“Drake,” my name on River’s tongue comes from behind me, stalling me for a moment. “You don’t have to do that. We have the team here.”
He doesn’t come near me. He knows when I’m like this I need to come down by myself. I’ll never hurt him, but when I snap, all I see is red.
“She’s not worth it,” he tells me.
Shaking my head, I blink, and I realize I’m crying. The agony gripping my chest is painful, breath-stealing.
“You have a choice right now, Drake.” He’s right. I do have a choice. A split-second decision causes me to reach for my knife and plunge it into her throat, trailing it along the wrinkled skin. Blood spurts from her body as the light in her eyes flickers and dies. “Jesus.”
I turn to my best friend. My partner. And the boy who suffered alongside me all those years. When Dante left for London, I told River to go with him. They were friends, and I knew if anyone would look after my brother, it would be the man I gave everything to.
Turning, I use the bedsheets to wipe the blade before heading out the door. The soft footfalls of River sound behind me, but he doesn’t say anything. My body is still vibrating from the rage, exhilaration, and utter astonishment of making the kill. Some people tire of doing the same thing each time. I, on the other hand, love it.
With each kill, every life I take, I revel in it. Maybe that’s what makes me crazy, fucked-up, and that’s okay. I’ve learned to live with it. I’ll never admit or deny it. I’ve come to terms with it.
“I need to get some pussy tonight, some chick to use for the evening. You joining me?” I question my best friend as we descend the stairs. River’s gaze burns into me, and I know he’s not happy with the way I handled that. We were meant to keep her alive, but anger got the better of me.
“Yeah, you know I will.”
His response is clear. The unhappiness of what I did is heavy in his tone. This was my mistake, but it’s over, and I learned a long while ago, once something’s been done, there’s no going back.
The night is cold, the moon hanging in the inky sky reminding me of the light River brings to me and my life. He’s the only one I’ve let inside. He’s seen me at my weakest.
“Do you still look for her each time we go out?” The question comes from River, causing me to snap my gaze to his. “Caia Amoretto is dead.”
“Don’t you think I know that?”
“Then what’s up your ass, man?” He sounds tentative because he knows he’s walking on thin ice tonight. My mood is sour enough right now. This morning, Walsh’s supplier dropped another shipment at the compound, and this is the only reason I decided to pay them a visit. This has got to fucking stop. And it’s up to me to finally end it.
But that’s not the only reason I’m pissed, and he knows it. The reminder that I’ve still not found Caia, or even learned if she’s dead or not, plagues my mind constantly. However, there’s one tiny thing that’s been bothering me for some time, and I haven’t told River or Dante about it. I know I should, but if it’s not true, I may just upset them even more.
Something niggles at my mind, the night our father was murdered by the three of us, I learned a secret I’ve kept from them both. And I know soon I’ll have to come clean.
“There’s nothing wrong. Let’s just get out of here.” Sighing, I swing the car door open, slipping into the driver’s seat without answering, because I don’t know what else to say right now.
“Drake,” River starts, and I have a feeling I know what he’s going to say. But I stay silent and wait for it. “If we’re going to do this, you need to keep your mind on the list.”
I made a list when my father died. Names of men who need to suffer for what they’ve done. Each name will be crossed off as we take them down. I don’t care if they’ve got families, businesses, I’ll fucking rule over them. I’ll be the one in charge.
“I know what I have to do,” I respond without looking at my best friend. I can feel his eyes on me, boring into me, attempting to find out everything I’m hiding from him, and he knows I’m keeping secrets. If there’s one thing I know about River, it’s that he can see right through me. He knows exactly when I’m lying.
Shaking the thought from my mind, I weave through the darkened streets, back to the Savage compound where I have at least fifteen girls that were meant to appease my father’s clients.