She scoffs. “Grow the fuck up, Alex. For someone who claims he is a twenty-seven-year-old man who can control himself, you sure have a piss poor way of showing it.” For the second time this morning another person turns their back on me and storms off. I grind my teeth and follow after her. When I set foot inside the house, I fight not to roll my eyes at the sight of all the guys waiting for me in the living room. I cut a glance toward the hallway to see Tatum disappearing into Omen’s room. I snap my head back to him.

He shakes his head. “Her bags are in there, she’s taking a shower,” he forces out through clenched teeth. Halo, Carnage, Vat and Pope keep looking between the both of us, trying to work out where the tension is coming from.

“I need a drink,” I mutter.

“The fuck you do,” Halo snaps.

I wave the idiot off. “I meant coffee, dumbass,” I snarl as I stalk into the kitchen. I gave up alcohol when I went to prison, liquor became a crutch for me after Ellie died, I used it to dull the pain and help me get through each day. I swore I would never touch a drop of it again after I got out and these guys have made sure to hold me to my word. I appreciate that shit more than they know because since meeting Tatum, the urge to drink has been ever present. She fucks my head up and I hate being out of control.

“You good?” Carnage asks as he enters the kitchen. I keep my back to him as I pour me a cup.

“You suddenly care?” I throw back as I turn and face him. His eyes darken.

“You gonna be an asshole all day?”

“You gonna keep pissing me off?” I fire back.

“Pull your thong out of your ass and calm the fuck down and I might just fill you in on what Devon sent me this morning.”

I work my jaw side to side and inhale a deep breath then answer. “Tell me.”

“He says she hasn’t called a meeting or anything, she hasn’t changed a rotation of guards.”

My brows draw in. “She isn’t making a move?”

He shakes his head. “My sister is a twisted bitch but I don’t need to tell you that. She’s up to something but she’s being tight lipped about it.”

“I’m calling all my men in today for a meeting, I want them all strapped and ready for anything.”

“I have some men inside the Cosa Nostra that are loyal to me, I can get them to turn.”

I eye him warily for a second. “What happened to you never turning against her?”

His features pull taut and his eyes bore into mine. “That changed when I found out she’s working with the cunt who hurt Ellie.”

I mull over his words for a minute. “Why do you care so much about my sister?”

Carnage swallows and turns away from me. “I just do.”

“Why?” I yell. His eyes close as he slowly turns back to face me, when he opens them again I see it. “It was your drugs,” I say barely above a whisper. Guilt burns bright in his blue eyes. I drop my mug and charge him, tackling the son of a cunt to the ground and begin pummeling his face. The guys rush over and try to pull me off him. I fight them off as I keep attacking Carnage, the cunt doesn’t even fight back.

“Alex!” I freeze at the sound of her voice. The red haze slowly clears as I lift my head and lock eyes with her. She stands there, staring at me with pity and that sight has me clenching my teeth as I push off Carnage and stand. I stare at his bloody face and feel nothing but disgust and self-loathing for ever considering him as my brother.

“You killed my sister.” Carn flinches and pushes into a sitting position. He swipes the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, then pushes to his feet. It gives me great satisfaction when he flinches.

His dead eyes meet mine. “I wasn’t the one that sold them to those idiots. That was your ex, you fucking idiot.”

“Fuck you!” I roar. I storm toward the back door needing to escape, but Tatum darts in front of me, forcing me to slam to a halt. I shoot her a warning look. “Now isn’t the time for your shit?—”

She places a hand flat on my chest and stares up at me with sadness. “Stop running, don’t let your emotions sabotage this for you. Tell them the truth and it may give you answers to what really happened three years ago.”

“None of them were there,” I yell.

She nods. “I know. But, you just heard from Halo 2 that his piss flap of a sister is somehow connected to what happened to… Ellie.” Hearing my sister's name has the fight draining from me.

“There is only one of me!” I hear Halo growl but no one pays him any mind.

“She’s my breaking point.”