Page 195 of Golden Atonement

Ravage shook his head. “No. Roxy, Moonshine, and Pops all thought it best she stayed in the dark.”

“She’s innocent, Cesar. Make sure she stays that way.”

“Consider it done,” he said, hanging up the phone.

I turned my attention back to Ravage. “Now, about you. You’ve got two days to figure out what you want to tell the club because, brother, I’m letting you know right now, your secret isn’t going to stay a secret forever. Best they hear it from you first.”

“What about Massacre? You just sent him off to fuck around in Nebraska.”

Leaning forward, I smirked. “That nosey motherfucker was in deep with Petrovitch and Baranov for over two fucking years. Did you honestly think he wouldn’t find out?”

“He said nothing.”

“Why would he? It’s not his secret to tell. Look, Jackson, I get it. If anyone understands how fucked up a family can be, it’s me. But let me tell you something. You can’t keep running from this.”

“Been running for so long, Reaper, I’m not sure I know how to stop.”

“What do you remember from that time?”

Sighing, Ravage leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands down his face. “Not much. It’s all jumbled. I know I was young when we left. I remember seeing trees for the first time. They were so big, I thought they’d crush me. We travelled around, never staying too long in one place, then one day she was gone, and Mandi and I were placed with another family.”

“What do you remember about the woman who saved you?”

“Only that she was pretty. Her hair was like spun gold, and she had the most captivating silver blue eyes I’d ever seen. She didn’t talk much, but she taught me the bible. Told me that the meek would inherit the earth. Whatever that meant. She was nice to us.”

“And the other one? The baby?”

Ravage shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“How old were you when you escaped?”

“Eight, maybe nine. Mandi was toddling around. The baby still needed a bottle.”

“And you never told Mandi the truth?”

Shaking his head Ravage muttered, “No. Why would I? She’s perfect. She remembers nothing from that time. I don’t care if we don’t have the same parents. She’s my sister. Always will be.”

“I hate this for you, brother. I really do.”

“I know, but even I know secrets don’t stay secret forever.”

THE END FOR NOW...

Epilogue

Three days after the Rockefeller Tree Lighting Ceremony,

Seeing the time, I closed my journal and slipped it inside the top drawer of my desk.

It was something I started recently.

I don’t know why, but I made an effort to write in it every day.

I think I read somewhere that journaling was an excellent form of therapy. Apparently, it helped get out words that sometimes were hard to physically say. I had noticed a few weeks before Emma left that she had started one and figured why not give it a try?

I didn’t know if it was working or not.

I guess only time would tell.

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