Page 50 of Severed Heart (The Ravenhood Legacy #2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

T YLER

B ASS RATTLES THE bay doors courtesy of Mobb Deep, “Amerikaz Nightmare,” as Dom secures a clip into his Glock. Pride thrums through me, that the act and ease in which he does it now is first nature as he addresses my anxiety. “Don’t think about it.”

“Like that’s fucking possible,” I counter, eyeing the discarded cap and gown lying on the couch behind him in the bay.

Dom had rid himself of them not long after crossing the stage today, as did Sean.

As he took those steps toward his diploma, I felt his pause before he scanned the crowd.

Physically felt his hope in that moment that Tobias was somewhere amongst the families in the small stadium.

Delphine, the only blood relative that did show up for Dom, had kept her distance, sitting on the other side of the entirety of the Roberts crew.

Distance I let her maintain once everyone scattered outside the high school to take pictures. Though she looked beautiful, she was nervous enough, and it was visible. But it was her disappointment when Dom barely acknowledged her presence that broke my fucking heart.

My residual anger and resentment towards the brother standing in front of me now morphing into concern as I watch him strap up.

“I need to be there,” I stress as Sean pulls a clean T-shirt from a nearby package after discarding his button-up.

While most of the recently graduated are readying themselves for tonight’s parties after their rite of passage, my brothers are strapping up to commit a robbery.

With the police busy with the task of answering calls for said parties, we decided it was the perfect time to strike.

However, I can’t help shaking my head at the irony of it while real fear sets in.

“If you carry it out just like we planned, a single shell shouldn’t touch ground,” I remind them both, the need to go with them overwhelming as my heart thuds steadily.

We’ve pulled a lot off in the last year, but this is by far the fucking riskiest. The fact that I planned this particular grab doesn’t sit well at all.

Though the plan is simple enough. Between the crew we’ve assembled and each’s specific skill set—which I assessed and assigned—it should be a cakewalk.

It’s the risk of being discovered by who we’re stealing from that has me on edge— the Town of Triple Falls.

The chamber’s funds and treasury. Our take—eighteen grand.

A few thousand less than Roman’s last contribution so as not to make it too obvious.

A contribution in which we’ve decided to reallocate where the money goes.

It’s our first real test, and I would think it idiotic if the cash grab—thanks to Roman’s boasting—wasn’t close to foolproof. Even so, I can’t help the unease skittering up and down my spine.

“Fuck this,” I say, grabbing a vest to suit up. Dom chuckles and jerks it from my grip.

“We get caught,” Dom says, tossing it to the floor, “you don’t get the high and tight haircut, and I’m not missing that. Go find something to distract yourself with.”

I glance around the garage at cars I won’t be focused enough to fix properly. “Not fucking likely.”

“And not our problem,” Dom clips, his tone playful, his eyes the opposite. “You’re too valuable to risk.”

“And you’re not?”

“We’ve been over this,” Sean sighs, drawing a cigarette from his pack and lighting it with the flick of his Zippo. “I have a good feeling about tonight.”

“Well, you’re a fucking nauseating optimist, so that eases none of my worries,” I snap sarcastically.

“Between you two broody assholes, someone has to keep things light. Face it, I’m the yang to your yings, baby,” Sean says, wrapping the Velcro around his chest before double-checking his stash of guns. His own movements now those of an expert in weaponry. A part of his impressive growing skill set.

“It’s the control freak in you”—Dom speaks up—“that’s fretting for nothing . Handle that shit,” he orders me. “We’re going to be doing a lot of this kind of shit solo while you’re doing pushups for Uncle Sam, so get used to it.”

I open my mouth again to protest, and Dom cuts me off with his stare, his eyes just as calculating as his aunt’s. They’re so much alike it’s uncanny, and no doubt why they barely get along.

“You’re about to make the biggest sacrifice of the three of us,” Dom points out in an attempt to put me at ease.

“It isn’t a sacrifice,” I say. “It’s the plan.”

“It’s your freedom ,” Sean reminds me. “What about that?” he asks through a plume of smoke. “The US government is about to own your ass for four long years, at the least, and we can’t ever repay you for that. Not in any capacity.”

Jeremy and Russell honk from the van they secured outside as Sean takes one last drag of his cigarette before crushing it under his boot and tousling my hair. “You be a good boy and sit tight. Mommy and Daddy will be right back.”

“Fuck off.”

“Love you too, brother,” Sean says through a chuckle. “If, by some bad luck, I don’t return, I’ll miss you most of all.”

