“Thank you for saving me.”
“Don’t thank me for getting the other half of my soul back. I couldn’t go on without it.” I smile and kiss him one more time before stepping back just as Rowan walks in with the air boot.
“Doc said to let you know finding a size fourteen air boot isn’t as easy as you would think.” Rowan smirks as he hands it to me.
“He found it, didn’t he?” I roll my eyes and make sure the boot is on Jake properly and comfortably. “Okay, let’s get you upstairs.”
* * *
Jake’s finally asleep and everyone’s made their way to their own rooms or guest rooms. Well, everyone except for Elias, who’s hanging out in my room until I get back. The Fischer’s and their motley crew are staying here until we get Natasha and her minions wiped out. My brothers and I are in Rowan’s office hammering out details of the plan we’ve come up with.
“I don’t know, Roe. This is a lot to bring other families into.” I tell him for at the very least the fourth time since we’ve been in here.
“If we’re right, and Mac knows what he’s talking about–”
“Which I do.” Mac butts in.
Right. Anyway, then this involves so many others than just us. The order will be put out. She’s to be brought to us alive. We’ll get the answers to our questions, and then you get thehonors.”
“What if I don’t want them?” My voice is barely above a whisper and my feet stand still as I stop pacing.
“Then I know someone who will.” He smirks knowingly. “We all know that killing a woman, no matter how vile, is going to be hard for any of us. I still vote that Dec does it, just to be clear. Though, in the event that he can’t, I have four women who have ‘volunteered as tribute’.”
The fucking Lady Byrne’s and Elle. I should have known. None of them are killers, but I have no doubt that they would take this bitch out if given the chance. They’re just as protective of us as we are of them.
“I don’t want them to become what we are. I’ll do it. Just because she has a vagina doesn’t make her any better than some of the other scum we’ve taken out happily. It’s one thing to say we don’t hurt women. It’s another thing to let a monster roam free or taint the souls of the women we adore because she just so happens to be a woman.” My mind is made up. I love them so much for offering, but this is my kill. After what happened to me and what she did to Jake, I won’t miss a wink of sleep over this.
Rowan nods in understanding. “You heard him, boys. This is Dec’s business to finish. I have ears to the ground and with the information we now have thanks to Jakob, I think we’ve found her.”
My head whips over to him, “Where are they?”
Kieran speaks up from behind me, “They’re at Abel Bakker’s aren’t they?” He’s practically vibrating with excitement.Fucking psycho.
Abel Bakker is the head of the Dutch family. We’ve never had bad blood until now. He hates Karl Schwarz and hisorganization, and if I were a betting man, I’d say that Bakker’s pissed that one of ours is marrying one of theirs. Even though technically Lee is Italian by blood, but that isn’t public knowledge, so it’s a moot point.
“They’re at Bakker’s and according to my surveillance, they have about a third of the fucking Bratva with them.” Mac’s voice is monotone as his eyes stay on the ever present laptop in front of him.
“How long?” Sully asks.
“No. You and Flynn are out of this. If you want to stay here and guard the spouses and kids, that’s fine. But you will not be directly involved.” Rowan glares at the twins, who are glaring right back.
“We want to help!” Flynn shouts.
“Then you help from right here. We haven’t collectively worked our asses off to keep you two out of this shit just for you to put yourselves in danger two weeks before you start your careers. You’ve lost your fucking minds.” Rowan roars out so loudly that I swear the door shakes.
“Fuck you guys.” Sully says calmly before the twins exit the room without another word, slamming the door behind them.
Rowan thrusts his fingers into his hair and pulls slightly at the strands.
“Am I being ridiculous here?” He asks no one in particular.
“No, they’ve never done this shit with us. They’ll be fine. They can help us here, or they can not be here at all.” I state matter of factly.
“I mean, I get why they want to help, but we’ve gone this long with them not becoming made men. I’m not trying to have them start now.” Kieran pipes up.
All of our attention turns to Mac, who has been abnormally quiet on the matter.
“What? I think it’s honorable that they want to help. I also think that we need to look at the very real possibility that those two will do whatever they want anyways.” He shrugs. “I guess it’s a toss up. Let’s see what side of the coin they fall on.”
