"...even the wicked love..."

Nick's POV

7am in the morning.

I haven't slept a wink all night. I couldn't stop hearing Kei crying. I dint know if I'm remembering her cries when I broke up with her or if it's my conscience -I didn't even know I have one- guilt tripping me for what I have done to her.

I keep telling myself that other than doing this for Maddie, I'm doing it for Kei. I'm saving her from Margaux and from Mancini by leaving her. But even with these reasons, I can still hear her crying. It's breaking my heart and soon I won't even have any pieces left to pick up.

I can hear movement outside. I pushed the curtains open to see police cars pulling up on my driveway.

"Timmy? Really Timmy? At 7am in the fucking morning!" I wondered out loud. I hurried out of my room rushing downstairs to see the concerned faces of my grandfather, Helena, my mother and father. "The police-"

"We know. Do you have anything you need to hide?" Helena asked me.

I ran back upstairs. I have a gun in the safe. I had it the night I went to Jason's. I didn't fire it but I can't let Timmy have it. When I opened the safe I almost passed out from shock. There's no gun.

"Nicko!" I heard my mom calling me. "Nicko, your dad wants to open the door. They are knocking like they will take it down. What's wrong?" She knelt beside me. "Why are you staring into an empty safe?"

"I'm missing a gun."

"Maybe you misplaced it."

"No I didn't. It was here.'

"Nicko," she rested her palm on the side of my arm. "It's all right. Sometimes when alcohol messes with the mind it is possible to forget certain things. Come on down. Your dad is waiting."

I followed her back downstairs.

"All good?" Dad asked me.

"Yes."

There's a door bell but someone is hanging against the door.

My father opened it. "What?"

"Is Nickolas Bale home?"

"Who are you?" My father asked.

"Detective Tim Rowland. This is a warrant to search the premises." My father blocked the doorway to keep him from entering.

"You will stand there until I read the warrant." He told him firmly. Timmy didn't protest. Dad has that effect on people. He gives orders and people follow. He took his sweet time to look through it. When he was satisfied he folded it. "Detective, if you turn this household upside down... if even one painting on the wall is left crooked... I won't forget. Not a spoon out of place! Is that clear?"

I wish I could see Timmy's face right now.

"Yes sir." He sounds so confused.

"Then you may come in. Take off your shoes. All of you."

He stood beside the door, arms folded behind his back and legs slightly spread. He watched them trickling in. There's one with mismatched socks.

"Good morning Nickolas. Is this your family?"

"No Timmy! They are the seven dwarfs!"

"It's always fun talking to you. All of you will stay put, no one moves. Ma'am, can we look inside the bag?"

Helena has a handbag. She arrived a few minutes ago. "Do you want to borrow a tampon detective?" Helena asked him.

My mother burst out laughing. It's a mean laughter. She's even pointing and the rest of us just can't contain ourselves.

"I have a warrant-"

"For this house. Not my personal belongings. Don't confuse me for an ornament in this house. And don't waste my time arguing. Go get a warrant and then come find me in Greece." She kissed my mom's cheek and squeezed my shoulder. "Hang in there."

"Ma'am-"

"I'm not your mother!" Helena told him sternly.

She left and no one stopped or followed her.

"Is it a Bale gene to be stubborn?" He asked us.

"Don't look at me! I'm not a Bale!"

"What are you?"

"The Easter bunny! Nice to meet you." My mom beamed. "Please stop making this easy for us. Stop asking stupid questions and do your job. I want all of you gone! You're ruining the positivity that was flowing in this house before you showed up!" She spoke really fast. "I'm going to make myself something to eat. I'm not standing around like a statue."

She also left and Timmy looked like he would explode. Gio sat down an I sat down. My father is still at the door. They are putting things back just the way they found them. Lupe brought Maddie to me and I held her as we waited.

"What are they looking for?" Gio whispered.

"Something to pin Jason's murder on me."

"Will they find something?"

"I didn't do it nonno. You have to believe me. I need to talk to you after they leave."

Daddy, who ate these people?" Maddie asked me.

"They are annoying people who should go away soon. Dint worry sweetheart. They will." I pressed her head against my chest.

I need a drink. A strong one too!

After over an hour, they were finished. My father is telling them to fix things that don't please him. Timmy came up to me with disappointment written all over his face. "I'm not giving up on this. I know you-"

"Have the decency not to mention such darkness in front of a child." Gio interrupted him.

"Tea for your disappointment?" My mom asked him. "By the way, I was just thinking that this witch hunt you're on isn't right. You should point your pitch forks at actual criminals.If you can't do your job retirement is an option Timmy. Take it."

"Who are again?"

"Santa!"

"She's in county you know. There's an inmate who runs the place. They call her Moon. I promise you that by the end if the week, she won't walk right."

