James cradled his second whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as the minutes stretched into hours. He was acutely aware of the weight pressing down on him, a heaviness that gnawed at his chest and kept him rooted in place. Calls were piling up, things left to be done, but still he hadn’t moved. Not since Roberto had left hours ago. The man’s decision—choosing family over all else—stuck with James. He admired it, in a way, but it also left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Roberto’s choice was noble, sure, but that didn't make it right. Not in a world where families like the Connollys, Hayes, and Morgans were anything but innocent. They weren’t the naïve, wide-eyed victims people liked to pretend they were. They were players in the same game, just with different stakes. And Roberto?
