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“Who's calling her?” Jared asks, rubbing his face.

Turning the bag, I blanch as I read the name.

“Fuck, it’s her dad,” I breath. “Do I answer it? Will he kill me if I do?”

Lili whimpers in her sleep, the first real noise that she’s made, and it doesn’t help my anxiety at all.

“Answer it,” Elijah grunts. “Knowing him, he may have some kind of tracker on her.”

He’s scary enough to do it.

“Thank God he can’t murder me through the phone,” I mutter, opening the plastic bag and pulling out the cell phone as if it may bite me.

It stops ringing for a second but I refuse to relax because I know it’ll start again. When it does, I answer.

“Hello Mr. Cruz,” I say formally, forcing myself to breathe. “I’m at the hospital with your daughter.

“ Why,” he growls. I swear it doesn’t matter how much shit I’ve seen in my life or how jaded I am, he makes my sphincter clench, hard.

“There was an issue at our club. She didn’t even know we were the owners, she came to unwind,” I say hurriedly. “Jared noticed her and went to say hello. Apparently, on her way out, she went to the bathroom. At some point while she was there, we believe she was drugged with a piece of gum.”

“ Gum. That’s a new one,” he says. “ It was acid at one point, printed on paper. Used to be a great way to fuck up your enemies. It would make them see crazy shit. Any idea what it was?”

Just because I grew up around mobsters, doesn’t mean he scares me any less, and I hesitate as I gaze at Lili in the bed.

“ If you weren’t involved, I’m not going to hurt you, boy. I may be the boogeyman, but I’m not going to kill you for helping her,” he says.

“I think it was some equivalent of the date rape drug,” I say finally, blowing out a breath. “Jared told us that she screamed and he heard her as he was making the rounds through the speakeasy. Some big fuck, er guy, was trying to walk out with her.”

“Put him on speaker?” Jared asks, and I nod as I do that. “Jared here, sir. I think she was given the gum by a female for some reason. She wouldn’t have taken gum from a male. Lili has strong fuck off vibes.”

“Especially now ,” Mr. Cruz mutters. “ Did the guy get away?”

“No, one of our security guards is holding him for us,” Jared says. “I have the gum being tested. As her body started to shut down from the drug, I think she almost choked on it, so she spit it at me and said, ‘evidence.’”

“That’s my Lili ,” Mr. Cruz sighs. “ I got worried when I saw her location stated that she was at the hospital. I didn’t know you boys were living in town.”

“We decided on a different direction for college,” I tell him. “We’re going to stay with her until she wakes up and go from there.”

“Thank you. I know you’re on the outs, but it means a lot that you had her back,” he says.

“Of course,” Jared says. “We’ll have her call you.”

Mr. Cruz says goodbye and hangs up, and the three of us deflate. He’s a stressful man to speak to.

“Dad still scares you, huh?” Lili says weakly.

“You could have said something,” Elijah groans.

“It was more fun to watch you ‘yes, sir’ to my father,” she smirks.

Fucking shit stirrer.

IGNACIO

Blinking as I step out of the prison, I look around in awe. Freedom, you look real fucking good. I was in solitary confinement for a month, and then it was like nothing happened.

There wasn’t a visit from my father or my lawyer to tell me that I’d fucked up and was going to have my sentence extended. Retaliation was never sought for killing Colton either by the Aryan Nation.

My roommate told me that the rumors that he was a pedophile were circulated, so no one wanted to jump me for killing him. Still, I refused to get lax in my vigilance.

Today, I got a call from the warden of the prison that I was getting out. No fanfare, just get your shit and go.

I have my letters from Liliana in my hands as I amble out of the prison, tipping my head back to feel the nonexistent sun. Oregon is a fickle bitch, and I don’t even care. I swear, even the air smells and tastes better on the other side.

I will never take any of it for granted again, even if my life is ruined.

“Ignacio!” the gruff voice of my father has my head moving in his direction as the gate to the prison closes behind me. “How about a ride back to civilization, mijo ?”

“Fuck yes,” I breathe, beginning to walk in his direction. He’s waiting by the SUV he bought when Julia and Rachelle joined our family, a small smile on his lips.

He appears to have aged in the time that I’ve been in jail. The January weather is frigid, and the sweatshirt that I’m wearing offers barely enough warmth for it. Yet, I don’t fucking care.

I’d much rather be caught in a blizzard than spend one more night in prison. I want to live and die by my principles, even though it didn’t save either of my girls.

“How is this possible?” I ask him.

“In the car, and we’ll discuss it,” he says curtly, his eyes moving past me to the prison. “I want to get the fuck out of here. What do you want for your first post prison meal?”