I almost got on my feet but nonno's fingers sank into my thigh. "Don't." He warned me.

After my father closed the door, I let Maddie go with Lupe.

"I have to get her out of there."

"You should." My mother agreed. "You have destroyed her life. She is in jail abd you are here enjoying your freedom! And I'm starting to feel like there are things you're not telling us."

"Mancini... he is behind Jason's murder and he is framing Kei. Russo called me and gave me 24 hours to confess to the murder or Kei suffers. I do have the power to get her out of there. I'm just scared that... I..." I paused for w moment. "I should confess."

"Gio! What is Mancini's obsession with Nicko? What is it? You go back to Roma and you fix this!" My mother addressed nonno. He's quiet. "Did you hear me?"

"I'm not deaf." Gio told her sharply. "If Romano is behind this, he can be reasoned with. After breakfast, I'll leave for Sicily. Nicko, don't confess to anything. I have a feeling that this doesn't end with you in jail. He wants something. Don't confess until you hear from me."

I tightened my legs around his neck and summed up every ounce of strength I have in me. But I'm slowly feeling my body leaving the floor. Even gravity isn't of help as Mancini is struggling to break free from my choke.

The thudding on the doors is getting louder. They will make it in. When they do I'm as good as dead. When I found out about Kei's arrest I was furious. That us not what we agreed on. He was supposed to have Jason killed in a way that makes the killer anonymous! Not this! Not Kei behind bars!

I realized that I'm losing when he lifted me and drive me down into the glass table with nothing but brutal force. My back slammed into the glass and he staggered away. He is coughing violently and I'm struggling to get up.

He opened the door, letting his men in. They grabbed me and forced me on my knees. Mancini dragged a sword towards me. This infamous sword has slayed lives in this very room. This done shaped room belonging to the godfather is full of blood.

"I like you." Romano told me. "I really really like you. I don't like many people. So it's a privilege to be liked by me because I open doors for those I like. Katya... this is the second time you have tried to kill me." He's holding his side where I stabbed him repeatedly. I did come here with that intention. "And there won't be a third because you will trust me."

"The hit was not supposed to hurt Kei!"

"In starting to think that this obsession you have with Keira is not healthy. But I don't blame you. I like her too. I like her very very very much."

"Then why did you bury a body in her home? Why?"

"Iron is out through fire to be strengthen. She will be stronger when she survives this. I'm certain you want to see her again. I recommend that you stop this stupidity. Nothing will happen to Keira that she can't handle. She's not my target. She's just bait."

"For what?"

"I want Nicko." He sighed. "Throw her in the hole for the next seven days. And bring her boy to me. I'll take care of Terrence in your absence." He smiled wickedly.

"Mancini this isn't over! This isn't over! If you hurt my son I will kill all of your children!"

"I believe you Katya!" He called out. "Ciao!"

The took me outside, into the heat of the day and they dragged me across the lawn to a metal lid with holes in it. I have heard of this punishment. It's brutal. Russo gladly threw me into the metal hole and closed the lid. It's hot! It's hot in here!

Kei. Sweet Kei. What have I done to her?

I'm starting to think that Nickolas Bale has become my white whale. I'll never catch him. The house was as clean as a pin. We found nothing that can tie him to the murder of Jason Burke.

"Detective!"

I rolled my eyes at the sight of Rose Anderson. "It's 7pm. I'm done for the day!"

"I'm just getting started. Have you shared everything about my client's case with me? Have you shared everything?"

Only Fitz and I know about the gin Keira fired not being the cause of death. If I bring this information to light, Keira will walk. Nick won't be coerced to confess and since I have nothing on nick, he will walk. This case will be done. When I told her about Moon I saw rage flashing on his face. His pale blue eyes became inflamed with rage. Who knows, he may just confess.

"What is this?"

"You do realize that I need to know how the case is progressing!"

"Talk to the prosecution."

"I'm talking to you!"

"Let's set up a meeting tomorrow. For now, I'm tired. Go away Rose."

"If I find out that you are withholding evidence, I will destroy your career! You will never work in law enforcement ever again!"

She stormed off.

I hate that woman. She's pretty but I hate her.

I got into my offic to collect a few personal items when I saw a white box wrapped with black ribbon sitting on the table. I gently pulled the ribbon, carefully taking the top lid off. There is a gun sitting in the box. It's in clear paper.

Someone gift wrapped a gun?

There's no note. There's no address. There's nothing. This was hand delivered.

"Fitz! Fitz!" I shouted at the top of my voice.

Fitz came in running. "What's wrong?"

"Check surveillance! I'm looking for whoever brought this box here!"

"What is it?"

"A gun. It's a gun. Is it... could it be-"

"The missing gun we are looking for? Probably. Run it for prints and ballistics. Run it against Nickolas Bale."