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“Kara has laid out some clothes for you.”
I take the vest in my hand, needing it near me as we enter back into the room.
I pause when I see Royce sitting on the bed, his hands covering his face.
Kara and Karli both look at each other, nod, and then leave, closing the door behind themselves. I squeeze Royce’s vest in my fingers, staying put.
“He’s in the back. Ready to spill all his secrets.” His voice is strained, weak. I take the steps I need to reach him, kneeling down and curling my finger beneath his chin so he’s looking directly at me. Seeing his obvious pain is like being shot directly in the heart. His eyes are glassy, his lashes damp.
“Roy, it’s me.”
His eyes widen for a second, the muscles relaxing in his face.
I lay his vest over my thighs and bring both of my hands to his face. I lean forward and press my lips to his. “Have your moment, but have it with me.”
I watch as the first tear falls from the corner of his eye and he sniffs.
“I fucking had to leave. I couldn’t stay—you—he used you! It was all a lie. A game. He—” His eyes turn frantic as his shoulders slack. He exhales, shaking his head and hanging it between his shoulders. “He was my fucking dad, Jade.”
“Hey.” I bring my hand back to his cheeks, my thumb gliding over his bottom lip. “Look at me.” He does, his jaw tight. “You’re here now. We’re together now. We will go out there, he will tell us everything, you will tell me everything, and I, you, and—” I pause, picking up his colors and bringing it down over his hard shoulders. “—We will deal with this together.” As soon as his cut is back on him, his arm is around my body and he’s pulling me onto his lap.
Wrapping my arm around the back of his neck, I run the tip of my nose over his. “We’ve got this.”
He kisses me on the mouth. “Get changed.” His body hardens beneath me, his eyes turning hard. Not for me. But for Kyle. “Daddy’s time is up.”
If white noise was a feeling, it would be what is stirring inside of me right now as I look down at the man who I idolized all of my fucking life. Memories flash through my brain as he watches me pace back and forth on the back lawn, only every time a memory arises, I picture all the things he did to Jade—the things I know about.
“Where’s Lion?” he asks, but it’s not the tone I’m used to. He sounds different.
I don’t answer.
Wicked, Orson, Storm, and Jade are behind me, and I can almost feel the courage she’s pouring into me. She’s not just my rock, she’s my whole fucking world. I knew that from day one. My life began with her, and it’ll end with her.
“Let me guess.” Kyle laughs. “He’s putting a hit out on the cartel…” His eyes meet mine. “Except, it wasn’t him who killed little old Bonnie, it was me.”
I stop walking. “What?”
“Well, you see, I killed their Capo, and then made your signature kill, before hiring a couple of idiots to shoot up your compound. I started a war between you both. Really, it was to get Jade back—”
My fist flies straight into his face until blood splatters over me.
“You don’t get to say her name.” Wrapping my fingers around the leather handle of my knife, I bring the tip to his throat, just below his ear. “This pressure point right here, it’s a silent kill spot. If you press hard enough—” I slightly turn my knife but pull back. “It will kill you by draining your blood over the course of hours. But I won’t kill you like that. That’s a peaceful way to die.”
“Why?” I hear Lion ask from behind me, and I still, shocked to hear him. “Why?”
Lion moves closer until he’s in front of Kyle. “We knew it was you. The cartel, we all did.” Lion gestures behind himself. “You see the boys at the front of the house? All that back up was to storm your sick little complex. It wasn’t for the cartel war.” I smirk at Kyle, ambling backward.
“But you see,” Lion further says. “We’re in a situation, because you owe all of us. You have taken something from every single one of us who stands here today.” Lion takes a seat on a chair opposite Kyle, but close enough to reach him. “Why?”
Kyle brought his eyes to Lion. “She was my best.”
“Who was?” Lion asks, and I see his patience wearing thin. If he says Jade’s name one more fucking time, I’m going to put my knife through the center of his skull. Fuck the torture game.
Kyle’s mouth curves up, displaying his blood sodden teeth. “Olivia. Snow.”
