Chapter 6
SIX
MATEO
A FEW HOURS EARLIER
Once Lucy and Kevin arrive, Gino, Kevin, Drew, Gabe, Jake, Marco, and I all head into the library. “So,” Kevin says, looking around at all of us, “I see you boys had yourselves a bit of a scuffle today.”
“Yeah,” Gino replies, a little apprehensive, clearly unsure of where this conversation is headed.
Kevin folds his arms. “So, tell me, does the shooting happen often at this house or not? Because I am going to need to know what I’ve gotten Vanessa into.”
“No,” I say before Gino can answer. “It doesn’t. Not often, at least.”
Kevin nods once. “Well, that settles that.” His gaze shifts back to Gino. “Now that you know Vanessa exists, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, what do you think I should do?” Gino asks.
Kevin doesn’t hesitate. “First, you need to trust her. Let her help in whatever way she chooses.” His gaze sharpens. “But she shouldn’t be alone. Not right now.”
“Yeah, I am going to have Mateo with her,” he says, glancing at me.
“Good. Now, what do you want to know about what I’ve been up to?”
The room goes quiet. The rest of us exchange uneasy looks, suddenly unsure whether we’re meant to be here for what comes next, or if this is a conversation that should belong to just the two of them.
“Should we go?” I ask.
“No,” Kevin says firmly. “You’re all going to need to hear this. From now on, protecting her falls on all of you.” His voice softens. “I love her like a daughter, but I can’t keep doing this forever.”
That’s when it clicks. Kevin has been Vanessa’s father in every way that mattered, just like my father was for Gino. Antonio couldn’t fully be there for either of his children, so Kevin filled that space for her.
“Kevin, tell us what you have taught Vanessa over the years that we won’t need to?” Gino pauses. “Please tell me she isn’t completely oblivious to all of this.”
“Trust me—she isn’t oblivious.” Kevin chuckles. “Antonio made sure of that. He told her things and taught her skills I didn’t even realize she knew until recently.”
He folds his arms and gets a serious expression on his face.
“I taught her how to fight. Literally. Karate, mixed martial arts, judo—she trained more than just about any kid in Utah. She’s witty like her mother, too.
She’ll bust your balls when it’s appropriate, and she won’t take shit from any of you. ” He gestures loosely around the room.
Then his tone shifts. “But she’ll need time to warm up to all of you. She was raised as an only child, and she grew up in a smaller city. I don’t think she’s used to all the glitz and glam of New York.”
Kevin smiles as he continues. “She’s smart, too. Always has been. She ran track at CSU for a season, but she was there on an academic scholarship.”
So she’s smart and athletic. Yeah. I’m starting to like her more and more.
“Is she trained with any weapons?” Gino asks.
“Knives. She knows how to shoot too, but she’s not a fan of guns. But if she wanted to, she could take anyone out with a knife.”
Gino meets Kevin’s gaze. “What did Dad want for her?”
Kevin shakes his head. “To be completely frank, I don’t know. Your father told her about this life when she was sixteen.”
That makes us all go quiet.
“What?” Gino snaps, his voice rising.
“Don’t come at me,” Kevin says quickly. “I didn’t know she knew anything until two years ago, when she graduated and we moved here. Your father had some kind of plan. I don’t know all the details, and I don’t think she does either.”
Kevin takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly. “Your father wanted her to be independent, and to have her own opinions on things. I know that’s not the norm in this world. He didn’t want her to be a follower—that was the one thing he was adamant about.”
Kevin’s voice firms. “He told me, ‘Don’t have her just follow. Let her lead. Let her decide, in the end, what she wants.’”
“Why did he want that for her?” Gino asks.
“When he was with her mother, she didn’t know he was a part of this life. Not until she was dying and he wanted to tell her the truth. For almost three years before she died, he lived in a fantasy with her, away from his problems.”
He pauses. “Alicia made him promise he wouldn’t force Vanessa into this world. She was fiercely protective of her daughter. But when Vanessa turned sixteen, your father for whatever reason came up with this plan for her to one day work for him.”
Kevin continues. “When he asked, she said yes. She thought it was her duty. After she graduated college, we all moved to New York, and she took a job at the hospital to gain experience—so she’d be ready when your father needed her.”
His voice softens when he says, “We all know that didn’t happen, but she would have come the second someone called her.”
“I don’t doubt that, Kevin, but how do we know no one else knows who she is?” Gino asks.
