Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
“Okay,” I mutter, because something tells me he wants something from me.
“I’ll help ya,” he says with a firm nod. “But…” He pauses a moment. “…when you’re done with all this, you’re going to meet with Mandy, spend time with her, let her get you out of her system.” He stands, bringing over the decanter of whiskey and pouring another then topping up mine. “You’re going to act like she’s the best thing to ever come into your life, because, fuck me, she will be. You’re going to love her like a brother should. When she calls or texts you, you will make time to answer. She’s going to hug you, and you’re going to hug her back. When she kisses you hello and good-bye, you will give your cheek willingly, because it will make her happy, understand?”
Although this makes me extremely uncomfortable, I’m happy in knowing my sister is well taken care of with this man. “I understand.”
Just when the anxious part of me begins to relax, the door swings open, and a petite, curvy redhead in white satin pajamas shoots through it, sobbing hysterically.
Evander shoots up out of his chair and rushes over to her, wrapping his arms around her. “Mandy, sweetness, what’s happened?”
She has yet to open her eyes as she rushes out, “Dad got a call from Julius. He and his guys wasted the Gambino’s, because… ‘cause—” Her voice breaks. “Gio murdered Miguel.” Another bout of gut-wrenching sobs claw up her throat, and she keens, “Gio. He… he—” But she can’t speak past the jarring pants. Finally, she chokes out, “He cut her finger off, Vander.” Anger takes hold of her as she grips his shirt front and snarls out, “He fucking took Ana.”
Evander’s body stiffens, and I spot his fury in the clenching of his jaw.
This news does not please him.
I think I just found a way to help out. Speaking quietly, so as not to spook my sister, I look to Evander MacDiarmid and ask, “Need another set of hands?”
With her back to me, Manda turns rigid before turning slowly to glance at the audience she hadn’t expected. When she spots me, her eyes search my face before recognition lights in them. “Sweet Jesus.”
I force a smile, but can’t seem to make eye contact with the short woman. “Uh, hey.”
Evander nods. “I do, but we’ve got an issue. Julius is going to want to be there.”
Who cares? “So let him.”
Evander shakes his head. “Julius Carter, you prat. Your best man, the one who thinks you’re rotting away in a cemetery somewhere. The missing girl, Ana… she’s his wife.”
Julius… married? My Julius?
Fuck, I had no idea.
What the hell is he doing in the US? Last I checked, he was still living in Sydney, Australia. “Oh.”
Manda takes a step toward me, as Evander lets out a sarcastic, “Yeah, oh is right.”
She floats over to me, completely expressionless, and when she reaches me, looks up into my face, blinking away the tears that fell only moments ago. “Is it really you, Antonio?”
God, I fucking hate that name. My voice soft, I tell her, “People call me Twitch.”
“I know,” she mumbles in a haze, and her small, cold hand comes up to stroke my cheek. “I know.” Without warning, her lip quivers. “I’m sorry. I really want to be happy right now, but I can’t.” Her hand falls to her side, and she dips her chin, lightly pushing the crown of her head into my stomach, her body shaking with silent sobs, and she croaks out, “She’s my best friend.”
I look to Evander, who mimes a hug and jerks his chin to his wife. Without another moment’s thought, I lift my arms and hesitantly snake them around her tiny body. The second I do, I feel lighter, and in the corner of my eye, I see Evander nod in approval. I allow my little sister to cry into me a short while before I stroke her back and ask, “Where do we find them?”
Evander removes his cell phone from his pocket, curls his lip, and responds, “Like all good dogs, they answer when called.”
Well into the night, a few phone calls and threats later, Evander has the address of Gio Gambino’s private estate, the one he goes to do all matters of nasty shit. A plan is sprung, and MacDiarmid explains that it’s best to see what state Ana is in before he calls Julius to give him the address.
But this is Julius’s wife we’re talking about. And I can’t help but feel that my brother needs to know what’s what.
MacDiarmid, like so many others before him, will eventually learn that I don’t follow the path laid out for me.
I leave a trail.
As I excuse myself to the bathroom down the hall, I remove MacDiarmid’s cell from my pocket, dial the number and wait.