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  “I’ve got some footage of the man of your dreams today.” Albany tapped the paper between us with her red nail.

  My throat dried up. I worked at not holding my breath.

  “Don’t get excited. He doesn’t know you’re alive.” She stood and walked to the window, her back to me.

  I was dizzy with the need to snap her neck.

  “He’s a mess.” She looked over her shoulder at me. “If you were wondering.”

  I tried to borrow Nix’s patience. I imagined him in the Feybis’ place listening to this type of shit. Possible lies.

  Albany was probably lying. I couldn’t imagine why they would let her live.

  I heard his voice next, and my soul stopped. Albany held up her phone. “No video, but this is audio my guy was able to catch.”

  The screen was black. Animal was in mid-conversation, and I tried to hear all the things I could between the words.

  “Looking good.” Animal’s deep voice was like a syrup.

  “I wish I could say the same to you, sailor. You look like shit.” A woman’s voice broke the beauty of the recording by just being there.

  “I can handle myself.” Animal again.

  It was a weird clip. This audio had been edited. Still, it was his voice. I tried not to let the way it had been manipulated affect my psyche.

  “You miss T?”

  The background was slightly different, not as much ambient noise for her phrase.

  “She was a legend. I knew I’d never have her forever.”

  And although it was altered—she was trying to change it—I heard him. I heard his pain, and I knew it was for me.

  I kept my face even. Albany had to believe that I was buying the shit she was selling.

  If that was recent, like she said, Animal was still okay. I had questions and I swallowed them whole.

  “Anyway, I was just wondering if you had some pointers as far as Animal goes. I’m having trouble getting past the night we had together.” Albany rocked back on her heels.

  I lifted an eyebrow. This bitch had to be kidding. I averted my gaze so I could think of a response. I needed to keep her thinking that I was a pretty docile patient and that I was interested in the bullshit she was strewing around.

  “Animal likes loyalty. Have someone offer him an olive branch by sharing information.”

  It was the best I could do. If I could sway Albany into bringing more intel to the guys, then that would be a good outcome.

  “Wow, I think that was a genuine answer. We’re growing a bit here, T.” Albany left, her flats making hardly any sound on the tile floor of my room.

  Little steps. One at a time until I could get out. Get back. Be where I needed to be. Hopefully, any contact from Breston would be a red flag after Nix’s kidnapping.

  Chapter 52

  T

  A daily stroll with Albany was part of my routine now. I counted snipers as she shared her hopes and dreams. As magnetic as she was in person—especially the first time you met her—there was a shallow vapid-ness that eventually reared its head. She wanted her father to recognize her. She bitched about her brother trying to run the company. She complained about her situation.

  She was the type of person who unloaded and never asked you how your day was. I pretended to be interested, asking questions about the worries from the previous day. Like all narcissists, she required reams of praise. And although I thought it was pretty obvious that I was playing her, Albany could never see it that way. She thought she was the center of my universe. And she thought she should be the center of everyone’s universe.

  Albany got chatty, because eventually she ran out of topics about herself and had to offer options on what was happening around her. She started telling me things, like new innovations Breston was working on besides the drug that had been tested on me. It was used to aid in my recovery, not just torture me. It had kept me still so I could heal quicker.

  Every once in a while Albany would threaten me with the truth-telling portion of the drug, but the more I listened, the more she got to talk about herself. I didn’t bolt when I started to get opportunities. That was a very tough part. But I remembered how successful Nix was. He was full of information from the time he was in with the Feybis.

  Albany would tell me when she saw footage of Animal, claiming she was still sleeping with him from time to time. I doubted it. There was a falseness in her claims.

  When my time came to leave, I wanted to make sure that it was worth it. I wanted to hand Animal information that would help him stay out from under the thumb of Breston. And, of course, out from between Albany’s legs.

  Her plans to use the Feybi side of the organization Animal was running to distribute her new drug illegally was her holy grail plan. A new drug on the streets would be the way she could finally be seen as a major player in Breston.

  The thought of this drug she had getting into the hands of the public was terrifying. The truth telling—the paralysis. It would be like a hyper roofie. It was a drug that was a dangerous weapon.

  I had enough on her now. It was time. If I was correct about my time in captivity, I had been here about five months. Our daily stroll was upon us in the sun.

  I was possibly in a different country. Most of the guards seemed to have a similar accent. Dealing with where in the hell I was was a problem for another hour.

  Now it was escape. I asked Albany more questions about her. She was glamorous today, even in jeans. She had pearls on and a dark blazer, nude pumps, and the perfect amount of makeup.

  I was in my uniform for my time here. Scrubs and sneakers, my hair in a rubber band. The lavishness of Albany’s lifestyle did not spread to her favorite toy of the moment. While she rattled on about her latest car, I counted the snipers again. Jones, the one on the East side, liked to smoke. And from the whiffs I’d gotten, it wasn’t regular cigarettes. He was my best bet. I needed his gun and his keys. As Albany gestured with her hands, I was deciding about her fate. To kill or not to kill. She told me how the car drove on her way here to me today. She pointed toward the parking lot as she answered.

