Nine

—NICO'S POV—

Shadows of the past converge,

A tiny figure, a familiar surge.

I scroll through the files on my desk, but I can't concentrate.

Those innocent green eyes stare back at me wherever I go. It's impossible.

A little kid, barely more than a baby, maybe a couple of years old. As someone who grew up facing the heartless side of humanity from the onset, I never bore any sentiment toward kids. But it's different.

"Leave me and my son alone," Jasmine's desperate cry fills my ears, even though it has been a whole half-hour since I drove away from her little apartment and back to the hotel.

Her son...

Could it be...

My grip on the pen in my hand tightens so much that I'm about to snap it in two.

A lot can happen in three years, a voice in my head says to me.

Back in Jasmine's apartment, I was barely able to control myself. But that kid... I pause, swallowing hard.

Why did the thought scare the crap out of me? I have faced off against rival mafias and conquered the whole of Italy, ma