Chapter 15
She never replied.Not that I expected her to.
Wordamong my Da’s ranks was that Damien’s sons left town with her this morning, but that was where our intel ended. There was a police roadblock set up that very conveniently stopped our tail just long enough for him not to be able to catch up once he was waved through the ride check.
There’dbeen no word on their return and honestly? I hoped they all stayed away for the pass off in the canyons. Something was wrong.
Daordered me to attend the meet.
Ikept the windows of my Impala rolled up tight as I drove the canyon roads, kicking up tawny sand and dust in my wake as my knuckles turned white against the wheel.
Dawould only blow my cover for one of two reasons.
If he thought it was already blown.
AndI knew in my gut Becca wouldn’t rat me out. And besides, if she had I’d have chewed lead by now. The girl had my address.
If Da wouldn’t be needing my cover anymore.
Whichcould only mean one thing: he planned to take Becca. Or worse…he already had her.
Nausearoiled in my stomach as I imagined his hands on her, inflicting pain. The snap of his whip against her smooth ivory skin, marring it forever.
Mynewer wounds were only just starting to scab over and the lacerations were at the stage where they itched like a bastard but I knew better than to touch them. It would only worsen the scars, possibly cause infection, and make them heal more slowly.
Ineeded to be at my best if I had any chance of…
Ofwhat?
Didsaving Becca mean directly opposing Da?
Howfar was I really willing to go to keep her safe?
IfI had to choose between him and her, how could I do that and?—
Icut off the thought, refocusing on the road ahead as BlueOysterCult filled the car, telling me not to fear the reaper.
Ishould’ve just kidnapped her myself. I thought about it. That day in the supply closet at CalArts. If she hadn’t mentioned that Hardin and Kaleb were just outside I might’ve followed through with the intrusive thought. At least if I had her my father wouldn’t be able to get his hands on her. I could’ve kept her safe.
Ifhe did have her I would kill Hardin and Kaleb myself for allowing her to fall into his hands. If they let her be taken, then they didn’t deserve her.
Oneof my two phones chimed in the passenger seat, and I couldn’t help frowning when I saw it was the one on the right. NotBecca, then.
Ichecked the message, finding a text that had to be from Da.
Unknown
You’re late.
I’dbe there in two minutes, so I didn’t bother replying, adjusting myself in the seat, sitting higher, scanning the hills and valleys for signs of Saints or our men hiding just out of range.
Iexchanged my new burner for my older one on the seat, flicking it open to check for the twelfth time for a reply from Becca, but still there was none.
Iscrolled back through our conversation, teeth clicking with how hard I clenched them. By now I knew almost every word of our old text conversations by heart. There were a lot of them. We talked almost daily for a while. I found the texts I sent her after that night I found her on the side of the road, alone and crying, a few miles from DamienSt. Vincent’s house.
Shestayed in my car for hours. We talked and didn’t talk until she was ready for me to bring her back to her apartment. And then I texted her to remind her of what I told her in the car, needing her to remember.
Aodhán
Blood isn’t everything.
Your family is who you choose.
Herreply came within a few minutes.
Becca
Thank you for everything. I really needed a friend tonight.
Isthat what she was to me?
Afriend?
Iwasn’t sure. Never really had one. Not one I’d have considered ‘real’ anyway.
ButI didn’t think you were supposed to wonder how your ‘friend’ would sound with your cock buried nine inches deep in her sweet cunt. Or if her lips were as soft as they looked. How they might feel against yours. Against other parts of you.
Iveered off the main road, taking the path Da indicated until I found them. Carefully, I powered off the burner phone with Becca’s messages on it and tucked it into the hollow compartment I’d made beneath the cup holder as I parked.
Damienwas indicating my vehicle with a hard look on his face, clearly unamused at my father’s late addition to the meet, but he wasn’t who I was looking for as I stepped out.
Isaw Hardin first. It was hard not to. The guy was massive and had this imposing aura that rippled off him like fucking nuclear radiation. My gaze snapped to his brother. His mother. Damien’s right hand. The one they call Pope. And two others.
NoBecca.
Thetight ball of dread in my stomach eased, but not fully. I knew tonight wasn’t going to go well for at least one Saint in attendance here. WhateverDa had planned, it wasn’t good.
They’dfollowed his instructions, though. There were only eight of them present as ordered. ThoughI knew Damien was smart enough to have his men as close as possible.
AllSaint eyes followed my movements, and I wondered again what the fuck Da’s play was in blowing my cover.
Ididn’t move to stand next to him, crossing the long expanse of red dirt to stand among his other men. I may have been blood of his blood, but here, among his ranks, there were no favorites. I was a soldier just like his other soldiers.
“Now that we’re all here,” Da said in a way that told me there would be skin tearing repercussions for my tardiness. I lifted my chin. “The payment, if you please.”
Damienhanded a leather satchel to Zade, and he brought it to my a like the faithful dog he appeared to be. In truth, I didn’t know which of Damien’s men my da bought out for intel but I knew he owned at least one. He always did. And most men were easy to buy. You just needed to know where to press and where to pad.