  I wanted to kill her—for keeping me, but more for sleeping with Animal—but I was making a decision for everyone when I started that war. And I would add urgency to my own capture, assuming I made it out.

  For today I would knock her out really, really hard. I knew where to hit her, and I knew her guard wasn’t up at all.

  As we entered the part of the path that had a clump of trees, I pointed out a pretty bird in the sky. Turning her head was the last thing she would remember doing.

  I hit her behind the neck and squeezed a pressure point so she would slide to the ground. Her eyes rolled back into her head.

  If I’d timed it right, she and I had between nine and eleven minutes to come out the other side of the path and back into view. I was counting on five minutes of leeway time before any guards realized something was amiss.

  I stripped her of her jeans and blazer and made a quick swap. Scrubs wouldn’t be great at camouflaging me in public. I patted the jacket pocket and it had her wallet and her keys. The other pocket had her newest cell phone.

  She was still breathing, so I hadn’t killed her. I felt a pang of remorse and stared at her for an extra beat. I hoped I wouldn’t regret leaving her here with her heart beating.

  Jones was mid-toke, and clearly not expecting a woman to climb the ladder to his post. He was unconscious before he hit the ground. His M24 and pistol became my property. I took a pull on his joint, trying to settle my hammering heart before I free-climbed out the window.

  I had miles and miles to go—and possibly an ocean or two, but I would get back to my people, so help me God.

  Chapter 53

  Animal

  I was continuing without her. That was the extent of what my day entailed. The things we’d set in motion before everything went to shit was what I needed to do.

  My sparkle was gone. I linked everything going wrong to the night I’d spent
with Albany.

  Albany was a waste of a human. It made me feel like gagging when I thought that I’d spent time naked with her. Her whole heritage was garbage. Evil bastards. There would never be enough money for them. They wanted to run third-world countries. They were the kind of people who profited off cancer not getting cured. But I didn’t know where she was. Or if she was even on this planet anymore. I’d find her and end her. To feed my newly acquired venom. Someday.

  Nix was holding back on hitting Breston harder. We’d demolished the facility Albany was running. T had made sure that the bombs had crippled the whole facility. Thorough.

  My girl was good at that.

  The pain felt like it was peeling the muscles off of my heart.

  My girl.

  I had to do this—face the families as a leader. Pretend I was fine. Pretend that I hadn’t failed my girl. Failed to protect her. I needed to keep up the façade in hopes of keeping Nix, Becca, and Ember safe. T had arranged it before…well before.

  I let Wardon drive me to the meeting. I told Nix not to come. President and Vice President from now on. We lived together, but our security was insane. We tried not to make appearances at the same place anymore.

  He’d be watching; he always was. I walked into the warehouse and made my way to the pallets stacked up like a stage. I easily climbed to the top. Fluid. Feline. Like the tigers on my body.

  I left my sunglasses on because my eyes might have given me away. My big body and intimating muscles were the only bravado I had right now.

  They were talking amongst themselves. This room was danger personified. The rivalry between the two families went deep.

  I put my fist in the air and drew their attention. “Kaleotos. Feybis.”

  There was a roar from either side. There had to be two hundred people in the warehouse. My people had the upper level, a single walkway lifted above the crowd.

  I was sure that it made the criminals below nervous, as was its intention.

  “You’ve seen us at work. In the community. You know you’re safer. Your kids don’t have to follow you into this life. There’s an out for you. Our hookers are happy. Our drug dealers are compensated. The cops are staying off your back. Family on family violence is almost non-existent in case you were wondering. In case you hadn’t noticed.”

  I let the words hang in the air. Applause rose up to meet them. I wasn’t even sure it mattered what I said. They needed to see me whole. Competent. Uninterrupted.

  It was all a farce, but I could act.

  I told them what they wanted to hear and what they needed to hear. Control was mine. After we were caught up on the business, I added a cherry on top.

  “On your way out today, just to drive home how incredibly amazing we’re all managing, please get your grand bonus from my men.”

  Another thunderous roar greeted me. My sunglasses stayed in place. Giving this speech without having T’s beautiful eyes to look at for a gauge was a sinkhole.

  My life would be this way now. This grueling pain. Walking through hot tar. I was living the life she was supposed to have. Taking the breaths I owed her.

  The soldiers liked the money. On their way out, the good ones—the ones who were the most loyal to me—made sure to mention T. It was like a backwards funeral in a way. She was involved in so many different scenarios and touched so many different operations. I really wasn’t sure how long Nix and I could do this without her.

  She was lightning and gone. All that was left was the empty thunder.

  Chapter 54

  Animal

  When I was in the parking lot of our burned out mall, I took my guard down. I let my heart bleed all over itself. Missing T became a symptom of the disease I was slowly dying from.

  To have had love and lost it, all at once. I would never love another. I took her vow. I only love once, and she was it.

  Lately, I started drinking. I would sleep here in the purple Hummer. Nix and Becca would kill me if they knew that I was out in the open like this and that I did it regularly. It was a predictable pattern.

