Page 33 of Saviour

“We are currently in Newlands. Newlands is made up of the main stretch of land and then there are Three Districts within it. There’s the First, which is where we are now. Carlo is the leader of the First District and basically has a say in how all three are run. Kennedy Harlow runs the Second and Edison Ramon runs the Third. For generations, the Districts have been separated from Newlands; the founding families decided to keep them separate. We have our own rules, our own leaders, but it’s not as well organised as a usual government. It’s dark and secretive and criminal.”

“Hold on a second,” Rori interrupts. “You’re telling me I’ve walked my ass into a criminally organised country. I’m literally amongst the fucking mafia?”

I cringe at her words but only because they’re true.

“Christ, no wonder I was kidnapped and you shot someone in the middle of the fucking street.”

“It’s not all like that, Rori. People are living here and leading normal lives. It’s just a corrupt way of living for those involved.”

“Butyou’reinvolved.”

Her statement stops me from saying any more because what can I say, she’s right. After a quiet moment, she breaks the silence.

“So your cousin and friend, you don’t know where they are?”

I shake my head and explain again that I just know they’re locked away somewhere.

“And what about your younger cousin? Bonnie?” Her question is innocent enough, but the pain that shoots through me knocks me back.

My world stops for a moment. The ache I still carry around with me is just as raw and unbearable as the day it happened.

“She died,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “Carlo killed her.”

I hear her gasp and a hand flies up to her mouth. “He killed is own daughter?”

“I don’t have proof, but it doesn’t add up. She fell pregnant with Puck’s child. Carlo is an evil man, Rori. I can’t give you a good enough reason as to why he’d do such a thing as to kill his pregnant daughter, but he did. And I don’t know where King or Puck are and I have no idea if they even fucking know she’s gone.”

It didn’t take me long to realise the people Dax is talking about are who Carlo wants me to distract him from. But how can I possibly stop him from looking for his cousin and best friend? All I want to do is help him find them, but I have no place here.

And now I know I’m dealing with the worst of the big guys. There’s no way I can go against him.

Carlo Rhivers is the leader of this whole empire, and I now owe him a favour or he’ll ruin me. No wonder he knew who I was or how to find out who I’m running from. The man runs the fucking mafia.

I never gave it much thought as to where I came from or where I lived. Maxwell’s had never been home to me. He wasn’t my dad. My brothers and sisters weren’t actually my siblings. But Carlo had shipped one child off and murdered the other.

What the fuck have I got myself into?

It’s heartbreaking hearing Dax talk about his family and if this was happening under any other circumstance, I would do all I could to help him.

But I can’t. I have to survive and put myself first.

“I’m sorry,” he says when he realises I’m not about to speak. “That was a lot. I didn’t mean to just lay all of that on you.”

“It’s okay,” I reply honestly. Because it is. I’m glad he told me. But there’s also nothing I can do about it.

“Rori?” Dax questions after minutes of silence.

I hum absentmindedly in response. “Mhmm?”

“Why do you wear your hair in a plait?”

I stiffen and bring my hands up to the plaits he kindly did for me this morning.

“I told you before. It keeps it tidy,” I stumble out.

“That’s what you said, sure, but is it true?” he questions, and I begin to shuffle and wrap my fingers around and around my braids.

“Yes.”

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