LUCA

Veda stiffened beside me when she spotted Mario and his men standing side by side on the other side of the back parking lot. She didn't ask me

any questions. Didn't beg. Didn't try to weasel her way out of what was about to happen. What had to happen. I hoped she was still stoned enough that she wouldn’t feel anything. Wouldn’t see what was coming.

For me, seeing my brother for the first time since the drug bust had gone down was strange. I expected to feel more. Sorrow, perhaps. Loss for the brother I knew when we were kids, before he had become this selfish prick. But...