“I’m hurt,” Dom says without an ounce of emotion. “Meet you back at my house after,” he tells me.

“I’ll be there,” I assure him.

As they exit the bay, I give them both a solemn nod, making as much peace as I can with it as I close up the garage. Minutes later, I’m sitting outside a gas station, and just as I’m about to get out, my phone rings.

“Hey T, I was just about to call.”

“Where is your head?” he asks, sensing my state.

“Confident in the party but fucking hating I’m not going,” I say, exiting the truck and walking into the gas station.

“You know, technically, you’ll be the first partygoer,” he gives in a rare compliment.

“That’s not exactly true now, is it? How’s France?” I ask, pulling a soda from the cooler.

“Too much of the same.”

“I thought you’d be here today.” I weigh whether or not to tell him about Dom’s disappointment as he replies.

“I’m boarding now.”

It’s my first genuine smile since I left Delphine on the porch.

“He’s going to be stoked, Sean too.”

“Are they ready?”

“More than,” I assure him, knowing his brother is most of the reason his heart beats.

Sean and I are the reason for the rest of them.

What I’ve come to realize is that after slowly losing my own family these last few years, I’m with my brothers in totality.

Aside from Barrett, who’s been unexpectedly keeping himself occupied with Charlie since the first day he checked on her and Jane in the labor house.

Rumor is that Charlie is giving him chase.

According to Barrett, not a lot of chase, but he’s declared he’s in it for the long haul.

Time will tell. My own long-haul chase is still up in the air as my clock starts to continually tick out.

I stare into the cooler as Tobias jars me by speaking up.

“Where did you go?” T prompts.

“Sorry, just thinking of a way to distract myself until the cavalry comes home.” A way that doesn’t include racing to your childhood home and burying myself in your aunt.

In that sense, this situation is a little fucked, but worth it for her.

My predicament now is that I was attempting to give Delphine space and time to come to me, but with Dom’s order to meet him at his house, that timer’s been set.

The feeling in my chest was not at all one of protest with an excuse to show up.

I have to face her and whatever decisions she’s made.

However, the fact that my cell phone hasn’t rumbled since that night isn’t a good sign.

“Keep me updated,” he spouts, and not as a request.

“Will do,” I say, “see you soon.”

“Tyler.”

“Yeah, T?”

“Are you telling me everything?”

“I don’t talk personal shit,” I tell him, grabbing a bag of chips and jerky off an end cap.

“Yes, brother, you’ve made yourself very clear on that. But I’m here.”

“I know.” I run my hand through the top of my hair after setting the drink and snacks down on the counter. The cashier stands from where he was perched, reading a paperback on a nearby stool.

“If I’m honest right now, I’m not looking forward to the haircut.”

A deep chuckle sounds over the line. “The payoff, though,” Tobias reminds me.

“Yeah, the fucking payoff.” I half grin, half grimace, knowing that this step will set so many of our plans into motion. “See you soon, brother.” I cut the call a second before a toddler barrels into me.

“Whoa, buddy, where’s the fire?” I ask through a chuckle, bending down to see the little guy’s mouth smeared with ketchup, his tiny fingers covered in it as well as he chews.

“What’re you eating?”

“Shicken nuggets,” the little boy replies, his dark brown eyes wide.

“Oh, yeah? Love chicken nuggets,” I tell him.

“Sorry about that, man,” the cashier says.

“It’s fine,” I say, taking in the little guy’s features as a woman races down the aisles toward us, calling his name.

“That you? You Zach?” I ask.

“I, Zach.” He presses a tiny ketchup-coated finger to his chest.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry,” the woman says breathlessly as she approaches. “So sorry,” she admonishes, scooping the toddler in her arms as we both stand before she shoots the cashier a glacial side-eye. “I told you I was doing inventory and to watch him.”

“It’s fine,” I tell her, “he’s adorable.”

“That’ll be five fifty-two,” the cashier says.

I hand him a bill as I keep my eyes on the kid who’s reaching for me.

“Hole me,” Zach demands.

“Can’t tonight, buddy, but maybe some other time,” I tell him, ruffling his hair.

“He likes you,” the woman says with a laugh, her eyes meeting mine and roaming over me briefly before she freezes.

I frown at her rapidly shifting reaction to me as she opens her mouth and closes it just as quickly, her eyes darting from me to the cashier.

A second later, she nods toward the aisle she just raced down as Zach continually reaches for me, wiggling in her arms to get to me.

“Hole me!”