Chapter 54
Tension roars through my entire body the moment we enter Briar Cove. A war zone. Only, there's no sign of a struggle or fight. Buildings still stand untouched. Minus my father's fallen tower. Now, nothing more than rubble where it stood.
I half expected more signs of distress from our citizens: blood on the pavement, fires in the sky, and people running with fear in their eyes.
But there's nothing. It's untouched and perfect on the outside. But how are the inner workings?
It gives me hope for the future. That my father hasn't taken from them. Or my mother hasn't concocted some fucked up plan to destroy the town that betrayed her so badly.
Taking down the man who ruined her.
It seems Gabriel Viotto made it his mission in life to piss off as many people as he could. Well, he's succeeded. And now, his retribution is on its way.
Us.
My fingers curl at the thought of wrapping them around his throat and watching the life drain from his eyes. Excitement thrums through me. I'm so close I can't practically taste the victory. I'll track him down. Watch him and then strike when he least expects it.
After we spy on his meeting with all of Briar Cove’s most prominent family members, that is.
Our truck cab has been silent the entire way back through the mountains and down to our hometown.
“And the priest has ensured our safety throughout this entire meeting?” I ask offhandedly, unable to drag my eyes away from the blurring images.
He could be a traitor. It's been a thought of mine from the moment Arrow confided in him. I trust my brother's judgment of people. He can sus out someone not revealing the truth. But this? It's his dad. He's always had a soft spot for the man who raised him with morals, giving him the sliver of humanity still lingering inside him.
But I grew up in the mafia. I trust no one but the people in this vehicle. Anyone can be tainted by money or pretty promises.
Even a priest.
Arrow shrugs casually. “It’s nothing we can’t handle, Daddy Jer.”
He has a valid point.
We’re the Devils. We can take anything head-on. Even a woman hellbent on making my father pay for the marriage she did not want. She’s angry. Rightfully so. Taking back what she thought was hers.
And I’m eager to put my eyes on her again. To see the mother I never knew as the monster she's become.
“If it all goes sideways, we protect Journey at all costs.” Shepp looks at me through the rearview mirror, nodding in agreement.
“I’d slice so many throats for you, Kitten,” Arrow says, looking at us from the front passenger seat with a grin. “Spill all their blood. Soak the ground. All for you.” His body practically vibrates with the prospect of the carnage he will inflict.
If he has to.
Deep down, I'm hoping this meeting we're going to spy on doesn't provoke him into doing something stupid. Even though we took Shadow down in a bloody inferno, Arrow still itches for more. More destruction. More kills and blood.
He's insatiable at the thought of it. And we're here to keep him grounded.
“You’re so romantic,” Journey quips, snuggling into my side with a sigh.
My poor wife. She's been feeling the effects of her pregnancy. So much so that she's barely able to keep anything down. If I had my choice, I'd lock her in the cabin, call a doctor, and tend to her every need.
But going back to Briar Cove was always inevitable.
My fingers rub up and down her arm, gently soothing her from the motion of the vehicle. The moment we win this battle and take out the dictator attempting to steal my throne, Journey visits the doctor in town. I will not allow my child to siphon any more of her life force. It’s weakening her, pulling her into the bathroom every chance it gets.
If I could fight a baby for my wife’s health, I would. But in any case, the baby is ours, and I cannot harm what we purposefully made with our foolish notions to get her pregnant.
Perhaps we should have waited. Although, I'm ecstatic to see her plump with our child.
“I can get more romantic, Kitten,” he says, wiggling his brows. “You name it, and I'll do it.”
“If you mention soaking your cock in me one more time, I won’t touch it for nine months.” She scowls at him, huffing when his face falls.
It's exactly what he was thinking about. It's all he thinks about. I swear he's had a permanent boner since we fucked her at the wedding.
Arrow’s lips pop open and close several times. “Fine. I won’t talk about cock warming and how my cum could benefit your pussy and help with all the pain. Not to mention the baby. I won't mention anything, Kitten.” He winks, turning to look at the road ahead of us, leaving my wife groaning and gaping at him.
“You can plot his abstinence,” I quip, keeping her close. “Force him to watch as we fuck like rabbits for hours on end and not let him take part.”
AKA a taste of his own fucking medicine. I still haven't forgotten the feel of the straps around my wrists and ankles, watching them fuck my wife as a punishment for marrying her with no one knowing.
She gives a breathy laugh, snuggling further into me without a word.
“We will not discuss that! And I'm truly offended, Daddy Jer! I didn't do anything to deserve a show and no wet dick,” Arrow huffs with a frown, digging into his pocket and pulling out his phone. His lips pop open like he wants to say something, but he stops himself when it beeps again, deepening his frown. He taps a few times and sighs. “Dad texted and said the coast is clear, so we can park down the block and then come inside.” The more words he speaks, the softer he gets, losing his normal fire.
When speaking about his father, a light sits in his gaze. He's like a god in Arrow's eyes. But right now? He dims slightly, succumbing to the dark demon in his soul like he's preparing for battle and death.
A strange silence engulfs him when he puts his phone away, even when he looks out the window without returning to our argument.
