Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

TERZO
“Look what the cat dragged in.” Maverick, my half-sister, was smiling from ear to ear with open arms.
“I prefer dogs, but yeah. It’s fine.” I hugged her tight and lifted her up. I completely forgot I just got shot two days ago.
She instantly noticed my discomfort. Her sweet green eyes narrowed and scanned me. “What the hell, Terzo? What did you do this time?” She hit me on my arm.
“Nothing major.” I clenched my teeth and fought hard not to react, but too late. I knew Maverick. She wouldn’t stop until she got a direct answer.
She shrugged off my jacket and patted my chest until she felt the dressing inside my T-shirt.
“I’m fine, sis.”
“Shut up.” She checked through the hem of the neckline of my shirt. “You were shot?” Her eyes widened. Panic and pain resurfaced.
“Don’t tell anyone, especially your husband.”
“I heard husband.”
“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath.
Lake Winston just walked into the living room with all his mighty glory in his thousand-dollar dark blue suit. His stone blue eyes were shining with humor.
“Babe, Terzo got shot,” she just told her husband casually, did the opposite of what I just told her. That was my sister, but I loved her with all my heart, and I would do anything to protect her and her child.
I rolled my eyes and sighed as I offered my hand to Lake. “Winston.”
There was a smirk on his lips as he shook my hand. “You should let it heal before you come over, Siciliano, or she won’t stop talking all night, worrying about you.”
“That’s a small price to pay for marrying my sister.” I smiled back.
“You don’t wanna believe who shot him, Mrs. Winston.”
I cleared my throat and shot Marco a warning glare.
Maverick saw it instantly. “Who? He just made his worst enemy. I will kill him myself.”
“It’s a—”
“Don’t,” I warned Gio and looked at both of them.
“You, both of you.” My sister went to both of them, standing at the corner. “You failed to protect him. You’re lucky he seems okay, or else, I have your balls skewed and fed them to the dogs, dickheads.”
“Baby, calm down.” Lake joined his wife, rubbed her arm to comfort her and kissed her on the head.
“Where’s my nephew?”
Both of them turned to me.
“Did you forget something? Toys, maybe?”
I rolled my eyes again. “Of course, I would never forget.”
Gio dropped the duffel beside me. I picked up a plastic bag full of toys appropriate for Atlas’s age.
“Aw. Thank you, Uncle Terzo.” Maverick giggled as if her husband couldn’t afford to buy a toy factory, but she knew for a fact, it was the thoughts that counted. She grabbed it from me and called my name.
I followed her towards his son’s playroom. “How are you, sis?”
“Don’t change the subject, Terzo. You should be resting. How did you get a bullet in your shoulder?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m here for the job Papa asked me to do.”
She blew a breath and hugged me carefully. I felt her emotions in that hug. “I couldn’t help it. I thought of you every day and wished I wouldn’t receive bad news. Please, be careful. You’re not an immortal, Terzo. You’re not cats either.”
“Thank you, but stop worrying about me. Papa said hello.”
“Is he okay? Celestina?”
“They’re good.”
“So what’s the job?” She turned to me.
“Complicated.”
“It is if you got shot.” She pulled the door open. Her son Atlas was playing with blocks while his nanny was watching him.
He instantly noticed our presence and grinned, showing off his teeth.
“Hey, bud.” I opened my arms for him. Atlas came running into my arms. I lifted him and carried him to kiss his forehead. “You didn’t give your mommy a hard time, did you, buddy?”
“He’s a good boy. I have a feeling he didn’t get that trait from us.”
I chuckled. “And it’s from your husband? I highly doubt that. Maybe from your Nana’s side.”
“When was the last time you got that cleaned?” She looked at my wound. “I have supplies in the first aid kit. I kept when an emergency like this one.”
“Thanks. Marco can do it for me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why? What’s wrong if I clean your wound?”
“Nothing. I don’t wanna bother you.”
“Bullshit.”
I let her clean my wound before she thought I was hiding something from her. I must admit, she knew what she was doing.
“Do you have painkillers? Who patched you up? Looks like done by a professional.”
“Yup. A vet.”
She barked out laughing. “It’s indeed a professional. You’re just a baby crocodile.”
“Not even funny.” I smiled as I kissed her hand. “Thanks, sis.”
“Famiglia. No matter what horrible things you did and are about to do, we share the same blood, and I will always be on your side. I may not often show it to you, but I love you, Terzo, and I don’t want something bad will happen to you, so just be careful. And whoever did this to you, make sure he will pay.”
“I love you, too.” I smiled when she said he. I would keep it that way until I accomplished my plan.
“How long are you gonna be here? Will I see you again before you leave?”
“A week tops. Of course, I’d love to have dinner with you and Winston.”
“Good. Let me know so I can make dinner.”
Before I could reply, my phone buzzed.
“Go ahead. Maybe your booty call.”
I snorted. I couldn’t remember the last time I had my dick in women’s pussy, let alone have a woman’s company. Months ago? My brows furrowed as I checked the caller ID.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. She looked worried again.
“It’s Linden. Why is he calling me?”
“Answer it to find out.”
I answered the call. “Already collecting my favors.”
“You should come to Osmium,” he said in urgency. “I can’t tell you over the phone, but I can show you. And don’t tell me you’re out of town. I know you just landed hours ago.”
“I’m at my sister’s home. Can’t it wait?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“See you there in an hour.”
“Hey.” Maverick gripped my arm to catch my attention. “Is everything okay?”
“Yup. Nothing to worry about.”
“If you say something like that, I know there’s something I should be worried about.”
“Sis, this has nothing to do with you. Maybe it’s about the job, or the agency figured out I’m not dead.”
“Wait. They haven’t figured out yet?”
“I don’t think so. I have to go.” I kissed him on her head and looked at Atlas one more time while playing with his new toys.
Marco and Gio were already on their feet as I met them at the door.
“Leaving already?” Lake called out.
“I’m needed at Osmium.”
“Don’t be a stranger, Siciliano.”
“Thanks.” I shook his hand one more time before we left his mansion.
It took an hour to reach the Osmium Resource Group. A multi-billion dollar company Gabe Linden built from the ground up. The employees always looked busy and vigilant as if the world was about to end.
I went directly to Linden’s office, where I had been many times, I could count. I may be a mafia, but the Siciliano had built a relationship, a strong bond between the Braddsons, Linden, Vanderford, and now the Winston.
“What’s up?” Linden and I did a brotherly hug as he met me outside his office. His assistant gave me a nod of acknowledgment. “What did I do, Linden?”
“Nothing, but I’m surprised to get a call early at five in the morning.”
I looked at the clock on the wall. It was already seven. “From whom?”
“Let’s talk inside.” He opened the door wide.
“Did the agency find out about my whereabouts?” I got in, and he shut the door behind us.
“I know how to mask your activities, but this has nothing to do with the agency. As far as I know, you and your father are still dead. Were dead.”
I heard a gasp from the corner. Before I could say something, I was rooted to my place as I stared at where the gasping came from.