Page 71 of Dark Encounter
"How could I forget? I've lived with the regret of leaving the house that morning for ten years."
"And I've lived with so much more." He wiped at his face and stood. "The hit was on a Mister Carlos Vantaga. He was Terrance’s nemesis; the bastard having been a thorn in Terrance's side since they were boys. I offered Delaney and the hit."
"You sent me to kill someone that another Don couldn't get rid of while you let them come in here and take my baby sister?" Bile rose up in my throat.
His eyes darkened as he lifted his finger. "You have no fucking clue what I've been through. I saved you from being torn apart by monsters."
"So that you would have someone to keep your inheritance alive. You don't give a shit about me. You care about you. You probably killed Mom too."
He crossed the room and slapped me in the face. "You're alive because I kept you alive. Don't ever forget that."
"I wish you would have let them take me too," I mumbled and wrapped my arms around myself. I wasn't a man anymore, but a small boy trapped in a nightmare. Everything I knew to be true was a fucking lie, and the man I'd love for the entirety of my life was the devil himself.
I'd get my strength back, and then I'd kill him. I had no other choice.
* * *
"Bro?" Nate's voice was soft as he stuck his head inside my bedroom.
I was wrapped up in a thick blanket, sitting on the chair near the window, letting the snow blow in on me. "What?"
"You doing okay?" He closed the door and moved over to kneel in front of me. The worry on his face should have touched my heart, but it didn't. I wasn't sure I had one anymore.
"I'm alive, man. That's as good as it gets." I continued to stare out the window. I wanted to ask about Grace, but it was a dead subject. We were nothing to each other but a hopeful ending. It was sick and overrated.
"I just left your father's office."
"Awesome." I blinked slowly and focused on my breathing. My only task was to get better.
"He said that Fredrick is late on his payment." Nate reached out and gripped my shoulder, rubbing softly. "Erik. What the fuck did he do to you man? Talk to me. It's me."
I glanced over at him and turned away. I didn't have much control over the last of my emotions as my heart died in my chest. His face opened up too many wounds, the memories good and bad. He'd taken four bullets for me the day we killed Carlos for my father. Little did we know that my sister was being taken while we were gone. Nate would die inside just like I had.
"Are you going on the hit to kill Fredrick?" I snorted. The irony of it all. Nate liked Fredrick a lot and had been working for the guy for a long time.
"No. You are." He glanced down.
"I'm not doing anything for that bastard anymore. He can put a bullet in my skull." I shrugged and closed my eyes. "I'm tired man. Get out."
"Erik. Dude, please. You're scaring me. I need to tell you something, but I'm not sure you're going to hear me right now."
"Get out!" I turned and screamed in his face. "Now!"
He stood and lifted his hand. "Alright. I'll be back soon though. If you need me-"
"I won't. Get out and don't come back, Nate. Whatever friendship we had is dead. Leave me the fuck alone." I pulled my blanket closer and leaned to my right, pressing my bruised cheek to my shoulder. "And tell Kane to deal with Fredrick. If he doesn't have the money, I'm sure he has something in his past that will cripple him. Just stay out of it. I'll have you out of this shit soon."
"Out of what shit?" His voice was far too timid to sound like the Nate I knew.
"The syndicate." I closed my eyes and took a slow, deep breath. The icy cold of winter rushed over me, leaving me more alive than I could remember ever feeling. Except when I was in Grace's arms.
"Erik."
I came up out of my chair and turned to face him as the blanket fell. "I swear to God I'm going to fucking blow your cock off if you don't get out of here."
"Holy shit." He cupped his hand over his mouth and stumbled back. "Erik, man. We have to get you to a hospital."
"Get out." I stumbled toward my nightstand and got my gun, turning and lifting it toward him. I jerked to the left and let off a round as he stood in stony silence, his face a mask of horror.
