Dark Saint [Romano Brotherhood, #1]

08 | Nina

"But I'm going insane," I stress, widening my eyes. "Did he tell you how stir crazy I get?"

Michael gives me a curious look, his eyes drifting down to where I'm scratching my arm a little obsessively.

"Uh, no, he didn't. But Mr. Romano will be back shortly—"

"Oh God," I stumble back, my chest heaving as I press into the side of the refrigerator. "Oh God, oh God—"

"Miss? What's wrong?"

I breathe in deep inhales that come out as sobs, and one look at Michael tells me he is stressed.

Good.

"Can I just—I need to walk around a bit outside," I gasp, making sure to wheeze a little bit. "I won't go anywhere, I promise. Please."

Michael nods so quickly that I almost feel bad for tricking him and quite likely incurring Santo's wrath on him. I clutch onto his beefy arm as he carefully leads me outdoors, pulling in deep breaths as we walk down the sparse dirt path.

"Is this... better, miss?"

"Call me Nina," I smile, finding that it's genuine. "And yes, it is. Thank you, Michael."

I'm pretty sure he blushes a little bit, clearing his throat and fixing his gaze on the path ahead. I bite back a larger smile.

"So, Michael. What's it like working for Santo and his brothers?"

Immediately, his face becomes guarded, and I regret not easing into the questions smoother.

"It's fine, mi—Nina."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry," I quickly state. "It's just—well, I've only recently been kidnapped and I'm not quite sure how much I should be fearing for my life."

He chokes on his next breath, and I wave a hand in the air. "I know this is your job, and I'm not asking you to compromise it. I just want to know a little more about the men I'm dealing with, you know?"

We walk in silence for several minutes, leaves crunching beneath our feet, and I can practically feel Michael weighing the pros and cons of speaking.

"The Romanos are not men you should disrespect," he says quietly. "They operate on traditional codes of honor and conduct that not many other crime families value. It is for this reason that they appear to be one of the most organized and powerful families in the U.S." His words take on a slight tone of urgency. "I would advise you, m—Nina, not to do anything but what they tell you to do. That is how you survive."

"What... what codes of honor and conduct are you talking about?"

I think of Santo's frequent trips that have him coming back bathed in blood. Of the ease with which the Capo ordered me to the basement to be tortured.

And I wonder how any of that can come from a code of honor.

"Omertà."

At my blank look, Michael goes on, his voice filling with a note of pride. "It's a Southern Italian vow of silence. Under Omertà, any member and associate has sworn on his life to maintain silence in the face of any questioning by authorities or outsiders. It originated in Southern Italy with the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, and..." he trails off, noting my confusion, "It's not common in this country, is what I mean. But by following this code, the Romanos have benefitted greatly. With many other families, there's plenty of reasons for brother to turn on brother. For fathers to turn on sons. But ever since Massimo became Capo, the family has grown in influence and power."