I looked at him. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve ever really talked about it. Only with Santino. Your father.”
Evan’s bottom lip wobbled. “Did they hurt my dad, too?”
“We all suffered,” I whispered. “No one was immune. And we endured.” I breathed out.
“Do you hate my dad? For leaving?”
I was quiet for a moment before answering. “I did once. I don’t now. I understand his reasoning. It hurt. I suppose it still does, but I do not hate him. He was my best friend growing up. We were all each other had. I only want the best for him.”
“He would want that for you, too.”
I nodded. I knew he would. At least I hoped he would.
We were quiet again.
“Matteo?”
“Yes?”
“I-I think I’d like to meet the tattoo artist that you know. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, and now it seems like fate is pushing me toward it.”
“OK. I can bring him in to consult with you,” I said immediately. “I will call him tomorrow.”
He smiled at that, his mood shifting to something lighter.
That’s really all I wanted.
He deserved a break and a little bit of happiness.
9
ALESSIO
“Alessio. It’s good to see you,” Leonard said as I stepped into the palace a few nights after playing pool with Matteo and Klaus.
I inclined my head and went upstairs, noting it was quite busy. It typically was, but this night seemed like more. Not my problem, though.
The palace was meant for Dominic to run. Carmine insisted that Matteo give him something to do, so Matteo was eager to hand it over. He hated the palace. I knew it had to do with it being one of Carmine’s projects. Anything to do with Carmine, Matteo hated.
Matteo had turned the place around, though. Carmine didn’t know that. Matteo wasn’t forcing women here as Carmine planned. Instead, he offered them work and pay. They did what they were comfortable with. So far, it had been working out perfectly because we punished some of the female terrors of our world. Like Everett’s daughter, Macy. Klaus had shot her in the head after she sucked off Dominic. Everett planned on torturing her anyway because he was sick like that, plus she had betrayed the horsemen. She’d been feeding Everett some ofEthan Masters’s notes, which was how Everett was coming up with mutant forms of sugar. She needed to go.
I took the elevator to the top floor and went to Indigo’s room. I punched in her code at the door and stepped inside to find her reading a book on the couch.
“Hello, my sweet midnight,” I said, moving toward her.
She closed her book and stared back at me with those impossibly blue eyes, her small body visibly trembling.
“A-Alessio. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“No one ever does.” I settled next to her on the couch before I reached out and cradled her face. “How are you?”
She stared at me for a moment, her pretty red lips parted, before answering.
“I’m well.”
“Mm,” I said, my heart thrumming madly as I stared at her. She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Despite Frank being a grade-A prick, he definitely made beautiful children.
“I have missed you,” I said, watching her tremble for me.
