Page 48 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

Especially after what happened to my family and how my drunk of a father couldn’t handle these changes, so he almost destroyed us both with his choices.

“Yeah, I know.”

While I crave to find the love of my life someday to share all the hardships with her, if such terms as soul mates truly exists in this world, then mine is Santiago. Although we’re a tight group of four, he’s my best friend, the second half of my soul. He’s the raging storm sending thunder through the sky, while I’m the peaceful shore. He’s the cynical asshole who thinks love is just a word, while I’m a hopeless romantic. He’s a sophisticated, charming man, compared to my barbaric tendencies… and at first glance, we have nothing in common.

Yet I don’t trust anyone more in this world than him and can’t imagine a life in which he wouldn’t be standing by my side.

“Write the law,” he says as we lean back, and I hang my arm over his shoulders, instructing Octavius who is back on his chair, the feather in his hand dripping ink onto the parchment.

“If one of the Four Dark Horsemen claims a woman as his bride, she becomes one of us.” The feather scratches against the paper while I continue. “She has our loyalty and protection.”

“Hold it. What if she ends up being a two-timing bitch undeserving of the trust?”

Ah, Florian, always the pessimist who never trusts women despite intending to fuck all of Chicago.

“Considering who stands on the other side…” Octavius trails off and stops writing. “We end her.”

“Not without a vote,” I warn, knowing about their tempers.

With our nods, we wait till Octavius finishes and slice our palms one by one, sealing our oaths with blood.

Santiago claps his hands together, tearing me away from the past to the situation at hand. “Cállate par favor.”

“Shut up indeed.” Florian chooses this moment to enter, lazily sweeping his gaze over the scene around him, and then puts a cigarette into his mouth, flicking the lighter between his thumb and index finger. “I think you need to turn on the TV.” We all give him the death stare, and he exhales dramatically. “I have to do all the work in this brotherhood alone.”

“TV is the last thing on our minds right now. Fucking vote, Florian,” I hiss, and he just raises an eyebrow at me.

He picks up the remote and clicks it while asking me a question. “Or what? You’re going to punch me too? Save your strength, our romantic barbarian.” He winks at me, and my sheer will stops me from hitting him in the face.

Florian chose a bad day to test my hotheaded nature.

The surveillance footage comes into view from the front entrance. “I thought you’d be interested in seeing this.”

Amalia comes into view, running away in distress along the sidewalk, as she extends her hand and tries to catch a cab while wiping away a tear sliding down her cheek.

My fists clench just seeing her misery, uncomfortable sensations traveling through me at seeing her sadness, which speaks to the hidden part of me I thought I lost a long time ago.

But the feeling is quickly replaced with anger when a man wearing all black sneaks up behind her and wraps his hand around her throat.

She struggles in his hold for a few seconds, and then slowly, her knees wobble. The man catches her in his arms and drags her to a nearby car.

They drive off while complete silence falls on us all. Fury boils my blood, poisoning my veins as my ears block almost all sounds out, leaving only the powerful roar of the beast inside me as he appears at the prospect of my woman being in danger.

Because I couldn’t protect her in time.

Florian breaks the silence first. “Have I mentioned that Lachlan came to Chicago? He has a mansion on the outskirts of the city. I guess he wanted to see his so-called sister now.” He looks at me, his green eyes unreadable. “If you go after her, you’ll indeed start a war. So think carefully for once in your life, Remi, and choose.”

“There is no choice to make.” I remove my ring and throw it in the golden bowl where it rattles soundly, announcing my choice to them, because there is no time to waste.

Lachlan will never harm Amalia, but as long as she is not with me, I can never be sure of her safety.

My whole life, I chose what was right for me to advance in this society, carefully evaluating my options, because they carried so much weight. I couldn’t make any mistakes, as all my fuckups had greater consequences than those of my friends.

Never once did I pick what my nonexistent heart desired; personal preferences played no factor in how I moved toward my goal.

For once though, I’m going to think about myself and indulge in this newfound craving to own a woman who drives me insane with each breath I take.

If that’s madness, then so be it, for I wasn’t sane to begin with.

---