Page 90 of Caged Bird

Ophelia’s surprise turned into a nod of respect. “Okay then. Seems like we’re all going. Some of the guys from the MC have been watching the Guerra property in Providence all day. No one has come in or out, but they don’t know who’s inside.”

“A silver Jag?” Zane asked. “That’s what Audrina was driving. Eddie’s truck was still at the house, so they have to be in her car.”

Vincent shook his head. “No report of any visible vehicles, but Guerra was spotted playing tennis earlier today and hasn’t left since. You said their plan was to kill Guerra and take over his business, yes? So if that’s the case, they have to go there eventually.”

“And hopefully Otis is with them when they do,” Ophelia added. “But I want you to prepare yourself. This might not happen tonight. It might be a few days before we see any movement.”

She said it in the matter-of-fact way only a person without kids could.

A few more days without my baby was unacceptable. I couldn’t do it. “No.”

Lia sighed. “I know it’s not ideal, but it’s our only shot. You have to trust me. We’ll intercept them when they try to make the attack—”

I shook my head at my sister. “I know you mean well. And I know you’ve spent your whole life watching over me. And I know I look weak and pathetic to you.”

“You don’t—”

But I cut her off, not needing to hear her assurances. I was well aware of my capabilities and my limits. I would have been a liability if we’d had to walk from the house I’d shared with Eddie to the nearest neighbor. I would have needed to stop and rest and I would have slowed us down. I knew I wouldn’t havebeen able to keep up with whatever Ophelia and Vincent were planning.

But nobody loved that kid like I did. Nobody had spent five years caring for him, holding him, showing him kindness when there was so little of it around us.

And nobody was going to fight harder for him than I would.

“It’s not our only shot.” I straightened my shoulders. “Take me to the Guerra house. I need to meet with the man myhusbandwants to kill.”

24

FAWN

The Guerra mansion was in the oldest part of Providence. The houses here were huge, sprawling residences that all had acres of land around them. Tennis courts and swimming pools were all standard, and though the houses were often older, they were no less expensive because they weren’t modern.

There was an air of old wealth just driving through the nicely cleaned streets. The sidewalks weren’t cracked with weeds growing in between, as was common in Saint View, the town on the other side of the border. There were no junkies or prostitutes hanging out on street corners. There weren’t even cars parked on the roads, because these people had the luxury of garages to keep the rain and dirt off their hundred-thousand-dollar vehicles.

I didn’t ask my brother how he knew the code to get into Guerra’s gated community. He’d punched it in at the gates and waved to the bored-looking man sitting in a control booth like we had every right to be there at midnight.

There were some perks to having a family who’d spent most of their lives committing one crime or another. In the scheme of things my siblings had done, entering a gated communitywithout permission was so low on the list you wouldn’t be able to see it without a magnifying glass.

Neither of them was happy I was here, their older sibling protective instincts too strong to ignore, but they hadn’t fought me.

I wasn’t stupid enough to think I knew how to do this better than they did. So when Vincent said I wouldn’t be just walking up to Guerra’s front door and asking for an audience with the man, I agreed to carry out my plan, his way.

I breathed out a slow breath, staring up at the clouds in the night sky, and hoped like hell this would work.

Zane, Vincent, and Ophelia all surrounded me. I couldn’t see them, but I knew that spread out around the Guerra mansion, hidden by the shadows, the others waited, quietly taking out Guerra’s security people one by one in silent attacks.

I held my breath as one of Guerra’s guys stepped out of the back door we watched, the glowing red light of a cigarette lighting up in the darkness, and the guy’s phone screen illuminating his face as he leaned back on the wall.

My brother moved so quickly and quietly, even I barely noticed him slipping through the darkness.

Neither did Guerra’s guard, until my brother tapped him on the shoulder.

And then punched him.

The guy crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold.

Ophelia sighed beside me. “That was such a Scythe move. Dammit, I hate that they swap so freely now.”

I didn’t. My brother was different than the last time I’d seen him. He was so much more at peace when he wasn’t constantly trying to fight himself. I was looking forward to getting to know both of his personalities better.

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