Page 86 of King of Hearts

“Something tells me it’s not.” Markos ran the back of his knuckles down the side of my face, tucking a few strands behind my ear. “You grew up to be more than I imagined, Ari. We will have to get to know one another once again. I’ve always cared for you, even when I learned that you had gotten involved with…” He looked down at the letter in my hand. “No matter. We will right everything and put it behind us.” He gave my face one last stroke before turning away. “I’ll give you some privacy to read it.”

I watched as he walked away, and once the door clicked shut, I turned back to the falling rain and broke the seal on the envelope. My heart hammered behind my breast, telling me not to hope, begging me not to give in to this feeling that began to swell inside me. The letter was probably just a response to mine, wishing me well and telling me to have a nice life. Knowing Juan and how he’d reacted to all the times I had brushed him off or acted as though I preferred someone else over him…he usually just went along with it.

He allowed me to indulge in my lies, even if it meant I’d drown.

My journal entry paper was used, the same jagged edge from where I’d pulled it out crinkling the sides. It made my stomach flutter for some reason.

Then, readying my heart, I began to read.

Lie little pup.

Lie with those ocean eyes.

Lie through those pretty red lips.

Lie with your legs wrapped around my hips.

I don’t care for any of your truths.

Just stay with me.

For as long as you are able.

Give me your stars, your moons, and all your light.

We’re monsters, you and I.

The darkness is where we’ll hide.

I reread the entire thing ten times before I folded the paper into a neat square, then I tucked it along the same inner lining of my bag where I had my gun hidden. I ignored the tears that fell in drops against the leather of my purse and swiped at my face.

It didn’t matter. His poem was beautiful, but it was pointless. I’d already gone out of his reach, and there was nothing left for us to do except mourn the future we were both now forced to live without one another.

Chapter Thirty-Two

I hadn’t slept.It seemed impossible with the knowledge that she was there and I wasn’t. The image of that letter she’d left me was in my mind every time I closed my eyes. She had tried to end this…she’d tried to walk away. Deep down, I’d always known she would. It was obvious with how we seemed to entertain the idea of a relationship but required each aspect of it to be guarded with a chain linked fence, like she didn’t know how to love people without fences, walls, or rooms, enough space to keep her demons hidden away. My brave girl…she should have known me better than that. By now, she knew my demons looked just like hers, knew I had been raised by a monster too and the roaring in her blood was the same that echoed in mine. She was meant for me, and I was going to have her.

“What are we waiting on?” Hector asked, standing close so the others wouldn’t hear.

My cousin had brought up all of our numbers from Rake Forge, Greensboro, and the other surrounding cities to convene in New York. There were armored cars, trucks, weapons, and enough members of El Peligro in one place that if the FBI caught wind of this little meetup, we’d be fucked.

“Just for my letter to be delivered.” I rubbed my thumb across my lip, thinking about her reading it. I’d sent it that morning, and while I didn’t know Markos Mariano, I had a feeling he was the sort of man who wouldn’t shy away from letting his newfound bride have one last letter from the man who had claimed her without permission.

It had been roughly an hour since I had delivered it, so by now she’d know I was coming.

“Let’s head out. Have all the men been instructed on what to expect?” I asked Hector as I pulled on a bulletproof vest.

He already wore one, along with his bandanna folded and wrapped around his head with the colors of El Peligro. All the men wore the colors…all of them but me. I would start instating changes in the family as soon as this business was done, one of them being the colors. I had a feeling I’d get some pushback, but with time, they’d start to see things my way. We could be a family…one of honor, one that lived and worked by a creed, one that helped and benefited the cities we existed in. I didn’t want El Peligro to be a stain on the population anymore. I wanted it to be a symbol of honor, of safety and peace.

I knew I was stretching my hope and you can’t ask a monster to suddenly shed its teeth, so I’d determined to be patient as we worked toward that goal, something none of them knew anything about. Once Taylor and Alex were safe with me, we’d begin to build that dream.

“The men know we’re there to protect Taylor and the baby…but what we don’t know is if Ivan’s men will be there. We’re all a little nervous about our numbers compared to theirs.”

I nodded, understanding that concern. We’d tried to get a pulse on Ivan and his wolves but had been unsuccessful. “Just assume the worst. Prepare for Ivan’s numbers, along with the Marianos.”

“You say that, but we don’t have the numbers on both…” Hector laughed like he finally realized how unhinged I was.

“We’ll manage.”

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