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Once we’re all armed enough to satisfy Rome we all head through the vast house, and I’m glad to see that the lights have remained on, judging from the small smile on Ace’s face he feels the same.
As we get back into the car, once it's been thoroughly checked over, I ask, “So, how far away is your place?”
“It’s about fifteen or so minutes away. It’s on the other side of town,” Rome replies. “I’m going to leave the car running just like we did last night, and we all need to be on high alert. Under no circumstances do we split up.”
“Got it,” I reply, because he’s looking at me like he needs me to say the words out loud for his own peace of mind.
“Are we taking the back roads to avoid the main part of town?” Mason asks Rome as we set off in the opposite direction that we approached Ace’s family from last night.
Rome nods, “Yeah, it’s still pretty early, but I don’t want to risk anyone seeing us and alerting my father if he is still alive and if he’s not, they could still alert your parents, and I want to know what’s going on before they become aware that we’re here.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Knowledge is power and all that. I’d rather know as much as possible before we have to deal with them.” Mal replies, his expression dark as he talks about his parents. There’s no doubt in my mind that there isn't any love lost between them but then again it’s because of his parents that he lost his sister.
The car stays silent after that, and just like last night when we approached Ace’s family home, as we get closer to Rome’s his tension increases, his shoulders becoming tense.
As we approach the gates, I can’t help but say, “They’re um rather ostentatious, aren’t they?”
Rome lets out a surprised laugh, “Wait until you see the house; everything is over the top and unnecessary. It’s gaudy rather than elegant and regal like he was hoping it would be.”
“I’m morbidly curious,” I reply honestly and then add, “they’re open, does that mean the same as it did at Ace’s?”
Rome nods, “Yes, none of our families leave the gates to their estates open for safety reasons.”
I nod as we slowly drive up the well-maintained road leading to the house, it’s lined with manicured bushes in strange shapes and leads up to a regal house, complete with a fountain in the middle of the driveway, and from the outside, it looks like it has east and west wings, and is adorned with columns and more manicured bushes.
“Wow,” I mutter, my eyebrows rising. It’s lavish and over the top. I kind of expect some people dressed in those puffy trousers and carrying bugles to come out and announce our arrival like they do in old films that depict royalty.
I’m kind of disappointed when they don’t, if I’m honest.
I don’t have long to be disappointed though, because as soon as Rome has stopped the car, leaving the engine running we’re all getting out, our weapons drawn and ready for whatever we’re about to walk into. We’re not taking anything as facts so although the woman, sorry Rebecca said that Rome’s father was dead, he’s not risking her being wrong which means we’re not risking it either, we’re trusting his instincts like he trusts ours.
Chapter Twenty-Four
We don’t shut the car doors, leaving them open for two reasons, one being that if we closed the doors, we’re going to make our presence here even more obvious, but also because if we need to suddenly escape the last thing we want to be doing while avoiding a hail of bullets is to be fucking around trying to open doors, I made that mistake once, and I will never do it again.
We don’t even get halfway to the giant front door and the equally colossal marble steps that lead up to it when the
front door swings open. The only reason that we don’t start shooting is that the man calls out to us.
“Don’t shoot!” he yells, sounding panicked despite the fact that he is being incredibly brave for coming out here and facing us in the first place, “Mr Rome, your father is dead. It’s true.”
“Thomas?” Rome questions, lowering his weapon slightly.
Thomas smiles slightly, “I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me.”
“You are the only person in this house that ever showed me even a shred of kindness despite what could’ve happened to you if my father caught you,” Rome replies, lowering his gun completely and prompting us to do the same although like Rome none of us put our weapons away.
Thomas’s eyes fill with compassion as he inclines his head, “I wish I could’ve done more.”
“You did enough,” Rome reassures him and then asks, with hope in his voice, “he’s really gone?”
Thomas nods, “Yes sir, I saw his body myself, checked his pulse, and everything. He was very dead.”
Rome’s smile is sharp, “Good. What about my mother?”
“She’s disappeared. None of us have any idea where she is,” Thomas replies, and there’s no hint of a lie in his tone or body language.
Rome nods, “Okay, so long as she’s not planning anything, that’s good.”
