Page 15 of Tossed into the Mob
“No longer with us.” My father had been kicked out of the crime family. Or… I couldn’t let my imagination run any more wild than it had since Dad was murdered.
But Treyton’s expression was as mystified as my own. He gripped my hand. Not in a mean, say something and I’d whack you way, but in a caring, almost loving manner. Being skin to skin was comforting and eased my fears a tad.
I glanced around the table, and other than Flint and his brothers, the rest of the family had lowered their eyes and were either fiddling with cutlery, folding and unfolding their napkins, or studying their dessert.
“What does that mean?” I looked directly at Flint, and Treyton squeezed my hand.
“I’m so sorry, Brock, but your alpha father passed away a few years ago.”
There was a collective intake of breath from everyone named Durand, and they stared at Flint. They either weren’t expecting him to say what he did or they learned it at the same time as me that he died.
The news crushed me, making it hard to breathe, but the pain was nothing like what I experienced when that assassin shot my dad. A man I’d shared biology with and little else was dead. I was an orphan. Dad was my one and only parent who’d helped me become the person I was, though he would have disapproved of me adding “kidnapper” to my resumé.
But that left my future and safety in doubt. I’d thought my alpha dad could assign some of his buddies to either find the killer or provide me with security. Now I was in limbo with no blood relatives to stand up for me.
But my inner voice, that hadn’t told me abducting a midwife was a shitty plan, told me to lean on Treyton, literally and figuratively.
“I understand this is a severe blow, but you asked for protection, and La Luna Noir will provide that.”
Flint folded his napkin, and I studied his ring and the snake tattoo that slithered under his sleeve. Treyton and I shared a glance, and I sent a thank-you to Dad sitting with the goddess, grateful he’d given me Treyton’s name and not Flint’s.
“Uncle, thank you for the meal. I’m sorry, we have urgent business to attend to.” Flint hugged his husband, saying he’d send drivers for him, his brothers-in-law, and their kids.
Treyton rose. “Alpha, I—” But a glance from Flint silenced him.
That mafia people addressed the head honcho as Alpha was bewildering, but I guessed their rituals had been passed down through the centuries.
The three brothers strode to the door before Flint said over his shoulder, “Treyton, you can’t stay in your place. Take the apartment in the city we use for guests. Dad will tell you the security code. And Brock, life will get better. I promise you.”
And they were gone. Their swift departure, the way the younger two brothers were at his shoulders but slightly behind, appeared as though they were in formation. I wouldn’t have wanted to meet them and their brooding looks on a dark lonely road.
“Anyone for coffee?” Rudy jumped up. “And cake. Arnie made cake, too.” He dashed into the kitchen and dragged Arnie with him.
Tony, Matt, and Odell bustled off to be with their children, leaving me and Treytonat the table littered with the remains of the meal.
“Was it something I said?” Everyone had deserted us. Something wasn’t right. While I had just met Treyton’s family, their behavior, expressions, shared looks, and abrupt departure suggested my presence had upset them.
“I don’t know.” Treyton gripped both my hands and that same comforting sensation surged through me, like climbing into bed with an electric blanket on a cold night. “But I’m sorry about your father.”
“It’s okay. I wasn’t holding out much hope of creating a new family unit with the man who deserted us.”
But it stung. I was alone, too scared to go home, and with my future in tatters. The only positive in my life was Treyton, but if he up and left, I’d curl into a ball and howl. Except I wouldn’t. I was being overdramatic. Dad had passed on his spine of steel, and I wouldn’t succumb to a bout of “woe is me.”
Rudy announced a doctor was here to stitch my wound, but after examining me, the guy said Treyton had done an amazingjob and it didn’t need stitches. He gave me a shot of antibiotics and stronger painkillers.
“Would you prefer to leave now? The place where we’ll be staying is like twenty times bigger than the trailer. We won’t be on top of one another.”
My head snapped toward him. Had he been on top of someone else lately?
“A trailer?” Arnie arrived with a chocolate cake, slathered in icing. “You’ve been living in a trailer?”
Now they’d find out about the kidnapping, but Treyton said it was the safest place when they didn’t know if I was being followed. He glanced at me. If I interpreted his expression correctly, he was saying “Let’s get out of here.” He stood, bringing me with him.
“Grandpa, can we take the cake and coffee with us? Brock’s been hit with awful news and he needs to rest.”
He hugged his grandfather and Rudy, and said his goodbyes to Tony and the others.
“It was lovely to meet you.”
