Chapter 49
Forty-Nine
Enzo
It was official.
I was a Son down bad for his Fawn.
It was like my heart had cracked open and spilled every feeling I had for Blair.
For years, I’d mocked the Sons who fell for their Fawns.
Called them desperate fuckers who couldn’t control their emotions.
But I learned that was what love was. An uncontrollable emotion.
It sucked that for once—and it was limited with us Marchettis—I was wrong. Tragic, if it wasn’t for a good reason.
I watched Blair shrug her black Saint Vale blazer on over my button-up shirt. Every time she wore my clothes, my mouth watered. Hell, every time I looked at her, it did.
“Are you sure you’re ready to go out?” she asked as I pulled on my boots. “You can rest for a few more days.”
I stood from the couch and kissed the top of her head. “My Fawn needs to get out and have some fun.”
She waggled her finger at me, looking cute as fuck. “You’d better take it easy down there then. No guns, fighting, or any of that wild stuff you Sons like to do.”
I pressed a hand to my chest as my lips tried and failed to form an innocent smile. “Who, me? Never.”
Her cheeks blushed as she grinned. I took her hand as we left the room and walked downstairs to the vestibule.
This time, I wanted everyone to see Blair was mine.
Not just at Saint Vale. Every-fucking-where.
We passed Arisono, and it took every bit of self control not to flip her off. She could’ve saved me a lot of time and a bullet wound if she’d just told me that Blair’s stepfather was the vice president.
When I’d asked Blair why she called him that, she’d said that was what he’d instructed her to do. It was also less embarrassing than admitting her mom was screwing a married man.
Outside, a trace of the sun hit our skin. She chatted on our walk to the greenhouse, sharing more about her life.
I’d never cared for small talk before, but I liked it with Blair. Every new thing I learned about her hit me like a shot of adrenaline.
Learning about someone you truly cared about, about someone you loved, was its own personal drug. I wanted to pry her brain open to see all her loves, so I could give them to her. Then I wanted to find her fears and destroy them.
We entered the greenhouse, and I saluted Dr. Melro, the university’s botany professor. He was one of the few chill professors here. A former Son, he’d been given the job to watch those who came and went through the Devil’s Lair and the tunnels.
On our way to the back, I plucked a rose and caught Blair’s hand to twirl her around. I tucked the stem behind her ear, pushing her hair back as I did.
She clasped her hand over mine, and her smile was a comfort I never knew I needed.
I motioned for her to go inside. “After you.”
She glanced at me, still smiling, and I scanned my badge. Any argument that Fawns weren’t allowed in the Devil’s Lair was gone. Blair could come and go whenever she pleased.
In fact, I was making it a new rule that any Fawn could.
Look at me. A champion for Fawn rights.
She tried to stop me from taking the stairs first, but I gently nudged her ahead before dropping down after her and skipping the last three steps.
I immediately realized that was a mistake. I’d probably broken a stitch.
Oh well.
When Blair came down, I watched her ass, of course, and when she reached the bottom, I offered my hand.
“Hey!” She grabbed my hand and hopped off the last step. “You’re the one recovering from a gunshot wound. I should be helping you.”
I shook my head. “But you’re the one I never want to break. I’ll take the scars, the falls, and the bullets, so you’ll never have to.”
The lighting in the tunnels sucked, but there was no missing the heat that rose on her cheeks. I loved when she blushed.
When we stepped into the Devil’s Lair, the smell of pizza and booze wafted through the air. Everyone jumped up to greet us, shouting both my name and Blair’s.
I faked not feeling any pain as I moved toward them. Tonight was Nico’s birthday, and all of us needed something to celebrate.
The girls had decorated the Devil’s Lair for the occasion, and it looked absolutely atrocious.
Seraphina skipped over and hugged Blair tight. I smiled, happy about how easily they got along. I couldn’t wait to bring Blair to family dinners and watch everyone welcome her with open arms. She was one of us now.
Daphne and the other girls hugged her next.
I tipped my head toward Daphne. While I still found her annoying as a gnat discovering sugar for the first time, I appreciated her helping me with Blair and sharing all her research.
She was a true friend to Blair, and I was glad Blair had that. I’d still need to limit my time around her, though, because I knew Blair would constantly tell me to be nice.
Unfortunately for her, she’d be telling me that a lot. What my Fawn needed to understand was that she was one of the very few people I’d ever be nice to.
Getting shot hadn’t changed me.
If anything, it only made me hate everyone else more.
I glanced at the Havens and my fellow Sons. Every Son had helped me dispose of the Elder Sons’ bodies and stood by me when questions came.
Each one had sworn they’d kill the Elders before ever turning on me. We’d also decided that from now on, we’d be the ones making the rules.
I watched Brooks pass Daphne without one smart-ass remark. That was a first.
Something Blair had said came back to me. She told me she finally felt safe now that her father was dead and she knew the Sons had her back. I liked that she felt safe not only with me, but with all of us.
Daphne and Seraphina started to pull Blair toward their space, but I caught her hand first and stole a quick kiss before letting them take her.
“Oh my God, swoon,” Daphne gushed.
“Please no,” Seraphina said. “I cannot watch my brother be romantic.” She paused, squeezing one eye shut as if reconsidering. “Actually, I’d rather see him romantic than be a freaking menace.”
Blair laughed, kissed me again, then disappeared with them.
I stole a pizza slice from an open box on the bar, dropped it onto a plate, and headed for the sectional where the guys were.
“And the devil fell for his Fawn,” Emeri said.
Him being here surprised me. Him showing up for anything that wasn’t strictly Sons related was rare.
What happened with me seemed to bring us all closer.
