Page 133 of Finally Us (Next Generation 5)

“I can help you,” Rory offered, running a shaky hand through his hair.

“No.” He was upset and unstable. I wouldn’t put him through that. He lost a girlfriend and a best friend. This was now all on me.

“Vince.” Angel came toward me and cupped my shoulders. “You call me if you need anything. You hear me?”

“I will.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

***

Since I refused to take Gigi back to our apartment after everything went down, I brought her to her parents’ place once she was discharged from the hospital. Both Angel and Jay promised to take her to see Hannah whenever Gigi requested it, but we all knew that it wouldn’t do Hannah any good if Gigi didn’t get any rest. So, much to her dismay, of course, her parents brought her home and I tucked her safely in her bed.

She had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. With my kiss on her lips and my whisperedI love youin her ears, I left her bedroom.

Angel had promised to make sure to distract his wife, so I wouldn’t be questioned as to why I was suddenly leaving. But knowing that both Gigi and Hannah were safe, I needed to get this done and over with so we could all move on.

Once I was seated in my car, I took a deep breath and then another. I lifted my hands, checking to see if they were shaking and when they weren’t, a wicked grin spread on my face. I remembered back to a time where I overheard my parents talking. They were reminiscing about the past. My uncle Kenny had been mentioned and I heard something about dogs. I was maybe sixteen at the time, I couldn’t recall, but what Ididremember and promised to take to my grave were a few key words.

Hitman.

Lethal.

Powerful.

Blood money.

I never brought it up to my parents until a few days ago when I revealed everything that had happened and how Mason and Tenise were working together. But what bothered my parents most was who Tenise actually was.

“I had no idea that my brother had a kid.” Mom shook her head while Dad paced behind her.

“Tenise did all of this because we…” Dad muttered a curse.

“She’s sick,” was all I said.

“What about Mason?” Mom asked.

“I’ll take care of it.” I stood at the same time Dad stopped. Our eyes locked. He knew because he would do the same thing.

Instead of saying anything like most parents would, all he did was nod once.

It was the only indication I needed that I was doing the right thing. The only thing. Not that I was waiting for his permission but the fact I got it, was all that mattered.

Driving across town, I approached the outskirts and pressed my foot harder on the gas. When I left the city limits, my eyes flicked to the mirror, theSee you soonsign becoming smaller and smaller off in the distance.

Half an hour later, I was pulling down a long gravel road. I stopped the car, killed the engine and left the vehicle. My bones vibrated beneath my skin, my hands clenching into fists, knowing what was to come.

I walked for another thirty minutes before I got to the spot I hadn’t been at since we were kids. Mason and Rory brought girls there to have sex with, while I only went for the scenery. I hadn’t been to the ravine in so long, I had forgotten about it.

When Mason had problems with his parents because he was your typical shithead teen, he would disappear and come to this place whenever he needed to get away.

Making my way to a clearing, my gaze landed on Mason. He was standing in the middle of a bridge that overlooked a lake and a small waterfall. The water was shallow, so if anyone fell over the bridge, they would break something before actually drowning.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” was all he said as I approached him.

When I was a foot away, I placed my hands on the railing. “Why?”

His breath caught, knowing I wasn’t asking about how he waited for me. “I was in love with her. I am, in love with her. You have to understand—”

My head whipped around, locking eyes with one of my best and oldest friends. “I don’t have to understand shit.”

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