“Because he thinks we’ll see him how he sees himself,” Mason says in that tone that sounds as if he’s bored, but it’s just the way he talks.
“And how does he see himself?”
“As tarnished, disgusting, flawed.”
With each description Mason calls out, I feel a sinking feeling in my gut. How could Nico think that? How could he ever believe that we would think that?
“That’s not what I feel at all.”
“It’s not what any of us feel,” Kaz says, shaking his head.
“I’m more pissed at myself.” Salv’s voice is barely louder than a whisper.
A heavy silence floats between the guys. It’s almost as if they are communicating silently. If this were some werewolf or alien super soldier book, I’d say that they were. I still wouldn’t put it past them. Dealing with the stuff they’ve dealt with has undeniably formed a bond stronger than anything I could imagine.
“We all had our horrors at the boy’s home,” Mason goes on to say. “Blaming yourself for not noticing someone else’s issues isn’t going to help.”
Salv nods, but I can tell he is still upset with himself. I grab his hand in between mine and rub it. Those gorgeous hazel eyes look over at me. I give him a reassuring smile. Some of the guilt seeps from his face.
“What about that sick guy?” I ask, turning back to Mason. “The one who wrote the journal entry. Is he still around? Can we—”
Mason shakes his head, cutting off my words. “He is a nonfactor. Has been for a very long time.”
The way he says that sentence tells me I don’t want to ask any more questions about the abuser. It also tells me he is more than likely not among the living. If Nico did all the stuff he did to his uncle for killing his parents, I can only imagine what was done to that sick man.
Just then, Ms. Rose walks into the room with a plate with a ham sandwich in one hand and my happy baby boy in the other. The moment Noah spots his uncles, he gets excited.
Ms. Rose hands me the plate, and Salv grabs Noah. The moment he’s in his uncle’s lap, he claps with a big grin on his face.
It warms my heart to see how much they enjoy being with their nephew.
“Little Saint, I swear you’re getting bigger every day.”
Kaz reaches over me trying to grab Noah. But Salv pulls him away.
“Give him to me, Salvito. You always hold him.”
“I’m his favorite.” Salv pushes Kaz away. They both start playfully swinging at each other. The entire time, Noah is dying laughing at the antics.
“Give me my damn nephew.” Mason snatches my son out of Salv’s hands.
The moment Noah is in his uncle Mason’s arms, he lays his head on his shoulder and plays with his tie. I think it is obvious who my son loves the most.
A cellphone rings, drawing our attention to Julian.
“Hello?” he answers with his brow raised. I can tell he has good news from the way he shuts his eyes and sighs.
“They found him. He just showed up at the cemetery.”
We were all moving before he finished the sentence. Ms. Rose took my half-eaten sandwich and Noah.
“I got him. You just focus on bringing his father home,” she tells Mason.
He nods his head. I allow Salvito to usher me out of the house and to the awaiting Suburban parked out front. The black guy climbs into the driver’s seat with Julian in the passenger. I get in the first row, and Salvito goes to the back. Kaz joins him, and Mason sits beside me. Before I can get my seatbelt on, we are driving.
I wring my hands together. My fear is that we will get there and it will be too late. He will be in the wind again.
“Breathe, little sister,” Mason says beside me.