“The predator for his prey,” Brooks added from beside me, kicking his feet onto the table and staring at me with a shit-eating grin.
I stole the cup from his hand and drained the rest of the bourbon. “Just wait until it happens to you.” I made a refreshing ahh sound before sliding the empty cup across the table. “Feels even better than the rumors, I promise you, fuckers.”
Emeri shook his head.
Brooks snorted.
Nico said he’d rather rip off his left nutsack.
Cedric acted like he hadn’t heard me, and Cassian only shrugged.
My attention landed on Brooks. “You’re not getting out of it, you know.”
He turned fully toward me. “Getting out of what?”
“Don’t bullshit me.” I lowered my voice, knowing some of those women had the ears of a hawk. “You need to tell Daphne she’ll be your Fawn.”
“About that …”
“About that is that she’ll be your Fawn.”
“I changed my mind—”
“There’s no changing your mind.” I set my plate to the side to rest my elbows on my knees and moved in closer. “I’ll go grab that guy’s ashes, glue them back to-fucking-gether and rebuild his body if I have to. You made a promise, and we keep our promises here.”
The cold gaze he gave me could freeze hell.
“You don’t tell her, I’ll put a new announcement out.” I took a bite of pizza, chewed, then added, “I’ll also let your father know.”
He flipped me off and slumped deeper into the couch. His father was going to flip his shit when he found out he’d chosen Daphne, and he would once Selection started. But the president would have to get over it.
She was the one who had figured out the VP wanted him dead. He owed her father a pardon for that alone. Her father was also helping to lead us to every Elder Son who’d conspired to shoot the president and my father in retaliation for us joining the Sons.
I belonged here. We all did. More than they ever had.
We were the souls of the Sons, and there was no getting rid of us.
“You don’t tell her tonight, then I’m accidentally telling Blair, and you know she tells Daphne everything,” I added to further force him.
He was still out of control and needed a Fawn now more than ever. Daphne would calm him. I was sure of it.
Sure, she’d drive him insane, but I doubted he’d be out killing motherfuckers.
And I knew other eyes were already on her.
We’d just taken in new Prospect Sons, and soon, they’d be joining us and choosing their Fawns.
It’d be one hell of a year if I had to deal with a jealous Brooks realizing too late what he wanted.
“Since we’re making our own rules now, how about we no longer need permission to ask them to be our Fawns?” he suggested. “We grab Daphne in the middle of the night, drag her straight into Initiation, and bam! She’s a Fawn.”
Cassian nodded. “I like that idea.”
“How many of those girls would have a heart attack?” Emeri asked. “They need a warning. Otherwise, they won’t know what’s happening.”
“It’ll show us if they’re strong,” Brooks said.
“Sounds like someone’s worried Daphne will reject him.” I raised a brow. “Tell her, or we’ll start a new rule where we share that news in the Devil’s Lair during birthday parties.”
Brooks flipped me off. “Give me a week.”
I smirked, loving when a good plan came together, and headed to the bar for beers.
When I returned, I tossed one to each of them and lifted mine while keeping my voice low. “To Brooks telling Daphne she’ll be his Fawn in a week.” I raised it higher. “And to Nico terrorizing the world for another year.”
The others kept their voices low as they repeated my words, and everyone toasted except Brooks, who only chugged his beer.
If he didn’t tell Daphne, I’d do it myself.
I wanted this newer version of the Sons to be calmer. Smarter.
“This motherfucker is going to make us all choose Fawns because he fell in love with his,” Cassian said in frustration. “Some of us need to take our sweet time.”
“Why?” I asked. “They may end up being the best thing that ever happens to you.”
After celebrating Nico’s birthday, it was late when I headed back to the university with Blair. We’d left before everyone else.
I told them it was because I needed to change the bandage over my stitches, but the truth was, I just wanted to be alone with Blair.
Her voice alone calmed me, and that was what I needed.
We walked along the cloister wall, and I ran my hand over the stone before stopping her. I turned her around, lifted her by the hips, and set her on top of it.
The sudden movement the doctor had warned me about?
Yeah, I just felt that pain. But it was worth it.
What kind of fucking gentleman doesn’t lift his girl?
Only a lame dick would make her do that work herself.
The cloister wall no longer meant my quiet time after killing someone. Now, it held the memory of seeing Blair for the first time.
I hopped up, ignoring the pain, and settled beside her.
“Remember when I told you this was where I saw you for the first time?” I draped my arm over her shoulders and pulled her close.
“Mm-hmm,” she muttered.
“I watched you from this exact spot. You looked so lost.”
Shutting my eyes, I breathed in her perfume mixed with fresh-cut grass and the rain starting to sprinkle over us. Neither of us complained about it.
She scooted closer to rest her head against my shoulder. I lowered my chin to the top of her head, then pulled back long enough to kiss her hair that smelled like my shampoo.
“I did feel lost,” she said with a lighthearted laugh. “But I was wrong. Being at Saint Vale, being with you, being your Fawn is exactly where I belong.”
I grinned, staring at the moonlight, and ran my fingers through her hair. We sat there, talking, laughing, and at times, just letting the silent air fall around us, until her yawning took over most of her words.
I hopped off the wall and helped her down. The moment our feet hit the ground, thunder rumbled, and the sprinkles turned into a downpour.
We headed toward the steps, and this time, while the rain poured over us, she wasn’t alone as she walked them.
I was beside her, and with each step we conquered, I felt like we were climbing higher together, on top of the world.
Blair had changed who I was. She made me question my entire being. She showed me the light when I only enjoyed the darkness.
Blair, my precious Fawn, wasn’t alone anymore.
And she never would be again.