Will she stay with him or come back to me seems laughable compared to what we’re possibly dealing with.
I know I can trust mostly everyone, but something keeps setting me off when it comes to the entire situation. Nothing feels right, not even some of their behaviors.
Who would bomb the wife of the Capo?
What would they have to gain if she died? At the end of the day, the bomb was meant for her, not Tex.
I frown into my wine glass.
“Stop thinking so hard.” Junior tosses a piece of bread at me. “And you missed some salad dressing next to your fork.”
I almost toss the bread back but glare instead. “Thanks.”
“So, you’re super fun,” Ash says to my left. “Just in case you were wondering, we won’t treat you any different now that you’re one of us.”
“One of you?” I think I’m confused. “I’m just a made man.”
Junior and Ash share a look while Tank goes, “Wait, are you telling me you don’t know?”
I shake my head. “Know what?”
Valerian laughs into his wine while Maksim stares me down in a creepy way that has me wanting to hide under the table.
Ash stands. “Let’s go.”
They all listen to him like he’s their leader. The rest of the table isn’t paying attention to us as I follow them out of the kitchen past Del and King.
They both look at me, and then King follows; at least that part makes sense. What do they have, like some secret hangout I don’t know about?
A bat cave?
I laugh at my own joke when I’m led toward a door I’ve never seen before, it’s behind the stairs, but when it’s opened, it leads into another door and a hallway beyond that.
Every one of the guys walks through, me included.
The wives or girlfriends of the guys are already in there, drinking wine, hanging out, and lounging around a large living room.
A huge TV hangs along the far wall, and a sparring ring takes up most of the far corner. A bar occupies the space just in front of me, and there’s also… a hot tub and a lap pool.
What the ever-loving 90210?
People who look around my age are sparring in one of the rings, two others stretch in a corner, and I’m still confused.
“De Langes,” Junior explains, his near-turquoise eyes always hit different; the guy’s looks penetrate to your soul, I swear. His hair is buzzed close to his head, and I’ll probably never know what he’s thinking. Good thing his fiancé Serena keeps him humbled. Then again, she’s Nixon’s daughter, a powerful Abandonato, and Junior, well, he’s the De Lange heir if they ever bring that Family line back in; until then, he’s the Nicolasi heir.
I highly doubt anyone will ever welcome back the Family arm of the De Langes, but who knows?
To me, betrayal is betrayal, and since that Family betrayed these guys years ago, I don’t really see a reason to re-instate everything they lost.
I ignore the looks I keep getting and walk up to the bar. Ash moves around it and starts pulling out bottles to make drinks.
I can’t figure him out.
Maksim makes sense; well, I mean in his own way. He has nothing to gain out of violence and would never hurt his parents.
Valerian is already a huge deal, the boss to the Petrov Russian crime Family. Again, it makes no sense.
The rest of them, well… if I mentally say it makes no sense one more time, I’m going to punch myself in the face, though I do keep coming back to Ash.
But it could be because he just seems so angry when he looks at me that I’m projecting my own anger back.
“Relax, sit back,” Junior says. “We’re all in lockdown anyway.”
He hands me a drink, and I take it. It looks like a Manhattan but with more cherry juice added to it.
I sigh, and while making sure I know exactly where King and Del are at all times, I go and grab a seat near Violet, Serena, and Izzy. They’re all at least a bottle or two in on their wine and trying to find something on Netflix.
“So,” Serena starts without looking over at me, her bleach blond hair is showing some roots, and her always fresh purple lipstick makes it impossible for a guy to look away from her lips even if she is taken and Junior would rip your tongue from your mouth if he noticed you noticed. “How are things in love triangle land?”
I bring my drink up to my mouth and sip, then say. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“He’s good.” Izzy sighs. “I thought he’d crack.”
“Good thing they brought him in,” Violet says. “It was smart; the more people paying attention, the better.”
“Paying attention?” I ask. “Sorry, I’m just trying to figure this out…”
“Figure what out?” Annie asks, plopping down next to us. She’s with Ash, and I swear he’s taken her from cardigan-wearing girl next door to a frightening version of the rest of the girls sitting with me with her crop top, leggings, spiky boots, and what looks like a knife tucked against her thigh.
“Um…” I regain my focus. “I’m trying to figure out what this is all about, who’s really pulling the strings, controlling things.”
“Tests are always fun,” Annie says. “And while we couldn’t have seen any of this happening, we do have our theories.”
“Theories on death and comas?” I ask.
The girls all share a look and then lean in.
Serena speaks first. “We think it’s a test.”
“That’s complete bullshit.” Ash comes over and sits. “Even our dads aren’t that crazy. Who would attempt murder just to make sure King was ready?”
They go silent.
“I just—” Serena sniffles. “It would make me feel better to know… that this wasn’t real, that none of this was actually real.”
“But it is,” Ash says, his expression grim. “It fucking is.”
I’m left with nothing, and it seems like they have nothing left to give me and are just as stressed and confused as I am.
“Hey, guys.” King walks up. “I’m headed to bed. It’s been a long day, and I know Del’s tired too.”
She hides her yawn behind her hand. “Sorry, guys.”
“No, you deserve your… time,” Ash says in a teasing voice.
“Take all the time you need,” Junior adds. “That sort of thing is important, especially when someone forgets how things…work.”
Tank snorts into his drink and starts choking.
“I feel like I’m missing something,” I say.
Maksim holds up his phone. “Oh, don’t worry, just fixed it and added you to the group chat. Feel free to go back into the dedicated folder attachments where you’ll see his shame. Just make sure I’m sitting next to you so I can see your face.”
Valerian bursts out laughing. “My poor brother. Had I known you needed such assistance, I would have—”
“All of you,” King says in a deadly tone, “shut the hell up.”
Everyone laughs.
Everyone but Ash.
It seems weird as everyone says goodnight, and then King is looking straight at me like I’m supposed to be doing something, and that’s when I remember: the days aren’t finished, the nights have just begun, and I have the job of guarding her and now him and also, you know, solving a mystery and crime within the Families.