Page 81 of Gray Area

I breathe easier with him next to me. I feel a peace and safety with him there. But should I? If he could easily hurt that man, couldn’t he just as easily hurt me?

No. The answer comes from, well, I don’t know where, but I know it’s true. Declan will never hurt me. But it doesn’t make what he did less scary.

“Let’s get you home, Viv,” he says. “Axel is going to stay up here with Roman tonight.”

I nod, and when I stand, I wrap my arms around him. He did bad things. I can smell the coppery scent of blood on him, and I feel a lump in his jacket, which is probably his gun. But he is mysafe place. He has done nothing but prove to me how much he is willing to do for me, and he takes care of me. He has never lied to me, and I bet if I were to ask him now, he would tell me what he had done, everything, in detail. But I don’t really want to know.

So instead I say, “Let’s go home,” and allow him to guide me there.

Chapter 47

DECLAN

My father is discharged from the hospital the next day, and while he has been prescribed total rest and relaxation, I cannot give it all to him today.

Slade goes and gets him and brings him home. Roman is just coming home from school when they arrive, and we all have an early dinner together. Roman has been begging to have a sleepover with Vivian since she moved in, so she agreed to take him back to my apartment tonight and let my father ease in to being home.

It is about seven when they are all set up at my place with an ice cream bar and a stack of movies. I go back to my dad’s house where I find him relaxing in his recliner, and I sit on the couch.

My father’s eyes are closed but he heaves out a big breath. “What is it, Declan?” he asks wearily.

“Few things,” I say. “First, I told Axel and Slade about your MS and your treatment. They are pissed at you, but they will be talking to you in due time about it.”

My father nods. “Fair enough, and…?”

“You are officially retired from the Falco family business effective immediately.”

My father’s eyes spring open. “I will retire—”

“Now,” I tell him, my voice full of authority. “You will not be put under a rock and kept from everything, but the stress nearly killed you.”

My father seethes at my proclamation, but I continue on.

“In fact, I need your input on something important, and then you start your R&R. In Maine.”

I literally watch my father’s blood pressure rise at my words. “Declan Jude Falco, I will not be sent away.”

“Lexington doesn’t know about Roman, Dad,” I tell him softly.

My father ceases his rant and furrows his brow at me. “What do you mean?”

I tell my father about Jeff, who is still being held in our basement, and what he was told. It makes sense, when I look back at it. Lexington had started borrowing money before Roman was born. Then he started up again, but he’d missed a two-year period during which Roman was born. My father always talked about his boys, but he never really showed us around to anyone, not until we were of age and able to take care of ourselves.

“If this fucker finds out about Roman, Dad, he will use him against you. I need you to go and take Roman with you,” I tell him. My father is speechless as he slowly grasps what I am saying.

Finally he nods. “Okay,” he says, “what else?”

“I think I gotta help this guy, Dad,” I tell him, talking about Jeff.

He gives me a slight smile. “You got a big heart, kid,” he says.

“He was only trying to do the right thing,” I say. “He was just trying to protect his family.”

“You’re right, Dec. Do you have a plan?”

“I do,” I tell him, and lay it all out for him.

Chapter 48

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