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Yair shook his head. “No children other than the young boys who train. Late teens at most based on what I can determine and two women I assume work the compound. I’ve seen them moving around. They don’t leave. Other than the women Gatete brings in, they’re the only ones.”
Carter nodded. “Anything else we need to know.”
“No, the rest is up to you. We’ll follow your lead with this. Pops said this is your thing. You handle everything the way you need to. We’re just there to follow orders.” Yair’s tone and expression remained neutral. Unlike his brother Emir, Yair wasn’t overly emotional so Carter nodded once more. After Yair packed up his things, he walked him to the door. Once Yair was on the elevator, Carter poured a drink and stepped out on the balcony, staring blankly at the city.
Years had passed but the emotions were the same. His parents were gone. He couldn’t bring them back but he could end the existence of the person who ended their lives. Doing so was something he’d wanted all these years and never believed would be possible.
After he lifted his drink, Carter’s phone vibrated with a call. He removed the device from his pocket and frowned at the screen before he answered, speaking first.
“I’m not changing my mind, so if that’s why you’re calling…”
“It’s not. I didn’t think you would.”
“Then what?”
Carter waited while Kohen paused briefly then asked, “Revenge rarely ever provides the peace and satisfaction you’re seeking. You go in and do this, then what?”
The thought had played in Carter’s mind multiple times and the answer was always the same.
“I move on with my life.”
Years ago, moving on looked much different than it did now. Now she was his life. She was what was next.
“You can move on without this.”
Let this go.
“I could but I’m not going to.”
Kohen was silent again before he offered, “He would be proud of you, Carter. Fucking pissed at how stubborn you are but he wouldn’t have the right to be because you’re just like him.” His tone was light when he spoke. “But he would be so fucking proud, regardless. No matter what, know that.”
Carter nodded to himself before he offered his response and ended the call. “Yeah, I know.”
Kohen was right about one thing. The satisfaction of killing Gatete wouldn’t last any longer than the time it took to pull the trigger because as soon as his body dropped, Carter would be left with the reality that killing him changed nothing.
Not a damn thing, but regardless, he needed that moment. Once he had it, he could at least move on with the satisfaction of knowing that if he couldn’t bring his parents back, the man who took them from him would no longer breathe the air denied to them.
“You’ve been quiet.” McKenna watched him as she sipped the mint raspberry tea she made. Carter had asked her what that was about when she turned down his offer to open a bottle of wine for dinner.
He was hopeful, so fucking hopeful, but all she gave was that she was being a responsible potential parent, assuring him she wasn’t pregnant yet. He took that as a sign to try harder.
Carter finished the last of his lasagna and leaned back in his chair, staring at the woman who had somehow managed to make him whole while changing everything about him. How the fuck was that even possible?
He smirked and lowered his eyes to hers before offering what was on his mind. “I’m letting you go to Texas.”
“Letting me?” She arched a brow and he chuckled, shaking his head.
“Yeah, Kenni, letting you because if I made the decision to make you stay, you wouldn’t be going.”
She smiled, sinfully slow. “You know I like a challenge.”
“Can you just accept the win?”
“It’s not a win if I didn’t fight for it or negotiate terms.”
“McKenna,” he warned but she didn’t seem fazed.
Her smile expanded and she rolled her eyes when his narrowed more. “Fine. Where are we staying?”
