Chapter 36
FELIX
“Here, kid.” I place the large mug of hot, sweet tea in front of him. “Drink.”
“Not thirsty,” Alex replies, his voice thick from his tears. He sits on the couch in Bree’s lounge, tucked up under a blanket but refusing to eat anything or drink anything.
Can’t say I blame him.
“Well you better drink it quickly because I put some scotch in there to help you feel better so you’ve got about ten seconds before I start to feel guilty and fear what your Mom will do to me if she finds out.”
The mention of Dove spurs life into Alex and he glances up at me, sniffling. “Is she gonna be okay?”
“Yes.”
“Do you promise?”
The urge to repeat my yes lingers on my tongue but experience keeps me quiet.
Sitting slowly down on the couch next to him, I scrub my hands over my thighs while searching for the right thing to say.
I have no idea what that is.
“Truthfully? Your Mom’s in a really tough spot.”
“Because of me,” Alex sniffles and the tears well in his eyes again.
“No—.”
“Yes! I started that fire! If I hadn’t done that then we’d still be together, we’d still be in that penthouse and none of this would have happened!
It’s my fault for splitting us up and then it’s my fault for making that call.
I knew better and I just—.” His voice cracks painfully.
“I just needed to hear a friendly voice.”
“Alex… this goes way beyond anything you’ve done.
The fire you caused was pretty smart. Triggering the unlocking of the doors?
I never would have thought about that when I was your age so you learned well.
All you were trying to do was protect yourself and your Mom.
That’s nothing to be ashamed of. And reaching out to hear a familiar voice?
I did the same when I lost someone important to me.
Listening to their voicemail… it gave me comfort.
So what you did… they aren’t terrible mistakes and absolutely not the cause of this. ”
“Then what is?”
“Me. To an extent. If I had… been a better man, a better person in the past then maybe none of this would ever have happened. But I know for sure that your Mom loves you more than she’s ever loved anyone, she’s proud of you and she would not want you to blame yourself.
” I pick up the mug and slowly hand it to him, relieved when he takes it. “This is not on you.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” he murmurs.
“Of course not. Nothing will feel better until I get your Mom back but—.”
“You’re getting her back?” He cuts me off and stares at me with wide eyes that mirror Dove’s.
“Of course I am.”
“Do you promise?”
Against my better judgment, the words escape me before I can stop them. “I promise.”
“I’m really scared. That man said she’d done all these terrible things so all that was waiting for her was terrible things. I didn’t want to believe him but… everything is so different.”
“Well he’s a cunt for one.”
Alex’s eyes widen.
“Sorry. Bad word. Look… I knew your Mom really well back before you were born. She was a good, honest, hardworking woman. She could kick my ass. She could kick anyone’s ass.
But the world we’re both from can force you into situations where you have to do horrible things.
But Reese was a liar, okay? Your Mom… She had no choice.
She did what she had to do to save herself and she’s spent the rest of her life doing everything within her power to keep you safe. ”
“Until I fucked it up.”
“Well.” My head cocks and I smile. “I used to boost cars as a kid so I understand the appeal. And your Mom ain’t so innocent either.”
“Really?” There’s some clear awe on his tone, underneath the upset.
“Really.”
“Wow. That’s kind of cool.”
“Your Mom is cool. But she’s also responsible and I know she’ll be feeling immensely guilty for everything that’s happened to you. So when I get her back, just make sure you tell her how much you love her, okay?”
Alex nods and finally takes a sip of the tea, then winces and erupts into a cough. “How much alcohol did you put in here?”
Eyeing the mug, I shrug. “I dunno. Maybe too much for a fourteen-year-old, but from the looks of you, you need all the help you can get to relax a little. Just don’t tell her, okay?”
Finally, a semblance of a smile creeps across his face and he nods. “You’re kinda cool.”
“Not as cool as your Mom,” I point out.
“Yeah,” Alex agrees. “No one is as cool as my Mom.”
“You’re so right, kid.” I ruffle his hair and something squeezes in my chest, the same thing that unlocked the moment I learned the truth. Telling him I’m his father feels so low down on the list now but if I can do anything to make him feel better, it’s a start.
A soft knock on the door diverts my attention to Toph in the doorway. “We’re good to go,” Toph says. “You ready?”
“Where are you going?” Alex asks immediately.
“We’re going to get your Mom back. You’re going to stay here. Bree is friends with your Mom and she’s putting people in place to protect you, so as long as you don’t make any more phone calls, everything will be fine, alright?”
Alex grimaces and guilt flashes in his eyes, then he nods. “I won’t.”
“Okay. Stay here, I’ll be back soon.” I pat his leg and rise, then leave the room. As soon as the door closes, Toph and I hurry together down the hallway. “Walk me through it, Toph.”
