Page 59 of Vicious Savage

LUNA

Enzo walks me to the edge of the cliff and we stand at the railing, looking out at the sea. It’s so blissful and freeing to be standing here, I almost forget the events of the past few weeks.

My brother looks at me with some concern, asks me if I’m alright. I’m more than alright. I’m fine and I’m happy and I’m finally free. Free of the stifling noose that Coyin had around my neck. Free of having to look over my shoulder everywhere I went. Free of the threat of Nestor becoming my husband. It’s an exhilarating feeling, finally letting go of the shackles that have besieged me.

“I’m sorry, “ Enzo whispers. “Sorry we couldn’t protect you better from him. Sorry we didn’t do more.”

I shake my head, washing away his guilt. He has nothing to be guilty about, even though I know he feels it deep in his soul. “You helped me get away from him. When no one else would.”

“It wasn’t enough.”

“It was a start. The rest was up to me. You did what you could, Enzo.”

He looks up, huffs, then turns back toward the outdoor patio where everyone is sitting enjoying drinks after lunch. I follow his eyes, watch as his gaze falls on Attila, who’s watching us intently, his tense knuckles folded over the armrests of the chair he sits on. I’m still caught in Attila’s stare as Enzo turns back and says something that flies right over my head. When he nudges my elbow, I snap my eyes to my brother, my lips parting in surprise.

“What’s going on there?” he asks, a soft smile coating his lips.

“Where?”

“You and Attila stealing glances when you think no one is looking.”

A heated blush moves up the side of my neck as my embarrassment takes hold of me. I’ve never spoken with my brothers about boy stuff; we’ve never had to. They don’t even know anything about my past with the opposite sex, and that’s how I’ve always liked it. Talking with him now is hard.

“Nothing’s going on,” I tell him.

Enzo smirks, lifts his eyebrows in a way that tells me he doesn’t for one second believe that, then asks me what my plans are.

“Attila told me about Gabriel. Where does he fit into your life?”

“I have to have a place for him in my life, Enzo.”

I’m asking his permission, even though I’m an adult and I can basically do what I want. But I just don’t know how my brothers will adjust to me having a half sibling that none of us ever knew about.

“If he’s in your life, he has to be in ours, as well,” he says, looking off into the distance once again. “I think it’s time for us to meet him.”

Enzo’s acceptance of Gabriel makes my heart sing. What doesn’t make my heart sing is his reluctance for me to stay in Mexico. He tells me I have my whole life ahead of me, that bigger and brighter things wait for me outside of my native country, and that I should leave and not look back, except for short visits here and there. Somehow, I have a feeling his attitude towards me staying has more to do with me and Attila than me actually staying in Mexico.

I feel like I’m being exiled as I face off with my older brother, until Franco joins us and tries to keep the peace between us.

“You can’t force me to stay away,” I argue.

Franco throws his arm between us in a time out, then hauls me back when I continue to move toward Enzo. Franco, always the peacemaker.

“Listen to what he’s saying, Luna. He’s not exiling you.”

“You’re mybrothers. I haven’t seen you in three years! And now you want me toleaveagain?”

“Only until we get this new business up and running, then you can come back,” Enzo States. I know that’s all the time he needs me to stay away for him to figure a way to keep me out of Mexico.

“Why can’t I stay here and help you?”

“Do you know the fallout we’re going to be facing over the recent events that went on here?” Franco reminds me. “You can’t be a part of that, Luna.”

I shrink back at his words, knowing he’s right. There could be backlash. There could be retribution. There could even be police involvement or cartels trying to muscle in on dead men’s territory. We just don’t know yet the extent of the damage that Coyin and Nestor left behind, even though Attila and Cesar have assured me that my brothers are safe.

“Give us six months,” Enzo whispers, and from the stab of his voice, I can see that his request pains him. He does not want to be sending me away. It’s the smart thing to do. The right thing to do. Considering the circumstances. “After six months, you can come back if you want to. I won’t stop you.”

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