Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Savannah’s face falls.
Falcon simply nods. “I understand. Your father saved my life. Your family’s done enough for me.”
“Please, Vinnie!” Savannah bites her lower lip. “I can’t lose Falcon. He already gave eight years of his life for something he didn’t do. Please!”
“But Falcon didn’t shoot the man,” I remind them. “And this time, you don’t have to take the fall.”
Eagle is still trembling on the couch. He’s a grown man now, not a scared kid.
Except to his brothers, he’s still that same kid.
Probably to Raven as well.
And then I’m surprised as hell when Raven is the one who speaks next.
“I realize I don’t have any say here, but my brother saved my life, and I don’t want him to go back to prison. And Eagle? Eagle’s my baby. He always has been. If there’s a way to keep both of them out of prison, please, Mr. Gallo.”
Mr. Gallo?
I don’t want to hear the name Mr. Gallo from this woman’s lips.
I want her to call me Vinnie. Vincent. You fucking stud. Anything but Mr. Gallo. In fact, all I can think about is getting her lips on mine. Such beauty. So beautiful that it’s even hard to imagine how much more beautiful she’ll be when her hair grows back in. She’s a knockout. She could be walking a runway with no hair, and everyone would still think she was the most beautiful woman there.
It hits me then.
I’ll do this.
I’ll fix this.
I’ll fix this for Falcon and his brothers.
I’ll fix it for my baby sister.
But mostly?
I’m going to fix it for Raven Bellamy.
I nod solemnly. “All right. I’ll do as you ask. I’ll figure something out.”
Savannah runs into my arms and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you so much, Vinnie. I know you don’t want to break the law, but this is definitely a case where the end justifies the means.”
She has no idea what I’m going to do to bring our grandfather down. I talk a good game about not breaking the law, but I’m no saint. And I’m not naïve either. I know I’ll have to break a thousand laws before I can bring Mario Bianchi down.
And damn it, the end does justify the means.
“I agree with you,” I say. “I’ll find a way. First thing tomorrow.”
After all, this is easy. If I can drink with Diego Vega and look him in the eye before my eighteenth birthday, I can do this. This is nothing.
When Savannah finally lets me go, Raven Bellamy comes toward me and gives me a gentle hug.
My cock responds.
I move away from her, a little embarrassed by my body’s reaction.
Embarrassed, but not surprised.
She smiles, and my God she’s beautiful. “Yes, thank you. Thank you for everything. Just…” She sniffles. “Thank you.”
And in that moment? If Raven Bellamy asked me to end the whole fucking free world, I’d do it.
I hardly know the woman, but one thing is certain.
I will do anything for Raven Bellamy.
11
RAVEN
I’m a little taken aback at how Vinnie nudged away from me so quickly.
I hate all of this.
I hate that we’re asking Savannah’s brother to break the law.
I hate that my brothers broke the law all those years ago.
But I love my brothers.
Eagle has always had a special place in my heart, and now Falcon does as well because he saved me.
And Hawk? He and I have never been that close, but he is still my blood, my brother. Though he has the least to lose in all of this, I want him safe as well.
“Let me get you another drink, Vinnie,” Falcon says.
But Vinnie shakes his head. “I need to go.”
“Come on. Have you eaten? We can at least feed you.”
“I’m good, but thank you for the offer.” He turns but then he looks over his shoulder. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I have any information.”
Then he leaves the room, and Savannah follows him. “I’m just going to see him out.”
Alone with my brothers, I place my hands on my hips. “I love each and every one of you guys,” I say, “but hear this. This is the one and only time I want you to put that man in a position of doing something like this. He came back to take down his family. Not to participate in its crimes.”
Hawk raises his eyebrows. “Ray?”
“You think because I don’t know the guy that I don’t care? Look, I get what happened all those years ago. And you”—I glare at Falcon—“had no business going to prison.” And as angry as I am, I launch myself into his arms. “But thank you,” I whisper. “Thank you for protecting Eagle.”
Once I let Falcon go, I turn to Eagle. I sit next to him, hug his trembling body. “How did I fail you, E?”
He rubs his eyes. “You didn’t.”
“I must have. I’m the one who took care of you all those years. When the boys and Robbie were out following Dad around, and Mom was busy running the household. You were my responsibility. You were my baby, Eagle. How did I fail you?”