Datossed the bag to me and I caught it, going to the hood of the nearest car to count it.
Itseemed less than I expected, but as with everything, I didn’t know the number Da had in mind when he set the twenty percent terms.
“EighteenFive,” I told Da, and he sucked air in through his teeth, turning back to a pale faced Damien.
“It’s a little light.”
“Count it again.”
Ilooked to Da, who nodded.
Icounted it again, wishing I’d find whatever amount of the payment Da thought was missing, but the number remained the same. “Eighteen five.”
Damienstepped forward, but his wife stopped him, hissing his name.
TheSaint’s electric eyes sparked in the moonlight. “I counted it myself,” he spat. “It. Isn’t. Light. Let me count it.”
“Are you saying you don’t trust me, Mr. St. Vincent?” Da taunted, and I flipped the satchel closed, leaving it on the hood to get back into position.
AsDa would say, it’s time for the show.
Damien, wise man, remained quiet at the taunt.
“You know,” Da said, lifting two fingers to his chin. “I think we can make this right without the need for any bloodshed. I’ll take your weapons to make up for the difference.”
Acold sweat spread over my back and I worked hard to keep my expression neutral.
Fuck.
We’dmade this play before.
Andthere was only one reason Da would take their weapons. We didn’t need them. We came in on the ship from Ireland with enough firepower to take the whole damned state if we wanted to.
Kaleb’slips moved, but I couldn’t hear what he said. The words were meant only for his brother. His eyes flicked across my father’s ranks, settling on me.
Igave my head the smallest, nearly imperceptible shake.
Don’tdo it.
Hisbrows lowered, confused.
Don’tfucking do it, mate.
Iheld his stare, but as Da turned around, I had to break it, stand taller. “Pauly, Darragh, collect their weapons, would you?”
“That wasn’t part of the deal,” Damien argued as the men broke rank to cross the expanse of dirt that marked the line between our two gangs. “We can get you the missing part of the payment. Just let me send?—”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
“What? No. I?—”
“Thisis the time for payment, Damien.” Da seethed, and I could sense the thing inside of him waking up, rearing its ugly head as he bristled. “Here and now. Not later. Not tomorrow. Now.If you’d prefer, I can take the payment by my preferred method.”
Dalifted his gun from the holster at his low back and Diesel drew at the same time.
Dagrinned, licking his lips.
“Do you really want to do that?” Da asked, his tone lowering to a dangerous level. “With your wife and sons in my men’s crosshairs?”
Hetsked.
Thestruggle was plain on Damien’s face. The visceral need to avenge his fallen man and protect his family, his territory. The knowledge that shooting my father here and now might mean spelling the demise of everyone else he loves.
Hedropped his weapon and I sensed Da’s triumph even from here as he easily lowered his weapon and nodded to Darragh and Pauly to do as he asked.
“Do it,” Damien hissed, tossing his gun into the sand and raising his hands as Pauly collected the weapon.
“Dad,” Kaleb hissed as Darragh held out his hands to the two sons of the Saint. “Dad, we’re not fucking doing this shit.”
ButDamien saw how it was. We outnumbered them here two to one. AndDa had his snipers in the hills. I didn’t think he fucked with any Saint safehouses this time. But by now Damien knew Da meant business and wouldn’t hesitate to take another of his men or someone closer to him if he didn’t do as he was asked.
“Kaleb,” Damien growled.
Hisnostrils flared as he shoved his gun into Darragh’s waiting hand.
Ifthey’d refused, it was a fifty-fifty chance Da would’ve risked the fight. He might’ve ended the meet with only the promise of retribution. Let it hang over their heads a few days before striking where it would hurt the most.
Noturning back now.
Darraghand Pauly returned with the weapons, showing Da their bounty on their way back. Da pursed his lips.
“We’re square,” Damien said, his voice dripping venom.
“For the missing payment, we are,” Da replied.
Fuck.
“You see,” Da said, rolling his shoulders back in a stretch that meant trouble. “A little birdy told me you’ve been talkin’, Damien.”
Hardinmoved, dragging his mother behind him, sensing what was about to happen.
“Tryin’ to talk to the senator,” Da tsked, wagging his finger back and forth as if scolding a child.
“Talkin’ to the pigs.”
TheSons in attendance oinked like a pack of starving hogs, laughing haughtily.
“And talkin’ to your old pals,” Da finished. “Tryin’ to get ’em to stand against me.”
Damienlost a year’s worth of sun on his skin in an instant. “I don’t?—”
“Don’t deny it,” Da snapped, pacing the sand like a fucking panther toying with his kill. “You’re better than that.”
Theglint of mad fury was clear in his eyes as he tapped the side of his gun against his temple.
“I warned you what would happen, Damien.”
Hestopped pacing, shoulders rising and falling with anticipatory breaths as he breathed in the scent of fear on the breeze. A sour sweetness. A poison he’d become all but immune to himself. It was why he’d never been beaten. Without fear, there was nothing he wasn’t willing to do. To sacrifice.
