“Good,” I said, ignoring Matty’s soft complaint when I stood up. “Because I know he’s telling the truth. He made me a promise, and he kept that promise.”
I sighed when Milo raised his hand like he was in class. “Uh...do we get to know what that promise was?”
I thought about it for a moment, knowing the whole story didn’t need to be told. “He promised me that those who were going to try to hurt me would...not be able to. That he would take care of them....and he did.”
Looking around, I saw everyone in the room let that sink in. Their reactions were different as they took what I said and added it to what they had already figured out about Levi’s life and his methods over the years. Moira and Milo looked uncomfortable, but miraculously neither said anything. Mason, Jace, and Kayden all looked grim, while Ward and Arlo just nodded, as if they understood and were ready to move on to the real point I was trying to make. Marcus was staring at the floor, but Matty continued to watch me, giving away nothing about how she really felt about what I had just told her.
“And he did more than you will ever know, or should ever know, to make sure every single person in this room is safe…except for him,” I said, again skirting the whole truth. “He went into this situation, trying to fix what was happening, knowing his chance of surviving was...low. He was willing to risk dying for the sake of every goddamn person in this room. And even then, he never backed down; he didn’t hesitate. I don’t care,Mason, that his association with The Family is what caused the problem in the first place. You should know better than anyone how important it is that someone is willing to try to make up for their fuck ups, not just that they fucked up.”
Mason’s expression tightened. “The difference is Jace and I were dickheads to each other, our fuck ups didn’t endanger everyone we knew and loved.”
“Mistakes and their consequences come in degrees, just like everything else in life,” Ward said softly. “And trying to fix those mistakes, and make up for the consequences should come in the same degrees. You’re right, Mason, it was selfish of Levi to try to be in Dom’s life when his presence put everyone here in danger. At the same time, he was willing to burn this city to the ground and put himself into a danger we’re never going to understand to make up for that. It doesn’t make up for it, but?—”
“It’s a start,” Arlo said. “And I believe one of your requirements was for him to be no longer a part of The Family...which he has done.”
“Not by choice,” Mason said with a scowl.
“It was, though,” Eli piped up. “He knew that even if he didn’t end up getting killed, he wasn’t going to be able to go back to The Family. He was going to be out one way or another. He didn’t hand in his resignation letter or whatever someone in his position is supposed to do, but...he might as well have.”
Mason made a frustrated noise. “So we’re supposed to pretend this all didn’t start because he was a fucking criminal? That any one of us could have been dead by now without even knowing we were in danger, but because he actually tried to do something about his fuck up, we’re just supposed to go on like it didn’t happen?”
“Literally no one is saying that,” Kayden said with a frown, looking back at Mason in confusion. “But if you can’t figure out how the guy has been trying to take care of his own mess from start to finish, then you’re just wanting to be mad at him.”
“You’re a fucking cop, and you’re okay with this?”
“I’m a person, Mason, and part of this family, not some walking, talking paragon of the law. I’ve been getting shit for years from people because I don’t think we should always punish people for their mistakes, but try to help them be better.”
“You have got to be kidding me, we just ignore?—”
“Literally, again, never said that. But he’s never going to go down for what he’s done, even if he isn’t part of The Family, his dad will never let that happen. And we’re all he’s got left, alright? So quit being mad at him because he broke Dom’s heart years ago, and realize you’re the one who’s going to end up hurting Dom.”
Mason opened his mouth and stopped when Jace reached out and took him gently by the elbow, pulling him back. I couldn’t hear what was being said, and those closest to them were doing a good job of pretending they couldn’t, and for all I knew, they couldn’t. Mason didn’t look any happier when Jace stopped talking, but he didn’t push Jace away when the man wrapped his arm around his shoulders and held him close.
“What...happened to your face?” Micah asked after it was clear Mason wasn’t going to say anything more.
“Protecting me,” I said quickly before Levi could downplay what he’d done. “Probably saved my life while I was trying to help save his life. Because that’s what we mean to each other, do you all understand that? That’s what we mean to each other. Even when we’re busted and broken, even when we’re furious at one another, even when it costs agoddamn eye, that’s what we mean to each other, do you hear me? So think long and hard about that before you decide you’re going to exile him when he needs people like us right now.”
“Needs us?” Moira asked skeptically. “I doubt that he’s magically without money or...friends right now.”
“Really? You’ve got a good career, and you can work just fine on your own, but where would you be without this family?”
“That’s not?—”
“Or how about you, Ward? You’ve got a family and friends, how would you be without this family?”
“I would be...stuck. Lost in a life that was both mine and not mine, but here, with all of you? I’m finally able to be myself...still figuring that out though.”
“And you, Jace?”
“You know full fucking well this family and everyone in it is the only reason I know what it means to be happy...you dick.”
“And you, Kayden? You’ve got a good family, but what about this one?”
“Hey, all of you had enough love in your hearts to accept another weirdo like me. I found love in my heart for both families. And I wouldn’t give it up for shit.”
“Arlo?”
“I would still be a heartbroken, lonely child turned into a broken adult without the love and care that this family has shown me over the years. I know how to be happy and find the joy in living because of all of you.”
