Never Say Never (Vitale Brothers, #4)

by Brea Alepoú

“And I want more fun.”

"Glad you're awake, this one was going to fall over from lack of sleep if you'd stayed asleep any longer." York looked my way, studying me again, before turning back to the doctor.

I knew our future was nothing pretty. We were on opposite sides of the law, and there was no future for someone like me and York. But for a split second, I could imagine a different me, a different life. With York.

"Okay, that's understandable," he said, shortly. "Should I still come over tonight or will you be busy then too?

brought our lips together in a kiss that was filled with desire, desperation, and something I wasn't sure I was ready to look too deeply into. Our mouths were connected, and for a short second, it felt like York was going to ignore the burning connection between us. I swiped my tongue over the seam of his lips needing entry. His beard scratched against my face, driving me insane.

York slowly opened his mouth, and granted me entrance. I took it for what it was. My brain shut off as I tasted him and relished in his moans. He was just as weak as I was to this thing between us. I greedily swallowed every sound that tried to pass his lips. They were all mine. If I could, I'd keep York all to myself. "Paul," his desperate groan mirrored my own. "God, I need you, York."

"I don't want this to stop."

"Paul, wait." "Can't." If I can just have him, I don't need anything else. Not even to be a Vitale again.

"Who am I supposed to depend on?"

"Me. Stop being a stubborn ass." I helped him up slowly, making sure not to hurt him any further. "You don't have to be the boss all the damn time. Depend on others sometimes."

succeeded in Operation: Take Each Other’s Place." "What now?" York asked.

"Ah. What they mean is they tricked a few kids into believing they were each other."

He had the same glare my mother used to fix on me and Gin. There was no winning against it.

spent a week in Nyra's classes and the teachers couldn’t tell...

"He was giving me the you're going to be grounded look,” her twin sister was quick to explain. Nyra shook ...

"Yes. We're ...

"Paul, did you know what they were talking about?" "Wait, am I in trouble too?" York's glare fixed on me, and I instantly knew the answer. "Yes."

"No, I'm just—" He blew out a breath. "I'm tired and think I’m going to turn in too."

"Alone. There's just a lot on my mind."

"Okay, sure."

"I'll get out of your hair. Can't get in the way of your thoughts." I headed for the door, pain flaring in the middle of my chest. "Paul, ...

“Let me know when you're ready to have fun again. I know it's all I'm good for."

Crying in the background gave me the answer I needed to know why it took Benito so long to pick up. "Possible cracked egg." The crying stopped before Benito spoke. "You fucked up?"

"I don't know." "Fuck! This messes everything up." Benito's disappointment hurt just as badly as York's suspicions.

"Is everything all right with Agent Gallo?" I asked. "Oh, Paul? No idea." He shrugged. "He's been like that for two weeks. No jokes, no BS, just focusing on the job. I guess it's a good thing." He grinned. "Maybe someone broke his heart for once. Wouldn't that be funny? I don't even think it's possible." "Yeah," I muttered. "Not possible. Excuse me."

mother and father that loved him dearly. No pets. Not many friends. Had done well at the academy. No negative marks in his file despite some complaints about interpersonal relationships in the office. I went back through again, searching for something, but not knowing what. Didn't he say he had a sister?

"Yes," he said. "I've finished the reports you gave me, and I was wondering if I could head home early today. All we're doing is waiting for one of the families to make a move, so I don't need to be here doing paperwork," he spat.

"No, but I would like the day off regardless. I don't feel well."

"Is there a problem, Agent Gallo?" "No problem." I stood up slowly. "It feels like you're still angry at me. You didn't text for weeks." "Neither did you," he said evenly. "No, I didn't, but I thought you wouldn't want to speak to me." I stood in front of him. "If I hurt your feelings..." "Never that,"

"I don't want to talk about personal th...

"Take the day off if you need it," I said, evenly. "Maybe you can go visit your sister. You do have a sister, don't you, Paul?"

"What are you saying?" he asked. "Do you have a sister?"

"Yes, I do," he snapped. "Not related by blood, but an old friend of mine. I've called her my sister since we were kids."

"Dismissed," I said as I turned my back on him and ignored that constant ache. "Take all the time you need." "Thanks." The door to my office slammed, rattling it. I stared at it for a while, wondering if Paul really could be involved with all the insanity.

"Hello—" "When I call, you answer,"

"Benito—"

"Don't start about your brother. He's letting shit slide right now. Back in my day, we took care of anyone who dared disrespect us." "He's also brought in three times the amount of revenue since taking over. He knows what he's doing, Pop."

"He's soft." Benito, soft? I'd laugh, but I knew it would piss him off. My brother was far from soft. He was smart. He played his cards right. Letting his crazy side out to play wasn't a smart move. People were constantly watching him, he took on things our father cou...

"I need you to take care of something for me." Shaking my head no, I already knew the route this was going. "I can't blow my cover." "If you're good at what you do, you won't."

"You're a Vitale at the end of the day. Don't tell me you forgot while playing a fed." "No." "You sure they didn't brainwash you? There wasn't much there to start off with."

"What do you need done, Pop?" "You sure you’re up for it?"

"I have things to do. Either tell me or I'm getting off." "Now look who started their period. Told your mother plenty of times not to coddle you two. Turned you into a bunch of sissies." "Dad," I growled.

"Calm down and take the panties out of your ass. I have a few men coming over from Italy. I need you to make sure they get through just fine. I also have someone for you to take care of."

"Benito know about this?" "Am I talking to Benito?" Before I could answer, my father kept talking. "No, I'm saying what needs to be done."

"Paolo, are we going to have an issue? If you can't handle this, I'll call the other one and have him do it."

"No, I have some free time." "Good, have it done tonight. I'll have the locations sent over to you." Dad hung up without so much as a goodbye, not that I ever expected one from him.

"Who knows I'm a Vitale?" Blood stained his teeth, his tongue split on the side probably from his teeth slicing into it. "Everyone."

"Your boss is an idiot if he didn't realize it. But it won't matter, he's next. We've given him plenty of warnings."

"What warnings?" Ai spat at my feet. "Wouldn't you like to know?" His knowing smile irked the fuck out of me.

No one, and I meant no one, would hurt York or the girls.