“The things I doubt you thought you’d ever say to your son,” I sigh, opening my arms first for a hug.

Dad’s lips part in a grin and he grabs me and pulls me tightly into an embrace.

“You’ve been missed, Ignacio,” he whispers. Patting my back hard, he sighs. “Let’s get this place in the rear view mirror as soon as possible, and I’ll tell you what I can.”

My father is the king of secrets, and I have no right to push. There are probably many reasons for them. He’ll tell me when I need to know.

Hopefully.

Walking around the front of the SUV, I open the door and get in. Dad glances at the letters in my lap as he closes his door and puts his seatbelt on, brow raised.

“Lili?” he asks, and I nod immediately.

“Yeah, I just don’t know what to say to her,” I explain. “I tried so hard to get Rachelle to the hospital, make the guys fucking dig her up, but all the nails in the casket hurt our chances.”

“Fucking morons,” he growls, pulling the gear shift into drive. His foot pushes down on the accelerator, and I have to admit that it does feel good to leave. My back presses against the seat, evidence that this is really happening.

I’m out. This isn’t a hallucination.

“I bet they freaked out the entire time they kept telling themselves they had to kill Rachelle,” Dad says. “Let’s talk about newer events first, shall we?”

“Yeah,” I agree. “That’s fine. How am I out? I thought I’d be there forever.”

“It already feels like forever,” he says. “News got to me that Colton Baal was killed in a mass brawl at the prison, and I had a feeling it may have been you. No one was talking, all anyone would tell me when I went to visit was that you were in solitary confinement for fighting.”

“No one mentioned the very pointy shiv I destroyed his throat with?” I ask, rolling my eyes.

“Nope,” he says, chuckling under his breath. “They didn’t bother looking.”

“Probably because I lost it in there and then I lost my mind from the adrenaline rush and tried to kick his skull off,” I grunt.

“Blood lust, Nacio,” Dad corrects gently. “Anyway, I contacted the lawyer and greased some palms. You’ve more than served your sentence for any guilt you may feel. You didn’t kill Rachelle.”

“I didn’t save her either,” I rasp. “She’s gone, and Lili?—”

“She’s a mess,” he agrees. “You killed Rachelle’s rapist, the man who stole her innocence and made her dream of things that made her scream the roof down. I’m sure Rachelle would appreciate that you avenged her, son.”

“Where is she buried?” I ask, swallowing hard. “I want to visit her.”

“She was cremated,” Dad says gently. “Julia insisted on spreading her ashes over the ocean.”

“Poor Julia,” I murmur. I’m not mad about it, just sad that there’s nowhere for me to visit so I can talk to Rachelle. “Is Lili in Portland or did she go to Princeton? She never says in her letters. She told me she was working for you though.”

“Liliana is working for me, but in Santa Barbara. I have an asshole that’s selling the date rape drug to college students to get laid,” Dad says. “Possibly to others as well, and I don’t fucking know who the source is.”

“That’s a dangerous drug,” I mutter. “Is Lili trying to find them? What about college?”

“I’m forcing her to attend USCB, even told her majors she was going to focus on,” Dad says with a self righteous smirk. Ah, I know this part of him. He’s done this shit to me often. “Something happened last night, though, and Liliana was hurt.”

“What? How? We need to go to California right now,” I snarl. “Dad, come on.”

“If you're up for a sixteen hour drive after being in prison for as long as you have, I’m in. It would probably help her father to know that I checked on her,” he says. “Someone drugged her last night when she was in the bathroom of a club. It was contained in a stick of gum.”

“What the fuck,” I say. “That’s insane. What was it?”

“It’s being tested now, I haven’t heard the results yet,” he explains. “How does a burger sound for food? Don’t tell me that you’re not hungry. If I have to hear your stomach grumble one more time so fucking help me. Don’t be stubborn.”

My body betrays me with a very loud stomach rumble and I roll my eyes.

“I was in the process of being released, so I missed any meals,” I say. “Yeah, a burger sounds like heaven. Tell me what else I’ve missed?”

“I’ll tell you as much as I can,” he says again ominously. “Some things just have to be experienced.”

So there’s a shit show waiting for me. Great.

“Please tell me Liliana doesn’t have someone else,” I groan. “It’s not that I don’t want her to be happy, but?—”

“You may kill the person just for the principle of it,” Dad finishes. “No, Liliana met her soulmates. There’s no one else but you and Rachelle for her. I don’t think you have even a chance of any competition.”

Relaxing completely to force the strain and worry from my body, I nod. Santa Barbara, you’re not fucking ready for me. No one fucks with my girl and lives to tell the tale.