Page 31 of The Fortunate Ones
“And whoever took him out?”
“Gone. A fucking ghost. It was too late for Ramirez, and Everett is our priority, so we had to get him to safety.”
Ramirez was dead. An innocent man risking his whole life for someone he didn’t even know was dead. Because my security system hadn’t fucking worked. My fault.
“Diego.” Maverick’s sharp tone barely registered. I’d been too cocky, so confident in my ability to keep them safe, and I’d failed. How had the fucker gotten past my system?
“Wes, he’s spiraling.” Maverick sounded a little panicked, but I didn’t know why.
“Angel.” Wes’s voice cut through the static. “Diego, do you hear me, baby? It’s Wes.”
Wes. Strong. Steady. Always there. “W-Wes?”
“Yeah, angel. You’re okay. I’m sorry I’m not there, but I’m safe. We’re okay. And Brooks is almost home. Can you hang on a little longer?”
“M-my fault. I killed him.”
There was a growl from someone, but I didn’t know who. My chest constricted, vision blurring. “No, you didn’t, Diego.” Wes’s voice was firm. There was no room for arguing or disagreement. It was law. “This isn’t on you. We were right there and we missed it. You did everything you could to protect us, like you always do. The person who did this was a professional and theonlyone responsible. You hear me?”
I’d never heard Wes like this before. He wasn’t angry or yelling. Steady still. Always so fucking steady. But the softness was gone, like he wanted to make sure I heard every word. That I believed him.
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. Fuck, what was wrong with me? My eyes burned, but yeah, that wasn’t fucking happening, not ever.
“Diego. I need to hear your voice.”
The weight on my chest cracked, breath filling my lungs so rapidly it made me dizzy. “Daddy?” The word came out unbidden. I’d normally never say it in this kind of situation, but fuck, I didn’t care right now.
Wes made a sound I couldn’t really make out. “Right here, Diego. I’m right here. We’re on our way back to you.”
He said it with such finality that I didn’t question it even though I knew it wouldn’t be that simple.
Another alert almost had me panicking again, but it was only notifying me Brooks was home. Good. I needed him here. I needed everyone where I could be sure they were safe with my own eyes, even when my systems didn’t work.
“How—” I finally managed to choke out. “I didn’t get notified.”
“It looks like he managed to disable the cameras in the backyard. We didn’t see it either, Diego,” Luca insisted firmly. “This isn’t on you.” Another reminder. One I had a hard time believing . . . but maybe it would be enough, at least for now.
I couldn’t let panic get the best of me, so I turned to the thing I knew best. Work. I started to click through the footage, searching for where this massive mistake happened. And there, Ramirez left through the patio exit, eyes on his phone, and then the footage clicked out. It shouldn’t have been possible. I should’ve been notified immediately when someone tampered with it, but I hadn’t been. I’d fucked up and a man was dead.
A hand on my shoulder had me jolting, until I saw the familiar, tattooed arm, painted nails, and charm bracelet. Brooks. I blindly reached for him, needing the connection to my brother, to my constant through my adult life.
Brooks wiggled his way between my desk and me. Anyone else would’ve gotten a slap, but Brooks’s bright blue eyes, pinched with concern, was exactly what I needed.
“It’s okay, D. Wes and Luc are on their way back. They’re safe. We got this. Just breathe for me, alright?”
Brooks took a deep breath, in through his nose and out through his mouth, and like we’d been doing since we’d been kids, I followed his movements, copying his breath pattern until I was no longer dizzy and my sight was clear. He squeezed my thigh.
“You got this.”
I nodded. “I-I got this.”
“It’s not your fault.”
I flinched, not answering right away. Brooks raised his eyebrow, looking so much like Mav I almost laughed. Almost.
“I-it’s not my fault.” Brooks knew I was full of shit, but he let it go. I leaned forward, finally allowing myself to fall into his arms. The first person I’d ever let my walls down for. Even before my parents. Way before Wes. It had always been Brooks.
His arms tightened around me, his lips brushing lightly over my hair.
