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“You’re a poor excuse for a son. In fact, don’t bother coming home. You’re no longer a part of this family.” This would be the first time someone didn’t get let go by way of killing, but he’s in a corner. The elders won’t care so much if he lets go of someone without killing them, as much as they’ll care about his war-starting against a contract they approved.
“Vincenzo, this isn’t the end.” He sneers, and Vince presses his lips together like he could give two fucks. And I’m feeling the same because if they ever come for us, we will handle it and win. There is no way I’m letting anything happen to them, especially not Espie.
“Let’s go.” He grunts, and the men help him out of the house. I watch out the window as he calls off his guys, still fighting with Vince’s. Slowly they back down and load in the cars, disappearing out the gate and revealing the tornado of destruction they’ve left in their wake.
“Holy shit.” I whisper, looking at the disaster before us and around us. The blood in the foyer, dripping down the stairs. Blood that belonged to Barth after Dragon killed him. It was before I could reason with Barth, who was almost rabid in his ruthlessness to stop me. I won’t remember him that way. He was a good man, cared for me when no one else did.
My father is doing something to those men, something illegal. I’ll find out soon enough, and we can end this war between our families, for good. I lift Espie up, inspecting every inch of her that I can until I decide there are no marks or scratches.
“I’m okay.” She finally whispers, and I pull her close to me as Vince stands, fragments of his home crunching beneath his feet as he inspects the mess.
“We’ll need to leave the house for a while.” He says in a daze as he walks out, calling someone on his cell and speaking in hushed tones until we’re left alone. We hold each other in silence as the realization sets in that we’re married, and then she laughs.
In the mess, in the horrible reality surrounding us, she laughs. And I look down at her for a second like she’s lost it before I lose it too. We laugh between each other for a while, mostly because I think it’s all we know to do now. Such a strange mixture of disarray and complete clarity. She’s the clarity, my clarity. And I will never let her go.
“Alright, we’re moving.” Vince ushers a group of every family member who was in the safe house, through the foyer, shielding who I assume to be his daughter’s eyes when she passes through. His wife is holding an infant in her arms, tears still streaming as Vince whispers to her quickly, hushed and emotional. He kisses her between fast words, and I wonder what their story is.
It seems like he’s going to stay here and help clean up, but she's grabbing onto him with her free hand, not letting go. It’s like he forgets everything, following her out the door as the others rush ahead, getting into their respective cars and speeding off. I assume, to meet their significant others. But mine is right here, and we don’t have a car.
Olive pokes her head around the corner, shielding her eyes from the horror scene in the foyer as she looks between us gleefully.
“Married?” Her brows lift. I chuckle and nod. “Come on. We’re going to stay at Rome and Kira’s house. They’ve got this massive farmhouse, and you’ll love the twins. Well, wait. Do you like kids?” She's already grabbing our hands and pulling us out the door and into the clear evening air.
“Uh, yeah.” I chuckle and pull Espie closer to me as she chuckles into my shirt. Olive rambles on like she doesn’t hate me anymore, so I accept that because I have no idea what Vince said to them about me to make everyone accept me into their family. Whatever it was, it must have been some sort of cinematic heart-felt speech. Either that or they’re a very forgiving family.
All the clouds in the sky are clear, and the stars are shining brighter than they normally do in the heart of the city. I think I can even see star-dust tonight. Espie and I are mesmerized by it, lagging further behind Olive, who turns around with her hands on her hip.
“Are you coming?” She asks like a little sister would, and I like that she seems so young when she’s kind. She is pretty young, I guess. Doesn’t punch like it, though. I rub my cheek, remembering her nasty right hook, and she smirks.
“Gotcha pretty good, didn’t I?” She asks as we approach her little VW Beetle Bug. It’s definitely custom— pale blue, shimmery and new looking, and the interior is all fuzzy like Sherpa. I am not certain how that works out for her in the summer, but I won’t make a comment because we’re on a sibling up-swing.
We slide into the back and Olive starts the car with a wide grin.
“Do you love it?” She asks, and Espie’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God, Olive. I completely forgot to look at it when we arrived. When did it get here?”
“Apparently just a week ago. Romeo drove it up from Calabasas. They have that custom shop there. Anyway, I thought it would be in a lot later.”
“It’s so cute.”
“And thankfully it was being shielded by that house on wheels beside us.” She says as she pulls out of the driveway and onto the street.
“I love the car.” I add after it’s been quiet for far too long, and both Espie and Olive burst out laughing. I roll my eyes but can’t hide my grin from making Espie laugh so hard accidentally.
For most of the drive, we listen to acoustic songs with girls who sing too softly to understand what they’re saying. And let me just say, it’s a long drive, so there must be a lot of those types of artists. It seems endless. I enjoyed it though because Espie was safe beside me, holding my hand or curled up on my lap.
When we finally arrive at the farm, it’s nearly sunrise and a dog runs out to greet us as we step out of the car. It looks like everyone has arrived a little before us, and the smell of freshly cooked bacon wafts through the air.
“Welcome!” A bright-eye, tall woman, with flowing auburn hair that almost looks like a fire in the sunrise, looks far too familiar. She’s accompanied by a little boy attached to her leg. He can’t be older than three. His large sapphire eyes look up at me nervously, and I wave. As soon as I do, he hides behind her further, and she extends a hand to me.
“Hi! I’m—“ I make the connection of who she is before she finishes introducing herself, so I interrupt.
“Kira, Kira Volvo.” Her grin widens as she nods, like she’s glad I remembered her. We used to sit next to each other in one of our training classes when we were probably no more than ten years old. I haven’t seen her in years. Last time I did, she was working with Kias.
“Adrik, it’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise.” I gently nod, knowing better than anyone what both of us have been through. “Thank you for having us here.”
