Page 49 of Tristano

Me: You’re welcome.

“It’s kind of weird how friendly you guys are,” Serena says, reading the text.

“Why do you say that?”

She curls up in a ball, making herself comfortable. “It’s just odd. I know you said you are allies with them and the other families, but to see you work together? It’s scary. You guys work for different families. I just assumed you would be enemies.”

“Nah. I think we would have at one point, but we are all so intertwined now. Greer is a Catalini, but she married a Westie. Then you have the Westies and the Yakuza in Chicago. Callum is the head there, but his sister is married to the Yakuza leader. The only ones who don’t really fit in by some connected line are the Petrov Bratva. They are solely in with us because we all have a common enemy. They hate the trafficking as much as we do. I guess Nikolai, the leader over there, had his sister and wife taken by some traffickers a while back. Now they do whatever they can to take them down, which means helping us secretly. Their connection to us isn’t as well known as the others.”

“That makes sense. When you lay it out like that, I can see it. Does that make you guys bigger targets?”

I shrug. “Maybe, but I think it also makes us stronger. If you mess with one, you mess with us all. It’s almost like a dynasty of sorts.”

“I guess that will take some getting used to.” She smiles as she shakes her head.

“What will?”

“Being able to talk openly with each other without fear of what the other will learn.” She tilts her head to the side. “I just hope you know that even then, I wouldn’t have betrayed you.”

“I know. You warned me more than once,” I remind her.

Over the last couple of years, there had been a couple times that Serena had reached out, warning me of whispers about La Cosa Nostra. It was unneeded when we have members inside of the FBI, but it was nice. She didn’t know that though. I wanted to keep her clear of all of that, only allowing minimal contact.

Now she’s here. I have her with me. Nothing is stopping us from getting closer.

“That I did.” She bites her lip as she looks away from me.

“What is it?”

Serena shakes her head. “I don’t know how to ask.”

“Just do it.”

Serena takes a deep breath. “Clearly, you guys and the other families are working together to take down whatever this is. Before I was taken, I wanted to end the trafficking, but now it’s personal. I want to help you guys.”

Serena looks at me with wide, hopeful eyes.

“I’ll do whatever you need me to do. I have skills, use them,” she adds after a moment of silence.

“You want to change sides,” I say, eyes wide in disbelief.

I never thought Serena would change teams. Yeah, I suspected she would eventually leave law enforcement, but with her law enforcement background, I never saw her going dark.

“I do.” She bites her lip. “You guys get results even if you don’t go by the book.”

“I’m sorry,anima gemella, but I can’t just let you in. It’s not my choice,” I say, shaking my head.

“I know, but I’m willing to meet with whoever, pledge whatever I need to. Please, Tris, I need this.”

Taking a deep breath, I reach out and run my hand over the back of her head. Serena relaxes into my touch as I think it over.

Would the others be willing to meet with her?

Do I approach Greer first or Bash? I know he’s my Don, but she is technically my boss.

“I’ll make a call, but I make no promises.”

“Thank you,” she says softly.

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