Page 146 of Inside the Sun

His voice is rough. "Hey. I’ve got some news."

"Hit me."

"I finally talked to Zachary about your parents. Like I told you before, the witness protection program doesn’t coverordinary civilians, only people who testify directly against criminal organizations. But Zachary can arrange one thing: new identities for them. The rest is on you. They’d have to sell the house and the business, move to a new location. Not ideal, but it still could give them a real chance to throw off the trail."

Sighing, I respond, "They are ready. My parents always wanted to retire to Iceland. My family comes from there. They love the place. How fast can you set this up? I can get Summer out in a few days."

Hunter goes quiet for a moment, then unexpectedly says,

"Name changes can be done fast. But… what about Moon? Don’t you want more time?"

"At least he’s safe from Anzo, so I can keep looking for him later. Right now, Summer’s in real danger, Anzo’s getting closer to finding out more about him, and that could get bad fast. My parents are the only ones at risk of retaliation, so I need to handle their relocation now, in case I have to move quickly."

Hunter is quiet again. When he finally speaks, it’s slow, as if there is no life in him anymore.

"This means cutting off all contact, changing phones, emails, socials, everything. Any login could expose their IP. Do you realize how serious this is?"

"I do. But it’s either that or, once I take Summer, Anzo will go after them. He won’t hesitate to butcher strangers. And even if I kill Anzo on my way out, Rocco, Ennio, Vincenzo, and the rest will make sure my family suffers. Revenge is the mafia way."

Hunter sighs quietly.

"Got it. Then start getting things ready." He stops for a second, then asks, his voice slightly changing, becoming more hesitant. "And what’s the situation with Sun?"

I’m surprised he’s even asking. Up until now, he hasn’t seemed to care much about his cousin.

"It’s way more complicated with him. Your family is huge, there’s no way to protect all of them if the mafia decides they want revenge. They’ll take them out one by one. I have no idea how to help him, and believe me, I want to."

Hunter mutters a curse under his breath.

"Fuck… and they’re such good people, his parents. Uncle Aiden and Uncle Lake. Lake’s been through hell. He was once sold at an illegal auction, ended up with some real monsters. Then he met Aiden. They built something beautiful together. Just thinking that it could all be ripped away makes me sick. So maybe… maybe it’s better if only Sun pays the price for his decisions, and not the whole family."

Feeling uneasy, I remain quiet for a moment. It's obvious that Hunter has thought this through, calculated risks, outcomes, who'sexpendable.

I guess he is still primarily a soldier, thinking like one. What about me? I should think like that too. Have I been blinded by thesun? Pun intended.

"You know, Sun’s heart is in the right place," I say very quietly, almost shyly. "He doesn’t want his family to pay or be endangered. He’s taking responsibility. He’s suffering, you know? But still, Sun’s staying brave and willing to pay the price."

Hunter makes a strange sound, kinda like ‘hmmm’, so I clear my throat and add in a more neutral tone, "The only real way out for him is if Anzo falls. And that’s… not going to be easy."

Hunter coughs lightly. "Are you and S—" he suddenly stops, as if realizing it would not be good to ask me that question, so he just exhales heavily.

"You know, it’s not that I don’t care. I feel bad for the kid. Even though I don’t know him well, I was in the army while he was growing up, but from what Nathaniel told me, he got a littlelost after he broke up with his first boyfriend. It sucks that he’s paying this high a price."

I don’t respond. It feels wrong discussing Sun’s situation with someone who doesn’t know the full extent of what he’s been through. And I don’t want to tell Hunter everything. Sooner or later, he might have to speak to his uncle, and I don’t want him passing along the gruesome truth. That kind of news would break the man’s heart.

At the end of the call, I ask how Hunter’s doing, but he shuts it down fast and hangs up, like he doesn’t even want to skim over the subject. But I already know: nothing’s really changed for him.

***

The next morning, while I'm working in the inner garden, something new happens. Two figures step out of the building: Sun and Summer.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Summer out here, aside from the banquet.

I crouch low behind the planters, trying to stay hidden. They walk over to the pool and sit on the lounge chairs.

A servant brings them drinks and snacks. Something must be going on. Maybe their situation is shifting?

I want nothing more than to go to them, so Summer can see me, to let him know I’m here for him, that I will get him back.

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