I send him an unamused glower. “Isn’t your son the King of Wharf Bay? Why are you here prattling on with the likes of us?”
He doesn’t react to my words.
Like father, like son.
The Blacks are cool, calm, collected, calculated, and fucking cunning.
Also currently chafing on my last damn nerve.
“Was I supposed to abandon you?”I wish you would.“You all need someguidance, son. Any other questions?”
I bristle slightly at his haughty demeanor, but I don’t push him any more on it. If he wants to talk, let’s talk. It’s still not going to change my mind on anything, and the sooner I do, the sooner I can do what I want.
My brothers join me on the multiple couches in the living room, lounging this way and that, but Torin has the hardest time getting comfortable.
I didn’t know he was shot, don’t know how many times, but he looks like utter shit right now.
His skin is a bit pale, his eyes are a bit red-rimmed around the edges, and I’m half-tempted to ask him if he wants to come with me to get some pills or a line to take the edge off.
“Boys,” Lorenzo begins, standing in front of us like a leader.He is a leader. He’s just not supposed to be anymore.“I’m concerned about the events that have taken place recently. Many things have come to light, and I’m a bit shocked you’ve all been rocked so hard. I thought you were stronger than that.”
Really?
I highly doubt he had his wife rip his heart from his chest. He’swithher, so I rest my case.
“It’s been announced Bay Astor is the Queen of South Shore. And personally, that works in our favor.”I don’t see how. “Since the passing of Levi Wallace?—”
“Wait,what?” I blurt out mindlessly, my eyes hard on Lorenzo as his come down to me. “What did you say?”
“He’s dead.”
Fuck.
Ozzy wasn’t lying.
That’s too much of a fine piece of ass to be buried six feet deep. Wallace may not have liked me; we’ve obviously had our little tiffs and shit, but I wouldn’t say I’m pleased about the news.
“How?”
“The drive-by I mentioned,” Torin chimes in. “The one where we were looking foryou.”
These fucking morons.
I told them all to leave me alone. That I didn’t need them to babysit and coddle me, but I knew better. It’s why I got out of town, so why’d they do exactly what I asked them not to?
“Who?” I clip out, receiving a matching death stare from my brother.
“Our favorite person in the whole world…De Leon.”
That motherfucker is dead.
“Without Wallace,” Lorenzo recites, “she’s going to have more threats than she had before. And with Emilio gone?—”
I jump to my feet because has the whole world turned upside down since I’ve been gone? “What the fuck is going on here?”
I’ve never been a big player in the Forsaken Crew. Sure, I dabbled and did illegal shit. I stole drugs and guns, laundered money out of a few food trucks on the beach, but I wasn’t the go-to for decision-making. I’ve always been the calm and mellowed-out one who went with the flow and did whatever the guys wanted to do.
“Torin finally”—Lorenzo shifts his weight, and I can’t tell if he’s pissed or uncomfortable—“handled it.”