I know he’s feeling the pressure of this meeting. We have to stay hidden wherever the priest puts us so we can listen in on what my mother has in store for Briar Cove. No matter what happens, we must remain quiet and stay in place. We chance death or worse—more imprisonment. On a long list of things I want to happen, being held at gunpoint by my vindictive mother is not at the top.
I shake myself out of my thoughts. The closer we get to parking near the church, the worse my thoughts become.
Why did my mother come back after all these years? Why does she want to inflict revenge so badly when she could have stayed gone? Run off to somewhere better and become someone else.
Instead of running away forever, she started her own gang. Entering into the same world, she so quickly walked away from—the family she so casually abandoned without a second thought. She was so damn close to me. Yet, so far away.
How can the woman who birthed me simply walk away, leaving me within my father's tortured grasp? She knew what he was capable of toward other people.
So, how was I so expendable? So replaceable?
I take a deep breath, blowing away all the rage brewing in my thoughts. If I let them, they'll consume me. And if they take me over, doing something stupid will be inevitable.
Killing my father will be a piece of cake. One slice and he'll be done. The joy it'll bring me to see his life drain away is something I'm looking forward to. For me. For Journey. For anyone he's fucked over.
My mother, though?
The woman who tucked me in at night, reading stories and taking my nightmares away—I can’t envision shoving a knife through her heart despite the damage she has done.
Fuck.
I shudder a breath when the truck comes to a stop near a curb—a building obscures our view. The sidewalks are empty—devoid of life. Like everyone in this town can feel the war horses who have rolled into town, ready to take their newest queen by surprise. At least, I hope so. This whole thing could go belly up in a heartbeat.
We could all die in a blaze of glory.
“I can see the thoughts you’re thinking,” Shepp rasps, using his fucking voice to knock me out of my spiral. Shit, I didn't even notice we were on this side of town.
“Oh, yeah?” I quip, raising a brow and loosening my muscles.
“Yeah, you look fucking constipated, Daddy Jer.” Fucking Arrow.
Shepp grunts, slapping Arrow in the back of the head. “Ow! God, you assholes and your violence toward me,” he huffs, rubbing his head.
“You’re thinking about this meeting too hard,” Shepp says, shaking his head. “We can’t go into this with preconceived negativity.”
Is he right? Yes. But I can’t fucking help it. My confidence has been rocked. Every step of the fucking way has been one booby trap after another. Our only solace was at the cabin, but that’s exposed now, too.
“I’m aware,” I say smoothly, taking a deep breath. “We remember what we talked about.” I send a pointed look at Arrow, who scoffs at me.
“You all act like I haven’t hidden in the rafters of a fucking building and taken down ten men with a broken knife before. I can be a good boy and stay quiet.” He mimics zipping his lips shut and throwing away the key.
Shepp nods. “I’ve texted Elias and Mikhail, giving them the one-hour warning. Once we’re in the basement and we have eyes on Grace, they’re taking down the businesses.”
All part of our plan. We’re spying on Grace, soaking in her movements while Elias and Mikhail’s men raid her newly acquired businesses.
From the moment I woke up from my injuries in my bedroom and found out my father’s businesses were being shut down for renovations and mysteriously opened back up better than ever, I had my suspicions. Why would they shut down? Why would that get renovated? But most importantly, why were the deeds signed over to someone else? Gabriel Viotto would never.
Unless it was her.
His sick obsession led him down some shitty roads, but this has to be the most volatile one.
Destruction.
It was all her. She took over the deeds, somehow getting them from Gabriel without a fight. It was too bad all those businesses were so far in the hole that there was no way she could have dug herself out of them. But she did with her organization.
“Brandon’s on board, too,” Arrow hums, staring at his phone. “He’s on standby with our loyal soldiers, waiting for instruction.”
“Then everything is ready to go.” I offer them a tight smile. “Shall we?” I gesture to the door.
“Let’s go kick some Shadow ass,” Arrow whoops softly, climbing out of the car.
“You’re going to be okay?” I ask, looking down at Journey, who slowly lifts her head. I'm taken aback by her ashen cheeks and glazed-over eyes.
She nods unconvincingly. “I’ll be fine. Let’s do this and take the rest of Shadow down.”
Leaning in, I plant my lips on her cheek, soaking in her warmth for reassurance. For who? I'm not sure. Her. Me. All of us.
“You’ll stay behind me if anything goes bad?” I question, looking deep into her eyes. “Don't fucking be a hero, wife.” I cup her cheeks with desperation.
The last thing I wanted to do was bring her here in this delicate condition. But I couldn't risk leaving behind her, either. Safer by our side than falling into the enemy's hands. Shadow's men are still on the loose. The ones who weren't on the island.
“Not a chance,” she whispers, leaning up to kiss my lips before slipping out of my grasp. “I have a gun for a reason.” She gives me a lop-sided grin, gaining more color in her cheeks.
Right.
I knew I shouldn’t have given her a weapon. She’ll stand there and fight with everything she has, even if it means putting herself in danger. But I wanted her to be able to do this. To point a gun and protect herself. Not giving her a weapon was not an option. If she didn’t have something, then she wouldn’t be able to live.
My only hope is we don’t have to use them.