Ghost City

41

"What do you mean you don't want to go through with the plan?!" Mother angrily yelled at me. "You're choosing them over your actual family?!"

"That's the thing," I shook my head. "They're my family t-" before I could finish my sentence, I received a hard slap across my face.

"Your dad and I are your family! Carter killed your dad! How can you even say something like that?" she yelled at me.

I sighed, "How do you even know for sure it was him? What physical evidence do you have? You've been having me go after this man, my daughter's grandfather, on the basis of trust that I have for you. Where's the evidence mom?!"

"Et Reprobi," she answered, causing me to frown

"The fuck is that?" I asked, highly confused.

"It's Latin for The Rejects," she answered. "They're hitmen that used to belong to some secret society, but after Carter and some other unknown names took the society down, Carter assumed control over Et Reprobi. They're like a special edition to the Mafia. His original men do work in the U.S while The Rejects do work in foreign countries." (A/N: if you've read The Ideal Deal, you're already aware about this group. I thought it would be cool to intertwine both books again 😊. If you haven't already checked that book out, you can find it on my profile!)

I frowned, "How do you know all of this?"

"I've done my homework over the years," she answered. "Leaving you was one of the hardest things I have ever done, Damien. It broke my heart to, but I knew Rico would take very good care of you, and I also knew that he was in the Mafia as well."

"So I've always been a spy for you?" I huffed.

"If you look at it that way, yes," she nodded. "I've constructed this plan ever since your dad died. While we were on the run, I was doing my best to learn as much as I could about his death. If it weren't for the secret cameras he kept hidden in the house, I wouldn't have even seen the tattoo on the hit man. It was from that same tattoo that I learned what I need to learn. Nickolas Carter sent out that hit and is the reason you don't have a father, Damien. I wouldn't lie to you. He already has my brother willing to take his orders. I don't need my son under his control too."

I nodded, "Okay, I believe you, but I'm going to do some digging around as well. Sagacity, unbeknownst, helped me fill slot two in Connect Four when she asked me to request working for her father. In some ways, Trojan Horse is still in effect too. If the information I find out about Carter is no different from the information you just told me, I'll initiate slots three and four without hesitation."

She nodded, "Okay, but you have to stay focused. I can tell you're distracted, and I know it's because of that Sagacity girl!"

"Honestly, if I can take her father down and still have her, I'll do anything to make that work," I shrugged.

"And what if you can only have one?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"I'm not settling for one. I've already missed so much of my daughter's life, and I'm not even engaged to Sagacity anymore. I'm not willing to lose any more time with them. I'll do my part of the mission, but I still have a family to take care of. I have two families to take care. I won't neglect either," I promised, and she gave me a serious look while nodding. "I'll call you when I have any updates."

She nodded, "Okay," before smooching my left cheek and entering her car. She then drove off, and I got in my car and did the same.

I drove to a flower shop and grabbed some fresh roses. I then went to a different store and purchased a box of her favorite chocolates. I planned on asking Sagacity out on a date tonight. I was hoping she'd say yes, but I was highly nervous that she'd turn me down. Although we weren't together, I refused to give up on our relationship.

I still wanted her. I still wanted to marry her. Being so close to her but not getting to call her mine was annoying and often made me miserable. I knew I deserved the cold shoulder she was giving me, though. I kept ruining our bond by doing stupid shit and not being completely honest with her. My choices hurt her a lot, and I truly felt bad about it.

I knew she wasn't going to just jump and marry me if I were to propose, so I'd have to take things slowly with her. A date would be the first step, if she'd allow it. I figured after a few dates with her, she'd take me back, and then after a month or so, I'd propose to her again.

For now, I just needed to focus on this first date, if she'd accept to even go on it with me.