Evelyn was in pain and hearing why, I could understand her rage at Fiorello. Normally, whoever caused my family pain would die, without question. But this was different. Fiorello was loyal to my grandfather, he did what he did because my grandfather told him to, and I couldn’t hold him at fault for that. And even if I wanted to, I couldn’t because he…he was now family. His great-granddaughter was my daughter.
For my grandmother, this must have been like a second twist of fate. Her son married the daughter of the man who ordered her death, as well as the death of said son. Then her grandson has a child with the granddaughter of the man who physically obeyed the order.
In the words of my brother…this family is fucked up.
As the door closed behind me, I noticed Wyatt in the hall, standing on crutches because he was the most moronic and stubborn doctor in the world. He was just released from the hospital this morning; his dark brown hair was a curly dirty mess on his head. He had bags forming under his brown-green eyes, and his damn shirt and trousers were rumpled. All signs that he needed rest, but would he take it…no.
“You have kid!” he snapped at me.
“Thank you for restating the obvious…again,” I muttered, walking down the hall.
“Did you know you had a kid and just didn’t tell us? Tell me the truth, because this doesn’t make any fucking sense. There is no way you, of all people, could have a child and not know. You hid her away to protect her?” he questioned, keeping up with my pace, and if he didn’t look so pitiful already, I’d kick his ass.
“No, I did not.” I wanted to ask him if I looked like our parents, who hid in the shadows to “protect” us, but knowing him, he’d comment that I actually looked like our father.
“Wow,” he whispered like a child. He’d get along well with Giovanna, I could see it already. “Her mother…who is she?”
Sighing, I got on the elevator and he followed. “Good question.”
“How do you not know? You’re different from me—”
“Thank God,” I muttered.
“Meaning,” he went on, speaking much louder despite the fact that were right next to each other. “That you don’t just sleep around with women. You’re careful. You’ve always needed to know everything about them before they can even get in front of you, let alone in your bed. For years you have lectured me half to sleep with making sure I don’t get trapped or caught up by a woman. You were worse than Dad! Who’s her family? What does she do? What did she study? Have you made it clear she’s nothing but a toy? You had one of my girlfriends killed for mouthing off about our family! And you don’t know who the hell the mother of your fucking daughter is!”
Breathe, Ethan. He’s right. He does not have tact. But he is right.
When the doors opened, I stepped out and paused, waiting for him to step out beside me. When he did, I faced him.
“Wyatt, over the last few weeks you must have realized this, but I will say it so we don’t have to have this conversation every time something happens…I. Am. Not. God. I do not know everything. I cannot stop everything and I, yes, I, even make mistakes. 99.9% of the time, you’re right, I am vigilant about the women around me and I often lecture you, as you call it, because I’m your older brother. I look after you. I try to make sure you don’t fall, and in the process sometimes I do, and it makes me look like a hypocrite, I understand that. But that doesn’t mean what I did to and for you was wrong. If I could go back, I’d give you all the same lectures and this time much more severely. I’d never want you to wake one day and realize you have a child who you have failed. But if you would like to make jokes or laugh or call me a hypocrite I’ll give you this moment to do so.”
He cracked his jaw to the side and looked annoyed. Shaking his head, he said, “I hate it when you take the high road, you know that?”
If only he knew I never really took the high road at all.
“Now that this is settled, go rest—”
“Don’t start acting like my father now,” he said. “I’m not resting for shit, I feel like if I blink, I’m going to miss another grand revelation.”
Yes, my fist in your face.
“Fine, do whatever you please.” I waved him off, walking to the dining room where a bruised-and-battered Greyson and…
“You. I didn’t hire you.” I pointed at the blond-haired, lanky boy-man standing on the opposite side of Greyson, whose large form loomed in front of the door.
“Oh right,” Wyatt spoke up behind me. “Ethan, this is—”
“Mannix Ward…aka Monk.” I said his name and even he seemed surprised. Looking to my brother I said, “Didn’t ask for introduction. I know my people. I said I did not hire him, so why is he standing as a guard in my house? Well?” I asked, looking to the stick man.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Wyatt spoke up instead.
“I hired him,” he stated, looking over to Greyson. “As you can see from Greyson’s face, we had a little falling out. Is there a problem?”
Was there a problem? Yes. Me. I had forgotten I’d left him on his own while I’d…spent time “resting.” And since he’d been away for a few years he didn’t know my system for promoting guards. Monk was new. He hadn’t done any work on the streets. He hadn’t proven his loyalty yet. Fine. I can work with this.
Greyson straightened under my scrutiny.
“Make sure he knows the rules or else we’ll have a falling out and if that happens, be assured you’ll never come back to work,” I said to him.