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By the time he got to the last couple of words, he was shouting.

“Lou.” I swallowed against the sudden lump in my throat. “I protected her. Saved her. Nearly every time.”

“But you.” He faltered.

“I did what I had to do to survive.”

“Fuck. I know, son. I know.”

I’d never seen Lucky Lou look this distraught. Even when Rook died, he didn’t cry. But right now, staring at me, the sheen of tears in his eyes nearly broke me.

“Were her parents murdered?”

“Yes,” Lou replied firmly. “I don’t believe the police report that stated it was a drunk driving accident. It was falsified. Those Sect bastards had them killed.” Horror washed over his features. “They had her taken into foster care intentionally.”

Fuck! “For revenge.”

“And their sick pleasures,” he agreed.

I didn’t tell him the only time they successfully got to Katrina was Halloween when she was thirteen. It would shatter him.

“I need you, Lou.”

“I know. I’m here for you both.”

“It’s more than that,” I revealed. “I think they’re coming back for Katrina.”

His whole body shook. “No fuckin’ way! We protect her.”

“That’s why I’m gonna need you to tell me, Crow, Eagle Eye, and Katrina everything you know.”

“Done.” He rapped his cane against the tire on his scooter. “Let’s get back to our girl. We never take our eyes off her. Not until this is resolved.”

“Agreed.”

“TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW,” Crow growled, sensing the news we had to disclose wasn’t shit he wanted to hear.

“Katrina is my cousin’s child,” Lou began.

“Shit. The politicians?”

He remembered.

“Yeah. The ones who were murdered.”

“You always did believe it wasn’t an accident.”

“And now I know they covered it up, taking Katrina away from me.” He shook his head. “I was her only living relative.”

Katrina sat beside Lou, keeping quiet until now. She reached for his hand and held it. “I wish I’d known.”

“I would have taken care of you like my own,” he swore.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. These motherfuckers had stolen so much from me, Katrina, Lou, and her parents. They had to fucking pay for this!

“I know, Cuckoo. I see that need for retribution in your eyes. We’ll get it.”

That assurance was the only thing that kept me calm.