“Mo.” I pulled back and gripped her hand placing it on my chest. “Know this… my heart will always beat for you and you alone, my friend, my lover, my enemy, my soul.”
Tears dripped down her face as she nodded and tugged my head to hers, her mouth meeting mine in a frenzy. “I’m proud of you.”
“Don’t be.”
“Can’t help it.” She sighed, her lips lingering across mine, brushing feather light kisses across my skin.
We kissed for a while, not talking, memorizing, saying goodbye for the second time in two weeks. I glanced up at the clock and it was nearing midnight.
“Mo—”
“You don’t have to say it.” She moved from underneath me and stood to her feet. “Keep the fox.”
I chuckled. “A one eyed fox for good luck? What could go wrong?”
“Don’t be an ass,” Mo taunted. “He protected me from monsters, maybe he’ll protect you from yours.”
“Mo.” I shook my head. “Tomorrow I become that monster.”
“No.” She licked her lips and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Tomorrow, you become our savior.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
Sleeping is for the dead.
Phoenix
I SLEPT LIKE CRAP.
So many lives hung in the balance, mine included, but I didn’t really value my own life, especially when measured against theirs.
In an hour we would leave for The Commission. My stomach was in knots. I closed my eyes and brushed my fingers across the tree where the guys and I had etched in our names… the names of the Elect. The place where we swore we wouldn’t become our fathers.
Damn, but I’d become him without even knowing it.
I felt for Tex, I really did, because I knew better than anyone else what it was like to have ugliness as a legacy. I understood it because I lived with it every damn day, no escape, nothing.
The wind picked up causing a chill to reverberate through the air as the cool air bit through my jacket.
“Crazy,” Nixon said suddenly from behind me.
I didn’t turn around. “What is?”
Chase answered from my left as Nixon stood to my right. “It doesn’t even seem real that we were kids.”
I shook my head. “Childhood? Did we even get one?”
“No.” A fourth voice answered. Tex. “Pretty sure we skipped that part.”
“I would have loved to have had a fort.” Chase stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“At least a treehouse.” Nixon added.
“Or a bad ass lawnmower to ride.” Tex chuckled.
We fell silent, nothing but the wind whistling through the trees and the tension dripping off every one of us.
“How deep does blood go?” Tex asked breaking the silence.
“To the death.” I croaked. “Until the last breath leaves my body.”
Chase lifted his palm to the inscriptions on the tree and pressed his hand firmly against it. “Sangue in assenza.” Blood in no out.
Nixon placed his hand over Chase’s. “Con la morte a trovare la tu libertà, ma è la vita dove si è veramente liberi.”
I closed my eyes as the truth of his statement poured over me. “In death you find your freedom, but it is life where you are truly free.” My shaking hand went over Nixon’s. I didn’t expect Tex to join us, after all, he had to stay numb to the emotions if he was going to follow through.
I was shocked when his hand pushed across mine, he whispered gruffly, “Se il mio sangue, non sia vana.” He repeated it in English. “If my blood spills, let it not be in vain.”
“Amen.” Nixon whispered.
“Amen.” We joined removing our hands.
The back door slammed, jolting us out of our moment, possibly the last moment the four of us would have together alive.
“We should go.” Sergio called from the back porch. “Now.”
Tex walked away first, then Chase, and finally Nixon.
I watched as my three best friends held their heads high, no fear visible on their faces, and I had to wonder. Was I leading them to their deaths? Or had I done enough to save them? By telling Tex, had I saved more lives, or just added to the body count?
I made a quick cross with my hands and kissed my knuckles. “May God be with us.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
A corrupt heart elicits all that is bad within us…
Mo
I WAITED FOR THE GUYS to leave before taking off after them. Tex had already given me instructions on where to go. I was about to start the car when I heard a knocking on the window.
Trace stood, arms crossed, glaring.
I hit the down button. “What’s up?”
“You’re going to The Commission aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes you are.”
“No I’m not.”
“You’re a crap liar.” Trace opened the door and pulled out her gun, making sure the chamber was loaded.
I groaned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait in the car but I’m not letting my best friend go there without backup.”
“And what?” I laughed. “You don’t even know what’s going on, Trace. It’s best that way.”
“Mil’s there.” Trace swallowed. “You’re going and Nixon may die. I’m going to be there, in the car, but I’ll be there. If I hear gunshots I won’t run in the line of fire, Nixon’s already threatened me, but if I’m the only one not injured I can at least drive everyone straight to Stephens’s hospital and make sure nobody dies.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Fine.”
“You’re going to help him aren’t you?” She stuffed the gun back in her purse and cocked her head towards me. “Tex, I mean.”
I shifted uncomfortably and turned on the car. “Maybe… if I can.”
“You’re going to just waltz right in there?”
“I’m Nixon’s twin.” I grinned. “I have just as much right to be there as he does. After all, I’m a Mafia princess, the guys will be pissed but it’s not like they won’t have bigger issues, plus I have a great excuse.”
“What? Insanity?” Trace rolled her eyes.
“No, of course not.” I slipped Nixon’s phone out of my pocket. “He has my phone instead of his, damn iPhones, can’t tell which is which.”
“Scary brilliant.” She nodded approvingly, her lips pressed together. “Try not to die, okay?”