12. Parker #2
Any satisfaction Andre felt earlier was wiped away.
“We’re not equals, Parker. You made it that way when you decided you wanted to leave us.
When you went rogue for no good fucking reason.
When you,” he took a deep breath before he packed all of his frustration and anger into his next words, “took Amorette to save Lafe and lost her! ” Pausing, he smoothed his hand down his button-down and visibly fought for composure.
“You’ve done nothing but show us how much you aren’t a part of us.
So, no, we’re not equal, and the guards will shoot you.
Not to kill, but they will aim to maim.”
I couldn’t even speak for all the words twisting inside my head. There was no sense in everything I felt except for the one emotion that kept pushing to the forefront.
Betrayal.
“I told you that wasn’t what I wanted anymore. I told you how you could ensure we were all together,” I tried to reason with him, even though my voice shook with too much indignation to come across as calm. My gaze flitted to Little Love, and she quickly glanced between us.
“Yeah? Was that before or after you were the reason Vicente targeted Grey and Lafe? Because it would never have happened if you hadn’t burned down the club.”
This was it. This was the conversation Andre must have been dying to have.
“Go ahead, hermano . Tell me how you really feel. Should we call in Grey so you all can witness my dressing down? How about you each get a go at me? I’m sure I’ve done more than a little to piss everyone off over the years.
” Then, because I couldn’t hold my tongue, I turned to Amorette.
“Is this nice to watch? I’m pretty sure I told you that if I took you with me, you’d be the wedge between us, did I not, Little Love? ” I gestured between Andre and me.
A brief look of pain flashed over her face as she closed her eyes.
Lafe wasn’t having any of it. “That’s fucking rich.
I don’t want you on the outside. But you’re an asshole, and this was a long time coming before you decided to let Amorette go with you to the warehouse.
I’m not sorry she came,” his words turned to a whisper as he turned to look at her.
His expression was so tender that it punched me in the stomach.
“I’m not sorry at all.” He turned back to me.
“But you’re always following your own rules, doing your own thing.
With Vicente breathing down our necks, that will get us all killed.
I’m shocked all of us are still standing here as it is. ”
Little Love curled a hand over Lafe’s shoulder, but her attention was on Andre. “I know this is bigger than the warehouse, but I begged him to take me. He told me it would cause trouble, and I didn’t care.”
“You’re not to—”
She waved a hand. “He was the one with the power, I get it. But I’m just saying, I made it clear that whatever repercussions would happen afterwards, they didn’t matter to me. I was stupid, but I’m also glad I went.”
Andre scowled between Lafe and Little Love.
When I thought he would address their show of solidarity, he let out a breath and faced me.
“I’m not giving you this fight. It’s not worth it.
The decision is yours. I want you here with us.
Fighting with us, but that’s up to you. If you stay, you need to stop having a stick up your ass and work with us, not around and against us.
Because that’s what you did. Lafe and Grey were put in danger because of you .
You want to leave? I’ll call the guards and tell them to let you take the chopper, and I’ll have someone on shore bring it back.
But if you do that, you’re out. You’re not our brother anymore.
You have to decide what you want, but I’m not fucking fighting with you. ”
His shoulders slouched as if all the fight had left him, and he returned to the couch. He took up his corner and cast wistful glances at Little Love, but didn’t make any move to pull any part of her back into his lap.
My body trembled as I glared at him.
Fucking hell. This is what this had come down to? Stay and be their pet or leave and never see them again? Andre couldn’t seriously believe this was what I wanted.
Lafe turned the telenovela back on, their attention turned back to the big screen, completely forgetting I was there. At one point, Lafe paused it to explain the use of a specific word, then restarted it.
Jealously bit at my heels that he was teaching her Spanish. This was where I excelled, and she had asked Lafe to teach her.
Fine. If they wanted to pretend I wasn’t here, I wouldn’t stay where I wasn’t wanted. Pivoting, I stormed out of the movie room, although I doubted they’d even realized I left. Assholes.
If I didn’t want to be here so fucking bad, I’d take Andre up on his offer and leave.
I could take enough of my business with me to survive without them.
Vicente would eventually try to track me down, but by that point, I’d hopefully have enough valuables and cash to slip away to a place outside his reach.
Disappear.
But, damn it! I found myself outside on the path to the beach. When I reached the crest, I braced my hands on my head and watched the waves crash against the shore. This side was all sand, unlike the other side of the Island, which housed cliffs and jagged rocks.
No one was on this beach today. A storm was rolling in, and the wind was too unpredictable to make it enjoyable. Good. If I had to look at one more person…
If I had to see the pity or disgust in their eyes, I’d have to beat them to death. There was no other option. My pride wouldn’t allow it.
Large, fat raindrops pelted my skin. Then they became more frequent until the storm was directly overhead. Like some ridiculous symbolism, the cool water washed the worst of my resentment.
I had fucked up by going to the club. I regretted it, which was a novelty. I had never regretted anything. At every opportunity, I’d tried to apologize, and they refused to accept it. What the hell was I supposed to do then?
Leaving was not what I wanted. Not anymore.
My brothers and Little Love were too important. But how could I fix this in a way that my pride would allow?
They wanted action? They wanted commitment? I could do that. I could show them this is what I wanted. I had to.
There wasn’t any other option.