I grunt, but smile. “Nico really helped me with that. WhenI was being tortured, I was in pain. A lot of fucking pain, but I could think too. I only had one instance where I wanted to give up, but I heard Nico in my head, telling me to hold on.”
“You don’t need it, but you have my blessing to see him.”
I crack open an eye. “Carter, please, I would have continued seeing him even if you told me you hated him. I hated Kai, and you still married him.”
“Hated? So that means you kinda like my husband now?”
“Let’s not get carried away,” I say and Carter laughs. “Don’t get mad at him but he caught me and Nico together. He kept my secret until I was ready to tell you. So maybe I respect him a little.”
Carter nods. “He told me. I wasn’t happy about it but he made me see that you had your reasons.”
“He’s smart, that one.”
We share a laugh, and the tension breaks.
I’m glad we got to clear the air. I love my brother and I know he loves me. I want us to be as close as we were before Mom died. We can get that back; we just have to work at it. I’m up for the task.
Carter sighs and checks me over. “You’re looking better. You in pain right now? Need some meds?”
“I’m good for now. I’m sore, but nothing I can’t handle.” I hold up my cast. “I’ll have to work more at shooting with my opposite hand. I’m ambidextrous, but I favor my left hand.”
“We’ll work on it together. You’ll be an even better shot with your right.” Carter pauses, then gives me a look. “Can I ask how you and Nico got together? You never seemed to like each other.”
Smiling, I ask, “Do you really want to know?”
Carter looks a little green. “God, no. That can be one secret you never share with me.”
I laugh and Carter joins in. “You got it, big brother.”
CHAPTER 29
NICO
Got him.
After four weeks and multiple threats, I found Austin’s hideout in Delaware. Both he and his cousin are holed up inside, probably planning their next move.
The car in the footage Declan showed me belonged to Brent’s ex and mother of his child, one of the cousins that Austin recruited to torture Declan. She let him borrow her car that day, since both Austin and Donny were on duty and they wanted to throw anyone off their scent if they were suspicious.
I had to resort to some…unsavory things to get her to give up Austin’s first location. Seeing the body of her child’s father will probably never leave her memory.
She’s lucky she didn’t join him after wasting my time for so many weeks. Her time will come soon.
I watch as Austin’s front door opens and he steps out. Austin looks left and right, checking his surroundings before he hops in his car and pulls out. I know where he’s going, so I leave and head back to Jersey, leaving a couple of my guys totail him. I don’t want to lose him and have him go deeper underground.
I’d already paid a visit to his mother at her nursing home in the city. Despite her dementia, she had no problem remembering when he was due to show up. I asked her tons of questions that she’ll never remember answering and she gave up every bit of information she knew.
She told me Brent and his brother Paul were the twin sons of Austin’s father’s oldest brother. They were close until Austin’s father got in bed with the Whitlocks and became estranged from his family. Apparently, Austin was getting back into their lives.
From what Brent’s ex told me, they were all reconnecting when Austin told Brent and Paul what Declan had done to their uncle. They started to plan and wanted to play the long game.
As I cross over the state line, I call one of the men I have staking out Brent’s ex and tell him to take care of her. She should have realized it was dangerous to go against the St. Clairs or Whitlocks. Now her kid will grow up an orphan.
I smile as I pull in front of Declan’s cabin. When we had to flee the Fensters attack on our family, we rallied here and made our plans to wipe them out. It’s secluded, only the men that traveled with us that day know it exists.
I’m thankful we had somewhere to take him where he could recover without worrying if he had to flee if the wrong person was around.
The men that stand guard have all been vetted by both Kai and Carter. They’re loyal, with no reason for retaliation against either family. If I’m gone and Carter and Kai aren’t here, Manuel sits with Declan. Manuel is a fucking shooter, not scared to pull the trigger to keep any of us safe.
