Twisted in Chaos (Destructive Devastation #2)

Chapter 49

I stare at her when she leaves the table. It’s like a piece of me has floated away, stuck in a dark headspace. Darker than on the island. We were in survival mode. Doing whatever we needed to make it until the next day. Now? She’s obviously reliving our time in the dark. The fight she endured.

Now, the baby on top. And her sister?

She’s crashing on a lonely highway and wants nothing to do with the three of us.

For now, at least. I don’t think I can handle her being away for too long. When Shadow ripped us apart and took her to the wedding and left me behind, it did something to me. Broke me in two. I never want to take my eyes off her.

I’m over the moon that she’s pregnant. It’s everything we wanted. Selfishly, might I add. We were never ones to think these things through. Is this what Journey wanted? No. But hopefully, with time, she’ll come to terms with the idea that she’s having our baby. As Arrow would say, she literally has no choice.

‘How long do we intend to hide out here?’ I sign once I hear the door to the bathroom close and the water run.

“Forever,” Arrow says with a grin. “Welcome to our new palace. Fuck Briar Cove,” he scoffs, waving a hand. “They can blow it up more, and we’ll be here making babies and raising ‘em, too.”

He doesn’t mean it. Arrow would never walk away from a fight. Not this one, at least. He’s been born and bred for this type of situation. The perfect weapon. He thinks in blood and mayhem. The last thing he’d ever do is walk away from this fight to protect the people he’s always fought for—the citizens in need.

“I’d love to say I agree,” Jericho mumbles, running a hand down his face. “Free from the life. Free for Journey to give her a more fulfilling life than what she’s had under my father’s thumb and her mother.” He shakes his head, wearily looking between us. “But we can’t abandon the people of our city. If war spills over, they’re the ones in the crosshairs.”

The news of his mother’s betrayal has rocked him to the core. I see it in the bags under his eyes and wrinkles collecting across his face, pulling him down. His dark eyes haze over, getting lost in the fog of indecision—something my brother never has. Jericho is a leader—a man who always knows what to do and how to do it.

Right now, though? He’s spiraling, too.

We all are.

We’ve been pushed out of our roles and thrust into the fringes of society. Cast out of Briar Cove like criminals while the real criminal holds power over the innocent and not-so-innocent. The list of things we need to get done in a short period of time continues to grow with every breath we take. Take down my sperm donor. Collect information from him and use it against Gabe. Take down Jericho’s parents with whatever they’re doing and find out what Grace has up her sleeve. Once those are achieved, our next challenge is convincing the rest of the men in the Viotto Crime Family to follow our lead. That won’t be an easy feat.

If protocol is followed, then they’ll have no choice but to bend their knees to us. But if their loyalties lie with Gabriel through thick and thin, they’ll die for it.

Our childhoods formed us into what we are. Monsters to some. Villains to others. Saviors to the people of Briar Cove, depending on our services. And to Journey? I’m not entirely sure. She wears her feelings close and never lets people see her distress.

I did, though, throughout our captivity. I kept her afloat. She did the same for me. Like a life raft, I clung to her to keep my head above water. I tried to protect her and keep her out of my father’s grasp the best I could.

He still got to her. Unsettled her. Rattled her fucking core.

And there was nothing I could do about it except watch helplessly as she left my sight to fight in a death match.

Never fucking again.

I didn’t know what would come next besides the pain in my stomach. I had no idea I’d pass out and wake up in a hotel room, lying on a comfortable bed with confusion, waiting for her to return. If she didn’t, I was going to riot against everyone. They’d all die at my hands for keeping her from me and harming her. He took her from me again a second time, splitting us up so he could parade her around a dangerous wedding he knew he’d blow up.

Journey West is my wife. Not legally. But in my heart. She will never be out of my sight again. I’ll become Arrow, follow her through the shadows, and keep my eyes on her.

“And I can’t call my uncles for aid. They’d never take their brother down. Or my mother. Or anyone else vying for the throne. Not their circus, as they love to say. They won’t step in. Not since what happened with Olivia’s nightmare of a father. This fight is ours. Regaining Briar Cove as ours,” he says, interrupting my thoughts. “Our legacy.” His brows furrow slightly. There’s something in the depths of his expressive eyes that he’s not saying. Is it possible that Jericho Viotto no longer wants the burden of the throne?

“So, the child and unstable Elias are our only damn allies? And we have to split up the territory? Pfft. The rest of the family isn’t going to be pleased about these developments.” Arrow frowns, slightly leaning back in his chair. “How do you think old Daddy Gabe’s bosses will take this?” He raises a defiant brow, like he’s uncertain we should even fight. “There’s three of them and three of us.” A malicious smile crawls across his lips. “Not that it’s ever stopped us before.”

