Page 113 of Firefly (Redemption 2)

His eyes slid closed, his hands releasing me to run through his hair as a harsh breath left him. “I’ll kill him,” he muttered so softly, I was sure the promise wasn’t meant for me to hear.

Bringing my injured arm to his lips, he passed a feather-soft kiss across the bandage and dropped his hands to my hips, pulling me closer as he leaned back against the cushions.

“Doesn’t surprise me that you haven’t,” he began. “Holloway is a gang that came to the city a generation after we did. At that point, we’d already taken over the city and were territorial.”

“Shocking,” I murmured, offering him a wry grin.

He pinched my side in return. “They bought a huge chunk of land, and for the most part didn’t leave it. If a Holloway was in town, it was immediate bloodshed.”

I knew all this. I’d grown up hearing it.

But it was captivating hearing it from the enemy, to see how much it seemed to weigh on him when I would’ve expected something so different.

“In the last decade there’s been a shift,” he said, his brows furrowing. “For the most part, members of Holloway are still on their plot of land, hiding out. If they leave, they lie real low. But now they’re into bigger, worse things than ever. And we’re pulling out of everything we’ve ever done, trying to dissolve it all.”

“You are?” The words were out before I could attempt to stop myself, my tone dripping with relief.

A huff punched from Dare’s chest. “You think I want this? The mafia has controlled and stolen my entire life. I’ve worked endlessly for years to get this family on a different path. But there are old-school members like Johnny who fight that.” He attempted a laugh then sighed. “And then there are setbacks.”

“Like what?” I asked, fascinated to know this information that was widely unknown among Holloway. Or, at least, kept hidden from most of us.

“Like today. That guy who talked to you, he was a Holloway. And a Holloway . . . a Holloway killed Gia.”

Hearing her name from his lips for the first time left a hollow feeling in my chest. It was so much more than being reminded of the love I’d involuntarily stolen from him. It was as if her name alone breathed life into the vengeance that simmered in his veins.

“Now they know about you.” One of his hands gently wrapped around the back of my neck to pull me closer. His lip curled. “We’ve been waiting for them. We knew they were going to come for us eventually. But I didn’t think he would wait for you outside.”

I

knew I wasn’t able to hide my confusion, because his frustrated admission was so opposite of what I knew—what the men who’d been hiding me for years had been telling me and each other.

I twisted my body to slide onto the couch next to him, curling against his chest and leaving my legs draped over his lap in a weak attempt to hide my emotions. “Why are they coming for you?” I asked, my voice a breath as I tried to prepare myself for whatever he might say.

I couldn’t handle any more surprises.

For a long time, he didn’t respond. When he did, the reply was hesitant. “There was a setback. We messed up. Revealed ourselves and our plan too soon. And I know there’s no way they’re going to let it go. They’ll try to prevent it, and the way to prevent it is to take us out first.”

It didn’t take long to understand what he was vaguely describing.

The break-in.

He thought they were coming for them because of the break-in, and Beck and Kieran were so sure that Dare was using it as an aggressive move to keep us scared until they attacked again.

And suddenly everything began falling into place.

“Is that why you’re all in this house together?”

“Of course.” He tipped my head back to look into my eyes. “The best time to attack is when we’re at our weakest. We’re weakest when we’re alone. So, for now, none of my family is alone.”

“Libby’s been at work,” I reminded him.

“The bouncers are members.”

I wanted to be surprised, but I wasn’t. “And you? You’re always alone.”

“There’s only one way to hurt me, and now they know that way exists.” He dipped his head to pass a kiss across my lips, lingering when he said, “Now you know why it feels like I’m dying every time you force me to watch you leave.”

“I’m sorry.”

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