“Until we’re ready,” he said against my lips.
But even then, time was steadily ticking by.
And we were nearly out of it.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Junior
All the cars were at Nixon’s. And waiting outside was the man himself, standing next to my dad.
The moms were probably inside crying or at least pleading with Tex to change the rules, to say something—anything to make this better.
But what could they do?
We knowingly defied the bosses’ rules.
What was worse—in Nixon’s eyes, I knowingly defiled his daughter’s pure blood with mine.
Serena and I both got out of the car and slammed the doors. We walked toward each other.
She grabbed my hand and then pulled me against her in a hug, our mouths met in an achingly slow kiss that felt like goodbye, and then we broke apart.
“Whatever your dad says about mine, about—” I sighed. “It’s true. All of it. I just want you to know. I was sworn not to tell anyone the full story since it would tarnish everyone’s view of my dad. Just know, I’ve never once in my life lied to you, but this… was not my secret to tell.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “It’s worse than I think it is, isn’t it?”
“It’s why your dad wants me dead…”
“If it were anyone else…” Serena repeated as if remembering Ash’s words all those years ago, and then we were out of time.
“Inside,” Nixon said in a cold voice, his eyes flashed murder each time he blinked.
My dad’s jaw clenched as he held his old Colt King Cobra gun in his right hand, resting against his thigh.
I gripped Serena’s hand as we slowly walked through the doors and sighed in frustration when every single boss present—and all of them were present because of the funeral—held their guns in their right hands.
And not just any guns.
No, each of them had a special gun that represented death.
My dad had his, which meant the rest of them had theirs.
The world was full of murderers who just grabbed a gun and pointed—but my world? It was full of a certain way of doing things, a respect for the hardware that took the life, and escorted the soul to the afterlife.
I wanted to protect her so desperately. I wanted to stand in front of her and tell her to fucking run.
But she just gripped me tighter as a storm built inside my chest.
All of the cousins were on the outside of the bosses, some were eating and or drinking quietly, but not Ash, he had a gun in his hand, as did Breaker, and slowly but surely, I saw that my cousins, the Elect, were not going to go down without a fight.
“I wonder…” Uncle Tex took a step toward me. “…did you ever think that your love would start a war?” His face was livid, contorted into rage as he got right in my face. “You think with your dick, and you divide this entire family! You divide kid from parent; your fucking selfishness is going to bring down an entire dynasty.” He sneered in disgust. “I hope it was worth it.”
I lunged even though Serena had my other hand, and managed to hit him across the face with my fist. “Take it back!”
I’d just hit our godfather.
Again.
If I wasn’t already dead.
That did it, sealed my fate.
He spat out some blood. “Sex is never worth breaking up a family. I don’t care how good it is.”
“Say something like that about Serena one more time, and I’m going to fucking rip your lungs out through your throat!” I roared.
Someone let out a low whistle, but I didn’t care. All I saw was rage, rage that he’d disrespect her like that.
“Serena,” Nixon said in a soft and gentle tone. “Give me your hand.”
“No!” she said sharply.
I’m positive it was the first time she’d ever yelled at her dad in front of anyone by the look of pure shock on his face.
“Let go of his hand,” Nixon growled. “Now.”
“No!” she screamed. “I LOVE HIM!”
Her announcement was worse than me hitting the Capo by the curses that exploded around us.
“You’re too young to know what—”
“So help me God, Nixon, if you tell your own daughter she’s too young to know what love is, you’ll be the one peeing through a straw!” Serena’s mom Trace piped up, and then one by one, the wives stood with the kids.
Oh, this was not going well.
At all.
“Trace, you know the rules we gave then,” Nixon said in an irritated voice. “They knowingly broke them because they’re horny college students! You get punished when you break the rules, and we were clear from the beginning what they were! Look at us!” He spread his arms wide. “Of course you didn’t think this would happen, did you? If it was any other person—”
“Stop.” My dad lifted his hand. “Stop draping my shame on my son’s shoulders.”