Neil didn't have an answer for that. Andrew only gave him a couple seconds before he laughed and walked off. Neil watched him go and wondered which one of them he hated more.

"I won't bring her," Kevin said, because someone had to break the quiet. "You might have brought Riko's wrath down on the striker line, but I'm the reason he's in the south in the first place. Neither of us has the right to speak to Allison now."

"You think Andrew's right," Neil said.

"Yes," Kevin said.

"You don't kill people over a game."

"It isn't a game where I come from," Kevin said. "I know Riko was behind this. I know what people like him are like. Be glad you'll never understand the way they think."

Any other time, Neil would be relieved to hear such words from Kevin. It meant Andrew hadn't told Kevin the truth about Neil's past and that Kevin had yet to recognize Neil. For a split second though, Neil considered correcting him. He wanted to tell Kevin he'd seen a lot of cruel things done but that none of them had been this senseless. Neil's father had a fierce and loyal syndicate. Few people were stupid enough to insult the Butcher; fewer tried crossing him. When they did, the Butcher made an example of them—of them, not their neighbor or coworker. Riko should have come after Neil for what he'd said, not taken it out on Seth.

"Hey," Nicky called from the end of the aisle. Neil was grateful for the distraction, but Nicky was slow to approach. "I can't handle anymore doom and gloom today. Whatever you guys are talking about needs to stop before I get down there, okay?"

Kevin answered by turning soundlessly away. Nicky still looked a little leery as he stopped at Neil's side. Neil looked at the massive bundle of clothes in his arms, none of which looked appropriate for a banquet. He wasn't going to ask, but Nicky noticed the glance and puffed up with pride.

"I have good taste in clothes, right? If you want to try them on you can, but you don't have to. I know they'll fit."

"Why would I try them on?"

"Oh, because these are yours." Nicky said it like Neil should already know that, then kept going before Neil could react. "Did you know Coach has been waiting for us to fix your wardrobe since, like, June? He threatened to sign us up for a marathon if we didn't do something about it. A freaking marathon, Neil. Guys like me aren't supposed to run that far. Do me a favor and don't argue about it."

"There's nothing wrong with the clothes I have."

"Can we go back to the part where I said not to argue? I remember it pretty clearly considering it happened just five seconds ago." Nicky moved the clothes out of Neil's reach when Neil moved as if to take them from him. "Um, no. I'll hang onto this. You're supposed to be finding pants."