AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He holds up his finger to silence my questions. “Not long after I turned twenty-seven, Cedric died, leaving everything he had to me along with the family business. The word of his death spread quickly, which wasn’t surprising. At his funeral, your dad finally approached me. That was the first time I heard him speak. He had a proposition for me.”
“Proposition?”
“It’s rude to interrupt, Flower,” Lucas chimes before Teddy can reply.
Teddy leans across the table and levels his eyes with mine, demanding my attention without saying the words. “Like I said, the word of his death spread quickly. The cartel knew within a matter of minutes, it seemed, and took the opportunity to push more drugs than they ever had. They made the mistake of crossing into my territory though. Your father wasn’t happy about it either. He told me we needed to stop them. If they kept going at the pace they were, bringing things over from the border more than three times a week, the feds would catch on, and then it would be a huge issue for him, and me and my guns. He promised me he wouldn’t cross my path if I made the cartel stop what they were doing.”
I bite my tongue, trying to think if I really want to interrupt again. Fuck it. “What do you mean, you and your guns?”
He shakes his head and leans back in his chair. “That’s our trade. We deal in all types of weaponry, but mainly guns, locally, and abroad. Now—” He leans close to me again. “—as I was saying.
“Your father was adamant about bringing the cartel down any way we could, but he was a cop. He wanted things done the right way or close to it, and all I wanted was to kill them. It was my time to establish dominance and show them Cedric may be dead, but the Hale name would live on along with the business.
“I’ve never been a fan of cops and tried not to associate with them unless it was necessary, but your father and I had an understanding. We both wanted the same thing. For the following ten years, I worked my side of things, getting close and finding leads in my own way, while he did the same. I had never spoke to him after the day at Cedric’s funeral until recently.
“The night before he died, he called me and said he figured it out, that he knew who was running shit and giving the cartel orders. He wanted to meet and give me the info, and I was free to handle it how I wanted, and he would clean up the mess. He was tired of chasing the same person for years and just wanted it done.”
After he finishes with the last sentence, my guard goes up and my body uncurls, on high alert.
Honestly, I’m not surprised one bit with everything he’s telling me about himself; my dad being painted as a dirty cop does though. “You lying piece of shit! He was not dirty,” I spit with my finger in his face.
He leans back again and lets out a breath. “Your dad was smart and knew legally his hands were tied. He wasn’t dirty, he just knew there was nothing he could do. None of the evidence he found would hold up in court. He had a driving force pushing him to bring down the cartel. I couldn’t tell you what that force was, but he wanted it badly. So bad he was ready to hand everything over to me. We had plans to meet the next morning, but it never came. Whoever or whatever he found was good because he was killed for it.”
The wheels turn in my head as I try to process what he’s saying. “So, you know who killed him, then?”
“I don’t, but I plan to find out. The cartel is dwindling slowly but surely. It won’t be long,” he says, never moving his eyes from mine.
“There has got to be something more to all of that,” I think out loud.
“I feel the same, Monkshood. I will figure it out,” he promises.
I nod, not trusting my voice not to crack. So much information has just been laid on me, and I don’t know how it makes me feel. I always thought my dad was good. He would never crawl into bed with… with people like Teddy. He would never look the other way if Teddy was dealing guns. What cop does? A dirty one. It’s almost like all my faith and trust in my dad is gone, and it’s a shame because he isn’t even here to defend himself.
I push all the thoughts away and stand from the table. “I can’t talk anymore. I can’t process anything else you want to tell me. I just need some time. I’m going to bed.” I turn my back to them and start to walk inside before they can protest.
“Monkshood,” Teddy’s voice sounds behind me quietly. I turn over my shoulder and give him a quick look. “Welcome to the family.” He dips his head.
I give him a fake, tight smile. My dad was my family, not this. And it seems as if everything I knew about him was a lie. If Teddy thinks I’m grateful for being included in his fucked-up family… or whatever the fuck this is, he’s wrong.
Lucas laughs from beside Teddy. “Nah,” he remarks. “Welcome to the Mafia, baby. I hope you’re ready to fight for what you love.”
I don’t acknowledge his words. I already had my suspicions of who they were, but after everything I just learned about my dad, I don’t even feel shocked. I knew they were bad. I knew they had to be doing something that wasn’t right. Lucas’s declaration doesn’t surprise me. My dad being made to look like a dirty cop does though. Regardless of what Teddy said, it doesn’t make any of this better, but if he’s telling the truth, my dad isn’t who I thought he was at all.
