“Dad, no,” I say sternly. “You did what only my dad would do. You saved your daughter’s life. There’s no fault in that. You all know as well as I do I would not be here right now if it wasn’t for you. Don’t ever say or think anything like that again.”
Dad and I have a very severe stare down. An ill feeling settles over me. There’s more to this story. These three can’t hide things for shit. The stiffness in my dad’s posture gives that away for damn sure. I continue holding his gaze, my eyes telling him I will never blame him for this. His holds a promise. A promise that he will indeed find Royal and destroy him for what he has done.
My father is the first to look away. Me, I stand firm. I could never blame him for anything. One thing is for damn sure. After everything that has gone down, I have made up my mind that I will do whatever it is Salvatore wants me to. Family always comes first. Royal may not have loyalty to this family, but I do.
“When did you become the wise one? Huh?” asks my dad, stroking my cheek.
“The day I was born. The day I became the daughter of Johnathon Weston Greer.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cain
Two people can be connected in such a manner that the health of one loved one can relate to the health of the other. It’s a true fact.
The moment I saw Calla being carried out of the warehouse, I died right there of a broken heart. Her beautiful face was beaten beyond recognition. She was unresponsive, her limbs dangling like wet noodles. If it weren’t for the EMTs who reassured John and me repeatedly that she had a pulse, I would have sworn she was dead.
That night, seeing her in the state she was in, not knowing whether her heart was going to give out on her from the amount of heroin that was pumping through her body, I knew I couldn’t live without her. For six years, I did everything in my power to protect her from this life, and in a matter of minutes, those years rolled into one nightmarish night after another as I sat by her side, waiting, talking to her about anything.
I’m not ashamed to cry. I’m human. I’ve cried a lot these past two weeks. Grieved, even. There will always be danger in the life I have chosen to lead. Calla was cast into it with her eyes closed. She now comes out with them wide open. My God, I’m so in love with her. She wakes up and one of the first things she wants to know is if everyone else involved is okay.
These past two weeks watching her go in and out of consciousness dragged on longer than the past six years did. She would wake up screaming and thrashing until the nurse would come in and give her medication to slip her back under. I never want to go through anything like this again.
This family has been through enough. Royal must pay. War has been declared now, against one man. No one has seen or heard from that son of a bitch since he somehow escaped right under our noses. John shot him, this much we all know. How he managed to slit the throats of two of Salvatore’s men and get past us is still a mystery. He’s now a wanted man. A man who has betrayed the honor of his blood. He will be caught. He will be tortured. And he will die.
I lie here next to my sleeping wife, holding her in my arms while she sleeps peacefully on my chest. My own body wants to give in and sleep, but my mind isn’t letting me as it continues to race like a horse. I have to tell her the rest. I’ve tried so many times to come up with a way to tell her. To find the right words. She’s been through so much. But this, this could destroy her. Every time I think about it, it breaks my damn heart.
I envision the day when the two of us can live a normal life. At least, as normal as it can be. When we can finally breathe easily. Fall asleep without worry. She doesn’t know it yet, but we will be staying in New York. The club has been turned over to Beamer. With Kryder gone, the Savages are no longer a threat to them. That part of my life is over. Our new life together will begin here. I know her, she will agree. She is loyal to her family. Loyal to me.