Chapter 33
Shane
Two days have passed, and I finally get the go-ahead from Nicole to let Mike come by. We sit together on the couch in the lounge—Nicole, Mike, and I—settling into the moment as Nicole prepares to tell her story for the first time. I watch her carefully, my heart heavy with what I know is coming. She's calm now, composed, but I can feel the storm beneath her surface, threatening to break free.
As she begins to speak, laying out everything from her parents' ties to the mafia to her relationship with Raffaele, the debt, and the things she had to do to pay it off, my blood boils. Each detail she shares hits me harder than the last, especially when she gets to the part about her kidnapping—the fear, the manipulation, the isolation. My hands instinctively ball into fists, but Nicole sees it. She always does. She reaches over, her fingers gently brushing mine, a silent plea for calm.
I take a deep breath, willing myself to focus on her voice. She continues, steady but with a tremor beneath the surface, laying out the gut-wrenching truth in full.
At one point, Mike leans forward, his notebook in hand, but his tone soft. "I'm not here to pick apart your story, Nicole. Just to understand," he says gently. "This is your truth. No more of it needs to be plastered across a police report than what's necessary to keep you free."
Nicole nods, her gaze flicking to me briefly. She knows this isn't just about freedom. It's about closure—for her, for Giovanni, for both of us.
She explains Giovanni's part in all of this and how he confirmed he's worked things out with Pietro. Raffaele had sold him out to the Serpenti, all behind Pietro's back, in some twisted plan to get even with Nicole and, by extension, me. The weight of it all settles in even deeper. This wasn't just about debts or family ties—it was personal, and Raffaele had been obsessed with revenge.
As Nicole finishes speaking, I feel a mix of admiration and anger. She's been through hell, and yet here she is, laying everything bare. But even as Mike closes his notebook, I know this isn't truly over.
A few more days pass, and slowly, life starts to return to something resembling normal. Nicole's healing—little by little. I notice the small things: the way she's starting to smile more freely, how she laughs with Jaime. It's like she's finally letting herself breathe. That same week, we talk to Giovanni and get him a ticket.
Jaime and I spend time together at the airport, reading comics and waiting to pick up Giovanni. We stand by the large windows, watching planes take off. The noise and rush of the terminal feel almost comforting after everything we've been through. Then I hear her voice.
"Jaime," Nicole calls softly, her nerves evident.
I turn to see her walking over with Giovanni. He's tall with a kind face, his single duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
"Hey, you can call me Gio," he says, reaching out to shake Jaime's hand.
Jaime grins up at him. "Hi, Gio! We love Nicole so much. She's the best mom ever."
There's a pause. Jaime called her mom. The word hangs in the air between us, and I see Nicole's eyes well up with emotion. She glances at me, mouthing, I love you.
I give Nicole and Giovanni some space to catch up once we're home. Jaime and I head into the kitchen to prepare dinner. He watches intently as I slide the pan of mac and cheese into the oven, closing the door with a soft click.
"What's next?" Jaime asks, looking around the kitchen.
I grin. "Next, we make the burger patties."
"Yep," Jaime echoes enthusiastically.
Just then, Nicole and Giovanni walk in, laughter trailing behind them.
"Hey Jaime, I heard you've got Ridge Road Racer 5," Giovanni says with a smile.
Jaime's eyes light up, and he's practically bouncing on his feet. "Yeah! I'm the best at Ridge Road Racer. Wanna play?"
Jaime looks at me for approval. I smile, waving them off. "Go on."
Jaime grabs Giovanni's hand and pulls him toward the living room, their voices fading as they disappear through the door.
Nicole stays behind, her eyes soft as she walks over and wraps her arms around me. She leans in, kissing me gently. "You need some help?"
I shake my head. "Nah, I've got it."
She sits down at the counter, watching me work. There's a quiet between us, the kind that feels peaceful after so much chaos.
"Oh, you wanted to talk to me about something?" Nicole says, noticing the envelope on the counter.
"Yeah, it's in there," I reply.
She picks it up, her eyes widening as she pulls out the paperwork inside. "Shane… is this...?"
I nod, smiling. "After you got cleared, the green card came through."
"Shane…" She's speechless for a moment, then rushes to kiss me. "Thank you," she whispers against my lips.
I kiss her back and return to cooking, my mind drifting. I think back to the Velvet Mirage, to that moment when everything could have gone wrong. Something's been eating at me since that night.
"Hey," Nicole says, noticing my distant expression. "What's up? You okay?"
I hesitate, stirring the pot absentmindedly. "Yeah, it's just… something I saw that's been bothering me."
She stands, walking over to me, her hand resting on my shoulder. "Shane, I'm here. We can talk about what happened. I'm safe now. Whatever it is, I'll be okay."
I exhale, grateful for her strength. "Do you remember when I bumped into you and…" I trail off, hesitant to say his name.
"Raffaele," she finishes for me. "Yeah, what about it?"
"The man who stopped him, the one who saved us… He looked familiar. Like… Robert."
Nicole's eyes widen slightly. "Robert? You said his name when you saw him."
I nod, feeling foolish even saying it. "I don't know, it just seems impossible. But I can't shake the feeling."
Nicole thinks for a moment. "You know, Dino told me I had friends I didn't even know about. Friends who knew a lot about you, too."
"That would mean Robert's been working for Le Ombre this whole time? Right here in the city?" I scoff, the idea almost too far-fetched to believe.
Nicole smiles, resting her forehead against mine. "Does it matter? Is he worth finding?"
I don't even hesitate. "No. He isn't. You and Jaime are my only priorities."
She smiles softly, her hand trailing down to my chest as she kisses me again. "Good," she whispers.