Page 13 of Izzy
"That means working for the mob."
Izzy shrugged. "Jonik is a part of that crime family. He’s tried to hide it but you know he is. So is the new guy. Samson. Hell, Ieven think Seryn takes their contracts sometimes. I don't know anything about Samson other than he helped rescue Jude, but Jonik and Seryn are solid."
Daruss snorted. "Jonik can kill a man with one hand. I would say he's the deadliest member of the family, but Seryn probably has that title.."
Izzy hummed. "You're hesitant to take their money because you don't know if they'll push us to do more than what we initially agreed to. Give an inch take a mile."
Daruss nodded. "They're the fucking mob. They have enemies. If we start working for them, their enemies will be ours."
"Is that better or worse than losing the family? It'll whittle away one member at a time. Without a purpose, that's what will happen."
Daruss shook his head. "Sometimes things end, Iz. You know that."
Izzy expected that response from Daruss, but it was the last thing he wanted to hear. He pounded his fist on the table. "That can't happen, damn it."
Daruss' eyes shifted to his dragon’s. "You think everyone leaves."
Those four words took the fight out of him. They had the power to take him back to a time he would rather have forgotten. The only problem was everything he did stemmed from a single event in his life. "They do."
"Not everyone gets sick, Iz," Daruss whispered. His voice was rough with emotion. "I know she was your sister, but I loved her too."
"We aren’t talking about the past."
"Aren't we?"
"Fuck you, Daruss."
"No, fuck you. While you're rolling around in your abandonment issues, why don't you remember this." Darussstood, leaning across the table, getting in Izzy's face. "I've been here for over forty fucking years, Izzy. Me. And I'm not going anywhere. Not now that I have my boys. It's still you and me against the rest of the bastards in this world."
Izzy ran a hand down his face. "I just don't want to lose what I've got."
"Then stop pushing people away." Daruss sat back down. "Isn't he worth the risk?"
They both knew who Daruss meant. Izzy wasn't ready to admit anything out loud. But he'd admit to leading with fear. Even if it was only to himself. "What risk?"
"Losing him."
Izzy stood and headed to the door. He could feel the tension build in his stomach. He didn't know where to put it. He'd either end up fighting with Daruss or fucking some rando somewhere. He'd rather not fight with his best friend, so yeah. "I have to go."
Daruss shook his head. "I'm here when you're ready to have the hard discussion."
Izzy snorted. "Like this wasn't hard enough."
"Well, it'll get a lot more honest if you stick around. Like how you're about to mess up again."
"Fucking up my life is what I do best." And with that he straddled his bike, starting it.
As he turned his bike around, Daruss yelled, "Deal with your inner demons, Isaac."
Daruss using his real first name was a low blow. The last person who’d called him by his given name had been his sister.
Izzy flipped Daruss off as he pulled onto the road. He got the bike moving, intending to head for the gay bar in Grand River. He hadn’t been there since the rescue.
His intentions went out of the window when he found himself at the lake on the other side of Wingspan. He leaned against hisbike and created a profile on Cupid's Arrow. And then he swiped on Ulises, which would ask him if he wanted to connect.
He didn't question what he was doing or why. Impulsive? Maybe. Would the impulsiveness cause him trouble down the road? Absolutely. But he would never regret it.
Chapter Eight
