Page 147 of Forged

I run a hand through my hair in frustration. “I had to leave, Enzo. I couldn’t be there when he left.”

“We put a tracker in him and let him leave. I figured I should leave any decision of punishment to you.”

“That’s very kind of you, brother.” I turn to look at him. “Was Neomi okay?”

“Violette and Zara are with her.”

“Shit,” I mutter. “Any word on who placed the bomb?”

“That’s why I came looking for you. Falco sent a message. It was his bomb.”

“Goddamn it, Enzo. We have to get our shit together and fucking take him out. He’s run rampant through this city and it’s time for him to meet his fate.”

Enzo nods. “I completely agree.”

Enzo studies me for a long moment before speaking again. “He told the truth about Veleno,” he says. “Dante confirmed it. Sera’s involved. That part checks out.”

I exhale slowly, the anger changing to sadness and regret.

“At least we know he was telling the truth,” Enzo continues. “Now we wait to see if Sera pulls the trigger on the notifications. If we see it across the networks in the next two days, we know he told the truth about abandoning the mission.”

He steps closer then, his hand coming down on my shoulder, firm and grounding.

“You’re allowed to be angry,” he says. “And you’re allowed to be hurt.”

“I don’t hate him,” I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

Enzo’s brow pinches in confusion.

“That’s the problem,” I add, my voice rough. “Fuck, Enzo, how can I still feel love for a man that put us in danger?”

He exhales, shaking his head. “Jesus Christ, Lars,” he mutters. “I leave my beautiful, pregnant wife at home to come check on my brother, and this is what I walk into? You drunk, and spiraling over a man who just admitted he walked into our lives with a lie. I understand you three got close, but Lars, he could’ve destroyed everything.

“Get your shit together,” Enzo continues, his voice firm now, the Don bleeding into the brother. “You have a wife at home who just survived a bomb meant to take her life. She needs you there, not hiding in the bottom of a bottle.”

“Yeah.” I exhale. “I know.”

“Then move,” he says, stepping back toward the door. “I’m taking you home.”

I grab the bottle one more time, then set it down harder than necessary before pushing off the couch.

“Bossy,” I mutter under my breath as I follow him.

Enzo snorts. “Don’t call me bossy when you’ll have to face Ma in the morning.”

I cringe, following him down the stairs. “Fuck, she’s going to kill me.”

The poundingon the door feels like someone is trying to split my skull open. For a few seconds I lie perfectly still, hoping whoever it is will eventually give up and leave.

Then the pounding comes again.

“Lars.”

Violette’s voice cuts through the fog in my head. I groan and roll onto my back. The ceiling above me swims as the events of last night crash back into place all at once. Gabriel’s face. Enzo’s gun in his hand. The words that shattered something inside my chest.

The pounding resumes.

“Lars, if you don’t open this door, I will have Dante break it down.”