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“No. I just need to know what the fuck they are.”
“No, you don’t. You don’t want to get tied up with them.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed. “What if I already am?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He understood Kohen’s concern. They were linked, which meant whatever touched Carter could potentially touch Kohen. He’d promised protection but if the Angels of Death were all Carter assumed they were, Kohen would have to make a choice about protecting his family. Carter wouldn’t blame him for doing so. In his position, he’d do the same.
Carter extended an arm and turned it slightly, pointing to the tattoo inside of his bicep. “Kivuli. It means shadow. It’s also a popular, East African male name.”
“I don’t follow.”
“My father always told me names don’t matter. Your bloodline defines your existence. He hardly ever called me Carter. He called me…”
“Son,” Kohen cut in with understanding.
Carter nodded stiffly. “He had this tattoo and told me it reminded him of who he was. Kessler said my parents ran, changed their names. What if this…” Carter pointed to the tattoo. “Is his name. He had this same tattoo, in the exact same place. Hidden, but he knew it was there. Why the fuck else would he need it to remind himself of who he was?”
“A tattoo proves nothing. It could simply be a coincidence.”
“Too fucking close to home, Kohen. The day my mother died, a black coin was left on the porch. One side had a dark angel, the other Roman numerals. When my father saw it, he lost his shit. That’s what caused him to snap. He was destroyed when he found out about my mother but when he saw that coin, he was volatile. I’d never seen him like that before. He was always quiet, reserved.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Kohen murmured.
“It makes perfect sense. Kessler said my mother’s family put the hit on her, not Jessup. What if they are her family? What if my parents were running from them?”
Angels of Death.
“Is that what you believe to be true?”
“You said they’re much worse than the shit we’re into. What if whatever caused my parents to fall off the grid was attached to them. My father was cautious. Always. There’s a death certificate with my name on it. Not only did they change their names but they erased my existence.”
“Protecting you.”
“Hiding me.”
From her family.
And I need to know why.
Kohen didn’t question further. He reached for the phone and made the call. Kohen’s contact confirmed everything Carter believed to be true. His documentation wasn’t legitimate. Not that it mattered. He could purchase whatever he needed to move around and exist undetected. However the confirmation ignited the desire for more answers.
“I need a name.” His eyes met Kohen’s. He had been in this life much longer and connected in ways Carter never would be.
“There’s one man.” Kohen curled his fingers into a fist and released them. Carter understood that to be a sign of unease.
“I won’t bring this shit to your door, Kohen.”
“I’m not concerned about you bringing anything to me and I’m not asking you to do this alone. What I do want is for you to be sure you’re willing to travel down this road. It’s not only about who they are, but what you’ll find. If your mother's family killed her, what’s the plan? You’re one man, Carter.”
“I’ll get the justice she deserves. The justice my father wanted but never received. That’s the plan.”
“And what about McKenna?”
Carter tensed. There was a chance he would be risking his life to get what he wanted. This was a choice he wasn’t sure he could make.
“I need to know. I’ll decide when I have all the details.”
