Page 23 of Savage Empire

“It’s the best place we’ve ever lived, even better than back home.”

I try not to frown. Our childhood home was quite large, and definitely more welcoming than Federico’s place. But I can see why he might prefer this apartment to where we grew up. Most of our old,goodmemories of that place were all tainted in the end.

“This city is a lot smaller than Chicago too,” Yordan adds with a smile. “There isn’t half as much noise or traffic, it’s nice. I used to think Pennsylvania was all Amish people and Hershey’s chocolate factories. But it’s kind of cool here, isn’t it?”

The Outfit territory is comprised of a large chunk of this state and some of the surrounding areas, with the heart of it existing outside of Philadelphia, at least from what I know. The Morettis also operate in the shared territory of New York City, owning several businesses up and down the east coast as a whole.

“It seems safe enough,” I reply with a shrug.

Yordan groans. “There’s more to life than safety, Rayna. Aren’t you just a little bit happy to be away from Federico? Can you please admit that to yourself? I don’t like thinking that you still feel like we’d be better off back in that hellscape. You can’t still be mad that I killed him, right?”

My chest gives a painful, aching beat.

He couldn’t understand the way my mind works, even if I attempted to explain it. But I wouldn’t want to put that burden on him either way.

“It’s fine, Yordan. I’m just tired,” I say carefully. “I’m not mad at you.”

Now he’s the one trying not to frown.

“We can trust them, I know it.” He sounds so sure, it almost makes me smile. “Elio is good to…well, you know. And Apollo likes me, I can tell.”

“You can’t tell Apollo about Elio,milichko,”I breathe out, locking eyes with my brother. “It is not our information to share.”

“I know,” he says, voice sure and true. “I know how to keep a secret, Rayna. You know that.”

“I wish you didn’t have to,” I tell him quietly. “I wish you could live a normal life, away from all this chaos and conflict. You deserve it.”

“So do you.” He huffs, shaking his head. “But I don’t want a normal life, sister. I like this life, the hard parts sucked, sure, but look at us now. We never have to go back to that, Apollo promised me.”

We’ll see.

“You should text her,” Yordan says lightly. “It’ll make you feel better.”

“You’re too smart and observant now, you know that?”

He preens under the comment like it’s the best compliment.

“I get it from my sister.”

“Kissup,” I snicker, hiding a smile.

Yordan grins, quickly replying, “Grouch.”

Pulling out my new phone, I bite my lip in contemplation. With nimble fingers, I open the text messaging app, typing in the phone number I’ve had memorized for years. It was safer to keep the digits out of my contacts before, never knowing when my husband might go through my phone. But now…now I can save it.

Filing her number under the initial‘S’, I begin to write out one of our common challenge and pass messages. We came up with a series of challenge phrases and password responses to ensure our conversations remained safe and secure, a method used by plenty of military and mobsters alike. Ours are personal, and custom to match any kind of speaking. Texts, phone calls, in person…any method we could come up with to keep her safe from prying ears.

Rayna

I lost my contact list and might have the wrong number, is this Rachel?

I don’t expect an immediate reply, as she doesn’t always have her phone. But apparently, it’s my lucky day. Our timing has lined right up.

S

Regina? Is that you?

I breathe out a sigh of relief, the password is perfect. Rachel McAdams as Regina George, a little nod to Mean Girls, something no idiot mafia man would even think to draw a connection to.