“Where are they, then?” Jericho opens his arms wide, staring at the empty room. “The family is loyal to Gabriel and his laws. Not ours. They won’t step in and help us or take Gabriel down. They’re out for themselves and care nothing for the citizens. Only the money they gain and the power they hold. They won’t fight against him even if he’s failed them for the past five years. He’s their leader. Even if they do fight against him, it wouldn’t be for us. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. We must seize what is rightfully ours and claim our birthright as heirs. The throne belongs to the three of us. Together, we’ll build Briar Cove into the city it should have been all along.”

‘And when we defeat him?’ I sign hesitantly.

Gabriel Viotto isn’t the only leader in charge we’ll have to defeat. He has men around him. Bodyguards. Higher-up men in the family. His damn loyal bosses. They’ll be the hardest to contain. They won’t bow down easily. We’re children in their eyes—no one of importance.

Jericho stares at me with a sigh. “We cross that road when we get there. Either they take him out, which they won’t. Or I do. Reclaim what was rightfully mine.” If he still wants it. Sometimes, I think Jericho would give it all to someone else if he could live a normal life with Journey. “Then everyone else will fall in line.” We hope, at least. Or I do. “I am the heir to that kingdom. Or what’s left of it.”

Could we give up the perks of being mafia men? The police in our pockets. The money flowing into our accounts. Everything that comes with it?

I eye Jericho when he huffs to himself. Seeing him so unsettled and unsure of our next moves is odd. We’re stuck in limbo with short-term plans. Kill my father for information. Meet with Elias and Mikhail—who I’m not too eager to meet again. Although he treated Sunny with respect. Or so it seemed. Journey, too. He’s still an unknown. Not an affiliate of our family. Of course, we can’t call Jericho’s uncles to aid us in this fight. It would be treason for them to fight against their own.

‘You want to let the townspeople get slaughtered in a war?’ My eyes volley between the two of them slumping in their chairs.

This is not the Arrow and Jericho I know. Of course, we’ve never been rocked like this before. Or hunted by the man we took orders from. This is a whole new level of Hell we’ve landed in, and navigating it without a map or resources has decimated us.

“We need more,” Arrow says with furrowed brows. “What is even happening? Last I heard, your old dad was sick and keeling over. Maybe he’s kicked the bucket.” Too bad he hasn’t already. Arrow pulls out his phone and sighs. “I’ll call my dad. Maybe he can give us some insight on Gabe's happenings.” Arrow doesn’t wait for an answer. Or an argument from us. He gets up and walks out the front door and disappears with the phone pressed to his ear.

‘You good?’ I sign, watching Jericho closely.

“Define good?” His gaze lands on me, and worry is sitting in his eyes . ‘I’m fucking terrified,’ he signs back, shaking his head . ‘There’s so much at stake. With us. With Journey. She’s fucking pregnant. We did that to her in the middle of this bullshit.’ Guilt swarms him, pulling his face tight—a small tic forming in his jaw.

I grab his arm and gently squeeze . ‘We’ll fight through this. One thing at a time, Jer. Okay?’ I sign quickly, trying to calm his nerves.

Jericho sharply nods at me. “First things first. We need to have a nice long discussion with the man in the basement. I’m sure he’s had enough time to think about what he’s done.”

That I’m sure of, too; he’s been down there since I arrived. I haven’t seen him since the fight I attended with Journey and Mikhail.

The front door slams, pulling us from the intense conversation. Arrow marches through the living room, pocketing his phone, and sits across from us again. An uneasy expression twists his lips together, and his eyes volley between Jericho and me. There’s uncertainty there.

“Sunday,” he says with a frown.

‘What’s Sunday?’ I sign.

“The Family has the basement that night. My dad says he feels like something is going to happen. But I don’t know what.” Arrow looks perplexed, uncharacteristically rubbing his temples. He’s a deadly golden retriever at best. So, seeing him and Jericho out of whack has my hackles rising.

‘It could be a trap?’ I question, looking between the two of them.

“Possibly,” Jericho sighs. “But we need an inside look as to what is happening and why.”

‘So, we take the chance?’

“My dad is trustworthy, Sheppy Boy,” Arrow chides with a scoff, shifting in his seat. “You think the great priest would lead us into a death trap?” He raises a brow at me. “Me? His child?” He shakes his head, glancing away from me.

Maybe. I’ve known the priest for as long as I’ve known Arrow. He’s never seemed untrustworthy, giving all his loyalty to Arrow. Every chance Arrow had, he was there with his father for Sunday dinners and visiting. The thing about Arrow is he loves blood and guts, but spending time with his dad? That’s a different story. His father loves him in his own special way. That’s why he gave him to Gabriel—thinking that Gabe could turn Arrow’s affinity for killing into something useful. It did. Gabe created the ultimate weapon of mass destruction—a weapon the priest didn’t see coming.

