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Chapter Twenty-Six
Willow
Felix is on top of me, and out of nowhere I hear a gunshot and see Ion shove Duncan. I don’t know where the bullet went, but Felix turns around and yanks out his own. I’m groggy but no longer confined to this bloody chair, so I stick my foot out in front of me and watch as Felix flies to the ground in front of me.
“Fuck!” Duncan growls out, and I see him aim the gun at Felix.
“No!” I scream out, unsure why. It could be because of my past with him, that I somehow hope he still has an ounce of the man I knew him to be all of those years ago. I’m so conflicted, and even worse, I’m confused. I watch as Ion grabs Duncan and pulls him backwards, keeping him from going after Felix. My eyes lock with Ion’s, and I know that he isn’t doing this for me, it’s obvious in his stern stare. I’d be a fool to think that he spared Felix because of my past with him. He wants information from him, of that I’m sure. I wonder just how long Felix has been a pawn for the Italians and then my mind drifts to how alone I felt those few years after I lost my mum…after I lost him…and suddenly the tears spill from my eyes, flowing over my cheeks until I feel them hitting the palm of my hands. I’m not just crying, I’m sobbing my ever loving heart out. Something that I haven’t done in years, not since the day that Mum passed. It was the worst day of my life, and I don’t even think I cried this much then. All of the betrayal and anguish that I feel comes flooding out of me, a million miles an hour. I’ve kept it bottled up for ages, so I guess I should applaud myself for that. I tried to be the tough chick, the bitch who gives zero fucks, but I can’t anymore. It’s all built up too much and is overflowing.
I don’t even notice that Ion has let go of Duncan until his arms are wrapped securely around me, allowing me to lean into his chest and sob my heart out. Neither of us speak, because what words are there to say that would be fitting for this moment? There are none. Nothing can make either of us feel better, and even though he is quiet and simply holding me, I know that he is filled with emotion right now as well. This couldn’t have been easy on him either.
Duncan’s hands rub up and down my back, pulling me closer and closer towards him until I’m practically in his lap. I don’t know how many minutes pass us by, for right now it’s just him and I. Nothing else matters, not even the bloody people in this room.
I hear Felix cursing, fighting whatever is happening around us, but I don’t dare to look up. I need this moment with Duncan. No – we need this.
“The Clans will be questioning Felix for any information that he might have. It’s clear that we have been targeted by the Italians and obvious that Felix played a big hand in that. Once our investigation is through, it will be your decision on what we do with him. I don’t normally allow anyone besides myself to call judgement on our enemy, but this situation is rather different than most. This is personal for you, Willow. We don’t know the full severity of the crimes he has committed. I have a feeling that we’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg.”
I tilt my head up from Duncan’s chest and look at Ion with concern and a bit of confusion, “What do you mean by that?”
He shifts in his stance. “If my gut is right, I don’t think that your father was actually ill. I think that it’s likely he has been poisoned over a great period of time, and I want Duncan to take you to New York for the next few weeks. If your father was poisoned, it means that whomever was poisoning him still works on your household staff. We will make it look as if you have come to New York for Clan business, meanwhile, we’ll have two investigations going.”
“If someone killed domn, you can be sure that we will find out,” Harris states firmly, determination laced through his voice. I know that my father meant a lot to him, as he did to most of his security detail.
“We need to get you checked out by a doctor,” Duncan says, and as much as I’m reluctant to go to another hospital given what we just endured, I know that it would be the smart decision. Lord knows what I was injected with.
“Okay, but after we get to New York. Not here,” I agree, and leave with Duncan go get on the plane that will take us far away from here.
***
When we arrived to New York I considered myself lucky when Duncan took me to a physician’s office instead of a hospital, he followed me everywhere except when the doctor asked for a urine sample. They took blood and did every test in the book that they were able to. At the end of the appointment, the physician asked to speak to me alone, and as reluctant as Duncan was, he agreed.
I just happened to get news that I wasn’t quite expecting, or prepared for.
