He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “You remember that first job I sent you on?”
“Sure, I remember. You sent me and a few guys to jump those asshole meth dealers.”
“You beat the shit out of their leader. Smashed his face into the pavement. Did you know that I got a call from him a few weeks after he got out of the hospital, begging me not to send you after him again?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You never told me that.”
“Didn’t want to give you too big of an ego.”
I remembered those days fondly. My ego was big enough with his help back in those days—I was young and invincible and part of an up-and-coming street gang. I was cocky, arrogant, looking for a fight, thirsty for action, thirsty for violence. Those were good days, fun days, and sometimes I looked back on them and wondered how any of us survived.
“I know you can’t forgive me,” I said, keeping my voice low. “I know I can’t ask that of you.”
“It would mean war.” He said the words, clipped and serious. “You know that.”
“You can’t risk a war right now.”
“The city would back them.” He shook his head and for a moment, I saw a flash of anger, and believed that he might actually be somewhat on my side, despite everything. “The politicians, the police—all of them would back the Leones. That’s the fucked-up truth I realized when we took power. The whole city was involved in this, each and every one of them, all the moralizing assholes, all of them getting their beaks wet with our dirty money. The whole city, rotting from the inside.”
“You sound like that’s a bad thing.”
He laughed and shook his head. The juggler seemed to drop a ball, but kicked it up with his foot, and a few people nearby applauded for him. Hedeon tilted his head and tapped his fingers on the arm of the bench.
“For me and guys like me, it’s not bad at all. But for everyone else?” He shrugged and shook his head.
We lapsed into silence again at the juggler added another ball. He was up to five, then six, then seven, and I was sure he’d drop them—until he added an eighth as everyone around him clapped. I wasn’t smiling though, and I wondered how much of this Hedeon meant. He’d always had a revolutionary streak to him, but I never thought he meant all that nonsense about helping the little people when he spent so much damn time stealing from them. Maybe he was delusional, or maybe I let him sucker me into thinking the same way.
“I’m leaving the city,” I said, glancing over at him. “As soon as we’re done with this conversation.”
“Probably for the best.” He let out a puff of air and snorted. “I’m not sure Vincent will let you go so easily though.”
“We’ll lay low for a while.”
“This is all about her then, huh?” He looked at me, and I couldn’t read his expression at first—until I realized it was confusion. “You’re really in love with her?”
“I’m really in love with her.”
“Good for you then.” He shook his head and looked away. “I never thought it’d happen, but here we are.”
I wanted to tell him that it might happen for him one day, too, but I doubted it. Hedeon loved power and violence and money, but he didn’t much care about women, or other people, or really anyone but himself and the innermost members of the crew. That used to include me, at least until I went against his orders and fucked with his plans.
“I’m only here to ask you to leave Enrico and Aldrik out of whatever happens next.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “You want me to forgive them?”
“They had nothing to do with what happened.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Hedeon.” I leaned toward him, jaw clenched. “If anything we went through mattered at all, you’ll let them go.”
He waved a hand at me. “Fine, fine, just don’t be so dramatic.”
I leaned back on the bench. “They’re good people. Find them a new crew, someone that’ll take care of them.”
“You act like they can’t take care of themselves.”
“I wonder sometimes.”
“You have my word that I’ll make sure they’re okay.”
I sighed and slowly stood up. “I wish I could say I’d see you again, but we both know I won’t.”
“Maybe one day, when we’re both old men and this is long gone.”
“Or maybe one day when the Leone family’s dead and you’re in charge.”
He grinned at me and I saw a vicious smile on his lips—and I knew, without a doubt, that sooner or later that would happen. Hedeon was a shark, and blood was his ocean. He couldn’t stop swimming in it or else he’d end up dead.
“Maybe,” he said. “You come calling if I ever get there.”
“Good luck.”
“Same to you.”
I turned and walked away. It felt anticlimactic, like we should’ve come to blows, or screamed at each other, or something like that—but it was never like that between us. Shit was never dramatic, we never screamed, we never fought, fuck, we barely ever disagreed. We were a good team.
But all good things come to an end, and my relationship with Hedeon was over. I was no longer a member of the crew, and I only had to hope that he’d keep his word.
As I reached the southern exit, I looked out across the park, down the long pathway with the benches lining either side, at the groups of families sitting, the little kids playing, college kids tossing frisbees on the grass—and saw Enrico standing near a tree, leaning against its bark, arms crossed, a smile on his face.
He nodded to me and I raised my hand, waving goodbye. I left before he could respond, weaving through a group of guys on skateboards, and walked fast back to my car. I got in and drove to the frat house.
I found Cora waiting for me in the kitchen. She had a bag packed—everything I’d stashed away in the safehouse was there next to her on the floor. She shifted in her chair and stood, wearing an old pair of my jeans rolled at the ankles and a large dress shirt. She walked to me, a little frown on her lips.
“What happened?” she asked.
“We’re leaving.” I reached out and pulled her against me. “You ready?”
She chewed her lip. “I wish we could do more to Vincent.”
“We blew up his house. What more do you want?”
“I don’t know. Kill him. Make him hurt.”
I laughed and kissed her, long and slow. “Baby girl, sometimes life’s not that simple. Now come on, let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
I shrugged. “I figured we’d drive for a while and figure it out on the way.”
“Sounds good to me.” She kissed me gently then I tugged her hand, leading her back out of the house and down into the car. She climbed into the passenger seat and put her feet up on the dash as I pulled away, leaving the house behind.
I’d let the frat guys have it for a while longer—hell, maybe I’d sell it to them at a discount, or let them rent it out, or some shit like that.
It didn’t matter.
Me and Philly, we were over.