“Last time?” Jethro asks.
“They killed the last woman I loved,” I say, trying to think.
“He got in the way, and that’s how he got his scars. His own brother fucking slashed him as he killed Joanna.”
I open my eyes to find Jethro gaping at me. “What?”
“Yeah, and now they’re going to do the same thing to Phoebe,” I say, my voice shaking. “She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need this.”
“We’ll figure it out. We just have to find out where they took her,” Capone says. “Not only do we have a club backing us, we know them. We know them better than they think, and that’s our advantage.”
Pulling out my phone, I put it on speaker. Two rings are all it takes before Ryan’s voice fills the room. “Well, hello, big brother.”
“Where the fuck is she?”
“It took you a lot longer than I thought it would considering we set off your security system. I expected you to be racing afterme like those old Westerns you used to love. Except it’d be a motorcycle, not a horse.”
He’s baiting me. The only people who know how to get under your skin better than those who care about you are family members you fucking hate.
“Where is she?”
“I guess she doesn’t mean that much to you after all. Not that it really surprises me. She’s nothing like Joanna. Does she know about Jo? Does it bother her? I mean, even I wanted to fuck Jo. But Phoebe? Even her name is… ugh.”
“Where. The. Fuck. Is. She?”
I’m trying my best to stay in control. I really am. But between Ryan and Father, I’m not sure who can bring the monster out better.
I just want my girl back. I need her to be okay.
“We’re almost home.”
Home? “You took her to Vegas?”
“I told you, Father wants to talk with you. Don’t worry. We’re takingreallygood care of your fucking ray of sunshine. See you soon.”
Click.
Motherfucker.
Capone’s hand on my shoulder’s the only thing keeping me from spiraling in a full-blown panic. Memories of what Father and Ryan did to Joanna fill my head. The way they had her tied up and slashed her with knives. How jumping in front of her did nothing to stop them, and I fought them enough to get her down and hold her in my arms as she moaned and took her last breath.
Except now, it’s not Joanna I see. It’s Phoebe. My blonde beauty who has been through more than anyone deserves. Shedidn’t come from the life like I did. Like Joanna did. This isn’t her fault.
“Pacino, don’t—”
“They’re going to kill her just like Jo, Capone. We both know it.”
“Who’s Jo?” Zep asks as he leads the others, including Scotty, into the office.
I can’t say it. I can’t tell them what they did. Because all I can see right now is Phoebe. Blood staining her pale, perfect skin. Splatters of blood matching the smattering freckles she has over her nose.
This can’t be happening. I can’t go through this again.
Capone gives a recount of what happened, sharing my past for the first time with everyone. And it all makes sense to them now. The reason I hate people. Why I never shared my past. Where my scars came from.
To their credit, they look ready for murder. And if I wasn’t so scared for Phoebe, I’d appreciate it.
“That’s where the scar came from? You tried to step in and save your girl?”
