“Kellan never told me who his handler was or anything like that. All I knew was that the CIA wanted intel and that Kellan wasn’t to trust the local police or any FBI agent because they are all dirty and on one of their payrolls. I didn’t want to believe it but Meekan knew where Walter House was, and that can only mean he is working with my father,” I add.
“Why does he get immunity and not you?”
I nibble on my bottom lip and debate how to answer Halo. I could lie and try to hide my true intentions but I’m sick to death of all the secrets and half truths, so I decide to be honest.
“His deal included immunity for me but I refused it.”
“Why?” Carn pushes.
I turn and look him directly in the eyes as I answer. “Because when I cut off the head of both those snakes I want to be the one who takes their place.” Harper gasps behind me and I hear the others inhale sharply, but I don’t look away from Carn. I need to see his reaction. I need to know if my friend will judge me for my choice. “Vivian told me if you cut off the head of a snake you need to replace it. I’m choosing me as the replacement. I want what is best for both towns and I want to repair the damage mine and Xaden’s father’s have done.”
I didn’t want any of this. I wanted to run and be free of it all and raise my child in a safe place, but I see now I can never have that life. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing I turnedmy back on these towns. The residents may hate me and treat me like shit, but I don’t blame them. They don’t know the truth about that night but I plan to make sure everyone does when the time is right.
Carnage’s eyes soften. “This is the mafia, Tor. There is no repairing what they have done. The damage is blood deep and the people of these towns crave it. Some may hide it better than others but they all want the same thing. Power. Money. Control. What you want will get you killed. You need to be bloodthirsty and hungry. You may be those things right now, but when your war against your family has ended, so will your anger.”
“No.” I shake my head denying his assumption. “I’m going after the Devlin Cosa Nostra,” I state.
He smiles sadly. “You can end them and take them all out but you will never be done with the Devlin Cosa Nostra, Tor. You carry the heir to his family inside you and as long as there is a Devlin out there, those who are loyal to him will come for your kid and place it back on the throne its father once sat. Blood means everything is this life. You can take out your father and Masen but whether you like it or not, you are a Kellar and you will be forced to become the head of your family. The only way out of this life is in a pine box.”
His words wash over me like a bucket of ice water. My heart is thumping so fast and my airways seem restricted. The walls feel like they are closing in on me. I’m trapped. I have no way out. I thought helping Kellan meant I do the right thing and help, but I was a fucking idiot. I can’t do this. I can’t kill and sell drugs.
“Tate may have convinced Alex to allow it to appear like you own real estate in Hollow Hills, but none of that will matter unless you can convince your father and Xaden to be in the same room. You aren’t even a contender in this war yet. You are just a puppet either side is using to bait the other. If you really wantto fight this fight and take out the head of your family, becoming the queen of the cartel, you need to start thinking like one and make boss moves.” I stare at Halo with my mouth slightly ajar as everything he is saying makes perfect sense.
“How do I do that?” I ask.
All five of them and even bloody Harper stare at me with cunning gleams in their eyes and a wicked smirk on each of their faces.
“First, we call Alex and tell him the truth abouteverything.” I cringe but Omen doesn’t stop talking. “Then, we teach you how to manipulate both sides and start taking from them.”
“Take what exactly?” I ask in a worried tone.
“The fastest way to get a reaction is to go after their money,” Vatican states.
“Before you askhow,” Pope interjects before I can ask that very question. “We cut off your father’s supply of narcotics at the same time we cut Devlin’s supply of guns and ammunition.”
“When they figure out that it wasn’t each other who fucked them over, they will go hunting for the person who dared to fuck with them,” Carnage adds.
“Me?” I breathe out, making my friend smile and nod.
“Yes. We keep acting the same, you go to school every day and act normal. But when the time comes for us to make our move, we will be back in Hollow, waiting for them to come to us and that’s when we show them that you are the one in power and not someone to be fucked with.” Elation fills me and hope begins to unfurl inside me that maybe, just fucking maybe, I might be able to pull this off.
“That all sounds great and everything but…” We all turn to look over at Harper. “If Kellan was working with the CIA and is no longer… present.” She shoots me a sympathetic look before carrying on. “Won’t his handler come looking for him, which in turn means more heat on all three towns that we don’t need.”
“We have his phone.” I balk at Halo who just shrugs. “I lifted it from him at the rink. It will take me some time to crack the code on the phone but when I do, I’ll go through his call logs and texts and find out who was running him.”
Let the game of cat and mouse begin.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
XADEN
I haven’t been able to quiet the simmering rage inside me. It’s like a constant stream flowing through me unable to be sated, not even tearing the limbs from those nurses and flaying their skin from their bodies, or slicing their lips from their face, quelled the growing fury inside me.
That cunt dared to hold a gun to me and make demands!
I’ve been snapping at everyone. Cas has ordered all the men to stay away from me and not approach. I lost my temper and shot Con in the leg for laughing too loud as I walked past. I never wanted to be like Lorenzo and hurt my men who are loyal to me out of honor and not money, yet I did exactly what he would have done and it pisses me off more.
Cas checked me real quick and threatened to take me down himself if I ever did that shit again. I didn’t fight him because I deserved that shit.
