Page 90 of Starting Over

“That’s why he brought in a fucking Italian. Only that wasn’t good enough for him. He was mad I was older, thought he deserved more, so he started stealing fucking money. When he took off and men were arrested, my father confessed to me who he was.” Sal looked at Blade. “You were never in danger because you’re my nephew.”

“Then where is my mother?”

“Your father killed her.” Sal looked over at me, then down at my badge. “I gave your mother the justice she deserved.”

“Wait,” Jack said. “Um, O’Malley and Blade’s dad are brothers. And O’Malley and Declan are brothers. Does that mean Beck and Blade are...”

Blade’s face paled.

“No, it doesn’t,” Maureen rushed out. “Beck’s related to Sal through Declan, who he shares a mother with. Blade’s related to Sal through Eduardo because they share a father. Declan and Eduardo do not share a relation with each other. Blade, there is no relation between you and Beck,” Maureen assured him.

Blade’s arm dropped to his side and his head fell to his chest. “Thank God.”

King began to laugh.

Everyone looked at him with concern.

“You ok, Prez?” Jack asked.

King threw his head back and laughed even harder. “He was right. The goddamn son of a bitch was right.”

“Who was right?”

“Fury.” King looked at his VP and stated, “He said everyone and everything was connected. I solidified a blood pact with my own fucking cousin.”

I walked over and sat down next to my brother. “King,”

He stopped laughing and turned an icy glare on me.

“Get the fuck out of my house.” He stood up, looking at Sal. “All of you. Get the fuck out.”

Standing, I placed a hand on his arm. “King—”

“Did you not hear what I fucking said? You have been lying to me my whole fucking life!” he yelled, shoving me away.

“Let me explain.”

“I don’t want to hear your fucking excuses. I don’t want to hear shit from any of you. Get the fuck out.”

When no one moved, he slammed his fist on the table and roared, “NOW!”

The officers shuffled everyone out of the room. I was the last one to the door, and I turned to look at the man I raised.

“I know you’re pissed. There is still a lot you need to know. I won’t make excuses for what Mom did. But I’m glad she made the choices she made, and when you’re done being angry at the world, you’ll be glad too.”

Not waiting for a reply, I closed the door behind me, leaving him alone, and stood looking out over the main area. Sal was still here, so I walked over and sat down beside him at the bar.

“We need to talk.”

“Don’t want to fucking talk to you, either.”

“You know why she did what she did. She wanted to give him choices that you never had. If it wasn’t for her, Darcy would have had an abortion, and he wouldn’t be here at all. You would never have had the chance to know him. Now you do.”

“Do I? Do I have that fucking option? Or have you poisoned him so much against me over the years that he will never sit down with me?”

“Until yesterday, he had no idea who you were, other than the asshole keeping his Road Captain on a short leash. You did that. Not me. Not Darcy. Not Mom. You.”

“FUCK!” he shouted.

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