Tex

 

THERE WAS STILL blood in the kitchen where we’d all fought. I winced and tried to take a deep breath — Dante had done a serious number on me, and while I was proud of him for finding those balls and tossing them into the fighting ring — I was pissed that he’d chosen a sneak attack — one I’d literally just shown him yesterday, the sick little prick.

I reached into the freezer for another ice pack and held it to my right cheek, the door slammed closed.

Dante stood right behind it. “How’s your face? Lose any teeth?”

“Nope.” I grinned, “Still a handsome devil, not that you’d notice since you spend more time in the mirror than all of us combined. Don’t shit yourself, but I think a hair’s out of place,” I reached up to flick his ear, he shoved my hand away.

I liked using his good looks against him — God knows he needed to be brought down a peg or two, especially if my own wife nearly had to sew her jaw back on after seeing him for the first time.

I’m pretty sure that the guys and I enjoyed adding bruises to the guy's mug just so our wives stopped staring like they’d never seen a good-looking guy before.

“Hey Tex?” Dante moved closer, until we were nearly chest to chest, I still had a few inches on him but the guy had the muscles of a boxer, damn him. “Serious question…”

I let out a grunt. “Serious questions call for serious answers, misguided grasshopper: what you wanna know?”

“How many lives have you taken?”

I snorted. “You really don’t want to know the answer to that, it’s Christmas, go eat some more cookies and think about Santa Claus.”

I tried to walk past him, he blocked me with his bulky arm. I didn’t want to remember that he was only a few years younger than Nixon, I didn’t want to remember that I was putting another man in the fight. I looked at him, and I knew sure as the sun was going to set — I was giving him a death sentence.

Sure, he’d been born into it.

But he still had a choice.

None of us did.

He could go back into hiding.

But he refused to do it now that Val was out.

“You can still choose the easy life, you know.” I licked my blood caked lips. “Leave this all behind.”

“Abandon my sister and my dead father.” He said in a rage filled voice. “I think I’ll pass, but good to know how little you think of me.”

He shoved past me. Or at least tried to. I grabbed him by the arm and shoved him against the wall. “Listen here you little shit, sometimes walking away makes you the better man. Not weaker. Stronger.”

“Maybe that’s why I’ll always be weak.” His eyes locked onto mine. Damn, it was like Luca was looking back at me, all his anger and cool indifference mixed with just enough insanity to make a man feel the need to back the hell off. “Because where family goes I go.”

It was the first sane thing I’d heard him utter since he came to Chicago.

It told me more than I wanted to know.

That he’d either die too soon.

Or out live all of us and dance on our graves.

“The answer is a lot.” I whispered hoarsely. “I killed my own blood — my own father, multiple bullet wounds to the chest and I’d do it again in a heartbeat to protect what’s mine. I don’t care what kind of packaging you wrap up the Family in — we’re all killers, we will always be killers, but I will always justify that killing because it keeps people that I love safe. I would kill you, if I knew it would keep them safe just like I know sure as I’m standing here, that you’d stab me in the chest and risk the five Families coming after you — to protect your sister. And one day, you’re going to feel that way about a girl, one day you’re going to want to give her the world only to realize, you will never be good enough to give it. I hope to God I’m alive to see you fall to your knees in agony over the fact that money, guns, your fists can only control so much — but your heart will always be your weakness, but if we don’t have that — we’re just cold blooded. It’s what saves us. So, I may have a lot of kills, I may not think twice about it — but I have a family — I have my heart — the difference between you and me? You want revenge — I want peace.” I pulled away, noticing his stunned expression, and nodded to the Christmas cookies on the counter. “Go feed her some more cookies, she’s starving.”

With that I walked off in search of Mo to calm me down.

I didn’t have to look far.

She was waiting right outside the kitchen a smile spread across her gorgeous as hell face. “Good talk?”

“The guys a cold, angry, calculating bastard that’s going to get himself killed if he doesn’t watch it.”

“So don’t send him out until he’s ready.”

“Oh I’d cheerfully hand him over to the Russians — I meant me.”

Mo rolled her eyes. “You like him, admit it.”

“I want to like him — I don’t trust him, big difference.”

“Why?”

“Can we not talk about him right now?” I pleaded pulling her into my arms, “It is Christmas, and I got a present for you.”

Mo sighed, “The wreath wasn’t funny.”

“It was hilarious and you know it.”

“A wreath for your penis is never funny.”

“The guys laughed.”

“Because you slept on the couch.” She pointed out.

“Fine,” I grinned, “But that’s not what I got you.”

“Oh?”

I pressed a finger to her lips then pulled her into the living room, once we reached the Christmas tree, I grabbed a blue bag from underneath and handed it to her.

“Tiffany’s.” Her eyes lit up. “But you don’t even know what earrings are?”

“Bullshit they’re the things you put in your ears and,” I glared, “Do you want your present or not?”

“Want.” She licked her lips, tempting me beyond all reason. I stole a kiss, then another, devouring her pretty mouth before I handed her the bag.

Nixon and Trace stopped talking and made their way over. Even Dante was watching the spectacle. Everyone was there except Chase and Mil, big shock. If there was a bed, chances are, they were in it.

She pulled out the small ring box and gasped. “What, what is this?”

“I never really got you the ring I wanted to.” I shrugged. “And I figured it was about time, open.”

With trembling hands she opened the box, eyes huge, she pulled out the four karat ring and slid it on her finger. “This is huge this isn’t necessary it’s not it’s—” Tears filled her eyes. “You don’t even like jewelry!”

“Wait for it,” I winked and then slid the band around her finger, she hadn’t noticed yet, but it was in the shape of a gun. “Blood in, no out.” I gripped her hand in mine. “I love you.”

“Blood in. No out.” She kissed me hard on the mouth.

When I pulled back for a breath, I announced. “I think I just won Christmas.”

Nixon flipped me off and Phoenix looked ready to shoot my head off.

Sometimes being the capo had its benefits.

They couldn’t kill me, they had to live with me, plus I was married to Nixon’s sister. I grinned bigger. “You really like it?”

“I love it.” She jumped into my arms, wrapped her long legs around me and kissed me so hard I stumbled backward against one of the book cases.

“Keep doing that and I’ll shoot you in the leg, Tex.” Nixon said in a lethal voice. “Find a room so I can imagine you’re playing Hide and go Seek or something.”

“You wanna hide baby,” I winked, trailing kisses down her neck. “Or seek?”

“That’s it.” Nixon lunged for us but was intercepted by Phoenix who shoved him back against the wall.

“Let it go, man, they’re married.”

“He just licked her!” Nixon roared.

“And you don’t lick Trace?” Phoenix countered.

“That is completely—”

“Oh he does way more than that.” Trace said innocently, “In fact, I think since Serena’s sleeping—” She tugged Nixon away from the group and suddenly he was running, then picking up Trace and tossing her over his shoulder.

“Problem solved.” I kissed Mo again, “Merry Christmas.”

“Very Merry.”