Nixon’s cold eyes met mine. I squirmed in my seat, uncomfortable with how much he saw, or how much it felt like he saw when he stared right through me. “De Lange started a rumor a while back that he left you with something… precious, something that would change the family forever.”
“All he left me were bruises,” I whispered.
Ax moved to my side and put his hand on my shoulder.
“It was meant to drive your father insane, insane enough to mess up and show himself. Instead, he went into hiding. It wasn’t until Mario De Lange died that your father started getting obsessed again. Desperate for money, considering no family would work with him, he started searching for you. And that’s where Ax came in. Had we known your living conditions were… dire—” His eyebrows lifted. “—we would have reached you sooner, but a certain someone—” His gaze met Ax. “—said you wanted no part of this lifestyle, so we left you alone until it was no longer safe to do so.”
“Ironic,” I whispered. “When you’re safer with the mafia than on the streets.”
“Not ironic.” Nixon smirked. “Do you even know how the mafia started? Lacking a bit of a history lesson are we? It was for protection… it was for… exactly what we’re offering you.”
“But I need to do you guys a favor to obtain said protection.”
“Right.” Nixon nodded. “But this favor… will be over before it even starts. We’ll put an end to your father and brother.”
“My brother?” I parroted. “He’s alive?”
“Somewhat.” Nixon cringed. “A bit brainwashed, worse for the wear, but alive.”
“He’s nineteen,” I said slowly. “A kid, you can’t just kill a kid.”
“Actually,” Tex said coming back into the room. “We can and we will. It’s called war, sweetheart. He may be a kid but he’s still got a gun and I think any soldier will tell you urban warfare is the scariest kind. A nineteen-year-old with a gun is unpredictable. I’d rather deal with five men then one nineteen-year-old who thinks he’s got something to prove.”
I looked away from all of them, barely feeling Ax’s hand on my shoulder. Mil was still sitting next to me; everyone was silent.
“So…” I said in a hollow voice. “What do I have to do?”
“That,” Phoenix piped up, “Is the easy part.”
I snapped my head in his direction. Why was his smile so big? Wait, why was everyone smiling? Confused I waited for someone to clarify why me walking into the firefight was something to grin about.
“I love weddings.” Tex’s smile grew to gigantic proportions as his eyes left mine and met the person standing to my left. Ax.
“Pardon?” Ax said, his voice cracking.
“Weddings.” Tex nodded. “Way more fun than funerals.”
“Vin’s funeral kicked ass,” Chase pointed out.
“True, because he was ninety and still carted a semi-automatic in his old truck. Not the point though, the point is, I’m going to look forward to this.”
I stood and crossed my arms, still terrified, but more angry that they were expecting me to read their minds. “What are you talking about?”
“Alliances. It’s how we control bloodlines.” Nixon looked between me and Ax. “Say hello to your fiancé.”
Ax’s hand fell from my shoulder.
I trembled in the chair.
Nixon rubbed his hands together. “You’re a De Lange.” He looked to Mil, “No offense.”
“None taken!” She held up her hands.
“The one thing your father always wanted—” Nixon tilted his head. “—was to be a made man in an important family. Guaranteed, he’s going to catch wind of you marrying into our family… guaranteed he’ll try to come to the wedding and claim what’s rightfully his — you. Guaranteed I’ll put a bullet-size hole in his body before you say I do.”
“And if you miss?”
Everyone burst out laughing. Nixon’s eyes narrowed as he took two steps towards me and whispered in a harsh tone, “Do I look like I ever miss my target?”
“No.”
“Add the sir in there, gets him all excited.” Tex nodded encouragingly while Nixon rolled his eyes.
“Don’t call him sir,” Ax said from beside me. “It’s like pouring gasoline on an open flame.”
Nixon’s eyes snapped to Ax’s. “Shouldn’t you be ring shopping?”
“Right, forgive me for not already being prepared… sir.”
Nixon bristled.