Chapter 13
An Observation
Val
“Unbelievable, the nerve,” I murmur to myself and fold my arms over my chest.
I’m standing here in the backyard of LaSalle and Tasha’s home, fuming. I thought I could get Misha to talk to me and tell me what’s really going on.
He shut me down faster than I could blink an eye. To say I was stunned is an understatement. I would have thought I was a stranger.
After all I’ve done for him, he has some nerve. If his wife and children weren’t here, I would shoot him again. He must have forgot.
As I stew, I look out over the backyard. Everyone is either engaged in a game or sitting with a plate of food or something to snack on. I find the birthday boy and a smile comes to my lips.
He has to know what’s going on with Misha. Maybe there’s a way for me to get answers without talking to that grumpy old grouch. Misha should know better than to play with me.
“What do you think that’s about?” Roni says as she walks up beside me and nods toward where Sammy is as I stand watching him while I think.
As I observe him, I mull over Tasha’s words from earlier. I can’t help wondering what it all means and what this kid knows. Looking at Sammy, you would think you’re watching a sweet, harmless boy.
I know there’s way more to the kid than that. I ball my fists at my sides, wanting to know who he sees coming for him. I’d make the earth bloom with their blood before the day could ever come when they attempt to lift their head in that boy’s direction.
“What do you mean?” I say to Roni, annoyed with her.
She knows more about what’s going on with Misha than she’s telling me. For over six years, the two of them have been keeping secrets. One after the other.
“You guys said before that he keeps his distance from the other kids. I’ve seen with my own eyes he spends more time with the killers around here than anyone else. What makes them so special?” she replies and nods toward Sammy and the group with him.
As much as I want to ignore her, I take in her words and the sight before me. I tilt my head to the side and look closer. Sammy is sitting on a blanket in the grass.
In his arms, he’s holding Patrick, Brooklyn and DJ’s youngest. Sitting beside Sammy are his brother, Elijah and my boys, Inzo and Nori. Cameron and Mina’s boys, Cade and Chance, are always with him.
However, what tickles everyone around here is the fact that wherever you find Sammy, you find their two-year-old sister, Cecilia. I guess you can say the same for Lanya.
She’s only a year older than Cecilia, but she too hangs with Sammy and his friends. I purse my lips in thought.
“You have a point.”
“I’ve noticed his little crew before, but I’m curious now after Tasha’s words. Why them? It’s always the same group,” she says.
“I mean, I get why Elijah is always with him. He’s his little brother. Eli has followed Sammy around from the time he could walk,” I muse aloud.
“I can see that, but some of the others like to be around him and he ignores them. I swear, I think he actively hides from Paulie and Karen.”
I can’t help laughing. She’s right. However, he tolerates Karen way more than Paulie.
“Well, I hate to say it, but have you ever looked into Elijah’s eyes? He will be no Bobby or Marcus. That’s another LaSalle in waiting.”
Roni only hums as if in thought. I look at the group more closely. There’s one missing. Cam’s ex-wife’s little girl. However, I think she’s only ever with the group because she’s friends with Cameron’s kids.
I snort. “You have met my sons. They are my children. They will have no problem learning to fill our shoes. I haven’t been able to put my finger on which will be don.”
“Really? My money is on Inzo,” she scoffs.
“I don’t know. I think Nori will surprise everyone.”
“Still … why Lanya and Patrick? Also, why Cam’s boys? I don’t think they have this in them. Cameron is a straight shooter. He’s not about this life.”
I snort. “I don’t think you’re looking close enough. If Cam had to, he would. Uri and I just won’t allow it to happen.
“Mina definitely fits in, you know this. I think if push came to shove, their boys would fall in too. Now Patrick is an easy assessment.
“He’s Brooklyn’s son. The current Irish lord. That will be his seat someday.
“I swear that baby growled at that nanny DJ fired. He didn’t like her ass from jump. She did something to piss him off that day and the look on his face said it all. That’s Brooklyn’s son all day.
“If Sammy truly sees the future, maybe he knows something we don’t. As for my niece, Sammy spends a lot of time with our family. Uri is her favorite uncle …” I shrug as I trail off.
“Um, I don’t know. He’s crazy protective of that group right there. I’m keeping an eye on those little girls and boys. Patrick isn’t even one. Are you really telling me Sammy knows he’s going to be as unhinged as his father?”