  It was a fairly nice night, so I stumbled out of the Hummer. All the wrong moves, for all the worst reasons.

  I found the cement divider that she and I had used as a platform to look at the stars on. It was crumbling, but it was still here. Like me.

  I sat on it and stretched out as best I could. I had been a skinny tall thing back then. I dropped the bottle of Jack and was surprised when it rolled instead of breaking.

  Usually, I spoke to her in the Hummer. My special angel. I wasn’t sure where she was actually. If there was a hereafter. Maybe hell. She’d killed a lot of people. Which was okay, because we’d be there together someday.

  I reached my hand backwards to where she was so long ago. I hadn’t come to appreciate her sacrifice. I was still angry. It was supposed to be me. I was the savior. I was the protector. I was Animal.

  I fell asleep like that.

  Hours later, I woke up alive. Another half-assed attempt at being with her had failed. At least I was sober enough to drive now. It was dark when I let myself back into my bedroom.

  I looked into the mirror on my door when I closed it.

  She was there.

  T.

  She was wearing jeans and a white hoodie, no makeup and a huge smile. Such a weird combination for me to put in my head. Like, maybe I would picture her in a wedding gown or something more special. I’d dreamed of her, but I felt as awake as shit.

  I had to try talking to her. I was desperate.

  “T?”

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Her laughter hit me next. It was soul-cleansing.

  “T?”

  I spun to see if the reflection could possibly be true.

  I grabbed her hand.

  It was obviously a hard hallucination, or I had drunk myself to death in the Hummer.

  T patted my hand again. “It’s me. I’m here.”

  “What the fuck?” I touched her hand with both of mine and fell to my knees. I reached out and pulled her to me. This dream was so real I had to be dead. There were no other options.

  I hugged her middle, resting my head between her breasts.

  Her stomach gurgled. I tipped my head back so I could look at her. Her brown eyes were sparkling.

  “I’m here. I was captive. All this time. I got out a few days ago. I didn’t want them to track me here.”

  She was saying reasonable things.

  “I saw you die. On the video, I saw you die.”

  Her laughter turned to sadness.

  “Oh, Animal. I almost died. They kept me alive because they’re evil, but very good at what they do. I’m here. With you. I came back.” T opened her arms.

  My T, who didn’t like touches too much, helped me as I staggered as I stood. “Whoa, there we go, big guy. How are you doing there?”

  I hugged her for real. Encircling her in my arms as my heart rejoiced. I felt the unrealness seeping away. She was here. This was life, and this was T. I made sure to look her in the eyes.

  “I love you.” My throat dried up as I watched her hear it.

  The familiar pain was just behind her eyes. “I know. We’re family.”

  “No. I love you. I want to make a family with you. We’re not related. You’re my wife.”

  She rubbed my arms. “Let’s hug it out, okay? Have you been drinking? And you’re never drinking.”

  “You’re not getting it.”

  She hushed me with a pat on my chest.

  Finally, I was able to get enough of my equilibrium underneath me to spin her and press her against the door.

  “I love you. I have been dying for you since I watched you die. I can’t take a breath without missing you. Not as a friend. Not as family. As my partner. As my woman.”

  I brushed her hair out of her face. What had she been through? Was she really here? I pushed her white hoodie off of her. She allowed it.

  I took the hem of the shirt she had on underneath and lifted it up. I
saw a gunshot wound on her stomach. I pulled it all the way off of her and held her shirt in my hand. With the other, I used my fingertips to scan her body. At least five gunshots.

  Healed and well-treated, obviously.

  “T?”

  She shivered and I put her shirt back on her. I was clumsy about it, but she helped. Then I helped her put her hoodie back on.

  “I don’t understand. Tell me how to understand this.”

  T hesitated a few times, and then she put her hands on my face. “I came back. To you. For you. I love once. I love you.”

  I wanted to show her my tattoo on my back. I wanted to hug her so tight to my chest that I could feel her heartbeat. I needed to call Nix and Becca and Ember.

  But there was only one thing I had to do.

  I leaned down slowly, because our first kiss had been one of the worst nights of my life so many years ago when she left as a kid. And if this was all real, if my T was back, then this was the best night.

  I came in very slowly. I kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. I’d never felt anything like putting my lips on hers.

  Galaxies collided, souls rejoiced, and in the smallest part of me and the smallest part of her, two teenage kids clung to each other, wondering what the hell had taken us so long.

  “My wife,” I told her with sureness.

  I watched as her eyes filled with tears. There was almost a fight in her.

  She pointed to my chest. “I knew that. I was just waiting for you to figure it out. I guess all I had to do was die.”

  She was making light of it, but I wouldn’t allow it. “Wait. Don’t leave.”

  I went to step away from her and then thought better of it. I grabbed her hand and tugged her to the center of my room.

  “What are you doing?”

  She was admonishing me, but I heard the happiness in her voice. I took my silver tiger ring off my hand. It was too big and manly, but I wasn’t wasting time. Not a second.

  “T.” I was very sober all of a sudden, though I knew I’d have to convince her of it again and again. I took to my knee. “I call you my wife all the time. Please, can I be your husband?”