“Just that he needs to take it easy so his body can fully heal.” Her eyes turn glassy, so I pull up a chair beside her.
“He’s going to be fine, Holly. You know he’s a fighter. Stubborn as hell. He’d never leave you and Rose if he could fight against it.”
She reaches out to squeeze the hand on my right knee, and I cover hers with my left. “I know, but I still hate seeing him like this.”
Creighton’s dark hair resting on the white pillow makes the infamous man almost seem mortal.Almost.
“And I’m sure he hates you seeing him like this. He’ll be back to normal in no time at all.”
“I feel helpless. What am I going to do?” Holly looks up at me, and this time big tears well in her eyes and slip free.
I lean in, wrap an arm around her shoulders, and pull her against me. “You’re going to sit here and give him a reason to fight. There’s not a damn thing in this world that man wouldn’t do for you. If seeing him like this makes you cry even a single tear, he’ll be better so damn fast, your head’s going to spin.”
“I hope you’re right, because I don’t think I could stand it if ...”
“He’s going to be fine. Better than ever. He’ll never leave you.”
If I didn’t absolutely believe what I was saying, I wouldn’t have said it. Thankfully, it does the trick and Holly’s shaking shoulders still.
“Thank you, Cannon. I’m sorry that things between you have gone this way. I know it kills him too ... he’s just so damn stubborn and proud.”
“I know. We both are. But there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do to have my best friend back. I never even got to tell him that he’s my brother. Dom wouldn’t let me.” I don’t know why I’m confessing this to Holly, but I have to get it out.
“I’m so sorry, Cannon. So sorry you both got caught up in something that wasn’t your idea.”
Her lack of surprise is exactly as I expected. She’s probably known about our shared parentage since moments after Creighton found out.
“I’m not sorry,” I tell her, watching Creighton for any sign of waking, but I see nothing. “I wouldn’t take back a single thing I did. It might’ve been Dom’s twisted idea, but it was the most important assignment of my life. I wouldn’t be the man I am today, if not for Crey. I owe Dom a thank-you, even if your husband wants my head.”
“Not ... your head ... exactly.” The rough words come from between Creighton’s lips.
Holly pops out of her chair. “Oh my God, you’re awake again. Thank God.” She tangles her fingers with his, and Creighton watches me.
“You should’ve told me what he made you do. I only fucking cared because you didn’t tell me yourself.”
A lead weight settles in my stomach, and even though I just said I wouldn’t take any of it back, I was wrong. There’s one piece I’d take back, and that’s the deception.
“You wouldn’t have trusted me if I’d told you,” I reply.
“You’re my brother. I’d trust you with my life.”
30
Memphis
There’s an extra laptop in Dom’s office. Marta will show you where it is. Tell me if you or your hacker friend find anything.
That’s the text I got from Cannon this morning after spending a sleepless night in one of the simple apartments inside Dom’s brownstone in Hell’s Kitchen, and how I found myself standing inside the office of the most notorious mobster in New York City. A gray-haired woman unlocks a cabinet and reveals a stack of laptop boxes. New laptop boxes. Like they just “fell off a truck” somewhere.
A tiny, instinctive part of me wishes she weren’t so efficient, because it’s killing the reporter in me not to be able to snoop. Then again, even if she left me alone in here right now, I couldn’t talk myself into doing it.
Because the Casso family isn’t my target now. No, it’s the Rossettis.
No one shoots at people I care about and gets away with it. I’ll do whatever I have to do to bring them down and get justice. Luckily, that happens to be something I’m very good at, despite the roadblocks I’ve run into with my father’s case.I haven’t forgotten about you, Dad. I promise.
“You just need one?” Marta asks, holding out the box.
“One, yes. Thank you,” I reply, taking it from her so she can relock the cabinet.