I laugh. “The baby mafia. They’re so cute,” I snicker as I really think over what all I have said.
In that moment, Sammy looks toward me. As he looks up through his long dark lashes at me with those gray eyes, a chill runs through me. I don’t see Sammy but LaSalle.
Not LaSalle the family man, but LaSalle the vicious leader of the Alliance. The man no one wants to call out. What happened two years ago taught us all why LaSalle and Logan sit where they do.
I pull my gaze from Sammy to glance at my sons. In this moment, it feels like I’m looking at Uri and Micheal. I knit my brows.
Suddenly, the baby mafia doesn’t sound like such a far stretch. Although Cecilia and Lanya don’t quite fit the picture. Cameron’s ex-wife’s daughter runs over and sits with the other two little girls, smiling from ear to ear at Sammy.
I shake my head. Nope, the little girls don’t fit the picture, but my boys do. I don’t need a vision for that one.
“He’s a handsome kid. I get why the little girls follow him, but I still don’t get why he lets them and not the others,” Roni murmurs almost to herself.
“Aren’t Jordan and the twin terrors more friends of his?”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t fuck with my kid. I guess John and I should be grateful for that. Mena might stand a shot at being normal.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” I snort. “I have high hopes for Vita and Eva too.”
“I can hope. There’s still time to steer her in the right direction.”
“Speaking of time. Don’t you think it’s time you tell me what’s going on with Misha and that bitch?”
“Nope.” She holds her hands up and shakes her head. “Nope, nope, nope.”
“Where are you going?” I call and stomp my foot.
“I think I hear my child calling for me. My stomach is growling. I should find something to eat.
“Oh, look at that, Nellie wanted me to partner with her for foosball. I think it’s our turn. Bye,” she sings as she runs off.
“I’m canceling your bag and shoe order for the month. Don’t even bother to make another one for the next four months. Traitor,” I growl after her.
I spot Misha across the yard holding one of his kids as he glares over at me. I roll my eyes and turn to storm back into the house. When I want answers, I get them.
Sammy
“Sammy, don’t you want to go play the games?” Cade asks as we all sit in the backyard.
I’m sharing a bowl of fruit with Celicia, Chanel, and Lanya. Patrick finished his bottle, so he’s chilling out. He’s a good baby.
“No, I want to stay here with Patrick for a little while.”
“Why? He’s just a baby,” Chance says.
“He’s my best friend. I don’t want to leave him.”
“I thought we were your best friends,” Cade says and pouts.
“You are, but Patrick and I will be close in a different way.”
“How do you know that?”
“He can see stuff, remember?” Chance says to his brother.
“It’s our turn in ten minutes,” Elijah calls as he comes running back over.
He, Inzo, and Nori went to see when our team could take over the arcade games with the race cars. Mom went all out for my party.
The kids and adults are all having fun. There are so many games to choose from. I look around for Jordan and the brothers, but they’re still in time-out.
I don’t think they’re going to get to come back for our turn. Lanya and Celicia are too small for the games the guys want to play, and Chanel says she doesn’t want to play them.
I don’t mind sitting with them and Patrick. I’m fine either way. My head has been quiet while we sit here, so I’m in no rush to move.
“Yes,” Cade and Chance cheer.
“Wait, I have a question. Will we always be friends?” Cade asks.
I frown. I don’t know how to explain it to him. However, talking to Mom and Dad and reading that letter from my first mom makes me want to try.
“I … I don’t know. You guys are a part of the glitched.”
“Huh?” he says as confusion covers his face.
I sigh and shift Patrick in my arms to place him on my shoulder as I rub his little back. He coos and releases a tiny sigh. Brooklyn and DJ allow me and Patrick to hang out all the time.
He’s a baby, but he’s my best friend. I know this because I’ve seen it clearly. I think hard on how to explain this to Cade and Chance.
“Okay, so there are the faceless and the glitched. Patrick used to be one of the faceless. The faceless are the ones I can’t see yet.
“They are there, but I don’t know who they are. Maybe they’re not in my life yet. When Patrick was born, that’s when I knew who he was.
“I still have a few more faceless figures in my visions.”
“So we’re glitched. What does that mean?” Cade asks.