“I’ve got an in with the gate guard. Once I’m through, Bree and her men will start bringing hell down on Caterina and her people.
It’ll look like conflict born from a bad deal and hopefully give us the distraction we need to sneak inside and find Dove.
Once we get her, we get her out and regroup at the park a few miles from the Estate.
Bree doesn’t want anyone following us so she’ll have trucks waiting.
Once she pulls back her men, we all flee and the trucks melt into the city with only one looping back here. ”
“She really thought it through.”
“Yep. It’s all ready to go but only after you answer her question.”
“My question?” I say as we reach the kitchen.
Bree’s inside with a couple of her men, all armed to the teeth with automatic weapons and armor. “Felix.”
“Bree.”
“You realize going against Caterina is starting a war with New York. Your men are ready, as are mine and a few other families eager to get on your good side. Some others are… apprehensive and will await the results.”
“I want those names.” I want to know everyone who didn’t help when I needed it so I can remember that when they come to me for help.
“You’ll have them,” Bree replies. “But I need to know. Is it worth it?”
I meet her questioning gaze steadily, then glance at Toph who looks like he already knows the answer. “Yes,” I reply. “Anything is worth it for Dove. I lost her once. I’m not losing her again.”
Two hours later, the Salamone Estate is up in flames.
Bree and her men hold down the front in a firefight that started the moment she ran a cement mixer full of oil through the front gates and into the building, and then ignited it with a gunshot.
She might be more insane than Caterina, but at this point, I’m not judging.
It got Bree the attention she needed as the majority of the Salamone men diverted to deal with the attack, leaving the back open and free for Toph and I to sneak in with a handful of men.
“I still think my idea of using my gate contact would have been better,” Toph grumbles as I shatter the back door lock with three shots of my silenced weapon then head inside.
“Bree wanted to go big and it’s working,” I reply quietly. “So I think that’s a win. You’re just jealous.”
“Jealous?” Toph rolls his eyes, then rapidly lifts his gun and fires off two shots into the chest of a guard walking down the hallway. His body falls with a clatter and we step over his corpse.
“Jealous because her plan is way more fun than yours.”
“Whatever.” Toph rolls his eyes. “I’ll remember this.”
“Sure. And what kind of situation will we find ourselves in where you need to bring this up for a win?” Keeping to the wall, we hurry down the corridor as fast as we can until we arrive at the split of hallways.
After that, it only takes a second for Toph to direct us the same way he snuck into the cells last time.
“I don’t know,” Toph hisses. “But when it happens, you’ll know and then I’ll be like oh, remember that time you called my stealth plan boring because Bree was blowing shit up with a cement mixer?
” He surges past me and takes out the next guard to rush by.
“And you’ll be like ohhh yeah I remember I was such a dick.
And then I’ll be like yeah, well look at you now, begging for my help! ”
We reach the door to the cells and Toph presses his ear against it, then tests the handle.
“Is that how it’ll go down?” I ask quietly as he opens the door and I move past him.
“Yup.”
“Having fun?”
Toph grins at me and holds his gun close to his chest while we hurry down the steps. “Loads.”
“Yeah, I’ll remind you that you said that.” It’s a nice distraction that dies the moment we reach the cells.
The long hallway housing several dark, heavy doors leading to each cell holds the weight of fear.
There’s no telling what’s happened to Dove in the hours she’s been here, or if she’s even still here.
The last Toph heard from his contact was that Caterina and Dove argued and she was dragged down here, but to what end?
The first two cells are empty and my racing heart sinks down to pulse in the depths of my gut.
The next cell is also empty but the fourth has murmurs of noise.
Weapons braced, Toph and I hang back and let one of my men pull the heavy lock back with a clunk, then the door swings open with a creak.
“I told you to leave me the fuck alone!” Reese’s voice drifts from inside and my blood runs cold. Weapon raised, I sprint inside just as an explosion outside rocks the entire Estate and fragments of dust and dirt drift down from the ceiling.
“Drop it,” I yell, skidding to a stop with my gun raised at Reese.
Dove’s hanging from the ceiling, her arms hooked up to chains straining in either direction like the shape of a Y.
Naked, her head hangs low between her shoulders with Reese’s gun pressed to her temple and several fresh lacerations sending blood trickling down her body.
I’m going to tear this bastard apart.
“How the fuck did you get in here?!” Reese yells, wincing as another explosion far above tremors through the ground.
“Drop the gun!”
Toph appears at my shoulder and he raises his gun too. “Drop it!”
Reese glances between us and winces, defeat mingling with fury clear in his eyes. “And if I don’t?”