Chapter Fifty-One - Elise #2
“We never meant to cut you out,” James says. “We all just assumed you were happy being on your own, and we didn’t want to freak you out with all the business stuff.”
“I’m tougher than you think.”
Logan breathes a laugh. “I think you’ve proven that. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Honestly, I think it took meeting Joshua to really understand it myself.”
“You mean being kidnapped,” Logan corrects.
It’s a miracle I don’t roll my eyes.
“I know this is difficult to understand, but you need to trust me. I promise that I’ll explain everything to you later, but right now, I need to talk to him.”
After a second of deliberation, Logan nods and James leaves the room without another word.
“I don’t like him, Elise.”
“I’m not asking you to like him. I’m asking you to trust me.”
Logan looks like he wants to ram his head through a wall when he tells me, “He does seem to care about you. Actually, everyone here does.”
“I care about them, too.”
“I was worried that was the case,” he grumbles. “Still, I had to be sure you weren’t being manipulated.”
“And?”
He shrugs. “Jury’s still out. I’ll keep you posted.”
I laugh, and it feels damn good, despite my sore muscles. “If you don’t trust Joshua, why did you let him protect me at the factory? You didn’t seem to have a problem with him then.”
He studies me for a long moment and finally leans back in his chair.
“About a week after you were taken, Moreno set up a meeting to discuss terms. Our siblings didn’t know because Dad doesn’t normally entertain negotiations.
Since Dad is—was—grooming me to take over, I went with him, and that was the first time I ever saw Moreno.
He was everything the rumors claimed—an insufferable asshole. ”
I can’t help but laugh at the assessment since there are times I’m inclined to agree.
“I couldn’t stand the idea of leaving you with him, so I tried to convince Dad to take the deal, but it backfired. Instead of taking my advice, Dad cut me out of his plans completely. When he told us that you were dead, I believed him because I had no doubt that Moreno was capable of doing it.”
My brother pauses, brow furrowed, and I give him time to collect his thoughts before he continues.
“When I saw him at the factory,” he finally says, “he wasn’t the same. Just as intense, but instead of looking ready to kill you, he looked ready to kill anyone who came near you. It was a bit unnerving.” He laughs, but it’s dry.
“Then all hell broke loose, and he let me take the lead so that he could stay with you. Maybe it was my intuition or just the fact that we had no other options, but somehow, I knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to you.
Still, one high-risk situation doesn’t make up for the hell he put you through. ”
I can understand where he’s coming from, so I don’t push him. If my brothers ever do come around to liking Joshua, it’ll have to be on their terms.
“Where’s Damon?” I ask, only now noticing his absence.
Logan’s jaw ticks, but that’s the only sign that he’s not happy with our oldest brother. “Detoxing. Matteo is here keeping an eye on him until we get things sorted out.”
I smile at the mention of our cousin being here. I haven’t seen Matteo in years, and I’m looking forward to a reunion. He hadn’t been at the factory, so my brothers must have called him here after everything happened.
“Get what sorted out?”
“I’m sending Damon to rehab. Dad was too worried about other families finding out and using it against us, so he always refused.”
“You don’t agree?”
Logan shrugs. “Doesn’t really matter. He needs to get better. He’s a good capo when he’s sober but a danger to the entire family when he isn’t. I need my brother back.”
I don’t realize tears are running down my cheeks until Logan frowns, gently wiping them away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dad cared so much about the empire he built that he sacrificed the family he built.” I give my brother a small smile. “I already know you won’t make the same mistakes.”
He doesn’t return my smile. “I’m so sorry, Elise. I had no idea Dad would abandon you like that. I swear I never would’ve let him if I’d known.”
My heart hurts so badly that it’s difficult to draw in air. I didn’t forgive my father for giving me up, but in the factory, when he said he believed me, I saw a future where I could.
Now, we’ll never have the chance to reconcile.
“I know, and I don’t blame you for any of it.”
Despite what I’d hoped would be reassuring words, Logan leans back in the chair with a frown. His shoulders sag like he’s carrying the weight of the world, and I suppose that, in a way, he is.
With Dad gone, it’s time for him to take leadership of the family, not to mention the task of finding the traitors, dealing with our drunk of a brother, and his sister who’s fallen in love with a man who was his enemy only three days ago.
It’s a lot to manage.
I reach for his hand and take it in mine. “You’re going to do great.”
A smile breaks his pained expression. “We’ll see about that. It doesn’t seem like I have much under control right now.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing you’re not doing this alone.”