I think for a moment. I’m not sure about the answer to this myself, but I tell him what I think it means. At least, it’s the best explanation I can give.
“The glitched are those who are distorted. Sometimes I can see your faces, but your face glitches and distorts. I think it’s because I want to change things in your path.
“I want to protect you. However, I have changed things, and you started to glitch after. I believe that’s because you will make your own decisions that I can’t alter.
“Once you make those decisions, then that will place you on a side. I have thought about not being your friend to protect you from the side I’ve tried to keep you from. That’s why I don’t know if we will always be friends,” I say.
“Well, I’m picking a side for myself. You’re the coolest person I know. I will always choose the side that makes us friends,” Chance says.
“Me too. You can’t protect us from something we want. You’re our best friend. It has been decided,” Cade says.
I jerk my head back as both of their faces become clear in my future. I want to groan and tell them no. They don’t understand, but it’s clear that both of their minds are made up. I can’t change the path they will take, no matter how hard I want to try.
“Guys, it’s our turn,” Elijah calls.
I look to my brother and smile. He will be taller than me. I know my first mom said not to baby him, but he’s my little brother. I’m going to find that hard not to do.
Patrick whimpers in my arms. He will be strong-willed and won’t give me a chance to baby him. He will look out for me as much as I look out for him now.
I stand and get ready to move toward the house. If I’m going to play the games, I need to hand him back over. The girls all look up at me with sad eyes.
Patrick starts to cry as if he’s also unhappy. I sigh and think about forfeiting my turn. Uncle Brooklyn is playing a game with Cara and Liadan.
They are having fun. I could sit here and hold Patrick for a little longer. He doesn’t normally cry like this with me. That’s one of the reasons I know he’s unhappy. His aura has also changed.
“Why do you have that baby? Isn’t this your birthday party? Give him to me so you can go have some fun,” Miss Onyx says.
I call her Miss Onyx. Some of the others call her Helen. I like her, so does Patrick.
She goes to take Patrick, and her fingers brush my arm. It’s like she turns the lights on. The movies have been playing today, but not as loud as this one.
First, I watch us together in a training room. I have my knives, but she’s showing me how to use them with axes and my fists. Then we’re at a gun range and she’s teaching me to use a plethora of different firearms.
However, anxiety fills me as the scene changes. I watch her as she’s gunned down. Quickly, I turn the channel in my mind’s eye.
I’m met with the same outcome. Then I change it again and again, each time finding her meeting the same end.
I begin to hum as I hate the scenes before me. This can’t be right. The first visions show us together when I’m older.
I’ve also seen her in Patrick’s life. He needs her. I try to widen the picture to see more.
I need to see what the source of the problem is and how I can change the outcome. I see DJ and Uncle Brooklyn; there’s a wedding, then I widen the picture more.
It’s her. The woman who has been a problem before. I saw her walk away after Dad and Mom burned everything down.
She’s not supposed to return. I felt her defeat. She was full of despair.
Her decision was to walk away. However, something has changed. She’s coming back.
I zone in for details and hone in my focus. I begin to shake my hands before me as I can’t find what I’m looking for. I need her reasons, I need a different outcome, I need to know when in time this is.
I drop to the ground and bring my knees to my chest. The pictures are moving too fast. I’ve lost control of them.
Everything is jumbled. I have to see, I need to know. My best friend can’t lose his grandmother. I have to stop this.
Suddenly, I’m engulfed in a strong embrace. Everything slows down and the pictures freeze. I stare into the dead eyes of Onyx in the vision, then I see Patrick’s grandfather lying next to her, also with lifeless eyes.
“No, no, no, no,” I say.
“You are fine. I am here. Tell Misha what to do. What do you need, my friend?”
“She’s coming back. The lady with the blue eyes is coming back. She has to be stopped.”
“Da, Misha will stop her. Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I can’t see where she is or why she’s coming back.”
“It’s okay. You tell me when you see,” Uncle Misha says as he sits on the ground behind me, hugging me tight.
He places his chin on the top of my head, and it all goes black. I take a calming breath and start to breathe like Mom taught me. Later, I will be able to concentrate … later. I will not allow Patrick to lose anyone.
I will protect my friend’s family. I will find a way. I’ve got you, Patrick. I promise.