Page 64 of Vengeful Devotion
“I’m sure.”
She nods, leaving us in the foyer and heading up the stairs. I wait for her to disappear from sight before turning to Vivi.
“Did you tell mom?”
“No,” she spits. “That’s your responsibility. Not mine.”
I look around, not seeing or hearing anyone else around. “How did you find out?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? There’s not a goddamn secret in this corrupt city that I can’t find out. What do you know, Declan?”
“First, tell me what you found out. Was Warren the one to start the fire?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “According to my sources, yes. But what the fuck does that matter, Declan? He killed our father.”
And there it is. All the justification I need to kill him. All the evidence right there at my feet, just as it was before. Only now, I can’t hide it. I can’t let him live. Not this time.
“I’ll explain everything. But there’s something I have to do first.”
I ignore her protests, turning on my heel and walking right back out. I dial Kane as I climb back into the car. With Balor and Dean out at the warehouses today, I need someone I can trust watching over my girl.
“Kane.”
“I need to go out, but Gemma is staying at the house. I need you watching over her.”
“Yes, sir.”
I hang up and peel out of my driveway. Racing towards the neighborhood my brother stays in. I might have let him live, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t traced his every step. The neighborhood looks like it’s been ripped apart. North Las Vegas isn’t great to begin with, but this area screams ‘dredges of society’.
My knuckles are white as I pull into the parking lot of my brother’s apartment building. I take a deep breath, trying to keep myself as focused as I can. Trying to make myself remember my father. To remember why my brother must die. Trash is littered across the dying grass, there are cracks and weeds throughout the sidewalk and the green paint on the building is in dire need of attention. This whole place looks forgotten.
I climb the metal stairs, heading straight for the doorstep I’ve darkened so many nights before. But I could never go inside. Could never pull the trigger. Today, that all changes.
I bang on his door, not caring about the noise. It’s not a sound that would stand out here. It’s the same reason I don’t care if someone sees me with a gun. It’s par for the course around here. Warren opens the door, his eyes widening when he sees me.
“Declan.”
He opens the door a little wider, just enough to put his body right in front of my gun. Without saying a word, I pull the trigger. Two bullets leave the chamber before I watch him fall.
“Why did you make me do this, Warren? Why couldn’t you just stay away?”
He doesn’t answer. He can’t. Blood seeps through his shirt, staining what looks like a company logo. I close the door and walk away. A tear slips down my face. Guilt and shame are heavy on my chest, making it hard to breathe as I get into my car. For a man who just corrected his biggest mistake, shouldn’t I feel better?
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Gemma
From the momentmy feet touched the staircase, walking away from Declan and Vivienne didn’t feel right. Even now, sitting in Francine’s room watching her midmorning soap operas, worry eats away at my stomach. Maybe it’s nothing. A trick of the mind now that my worst fear has been realized in this home. But it doesn’t feel like nothing. The feeling turns sour in my stomach. Something is coming. Something bad.
“Can you believe that?”
Francine’s voice cuts through the haze of doom. I look over at her, not having heard what she said, but shrugging, anyway. She squints her eyes at me, annoyed that her usual ice breaker skills aren’t working. I can read her almost as easily as I can read her son. Which, admittedly, isn’t always easy. But I saw what was on his face an hour ago. Deception. There’s something going on with him. Something he doesn’t want me to know.
Francine moves her hand to the healing cut on the side of her head. “It’s been hurting more than usual.”
Her words draw my attention. It’s been nearly a week since the incident, but I’ve been the worst nurse in the last few days. Ever since Lonny showed up.
“I’m sorry. Let me grab your medication.”
