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Porter worried his bottom lip with his teeth. Normally, he would have jumped at the chance to work alongside Cyrus, but right now he needed some time to talk to Jaygen. Of course, all of them would know what was going on, but it was no secret who ran things around PGD and he needed their help if he was going to free his sister.
"Actually, can I talk to Jaygen alone, Arden? It won't take long. Could you maybe hold Spooky for me until we're done?"
Arden raised a brow. "Sure. Is everything okay?"
Porter shrugged. "Right now? I have no idea,” he said honestly.
The man looked him over before he nodded and lifted the carrier. "Has he eaten? He's looking a little thin. How about some nice fish? I brought some for the sirens this afternoon."
Porter smiled at the way Arden spoke to Spooky. He was such a huge man, but boy, did he have a soft spot for all of them. As Spooky purred and brushed up against his big fingers as they grazed along the side of the carrier, Porter realized the feeling was apparently mutual.
"Pretty." Hearing his name, Porter glanced at Jaygen. "I heard what you said. Come with me to my quarters."
"Yes, Sir." Porter planted a kiss on Cyrus's cheek. "Be right back. Foi, grab my bags and put them in my room, please."
Foi grumbled. "Now I'm the bag boy." One look from Jaygen and he quickly made his way to the trunk. "Oh relax. Didn't say I wasn't gonna get 'em."
Porter shook his head at Foi, a little grin on his lips. The wolf knew how to do one thing and that was how to get into trouble. He had no doubt Jaygen would have very choice words for him later. All of them made his heart squeeze in a funny way. The closer they came to Jaygen's room, the more difficult it was to swallow. He was about to put the men he cared for in harm's way.
"Sit," Jaygen said as they entered his room and he locked the door behind them.
Once upon a time, Porter would have gotten annoyed by Jaygen's short, straight-to-the-point words. They used to seem brash and rude, but he was starting to get to know the man. Underneath the clipped words and formal tone, Jaygen was worried. He could see it on his face before the man became stoic once more and the look disappeared as quickly as it had flickered across his face. Leave it to Jaygen to try to stay stone-faced no matter what came their way.
Porter took his seat at the table and Jaygen joined him. As they sat across from each other, all of the good that Jaygen had done for him made Porter's heart clench. He reached out and took Jaygen's hand as his eyes watered and his throat felt like it was all but closed.
"What's wrong?" Jaygen asked, a low rumble leaving his chest as if he was ready to sink his teeth into whatever problem he had.
"My sister," Porter managed to choke out. "I don't want to ask you, Jaygen. I know what I'm about to say could get you killed. All of you. And if I don't have you guys, what will I have?"
Jaygen frowned. "Stop that rambling and spit it out," he said as he squirmed in his seat for one brief second and stopped. "You're worrying me, Porter."
That wasn't what he'd meant to do either. Shit. Porter was screwing this up already, but it felt like such an impossible task. How could anyone go up against his father and live? He'd seen the demon cut down men in the blink of an eye simply because he wanted to. But trying to stop the man and save his sister? That was asking for trouble.
"Porter," Jaygen's voice had softened, but there was a feather of a frown on his lips, "whatever it is rest assured that we will help you. Now, tell me what's going on with your sister."
Porter let out a sharp breath and his shoulders slumped. Right, he had to get it out. He had no choice. Porter tried to calm himself before he finally looked up at Jaygen again and squeezed his hand.
"I talked to my sister while we were on vacation. I know, I know," he said as soon as Jaygen frowned at him. "I shouldn't have, but I missed her so much and I wanted to hear her voice. Jaygen, she's not doing well."
"What's wrong?"
Porter shrugged. "She couldn't tell me before she had to hang up, but I've never heard her that way. Amy has always been the more carefree and cheerful out of the two of us. Even when she's dealing with the worst things, she's upbeat and sure. But when I heard her voice..." He shook his head. "Ames never sounds like that. I'm worried my father is taking things out on her now that I'm gone. I always thought he hated me for killing my mom, but he's just an evil bastard."
Jaygen’s frown deepened. "Killing your mom?"
Porter laughed humorlessly. "Oh yeah. She died giving birth to me and she was the love of his life. He's hated me ever since." Porter drew little patterns on the back of Jaygen's hand. "Amy told me once that he used to be different. He was still bloodthirsty and violent, but he wasn't nearly as bad to his family. I was the curse that ruined that household." Porter choked back tears. "So I have to be the one to fix it. I have to get her out of there."
"You did not do anything wrong, Porter." Jaygen stood up and pulled Porter to his feet before dragging him into a hug. "Losing someone you love is horrible, but it was his job to care for you. Not blame you. That's on him." Jaygen's embrace tightened. "What do you want me to do?"
Now, that was a question he wasn't quite prepared to answer. Deep down, Porter knew there was only one solution to the problem, but as much as he hated the man could he really be complicit in his father's murder?
No one will get a moment of peace if he's left alive. Not Amy, not the guys. He has to die.
The thought of that made Porter’s stomach turn. Was he turning into the very man his father was by answering the threat with violence and death? He never wanted to be Gabriel Manetti. But, if there was a chance that he could make a difference, shouldn't he take it?
"My sister is perfectly qualified to run the Manetti family. As much as I wish I could say I want to tear the whole thing down, that's impossible. The families have a precarious balance already and a house falling would start a war." He shook his head. "My father needs to be put down."
Saying the words stung his tongue. Was this really the only way? He thought about the man, no, the monster, he called his father. All of the abuse, the degradation, the hate, the violence. He'd tried to love that man since he was a boy, looking for his father's praise and affection. One smile, one nod of approval, one 'good job, son' that wasn't steeped in blood and terror. But there wasn't a single moment when he had ever done any of those things. Not once had he ever said 'I love you.'
