“I don’t know what to tell you,” Dane said. “Write your congressman. All I know is what we’ve dug up. And the son is trying to earn extra points while he can.”
Elvis closed his eyes for half a breath. “So they’re wanting Carmela’s head on a pike.”
Dane nodded. “And Son’s running point. Leon works for him now, although I think he might still be in contact with Serrano himself. The son’s been consolidating assets and clearing liabilities. Your second ping wasn’t curiosity; it was verification.”
Delaney swallowed, rubbing her upper arms. “My mother toppled his empire. Didn’t exactly make him a cheerful man.”
Donovan looked over at her. “Don’t worry. Miles is with your family now. They’re secure. They’ll never find them.”
“Good,” Elvis said, looking at Delaney.
Abe finally spoke. “So, it sounds like Serrano wasn’t looking for them, but his son was.”
Dane nodded. “That’s what it looks like. Serrano’s got it made where he’s at. He can call the shots and he owns the prison. The man has it cushy, from what we’ve heard. And Elvis…”
“Yeah?” He felt his brow furrow.
“We got this,” Dane said. “This isn’t a job. It’s family.”
Elvis glanced at Delaney as she stood beside him, chin lifted, her fear still present but no longer leading her. He’d crossed harder lines for worse reasons, but this time, he would cross them for her.
“Understood,” was all he could say back to his boss and friend, emotions clogging his throat.
A heavy silence settled over the porch as Dane finished up the call and Elvis shoved his phone back into his pocket.
Delaney turned away first, her arms still over her chest, aggravation pinching her features.
Elvis watched her as she stepped back down off the porch, tracking her movement like instinct. She walked to the edge of the clearing near where Callen had a fire pit, her boots crunching softly over pine needles. He could see the tightness in her shoulders even through her shirt.
“I’ll be back,” he told the others as he stepped off the porch to follow her.
They walked until the trees swallowed the cabin and the air grew cooler beneath the canopy. Delaney’s gaze remained on the path ahead of her, her silence loud in the quiet forest.
He matched her pace, every sense still scanning his surroundings even as his focus remained on the woman beside him. He didn’t speak, allowing her to think through whatever thoughts churned inside; he merely waited, giving her time while offering his presence.
Eventually, she broke the silence. “Anna took to our having to leave better than I did. I think she was too young to understand why she couldn’t say goodbye to her friends. Too old not to notice when we simply stepped out into the night, leaving almost everything behind.”
She wrapped her arms tighter around herself. “She lives in Arizona now. Has two kids. Teaches yoga. She still keeps a low profile, even though her husband and kids don’t know it. They’re happy with their simple, quiet life.” She shook her head. “I’ve never been that person. I wanted more, which is why I started my company.”
Elvis said nothing, simply kept pace with her, his hands in his pockets.
“My parents made an enjoyable life for themselves, staying behind the scenes, enjoying their lives, but I can see how small their world has gotten. My mother still has a fear of sitting near windows, always choosing places near the back.
Her voice cracked as she took a stuttering breath and then steadied.
“I used to think surviving meant adapting.” She stopped walking and turned to face him. “Now, however, I think it just means enduring.”
Elvis reached for her without thinking, his hands settling on her arms as he stared into her eyes. “You’re more than endurance, Delaney,” he said. “You’re still standing. Hell, you’ve even thrived with your business and what you’ve accomplished.”
She searched his face, and he could see the tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes. “You ever tire of fighting?”
He made a slow bob of his head. “All the time.”
Her lips curved faintly. “But you don’t stop.”
“No, because what I fight for is too important to quit.”
She leaned into him then, resting her forehead against his chest. He could feel her breath warming the fabric of his shirt as he wrapped his arms around her.
