“Yeah, you were up the stairs. I remember that.”
“What…What happened?”
“Mom’s boyfriend Fredrick shot her in the head. I heard the shot and went to see what was going on. He didn’t know I was there. Dad had dropped me off before he came in.
“Fredrick made a call, then sat on the couch getting high before he put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger.”
“Oh my God, Jace. I didn’t know that.”
“I wish it had been me to pull that trigger. Mom did nothing but love him.”
“Well, if he killed himself, what happened to your dad?”
He releases a heavy sigh. “I didn’t understand it all that night. For years, the pieces didn’t fit in my brain. Gio was the one to tell me what really happened.” He takes a pause and frowns. I reach up to push a hand through his hair, then twist a lock around my finger.
“Fredrick’s junkie ass was paid to get my father to the house. The murder-suicide was to lure Dad there that night. He killed my mom, made the two calls, got high and shot himself.
“I think he knew my father was going to kill him when he found my mom. They weren’t together anymore, but he still loved her and would do anything for her.
“Fredrick was a dick. I still don’t know how Mom got involved with him. My father hated him.”
“Yeah, that I remember. Emil wouldn’t leave us at your house when he was around, and he never let me stay around him alone. I remember that well. Your dad would hold my hand and make me follow him everywhere,” I say.
“I should have called Ava, Beth, or Gwen to let them know what I saw. I was…I was so confused. I sat by Mama rocking. Not knowing what else to do.
“Then Papa came. He told me to go and hide in the closet. Not to come out no matter what I heard.
“The two calls, one was to Papa, the other to the men who showed up. They ambushed him. I could hear him fighting them off. Then the shots came, and the silence followed.”
“I’m so sorry, Jace.”
“So you understand why I have to finish this. It’s not in vain. My parents were taken from me.
“I know Riccardo was involved. Then I watched him take your parents from you and Ava from Gio. He doesn’t think it’s the same.
“I didn’t think it was either, but over the years, I’ve started to see I was wrong, he hurts like we do. Ava didn’t get to watch him become a man. He hasn’t been able to spend time with her or Lucas like he wants to.
“We’ve all been left behind, we’re all the same. It’s not in vain because he owes us what he stole.”
“But Jace. Revenge is stealing my life from me. I’m twenty-seven. I want to get married and have a family. With each year, it seems like that’s getting further and further away.”
“He won’t allow that. Gio will burn the world down before that’s taken away from you.”
Tears burn the backs of my eyes. “I’m trying to be strong, but even the strong have days when they need to scream just to make sure they still know how to make a sound.”
“Ny, I’m here anytime you need to scream. In the end, we’ll be standing and living the life we chose. Hold on. We’re going to make it.”
“I hope so,” I murmur.
Gio comes out of the back door and beckons me with two fingers. Just what I need, time to get lost in something other than my thoughts. In truth, I need them both to hold me together.
As I walk to Gio, he looks behind me and nods for Jace to follow. My heart swells. As if reading my mind, he knows I need them both.
Jace
I look down at Ny’s hand on my chest as she sleeps. Turning my head, I find Gio knocked out on the other side of her. Even after all the exertion of our night, I can’t get my mind to quiet down so I can pass out too.
After my talk with Ny, my memories are chasing me. I keep seeing the day I lost my parents over and over again. I was too weak, too small to do anything. Papa told me not to move, to stay hidden.
I hid in the closet, waiting. The silence spoke so loudly once the men were gone. Mom’s bloody blonde hair flashes in my head.
That day had been so much fun before my stomach had started to hurt. I was so sad when I had to leave. Ny had braided one side of my hair so we could play Vikings.
Images of that day begin to rush me all at once. They move so fast that it takes my breath away. I sit up and throw my legs over the side of the bed.