6. Roman
Ifocus on taking deep breaths, trying my best not to draw attention to myself as I work to calm my nerves.
I may have trained to lead my entire life, and have been doing it for months now, but my best friend and father have always been by my side.
Now, I’m in charge of an entire team to take down what is the most dangerous target.
This should be Tennant’s job. I try to fight against the voice in my head, but…
it’s not entirely wrong. Ten has years more experience than I do, and can handle anything thrown his way.
But, as a Council member, I understand why it has to be me.
I can’t afford to hide behind my co-leaders or my lover. No matter how badly I want to.
Waiting on word from not only Lio’s team but the overwatch team back home, I fidget a little.
My clothes feel wrong, despite being tailored for me.
Wearing pants once again after so long makes me feel confined in a way I didn’t expect or understand before.
But it’s not like I can wear a skirt while walking into what is about to become a warzone.
“You’ve got this, Roman,” Cristian says as we climb into the van we’re using. “You’re an amazing leader, and I believe in you.”
His words have me letting out a shaky breath as emotions I don’t want to feel crash into my chest. Fuck. Does he do this shit on purpose? Now isn’t the time to deal with all the confusing things my father makes me feel.
Thankfully, Keegan manages to claim the seat next to me, so I don’t have to worry about being so close to Cristian, even if being in the same vehicle with him is still difficult. Especially given the way he simultaneously glares at Keegan while looking at me with…regret?
“Security has been diverted to the other house,” Marcus says through our comms. “Don’t let your guard down, though. Leandro says the house to the left was used to hold round the clock staff, so that could be an issue.”
“Got it,” I reply, happy to have someone as talented as War watching over us. Ignacio and Carter both tried to argue, but were shot down because, strategically, it makes sense to have Marcus as overwatch for the biggest target.
Not only that, but I’m pretty sure Marcus’s parental instincts are driving him to protect me as much as possible.
I’d normally be irritated with that, but I not only respect Marcus, I appreciate how he and Keegan are both trying to make it known I’m important to them.
It’s not just about Carter for them, and that means more than words can say.
About a block away from our destination, we stop to pick up Antonio. The Ghost literally seems to appear from the shadows, as the street was empty one second, and then he’s climbing into our van the next.
“Slight problem,” he says without any preamble.
“Yes, men were sent to the other house, but just a few minutes ago, new ones showed up. It appears they’re taking our threat seriously.
” He frowns. “Is it too much to hope he’s actually been holed up in his house this entire time and this could be our lucky day, and we’ll be able to nab the bastard? ”
I snort. “We’re never that lucky.”
Antonio lets out a long sigh. “Yeah, I know. Anyway, the new arrivals don’t even make up for half of the guards that were here before. I don’t know if they’re private security or part of his so-called Family, but it’ll make for some fun before we turn that pretentious hell into a bonfire.”
I let out a little laugh, even as Marcus groans and curses down the other end of the line at his best friend’s words. I’m very happy I get to work with Antonio on this. He’s as batshit as Lio and I, and the perfect person to keep Jude on his toes.
“Let’s go give them something to do, then,” I say cheerfully. My nerves are being pushed aside as adrenaline begins to fill me.
Unlike Lio’s team, we’re going for more stealth here, especially with the news that backup has arrived to secure the place.
“Police lines in the area have been diverted to go through us,” Marcus says. “That doesn’t mean you have time to waste, though. He has far more friends on the force than we do, so be quick and efficient.”
My team splits up. Antonio and Cristian go with one group, while Keegan sticks with me as we sneak up on the house of a sitting Senator.
I can imagine the field day the press is going to have with this story, and I’m almost looking forward to it.
His perfect veneer as a politician will mean he has to play the game carefully, and his ego will have him pushing back, making him blind to the mistakes we’re banking on him making.
The Senator’s days are numbered. He just doesn’t know it yet.
“Flank Two, you’re good to go.” Marcus’s voice knocks me out of my thoughts, and I follow quickly behind Keegan as he leads us up to the house.
The sound of gunfire is loud in the otherwise quiet, tree-lined street, and I hope the cops stay away for as long as possible.
There’s a sound of crashing, and I catch the barest glimpse of fire out of the corner of my eye as someone tosses an incendiary device through one of the windows on the far side of the house.
Keegan and I provide support as our designated fire starter does the same on our side.
More security than we anticipated pour out of the house, and I bite my lip, wondering if the Senator actually is hiding out in his public house.
Leandro didn’t think so, based on what he learned from Lachlan during their time together, but that doesn’t mean much.
The other man is as much on the Senator’s shitlist as we are right now, so anything could have changed.
