I walk down to the makeshift hospital ward and knock on the door before letting myself in.
Silvano is sitting up in bed, and he straightens a little when he sees me enter. His skin is pale, though there’s more color in it than there was the last time I saw him. He’s no longer knocking on death’s door.
“Hey, boss,” he greets with an easy smile. His lips are dry and cracked.
“I knew you would pull through.” I sit on the chair next to his bed. “I’m just surprised it took you so long.”
Silvano lets out a bark of laughter. “Sorry, stopped for coffee on my way back to the world of the living.” His smile fades a second later, as though sobered by the realization of how close he came to joining his brother. “I’m glad you’re here. I learned some things before we were attacked that you really need to know.”
Suddenly I realize it wasn’t the thought of death that sobered him. It’s the tale he lived to tell.
“What is it?” I ask.
“First, some good news,” he says. “I think I know where Kevin Lynch is. I overheard a conversation about a warehouse on the docks where Lynch is lying low. Since they don’t have much docks territory, he should be easy enough to find.”
“And the bad news?”
Silvano’s gray eyes blink slowly. “It’s about Alexis,” he murmurs. “I don’t know if it’s true.”
“Just tell me, Silvano.”
And he does.
Victoria comes into the room with a tray of coffee and two croissants just as he finishes, but I’m too shell-shocked by his words to stay for another second. I need to find out if there’s any truth in it. And if there is? Fuck, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do.
“Victoria, why don’t you stay and keep Silvano company for a bit?” I suggest, already on my way to the door.
She turns, a little bewildered by my evident distress. “Okay. Sure.”
I call Antonio the second I’m out the door. From the thickness of his voice, I can tell that I have woken him, but I don’t care. I tell him what Silvano told me.
“I need you to find out if it is true,” I say.
“It can’t be. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Just find out,” I order. “And prepare the men for war. I think we’ve finally located Kevin Lynch.”
I spend most of the day avoiding Alexis, which isn’t fair. It’s like I’m worried that the second she sees me, she will read on my face what Silvano told me, even though I know that’s ridiculous. I just don’t know what to say to her, so I say nothing. I have a good excuse anyway, as I am busy preparing to finally put an end to Lynch.
Antonio works quickly, and by the time dusk has settled over the trees, we are ready to go into battle. Only then can I no longer avoid Alexis. There is a chance I won’t return from this mission.
I enter the nursery, where I find Alexis reading to Harry in the armchair in the corner of the room.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, immediately picking up on my stress.
“I have to go,” I say. “I have some urgent business to take care of.”
Harry looks over when he hears my voice and smiles. “Dada!”
Alexis’ eyes flash with concern. “This time is different. Why?”
I walk over, lifting Harry into my arms. He smells like baby powder and innocence. I hold him close, rocking back and forth.
“We think we’ve found Kevin Lynch,” I say. “And if we have, he’s going to be well protected.”
Alexis stands, folding her arms. She looks angry, which surprises me.
“Did you come in here to say goodbye?” she asks in a clipped voice. Her blue eyes narrow on mine.
“I did,” I admit. “Just in case.”
Harry twists his chubby finger in a lock of my hair and tugs. It hurts, but I can’t help but laugh. This in turn melts some of Alexis’ stern expression, though it ices back up again a moment later. She gets out of the chair and stands in front of me, trying to look big and fierce despite the gap in our height.
Alexis reaches up and holds my face in her hands, dragging my chin down to look at her. “You will not say goodbye, Gabriel Bellucci, because you will make sure you return home safely. You will come back to your family.”
She wrenches me closer and leans up on her tiptoes before I have a