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“It might help if I knew who your mother was.”
“Your daughter.”
The slip in Gatete’s mask happened once more, barely noticeable but Carter didn’t miss it. He pressed the gun harder to his forehead.
“Their son. You’re supposed to be dead.”
“My parents’ way of protecting me from you. I’m alive and well, which means you won’t be for long. Get up.”
Gatete’s eyes narrowed again and Carter added, “And keep your fucking hands visible. Either way, this is the last conversation you will ever have but I feel like you should at least have the chance to explain yourself.”
“What is it you think I need to explain?”
“You sent someone to kill your own daughter. You don’t think that deserves an explanation?”
“No, and I didn’t send anyone to kill her. She was no longer my daughter the day she ran like a coward, dishonoring me. Your mother was a disappointment, she betrayed me, our family. She deserved much worse than she received. But, I still enjoyed watching her take her last breath after I pulled the trigger.”
It took Carter a minute to fully process. He knew Gatete had been the one who made the call to kill his mother but never once considered he was the one who had pulled the trigger. The last bit of restraint Carter was managing snapped and his finger yanked back on the trigger.
Now I get to enjoy you taking your last breath. For them.
Seconds later he felt movement behind him and turned, aiming his gun with precision at a face that matched his mother’s. Male and older, but the resemblance was there.
Gahigi.
“You’re Keza’s son…” Carter didn’t respond. It wasn’t a question. His uncle was confirming his thoughts out loud.
“Is Kivuli your father?”
Yet again, Carter didn’t respond and Gahigi took a step forward. When he noticed Carter’s fingers tighten on his weapon, he held his arms out to his sides, exposing his own. He kept both arms wide and slowly placed the gun on the floor before he extended to his full height once more and rotated in a circle.
“I’m not armed. I just want to talk.”
Carter’s eyes swept over the length of the man before him taking in his bare chest and cotton sleep pants. It wasn’t likely he hid any other weapons on his person but he still didn’t lower his gun.
“Talk.”
Gahigi glanced at the bed and Carter clarified, “If you want to talk about him, don’t waste your time.”
Gahigi’s eyes slowly moved back to Carter. “After what I just heard, had you not killed him, I would have done so myself.”
Carter remained silent and Gahigi continued. “I always assumed. I never knew for sure but deep down I knew he was the one. He was so angry when your mother chose Shadow over our family. No one goes against Gatete or disrespects his wishes. Keza did.”
“Why?” Carter needed to know his parents’ story. They would never be able to hand over their truth. They hadn’t when they were alive and he now knew that was to protect him.
“Love.” Gahigi’s expression was tight as if the thought of what he confessed angered him. “She loved your father. They were young and stupid. Keza was sixteen when my father brought Shadow here. He was nineteen, but age means nothing when your heart’s involved. He was my father’s property, a soldier, loving anyone wasn’t allowed. However, loving my sister was forbidden. That’s not how things worked here under my father’s command. Especially not for Shadow. He was one of the best gunmen we had ever seen. Training here only made him more deadly. Killing came naturally. The skill and way he handled weapons was…” Gahigi shook his head as if in disbelief. “Rare.”
“That doesn’t explain why your father didn’t want them together.”
“My father didn’t give a damn about the men he trained. He saw them as assets, property. A way to increase his wealth and power. He was going to make a lot of money off Shadow when he sold him.”
“Sold him?”
“We train recruits. People pay top dollar for the men here because they know what they’re capable of. Owning a trained killer, a machine, is a valuable resource. Your father was ten times better than anyone we’d ever seen before. They offered five million cash for five years of your father’s life. Keza didn’t like the idea of losing him. She argued with our father and he refused to hear her. Told her to leave it alone and threatened her life if she told Shadow about the deal he brokered.”
“She didn’t listen…” Carter said quietly and Gahigi shook his head.
“The next morning they were gone.”