Damienopened his mouth to say something else, but my da waved his gun hand toward me, speaking before he could. “Have you met my son, Aodhán?”
No.
Itwasn’t either possibility I thought it could be when Da ordered me to attend the meet and blow my cover. I didn’t see this. How had I not seen this coming?
Ofcourse.
Mycover ceased to be important to my father the moment he started to question my loyalty. He’d been overly suspicious since Gilligan’sFinch went up in a blaze of white hot glory, taking its inhabitants with it.
An accident, the news outlets said.
An accident,I’d echoed. One that happened before we could collect their dues.
Hadhe gone and dug up Patrick and Brian’s vacant graves?
Didhe already know?
Ordid he only guess?
Hardin’sblack eyes snapped to me, something like recognition flaring in their depths. He may not have recognized me, but somehow…somehow he recognized my name.
Myda continued to hold his arm out to me and I approached at the wordless request. He clapped me on the back, and I went rigid at the sting of the wounds in my back, biting my tongue to keep from making a sound or betraying any proof of pain. Just like he taught me.
“ClearlyDamien here needs to bleed a little more before he’ll fully understand the situation,” Da said in a conspiratorial whisper loud enough for all to hear.
“Son,” Da said and each word that followed were sharp prods toward the end of the tightrope I balanced on. “Take one of this Saint’s sons as punishment.”
Andthen I knew. It didn’t matter what my da thought he knew or didn’t know because right now? Right now he was going to make me prove my allegiance. Here and now. With the Saints and his closest men bearing witness. And if I failed…
IfI failed he would do to me what he would do to any one of his soldiers who betrayed him. He would prove his ruthlessness by snuffing out the threat to his reign. Even if that threat came from his own blood.
“No!” Damien’s wife screamed, trying and failing to shove through her hulk of a son. Kaleb joined his brother, but where Hardin stood stoically holding his mother back, Kaleb whispered words of reassurance to her that I couldn’t hear. But whatever he said had the intended effect, and she settled for slinging curses at my father, cursing the ground beneath his feet instead of trying to attack.
Damien’scalculating gaze slid from my father to me, and I knew he wouldn’t allow this to happen quietly. There was an edge to him. AndI had no doubts he meant to go straight for the throat.
“I’m not heartless,” Da continued as Damien’s men whispered and shifted, trying to put themselves between Hardin and Kaleb and us. “I’ll take the younger of the two. Leave you with your first born.”
Damienlunged.
Hedrew the long curved silver blade from a hidden holster at his back and charged, going in for the kill. I lifted my weapon, aimed, and shot it from his hand a split second before Darragh tackled him to the ground. The knife sailed into the sand, the metal warped and handle shattered from the shot.
Dagave me a nod of approval as Darragh struggled to keep the Saint down. Pauly had to help him as Damien thrashed and cursed, frothing at the mouth. Another shot rang out and my stomach lurched at the blood curdling cry of anguish that followed, but Da didn’t take one of the Saint’s sons. He shot Damien’s wife in the knee.
She’dmanaged to get free of Hardin and was racing toward her husband and the men pinning him in the dirt. Now, she clutched her bleeding knee as Damien shouted, succeeding in doing nothing but eating a mouthful of dirt.
Hardinwas there with her, dragging his belt from his waist to tie a tourniquet around her thigh with blood coated fingers, shaking with rage as Zade helped him and the other unarmed Saints stood in frozen terror, not seeming to know what to do.
“Sloane!” Damien choked through the dirt as Darragh shoved his head harder into the ground.
Thiswasn’t the play. From the beginning Da said he wouldn’t take one of the Saint’s sons. Didn’t want to make a martyr. He was overplaying his hand. It was a risk.
Takingone of them could either work spectacularly at making Damien bend the knee or fail miserably. GiveDamien’s men a reason to rally. To pick up arms and fight back.
Butthen there it was.
Thefight Da wanted.
Maybehe never intended to allow the Saints to live at all. Maybe this was all just part of the show. More chapters and verses to add to the scripture of his bible. To root his reign in so deep that no one would ever question him again.
Maalways told him he had delusions of grandeur.
Itwas probably why she was dead now.
AsI thought through every scenario I couldn’t come up with a single outcome where both me and the youngest St. Vincent lived.
“Do it, fuil ma chuiid fola,” Da hissed.
Bloodof his blood or not, my father wouldn’t abide disobedience. IfI failed to execute his order, he would execute us both. AndBecca would lose two men who wanted to see her live. She’d be at risk without me. Without him.
Iraised my weapon.
She’ll never forgive you, Ma’s voice whispered in my ear.
Kalebrealized he was wide open and raised his hands, steeling himself, his gaze fixed on the weapon aimed squarely at his chest.
Hardinlooked up, his eyes going wide as I found my aim and prayed Kaleb didn’t move. He needed to be very, very still.
“Do it!”
“No!” roared Hardin, shoving to his feet, running. “Kaleb!”
Kalebshut his eyes. Closed his jaw.
Pleasesurvive.
Ifollowed the movement of his final breath, gauged the breeze, and pulled the trigger.