“Fuck,” Marcus says in my ear. “Coming up behind you, Flank One.”
I hold my breath as a new round of gunfire rings through the air, while keeping my calm as I shoot the targets in front of me.
They go down easily. I’d get more of a challenge at one of those carnival games, probably.
It’s hard not to roll my eyes in disbelief.
So much money wasted on private security, and access to trained men from his Family’s Organization, and this is the best he can do?
I can only imagine the bitching Tennant is doing about his own target if this is the force we’re working with.
The gunfight begins to die down, and I’m handed a gas can. “Ready to start dousing the outside,” I say into the comms, getting an affirmative to the others with the same duty.
The smell of gasoline is almost calming, knowing how close we are to finishing this war.
The Senator thinks he’s so clever, hiding behind his fractured Organization and his public service.
He wants to paint us as the bad guys in the media?
Wants to use his political power as a shield and pretend he’s better than us?
We’ll show how shallow those shadows really are.
Fighting fire with literal fire.
“Let’s move,” I tell my men once I’m done pouring the gas, and the house fire is almost calmly flickering in the background.
Gunfire stops me in my tracks, and I turn just in time to see Cristian falling to the floor, as he and Keegan fire upon the two stragglers who must have been lying in wait.
The gas can drops from my hand and I shoot at the already-falling enemy, before crossing the short distance to where Cristian is lying on the ground at Keegan’s feet.
“Fucking hell,” I rasp as I reach him, my knees hitting the ground hard enough to jar my entire frame, but the pain barely registers.
“I’m fine,” Cristian grunts, sitting up.
I set a hand on his arm, barely able to see the wound because of his shirtsleeve and the poor lighting from the flickering flames of the house fire. I can feel the sticky blood flowing out of it, though. “Are you hit anywhere else?” I snap.
“My vest was,” he replies. “And I’ll be limping for a while because one bullet, maybe two, grazed my leg. Other than that, I’m fine.”
“We need to move,” Keegan says stiffly, before reaching down and dragging Cristian to his feet. My father hisses, but doesn’t protest as my…step-father?—I guess that’s what Keegan is now—supports him.
I don’t get to watch the grounds go up in flames as I stay on guard while Keegan escorts Cristian back to the van. Antonio and Benji join us, and my bodyguard forces me into formation behind Keegan and Cristian so he can watch my six.
I sit next to Cristian, after Keegan eases him into the van. Worry has a lump forming in my throat, and my hands shake a little as I try to clock any injuries in the light of the car.
“I’m fine, Figlio Mio,” he reassures me, reaching out and placing a hand over mine. “A little banged up, but that’s better than dead.”
Keegan scoffs. “I highly doubt I would have died.”
Cristian grunts. “They saw your focus was on Roman, and that’s not a censure.
I am glad you had his well-being in mind.
” He closes his eyes and lets out a long breath.
“I know what you and Marcus think of me, and I don’t blame you.
I deserve every bit of hatred you throw my way.
But if I can save Carter from more heartbreak, I’m more than happy to.
I love him, even if it wasn’t always in the way I was supposed to. ”
No one has anything to say to that, and we travel back home in silence. I place my free hand on top of Cristian’s as a myriad of emotions flow over me: love, regret, hurt, gratefulness… So many feelings all at once for the man who raised me and turned me into the Boss I am today.
Our relationship might have fractured, and I may not know where I stand with him anymore—not after everything he put me and Carter through—but that doesn’t mean I ever stopped loving him.
I just…wanted a father more than I needed a Boss, and I’m not sure how to get that back again; or if we ever really had it.
It’s a hard realization to have, and one that’s made it impossible to bridge the chasm between us or figure out if I even want that.
We’re almost back at the house when everything goes wrong.
Cristian’s hold on my hand loosens, and I look at his face, noting his color is off and his breathing has turned into pain-filled wheezes.
“Dad?”
“Fuck!” Keegan dives across the vehicle and starts ripping at Cristian’s vest and clothes, exposing a wound that's ripped through my father’s side, just under the strap of his bulletproof vest. Blood steadily leaks out of the literal hole in him, and a keening whine can be heard before I realize it’s coming from me.
Keegan puts pressure on the wound, and while I know I should be doing something, all I can think, as my father’s face loses all color and his breathing shallows, is that I’m not ready to lose him.
Our relationship may be fractured, but he still is, and always will be, my dad.
Reaching out, I grab one of his hands, squeezing his limp fingers in mine. “Please,” I cry. “Please, Dad. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” God am I so fucking sorry. Please, you can’t leave me, Dad. Not like this…