” He sounded way too calm for a Tuesday.
“New assignment just happens to be your daughter. Know anything about that?”
“New assignment?”
I hesitated and noticed that Giana had gotten onto the elevator with me. Whatever. Let her hear. “Last assignment.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn she smiled.
“So, you’ve made your choice?”
“Did I ever really have one?” I snorted out a laugh.
He was quiet and then said, “We always have a choice.”
“Sure, okay, tell that to all the rivers of blood we seem to bathe in.”
Giana snorted out a humorless laugh next to me like she actually understood the double life I’d been living.
I rolled my eyes and whispered to her, “I was kidding. It was a metaphor.”
“Sure, you were.”
“Scaring small children again?” Sergio laughed.
“If only it worked on yours,” I fired back.
“She’s no longer a child, Tank.”
Yeah, I knew. That was the problem.
Seven-year age difference.
Seven-year age difference.
I just kept repeating it to myself so I didn’t feel like a total idiot and creeper.
“You’re awfully quiet.” He interrupted my mental chant. “And she’s at the house. She was asking for you, actually.”