Page 53 of Dust to Dust

I should have known. Nova was fluent in French and spent some of her childhood there. But no…that couldn't be right. It would be late afternoon there now.

I pocketed this knowledge for later.

"I love him, Damian." She started the car. The engine sounded spotty. "Love makes you do crazy things." She laughed. Her lip tugged up as she got lost in thought, "Trust me. I know," she tapped the side of her head, "she knows too." I heard Nova refer to herself in the third person, and a voice inside her head she called by a different name. I had voices in my head too, but unlike Nova, I controlled them. I shut them up and killed them when I needed to.

The screen shook as she placed her phone into a cup holder and started driving. "There's too much going on, Damian. Too many guns aimed at us. I'm part of the family now, right?" She asked, but she didn't let me answer, "That means I have to make sacrifices too; I have to pull my weight."

I shook my head, "You're going to do somethingfoolish. Do you think Titan is bad now? I know you do because you didn't even bother to ask me how he was doing. Imagine how much worst he will be if you get killed." I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Tell. Me. Where. You. Are." I demanded.

Nova smiled to herself. The grin wasn't happy or bitchy; it was a smile one gave when they were at peace. "I'm about to take two guns off our radar." She shrugged and straightened her shoulders, "Well, hopefully." She looked down at the Piaget watch she always wore. I told Titan to bug it. I told him to track her movements! He should have listened to me. I had bugs placed all over Isabella just in case she tried to move without my knowledge again.

"I'm going to confront Franco, and thus—"

"Nova!" I shouted, "You have no idea—"

"You have no idea what you're doing." Nova mimicked me in a deep male voice. Something a child would do. "I know what I'm doing. I will hand myself over to Franco, and when the timing is right, I will kill him. Two birds, one stone, a fabulous pair of Prada boots, and a well-done job. Franco will die, and The Rites of Passage won't threaten Titan anymore. I don't see the problem here."

Holy fuck, she was delusional, "Then why are you calling me and not Titan?"

She bit her lip and exhaled. Then I watched her push away any emotions before my eyes and slip on the mask I knew. It was a scary ability. To see someone who could feel, simply turn it off. Even the highest trained soldiers struggled with that ability.

"You're annoying me." Her words turned cold, "Anyway, I've got to get going. I called because I need," she struggled to gulp as she paused, "I just need you to look after Titan. If all doesn't end well." She waved her hand. She spoke fast, trying to push her struggles away.

A creak of wood sounded outside the door right before it opened. I expected to see Titan ready to flay me alive. Instead, Dante slipped in. Nova had no idea another joined her goodbye call. Dante put his index finger to his lip, telling me he would remain quiet.

I tried a different approach, "Nova King. Your last name isKing. That means we all fight together. Right now, you're turning your back on the family you're about to die to protect. Just give me a few hours to get to you. This isn't the right way—"

"It's the only way, Damian. Deep down, you understand that. Dash is too busy with Mila missing. If I don't make it out, I just need to know Titan is cared for. And I expect you to be a good little nurse. I'll be watching even when I'm gone. There's plenty of ghosts in my head, and they will haunt your ass if you betray me."

She shouldn't worry about Titan but rather anyone in his way because my cousin would lose his mind. He almost did when he thought he was responsible for killing her. I resisted the urge to look at Dante. He had to physically hold Titan back from one too many attempts to go solo on a mission that would have killed him. I promised myself that I'd never fall in love with anyone. If madness was the result, no woman in the world was worth it. Now I have my Isabella, and I'm eating crow.

"I've got to go. I'll take your silence as a yes."

"Nova, please,"

She looked at the screen and grinned, then she raddled off and addressed so fast I almost missed it. Thankfully Dante pulled out his phone, and if I knew my brother, he was assembling a team as she spoke. "I'll try to get back to my little hideaway if I can. But if I can't, then just," she looked away, "Tell Titan I love him, and I have no regrets." The call went dead before I could respond.

"Why did she call you?" Dante questioned.

"Because," I exhaled and looked at the phone that burned in my hand, "I was able to pry behind her deepest mask. She's going to try and kill Franco to save Titan."

Like Nova, I'd gladly turn my life over if it meant I'd save my family. We were too much alike. That's why she called me. Titan would fight to his dying breath to save us all. He would fire away without thinking. On the other hand, Nova and I would lay down our arms, cease fire, and hand ourselves over if it meant our family would be saved.

Chapter 41

The phone burned in my hand, so I had to discard it. I tossed it out the window. I had a short drive out of town towards Franco's compound.

Aren't we going to talk about this? Ghostpleaded.

Nope.I was done talking. Talks did nothing. Actions did.

I flicked back my long blond hair, which was back to its natural color. I styled it to hang in loose waves down my back. Dying my hair to its natural color should have taken a month if I wanted to play it safe. But I didn't have time to be safe. Hell, I didn't even have an exit plan. I was just going to wing it.

Wing it? Ghost provoked.

Yep. Big girl panties are on, and I will get out alive.

I didn't believe that, but I had to fake it till I made it.

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