Page 75 of Secrets

Hope blooms so heavily in my chest that when I breathe, it’s shuttered, lined with emotion that overwhelms my senses. But Jessica smiles, lifting to kiss my hand before retreating into the kitchen. “You’re tired, but you need to eat something besides those IV nutrition things. I made the s’mores bread again. Have a small slice, then I want you to take a nap.”

“Just promise me you aren’t rushing to make this decision. That you’ll think about it more.”

She rolls her eyes, but nods, cutting a slice of the bread before returning to me.

It’s selfish of me, I know, but I wish with every fiber of my being that after I take the nap threatening to pull me under that I find her here. Still in my house, still baking, and still with me.

I end up not having to hope though, because when I wake later, she’s still here.

And she continues to come back, day after day, until on one of them, she never leaves.

It’s on that day, when we leave to grab a snack from Mrs. Ward, that Jessica tugs on my hand and directs my attention to the sky with numerous clouds scattered overhead.

“Look, an ivy leaf.”

My eyes flash to the cloud, a smile taking over my lips. But it’s not a leaf I find.

It’s forever.

One by one, I’ve listened to everyone at my round table spout off ideas and strategies about how they think we should handle this rat infestation once and for all, but none of them give me anything I can actually use.

As much as I pay the idiots, one would think they’d be able to come up with something, but yet, none of them can.

The gun guy, Alassane, wants to bomb the whole state.

Our cousin agrees.

My brother, Niko, suggests abducting the higher ups and rotating them through torture.

A panther tamer, Slein, says we should wait until they cross over to our side again before rushing things prematurely.

My lawyer wants to call a fucking truce—likely that fiancée of his putting dumb shit in his ear.

While the newest addition, plant gal and her little FBI fuck toy, suggests continuing to research and investigate who the gang leader is.

None of those are sound ideas, all with flaws we’ve encountered before.

Bombing the state would mean innocent people—women in particular—would get caught in the crossfire. And I refuse to have my mother beat my ass when I make it to her after my likely untimely death.

Abducting people is too much work, especially if you want to keep them alive. Not only do you have to figure out the right ones to take, but then you have to feed them and clean any wounds so they don’t get infected and die before giving me what I need.

Waiting for them to come over here would mean losing good men in the war and probably more property, which equals more money. Something I refuse to lose when I’m about to have a leech attached to my account.

A truce? I’d kill Lucian if I didn’t like him so much.

And again, research. Who the fuck has time for that?

I guess I could always delegate and have everyone do a little bit of everything, but really, the idea of that feels fucking daunting.

Scratching my scar with the blunt end of my knife, I look at Ellie again. “And you’re sure you didn’t hear a name or see anything that might help us figure out who this bastard is?”

The redhead shakes her head. “I’m not inept, Alexi. I memorized everything about the man in our two second interaction and Jessica has scoured the database to find a match. Nothing has popped.”

“Useless,” I cough into my sleeve, fully aware my words are clear enough that the entire table can make them out.

The agent simply rolls her eyes, and goes back to playing in Elberta’s hair. It reminds me of when monkeys prune lice from each other. I almost ask her if she’ll eat whatever she might find but the thought of monkeys reminds me I need to check on my banana tree. This is the first time I’ve grown one and I swear I thought I saw a purple flower when I passed by yesterday on my golf cart.

“What’s the purpose in rushing this, Babin?” The panther’s purr beside Shelly is almost louder than her voice. “You’ve been having fun fucking with them for the last few years. Why all of a sudden do you need to cut all these loose ends so quickly?”

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