“I am not sure,” Kevin says. “Your father was very deliberate about staying away from her. He didn’t want anyone finding out until certain alliances were in place and he felt ready.”
Gino nods slowly, then looks over at me. “Still, it’s strange. The very day she finds out the truth and shows up here, someone attacks us—in the one way no one is supposed to.”
“It is odd,” Kevin admits. “But for now, it looks like a coincidence. I’ll look into it. I still know a few people.” He winks and heads out the door.
As soon as he’s gone, Drew speaks up. “So what do we do?”
“We figure it out,” Gino says firmly. “But first, we eat. Then we plan.” He looks at me. “After dinner, take Vanessa home and stay with her, just like we discussed. Dad bought her an apartment as a graduation present, so that is probably the most secure place for her right now.”
“You got it,” I confirm.
Gino looks around to the rest of the guys. “As for the rest of you, keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll keep this low on the radar for now. The last thing we need is to start a war in everyone’s front yard.” Gino stands and heads for the door. We follow.
After dinner, Gino and I head back up to his office to talk more about this whole staying with Vanessa situation.
I don’t guard people. That’s not my job. I’m a lawyer—I broker deals, the kind that bring in money both legally and illegally. I make things happen on paper, not with a gun.
And last night, it already feels strange to call it last night. I wasn’t meeting Vanessa. I was sitting across from the Germans with Gabe, while Alonso played intimidation and muscle in case things went sideways.
They did. Badly.
Now I’m sitting on the loveseat in Gino’s office, bracing myself for a plan that may or may not work. Knowing how independent Vanessa is, she isn’t going to take orders from me or anyone else.
But something also feels off.
Gino moves behind his desk and lowers himself into the chair. He only sits there when he knows the conversation isn’t going to go well.
He sighs. “Listen, man. I know you’re not the guarding type. You’re not the guy who wants to fight people, but I need your help with this.”
He leans forward slightly. “My father kept Vanessa from me, but after what happened this afternoon, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone knows about her now. She needs to be protected and watched. At least for now, until we can fully prepare her for what’s coming.”
“I’m flattered you’d really trust me with this,” I say flatly. “But I’m not a bodyguard. Why not Drew? Or Ry? Or literally anyone who actually does that for a living?”
“My father asked specifically for you to watch her—”
I cut him off. “Why the hell would your dad ask that?”
Gino leans back slightly. “After he died, there were a lot of plans he left behind. I didn’t go through them at first. Not until today after we started poking around. I was pissed. I thought I was his only kid, so I didn’t spend much time thinking about how everything would be handled.”
I can see the hurt in his eyes when he looks up at me. “But he had plan after plan. For how things should run. For how things should go for Vanessa. I think he expected me to start poking around sooner than I did.”
“What do you mean?” I press.
“Well, there’s a lot of things. But the first big one.” He pauses, then lets out a breath. “Your father knew about Vanessa.”
“What?” I ask sharply. “How?” My voice rises despite myself. Goddamn it, Dad. Why didn’t you ever mention this?
“Our fathers made a deal years ago,” Gino continues. “You were seventeen. Vanessa was sixteen.”
I rub a hand over my face. “Jesus. Why do I feel like I already know where this is going?”
“Because you probably do.” He doesn’t hesitate. “They agreed that when Vanessa came to New York, the two of you would be matched. Eventually married.”
I open my mouth to interrupt, but something tells me to let him finish.
“They thought it was a good idea. Listen, I am asking you to guard her with the possibility of marriage. And if the two of you can’t stand each other, I’ll tear up the contract. Both our fathers are dead. It’s not like they’ll know. And she never has to find out.” He shrugs.
“You don’t plan on telling her about this?” I ask.
“Not yet. I don’t want her thinking I’m some kind of traditionalist. But I do need her safe. Dad wanted me to protect her, and this is how I think I can start.”
I lean back slightly, considering that. “So how exactly do I protect her?”
“Take her home tonight,” Gino says. “Stop by your place first. Grab some clothes and whatever you need, but keep her with you at all times. Take her to and from work, hang out, and don’t let her out of your sight.”
“She works in a hospital,” I say. “How do you expect me to—”
“You know what I mean.”
I nod once. “Alright.”
“Thanks, man. You’re really the only one I fully trust with this,” he says quietly.
“Trust as in… marrying your sister?” I wink.