MONROE
The blood pounded in my ears, and I struggled to grab onto the words being spoken. All I could hear was Wells saying her name.
Brittni. Brittni. Brittni.
She’d finally done it; she’d stepped over the line into a place of no return. I’d hoped she’d prove to love Levi enough to change her behavior and be the mother for him that he needed. Instead, she’d shown she was only in it for herself.
And now, nothing would hold back the Komodo side of me.
Resolution at what was to come filled my veins, slowing the pumping blood to a dull roar, bringing the room back into focus. I heard Loren as she said Atticus and Nicco’s father had also been there. It should probably surprise me to hear that my ex-wife had teamed up with a sadistic mob boss, but it didn’t. It made me question what I’d seen in her. Had she always been that good of an actress, or had I been so deep in denial of my feelings for Wells that I’d grabbed onto something the most opposite from him?
It didn’t matter. We were here now, and it was time to end this once and for all.
“Brittni needs to die.”
My statement stopped the conversation dead, and everyone in the room turned to look at me. I could see varying expressions on the others’ faces, but I needed to see only Wells and Loren's at that moment.
Loren watched me, studying me intensely. She had her therapist face on, the one where she showed none of her own emotion outside of being an empathic and understanding listener. I waited, hoping she’d see my commitment to this. I hadn’t come to this decision lightly, or out of anger or revenge. Those were there, but they weren’t the emotions pushing me to that course of action.
This was about Levi and us. This was about our future and the need to not look over my shoulder every second, waiting for her to spring her next trap. Brittni was a disease that needed to be eradicated. It was the only option.
The others were quiet, probably watching Loren as well, but I held her eyes. “It will be better for Levi now to mourn his mother as he remembers her than for her to continue to inflict damage on him and us over the next ten years before he’s free of her. This is more than revenge. This is a matter of protecting our future and causing the least amount of damage for my son.”
“What about when he learns you were the one to do it?” Wells asked, gripping my hand. I dropped my eyes to him, surprised he’d asked. “I don’t disagree, she needs to go. The bitch shot me. But… if he ever learned the truth, you could lose him.”
I swallowed, knowing he was right, but it felt like a better risk. “It’s worth it, and I trust in our bond that he’d know I wouldn’t make that kind of decision lightly.”
“Good thing you won’t have to then,” Atticus spoke up from behind me. I swung my head, looking at him in shock. The stern-looking man met my eyes, seriousness in his gaze. I expected to find pity, but instead, I found respect. Atticus had once told me that children were to be protected at all costs, and he’d gone above and beyond helping me in that aspect with the court hearing.
“I can’t ask that of you.” I shook my head, the momentary peace I felt dropping into the pit of my stomach.
“Of course, you can, Sunshine,” Nicco said, grinning at me. He walked over closer to Wells and me. “Plus, you didn’t ask. We offered. Mas failed to mention that you're family now, and family doesn’t kill alone. You gotta share the fun.” He smirked, lifting the mood. “Besides,” his eyes moved to meet Wells’, holding them for a second. I watched as Wells swallowed, squeezing my hand tight before Nicco looked over to Loren. “You hurt one of us. You hurt all of us. I know this relationship is still new for us, and there hasn’t been anything officially discussed on what we all are. But I think I speak for my big bro and the grumpy one, when I say you’re one of us and we care about you.”
“I… I… don’t know what to say,” I admitted, looking at the others. Loren was beaming, a beautiful smile on her face. Sax grunted but didn’t argue. Atticus rolled his eyes, sighing loudly as he rubbed his temples.
“How did I not piece together you were my younger brother before now? You’re definitely as annoying as one.” He dropped his hand, looking at Wells and me. “But he’s not wrong. We don’t invite outsiders into our ranks or let them see behind the curtain, so to speak. The moment you stepped into my home, you became protected, whether you knew it or not. You protect our secret. We protect you. It’s as simple as that. It seems now that our two worlds have collided if the impersonator is involved. It’s not just your problem. It’s ours. Now, I’ve been awake for almost 24 hrs. I suggest we all get some sleep, and then we can strategize on how best to respond.”
“Thank you,” I choked out, nodding. Atticus turned to leave, Sax following behind him.
“Wait,” Loren said before turning to me. “I’m going to check on the kids. I’ll be right back.” She patted my hand, kissing Wells on the cheek quickly before she got up and met them at the door. I still couldn’t tell what she thought, but it didn’t seem like she was against it. Nicco took her spot, lying down in the opposite direction, making himself comfortable. I watched him, still trying to figure him out. His earlier jovial mood seemed to change as he picked at something on the comforter.
“I’ve seen a lot of blood in my life, but I have to say, walking out of that building and seeing Loren on the ground covered in yours, it was one of the scariest moments of my life.”
Wells rolled his eyes, missing the point, his asshole wall going up, and I smiled, kind of excited to watch the show. It was nice being on the other side of this for once. “I’ll try not to get shot around her next time. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.” He rolled his eyes, sighing.
“Sure, because that’s what I meant.” Nicco stood up, his movements stiff as he moved toward the door. “When you’re done being a scared asshole, maybe reevaluate that sentence, Crash.” He moved his gaze to me, winking. I was sure it was merely to stir the pot, but it made my cheeks heat, nonetheless. “Stay golden, Sunshine. I enjoy looking at your beautiful face.”
He shut the door, leaving Wells and me alone. I chuckled, shaking my head, looking back at the man I loved. The reality of the situation hit me again, seeing him hooked up to everything and the momentary relief I had fled me. “He’s not wrong, though. I thought I lost you, and I didn’t know how to deal with it.”
“He’s a fucking fool. He’s only trying to mess with me.” Wells rolled his eyes, huffing as he tried to adjust himself. The wires and bandages kept him from being able to move too much.
“Sure, babe, keep telling yourself that.” I smiled at him, hoping he’d see people cared about him. Wells was so used to being the forgotten foster kid, he didn’t know how to accept other people liking him without getting something in return. Wells grunted, but his eyes started to close more, so I kissed his cheek, tucking him in.
The nurse would be back later to give him meds. They had her in another room close by if we needed her, but didn’t want her to be around everything they were doing. The attention to detail Atticus went through surprised me at times. He thought through every possibility and managed it all, nothing slipping. In a way, I admired him for that. I’d thought I’d never be on this side of things again, having picked a career that helped me fight against the bad guys.
Turned out, the lines on who was good and bad were very blurred, and sometimes, evil stared back at you under the veil of a pretty blonde in designer shoes.
Perhaps it was time I changed my fight and stopped bucking against the parts of me I thought made me less than and grabbed ahold of them instead. I’d always believed the Komodo made me weak, my reliance on a darker section of myself hindering me from being good. In reality, it had been about survival, and blocking traits I deemed unworthy, and hiding them had only made me vulnerable.