As much as I hate to admit it, the man is right. Xana deserves to know the history of my parents but showing me unmarked tombstones proves nothing more than it did the night he dropped the bomb of my parents on me.
Until Martinez is found, and I get the truth, Xana will stay in the dark just as much as The Omen keeps Malia in. My sister has a backbone, but she’s not built like Malia is. Everything we’ve ever been told is wrong and I don’t know how she will take it.
She already sees me as a monster for putting Bastian in the hospital and she grew up with me. There’s no telling what she would think of our parents once everything unfolds.
“I’m not involved with Malia.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue and I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or myself.
The Omen smirks at me and chuckles softly. “Says the man who shot someone in cold blood for her.” His smile grows, something wicked glints in his emerald eyes. Pride, maybe?
His phone rings and he fishes it out of his pocket.
“Breckin,” he says when he answers the phone, staring off into the distance while he listens.
Breckin Reynolds. I grind my teeth remembering the way he had his hands on Malia at the club last night. I have a feeling he and I have unfinished business.
The Omen’s face pales, and his eyes flick back to me. “Thanks, I’ll call Delaney.” He pockets his phone, then rubs the tension in his eyes. “I trust you’re going to return as planned.”
I nod. “I don’t know that I believe you and I sure as shit don’t trust you, Omen, but I will do whatever I have to, to make sure Malia is safe.”
His hand falls to his side and he searches my face. “I’ll have her ready when you return. Whether that’s in the front seat or in the trunk is up for debate.”
He turns his back on me and walks toward the mansion with a purpose, not offering me anymore than that. I glance back at my parents’ graves and walk back over.
“I don’t think you’re a monster, pops,” I say aloud to the grave The Omen says my father is buried. “And you either, mom.”
Perhaps I look like a fool reaching out and touching both headstones, willing my dead parents, who might not even be here, to know I don’t think less of them for the life they lived. In a way I’m not much different.
If what The Omen says is true, my dad turned to this life for my mother and me. I’m not far from turning to this life for the woman I love either. I just need to keep her at a distance until I know what’s real and what’s not.
Which will be near impossible to do if we’re forced into isolation together.
I PULL UP TO my house and cringe at the sight of Bastian’s car parked in the street. The positive side is I don’t have to hunt down my sister to get her to safety. The negative is I have to face this fucker and I know he’s not going to make it easy for me.
I wouldn’t put it past Xana to have brought Bastian here to try to force peace between us like I haven’t already put my foot down about the matter.
There’s laughter coming from the kitchen when I step into the house. I don’t hesitate and walk toward that direction only coming to a stop at the entryway. Xana sees me first and smiles.
It’s still early and she’s in her pajamas, a tight tank top and shorts, I grind my teeth.
“Why don’t you go put some clothes on, Xan,” I snap and her smile drops. “It’s fucking cold out.”
I try to cover myself with that last part, but honestly I don’t want me ex-best friend seeing my little sister’s exposed body. If Xana hadn’t told me last night he was getting out of the hospital today, I’d think he might have stayed the night. The fucker is in sweats and a t-shirt.
I flick my gaze over to him and assess the damage I did. He’s got a few stitches in his face and it’s mostly a giant bruise in different stages. His nose is probably broken, but his body is fine. There was no need for him to be in the hospital more than a week, except to piss me off further and have people feel sorry for him.
Like Xana.
“I’ll be back,” she says while clearing her throat, standing from the chair she was sitting in at the table, and she brushes by me, leaving Bastian and me alone.
“The fuck do you think you’re doing in my house?” I ask, trying to stay calm and lean against the wall, crossing my arms to keep me from strangling the fucker this time.
Bastian smiles and stands up. “Xana invited me when I got out of the hospital.” He shrugs, the smile growing. “I believe it’s also her house.”
I wouldn’t put it past him to try to antagonize me into beating his ass again, just so my sister falls witness. There’s bigger shit I have to deal with than Bastian fucking Collins. I need to deal with Xana, shower, then meet one of The Omen’s men to take me back to the mansion.
The Omen doesn’t want my car anywhere near his house and homebase in case anyone comes looking for me seeing as I’ll be in a cabin for an unforeseeable amount of time.
I push off the wall, dismissing Bastian with a glance, not feeding into his bullshit and head to my sister’s bedroom door. I knock and she tells me to come in. I step in and she rolls her eyes, clearly thinking it was Bastian knocking and not me.