“Given the priest’s history, I say we approach with caution and follow our guts. He has done nothing to earn our suspicions,” Jericho says with a firm nod.

Arrow shifts again with a blank stare without emotion. Something tells me he’s not happy thinking about his father in any sort of negative light. He never has.

‘Then we move out in three days,’ I sign.

“Three more days,” Arrow says with a grin.

“I was supposed to marry Chloe on Saturday,” Jericho muses with a snort, finding humor in the fucked-up situation. “In that very church we’re going to infiltrate.”

“Fuck Chloe Satin,” Arrow spits. “I can’t believe the big guy did that.”

“I can,” Jericho scoffs. “Anything to gain new alliances. No matter who he hurts.”

‘You told us he knew you married Journey and that she was still alive. The marriage wouldn’t have been valid,’ I sign quickly, thinking deeply about Gabriel’s motivations.

“As long as he convinced me she was dead, the marriage would have been real. I’m sure he would have forged death certificates or annulled the marriage completely.” He shakes his head with a sigh. “You think my wife has drowned?” he asks, turning to look toward the bedroom with worry. I know he wants to hold her in his arms and suffocate her with his obsession. She’s too angry. Too broken to let herself fall apart in front of him.

Right now, at least.

“I’ll save you, Kitten,” Arrow says with pride. He attempts to stand, but I pull him back by his shirt.

‘She’s stressed. Don’t touch her,’ I sign rapidly once he’s seated again, glaring at me . ‘You could hurt the baby.’

Water splashes in the bathroom as Journey presumably settles further into the tub, catching our attention.

“We leave her be for now. She’s been through enough for one day…” Jericho shakes his head, looking at me. “Is what she said about starvation true?” His fingers curl into fists on the table.

I swallow thickly, nodding once . ‘Until we complied with his demands, he left us in the dark without food or water. We were weak by the time he came back. That’s when he sent her to the Pit for the fight.’

“Right,” Jericho says, gritting his teeth. “The picture Elias showed me of her covered in blood at a fucking dinner with him and Shadow.”

“What was his end game, Sheppy Boy?” Arrow asks, leaning in closer.

‘No clue,’ I sign with a shrug. ‘We could always ask him.’

“I like the way you think. Let’s cut off some toes and get in the knows,” Arrow quips, jumping from his chair with a whoop.

‘Such a poet,’ I sign sarcastically.

Jericho nods. “I’ll inform my Chaos of where we’re going. Hopefully, it’ll give her time to think. Then she can join us.” He saunters away with more uncertainty, disappearing into the bedroom.

“He seem different to you?” Arrow asks, sidling up to me when I stand as well.

‘Yes and no,’ I sign. Yes, because he’s under stress, and no, because he’s still the same Jericho. ‘He just got his world turned upside down. ’

“True,” Arrow says, turning and grabbing a drink from the fridge. “Better hydrate, Sheppy Boy. We’ve got loads of interrogations to do. And if my Spidey senses are on point, then your dear daddy is about to break.” He grins, clapping me on the back before taking off into the basement and unlocking the door.

Thick rubber bands wrap tightly around my chest, squeezing tight at Arrow’s optimism. Thomas Mondelli does not break. He never has. Even when Grace Viotto disappeared—the love of his life. A chasm sprouted in my father, severing his heart from his chest. But he didn’t break. Not completely. He drowned his sorrows in booze, but he never revealed a goddamn thing. Maybe with his fists and touch he told us how much he hated us for existing.

But he never broke.

Now, I have to face the man who put me through all that hell. My stomach sloshes, shoving bile up my throat.

Can I do this? Can I face him head-on and not lose my shit? After everything on the island. My childhood.

I have no other choice. This moment is mine. Face Shadow and take him down. His life is mine to end.

“It’ll be okay.” Jericho’s sharp voice echoes through my mind as a hand lands on my shoulder. “You do not have to face him. Arrow and I…”

I shake my head, cutting him off. ‘He tortured me for too long not to see my face when he dies.’

Jericho’s dark eyes examine my face. “Fair enough. We need answers, though. What are his and my mother’s plans for the future before we eviscerate him?”

My eyes strain toward the bedroom. My mind is on the brunette who walked away with ghosts in her eyes.

“She’s processing it all. So rudely told me to fuck off before my balls were next.” Jericho’s lips pull into a smirk. “I’d love to see her try.”

Yeah, me too.

I don’t bother signing anything back. Journey is allowed to wallow in her feelings. Even though I want to bundle her in blankets, bake her donuts, and gently feed them to her.

All I want is for her to be safe. And happy.

Instead, I force myself down the steep stairs to face the man who made my childhood hell. Face the man who touched me while I slept and cut out my tongue so I couldn’t speak of his crimes.

It's time to end his existence once and for all.

And I’ll be the one to do it.