A small voice inside me cleared its throat and insisted this would be the perfect time to tell Enzo that his daughter knew about the family. I’d sworn an oath to the outfit, so I owed this man my absolute loyalty. So why did my lips refuse to budge? The family was supposed to outrank our own blood relations. Outrank any and all other obligations. But at the sight of Sofia destroyed in my arms, all other promises shriveled into dust.

Nothing came before my Ladybug.

Even my own life.

Enzo drew me back to the present when he continued to speak. “We have a meet with the Russians tomorrow morning to sort out whatever mess Sal has created. I want you there. Once we get the Russians settled, hopefully we can smooth things over with the Gallos and get our hands on Sal.”

“Not a problem. Let me know when and where, and I’ll be there.”

He gave a nod, then stood and extended his hand. “This may not have been the life you envisioned, but I’m glad to have you with us. You’re a good man, Antonico.”

I shook his hand firmly. “Thank you, Don Genovese.”

“We still have a few hours until things get underway, but you’re welcome to stick around. I wasn’t sure if I’d get a chance to visit with you once Carlotta put me to work,” he said good-naturedly.

“No problem at all. I have a couple of errands to run, but I’ll be back in plenty of time.”

I excused myself and made my way back to the car. I had a call I needed to make to an old friend to see what I could dig up on this Mikey kid. I wasn’t sure why I was prying into Sofia’s past, but something didn’t sit right with me. Probably came down to unreasonable jealousy. Chasing down some schoolyard crush of hers wasn’t exactly rational.

When it came to Sofia, all logical thought exited the building.

With each passing day and every minute we were apart, I became more and more certain I needed to make her mine. If only there were an easy way to make that happen. In my gut, I knew there was only one possibility, but it had just as much of a chance to work as it did to backfire in my face.

I needed to tell her everything, even if she never talked to me again.

It was a risk—not only because she might push me away, but also because I would be breaking my oath for a second time. My need to have Sofia was going to be the death of me, but calling her mine for however long it lasted would be worth that fiery descent into the bowels of hell.

Last night was such a disaster. If I had to list all the ways the night had gone wrong, I’d be at a loss as to where to begin. Probably the fact that I allowed Nico to whisk me away in the first place. He had hit the nail on the head when he said it was just like old times. Standing on the patio with him made me feel like I’d slipped through a portal to seven years earlier. It stunned me to discover just how comfortable and normal it felt, despite everything that had come between us.