“How?” Hollis’s words are sharp, and I grimace at the shrill ring they cause as I’m sitting right next to him. He glances at me, but turns back to Leandro. “Speak. Now.”
Leandro sighs, as if he's already over this, but he continues his tale. “I discovered Oliver wasn’t who he said he was?—”
“And you didn’t come to me?” Tennant barks. “I trusted him with your safety!”
“I took care of it,” Leandro snaps back, something shifting behind his navy gaze. “He’s loyal to me, and only me. I madesure of it. But, yes, I knew something was off from the moment I met him, and so I looked into him. His background was clear, but it was still nagging at me, so I kept at it.
“I found his stupid secret phone and confronted him. He didn’t lie, didn’t try to spin a story, didn’t do anything but confess what I already knew.”
“How can you be sure?” Keegan asks. “If he was clever enough to slip into your ranks, there’s nothing to say this Oliver didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear.”
Leandro grins at him. “Because I had already spoken to who I now know was Kieran Dowing.”
Voices talk over one another in a whirling, headache-inducing mess.
“Quiet!” Carter says loudly. “You knew?” He says it too quietly for me to hear, but I can read the words on his lips. In a normal tone, he says, “You knew who was after us this entire time?”
“No,” Leandro says simply. “I didn’t. Not at first. I only knew his first name—Kieran. He…told me he was from a small Family. One that got pushed out when Families like the O’Connels, Martellis, Amatos, and De Lucas came in. I did a check, and there are enough Families in the nearby territories who were ostracized in favor of the larger ones that are now either defunct or on their way to it, so it was solid and believable. I didn’t just go off his word. I didn’t have a surname, not until we discovered who they were. Believe me or not, I don’t care, but you,” he turns his attention to Tennant, “you know I would never put Roman or Lio in danger. Ever. If I were going to screw Roman over, I never would have agreed to go home with him seven years ago. I might not always like him, but I respect him and his position enough. I agreed to help Kieran kill his family. He knew they were going to kill him. Every one of us knows what it’s like to be a queer personin this life. It wasn’t a question of if they were going to kill him, but when.”
“He’s dead anyway, isn’t he?” Ignacio asks. “They still killed him, after all this. Or is he?”
Something flashes over Leandro’s face, it's there and gone so fast there’s no hope of deciphering it. “He’s dead. Another miscalculation. This time on Kieran’s part rather than mine. He pushed too fast too soon and ended up in his father’s crosshairs. So now, only Lachlan—his Second and his ‘sister’s fiancé’—and the men Kieran led are on our side.”
“We should kill you,” Marcus says hoarsely. “That’s what you Amatos do to traitors, isn’t it? You kill. Or you torture them so badly they become nothing but shells of themselves.” Carter flinches at the man’s words, but I don’t know if Marcus notices or cares.
“You’d know all about betrayal, wouldn’t you?” Leandro responds coldly. “I made an error. I didn’t believe Cecily would be bold enough to come out into the open. If I knew, I never would have stayed silent. Ever. Roman and Lio…they have some notion that there’s something good in me. That I deserve their care. I don’t take that lightly. Believe me or not, I don’t care, but do not ever think I am so callous that I would put them in danger.”
He snarls, “You already did!”
“Antonio has the trackers on him, he’ll be fine. We can use them to get to Cecily, and hopefully, the other two.” Leandro grimaces. “Lachlan doesn’t know where they’re being held. If he did, we would have found them already. She is being extra cagey and cautious after killing Kieran. I suppose, it's to fit in with the story thatwekilled him. They know we’re on to them. After all, they killed Campbell before we could get to them, and after finding Marcus and Allesandro there, they’ll be more on guard. How do you think I knew today would be when she has extraguards? Both intelandintellect were used.” The implied insult that the rest of us aren’t as smart as he is isn’t lost on anyone, not if the glares aimed his way are any indication.
“Are you sure Campbell’s dead?” Ten asks.
“Yes. I’m sure the news will break soon enough, but yes, he’s dead. His gang is still scattered, but I’m certain, once they get over the betrayal of losing their leader, they’ll regroup. You can catch them then, and raze them down for helping to orchestrate your betrayal. After this is over, and we have Roman, Lio, and Antonio back.”
“You really think any of them will stand by you after learning what you did?” Marcus questions.
“Yes,” Leandro responds simply. “Lio will. If you want to know why, ask him yourself. Roman will, because of our history, and his belief that I’m a good person.” Marcus scoffs. “Antonio…might need some persuasion?—”
“No,” I cut him off, forcing him to look in my direction. “You are not to go anywhere near him again.”
“It’s cute you think that, but your precious Boy likes trouble, and I could use someone with his skillset.” He glances at the twins, and I get up from my seat, despite Hollis trying to reach for me, to get me to stay down. Stepping in front of my Boys, I face the little psychopath head on.
“No,” I say firmly. “You will not use them for your fuckery.”
Leandro smiles, something that looks real compared to all the others he gives. “Just one will do.”
Taking a step forward, I’m held back by two sets of hands. Leandro’s grin widens, and I want to hit him in the face with my cane. I’d argue that he, or his dogs, would never hurt me, but I am not going to argue with Nicolo and Nario when they’re already hurting because of Antonio being gone.
Fucking hell.My poor Boy. Everything I’ve gone through, all the pain, the permanent damage done to me by my own mother,before finally finding a place where I belong with Hollis, Roman, and Ten…then Antonio, Nario, and Nicolo…it can’t end here. Not my Boy. My beautiful broken flower who needs more care than he’ll let on. Under his expensive suits and bratty nature is someone who loves deeply. Someone I want to nurture and protect.
Fuck.
Grabbing Nicolo and Nario around their waists, I pull them close, holding on to them as tightly as I can, because I refuse to lose them too.
Tennant meets my eyes across the room, and the glint of ice in his promises pain on those who dared to touch what’s ours.
“Anything else we need to know?” Carter asks.
