Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 71179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“You were her firstborn, Vinnie. It killed her when you left.”
“I know, Sav. I know.”
I rub my eyes to obscure the tears that are filling them. “It killed all of us.”
“And it literally killed Mikey.” He shakes his head. “When that news got to me, I came pretty close to jumping off a cliff.”
“Oh God, Vinnie.”
He slowly breathes in and out a few times. “But I didn’t. I’ve done a lot of self-healing on this journey. I’ve read philosophy from the great masters, and I even studied with some of them. I’ve lived a nomadic life, and I’ve learned that suicide is never the answer. But I’m still on this earth for a reason. I have something to offer. When I heard from your friend Leif about what was going on, I knew it was time to return. I have a role to play in this family.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it. “You do too, Savannah. I’m not quite sure what it is yet, but it certainly doesn’t entail me heading the family, and doesn’t entail you being married to Miles McAllister. We’ll figure it out together.”
I give my brother a hug, kiss him on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home, Vinnie.”
He looks around the drab surroundings of the basement. “This isn’t home to me,” he says. “We were still on Long Island when I left.”
“I know. I’m still not clear on why we came to Texas. And why the McAllisters came as well.”
“Easy enough,” Vinnie says. “We’re closer to the border. Closer to the source.”
“But shouldn’t we be far from the source? To keep fingers away from us?”
He sighs. “Hell if I know, Sav. If I knew how this whole business worked, I’d be in too damned deep.”
The door opens to the basement, and Leif strides down the stairs.
My heart races. “Oh my God, where’s Falcon?”
“The deputies took him. Suspicion of murder—”
I gasp.
“—and parole violation.”
“Damn,” I say. “They can shove him right back into a cell for that.”
“I don’t know why he didn’t think of it,” Leif says.
“I did,” I say, “but there was so much else going on. And I just figured he had it taken care of.” I bury my face in my hands. “I feel like a complete idiot.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Leif says. “Falcon wouldn’t want you doing that.”
“Don’t blame yourself either,” I say.
He frowns and looks up the basement stairs. “Yeah, well that ship has sailed.”
“For me too.” I nod.
“How do we get him out?” Vinnie asks.
“Falcon’s father has the best attorneys in Texas. The problem is that they may not be able to get around is the parole violation. They’ll probably be able to do something about the murder charges.”
I sniffle. “That’s why I went with Miles in the first place. And now I’m paying for that. For leaving.”
“Don’t even go there, Savannah,” Leif says. “That is not what Falcon would want.”
He’s right, and I know it.
I still feel terrible though.
“What can we do?” I ask.
“I think the best thing to do is to get the two of you back to the safe house,” Leif says. “I’m ordering supplies, and once they’re here, we’ll deliver you and the supplies back to the safe house in the Nissan Leaf.”
“Then how will you get back?”
“I’m going to follow you with the supplies. We’ll be careful.”
I nod. “All right. If you’re sure. But Leif, what about Kelly?”
“Kelly knows what I do for a living. She accepts it. And she knows how much Falcon means to me.”
“I think you’re married to a saint,” I say.
Leif erupts into laughter then.
“I’m not sure I said anything funny.”
“If you knew how Kelly was when we first met, you would know why I’m laughing.” He stops chuckling, but a big smile remains on his face. “She’s a great girl, and I love her more than anything, but a saint she is not.” He walks toward the stairs. “Come on up. The supplies should be here shortly, and then we’ll get you two back to the safe house.”
“I don’t think I should go to the safe house,” Vinnie says. “I think I need to see my father.”
“No, Vinnie.” I grab his hand. “Please. Come with me. I don’t want to be there alone.”
“All right, for you, Sav. But as soon as Falcon is out and he’s back with you, I need to talk to our father.” Then his gaze burns into mine. “And our grandfather.”
“I’d like to talk to the two of them as well.”
“You will,” he says, “but I’ve got first dibs. We have some unfinished business. We’ll see if Grandpa can take what he dishes out.”
I drop my jaw. “No, Vinnie, you’re not going to—”
“Violate an eighty-year-old man?” He shudders. “Hell no, Savannah. I’m not a criminal, and that’s just sick. But I’ve been thinking for seventeen years what I would do if I came face-to-face with him again.”