Your greatest mistake

Chapter 14

Life has settled down a lot since Trin's funeral. Saying goodbye was harder than I had ever imagined. Since I never thought I had had much to lose, I never stopped to realise I have far more than I ever dreamed I would.

I get to wake up next to my wife most mornings and watch our miracle grow inside her. Loralie's belly is so big now it's hard to get close to Loralie without giving her a sneak attack from behind.

Time has flown by far too quickly and the time Loralie and I had at our cottage seems like nothing more than a memory. Victor has me so close to his side now I don't know where he ends and I begin. Before I was forced to be with Loralie all the time and now it seems they won't give me even a moment with her.

Dad seems to be doing much better. I think our company has brightened him quite a lot. Not that I'm around much. It's his time with Loralie I know he treasures. It does help a lot that they both love books and chess. Loralie even took Dad's place as undefeated champion.

Honestly, I thought Dad was bad enough, but Loralie is even worse. She doesn't even pretend you might have a chance.

Adam has not been back to his and Trinity's place. Me and the boys had to get everything sorted and sold the place, so he didn't have to worry about anything. I got everything put into storage like Loralie suggested for when he is finally ready.

We tried distracting him with work, but things went horribly wrong when Adam got distracted and hesitated when he usually would have moved and in the end Zac got shot. Not badly, but still, it should never have happened in the first place, proving he's not going to be ready for a long time yet. So he just stays by dad's side and looks after him and Loralie.

Since I stood up to Bonney she hasn't interfered. That could also be due to the fact that I have been integrated into Victor's business now and Bonney has lost a lot of her power from the merge.

Zac and Lyncon are still in my mother's employ for the time being until Victor says he is satisfied with my work enough to let me choose my own men.

Victor seems happier now that I have become more compliant with his wishes under the promise Loralie is left with me.

I'm at a club of Victor's sorting out some issues when I get an urgent call to get to his house. The first thought I have is of Loralie, although I wasn't expecting her to drop the baby for another five weeks yet.

It doesn't take me long to get there but the moment I get to the gates I know something is seriously wrong.

They are torn down as if someone drove a truck through them, and once I get further up the driveway, I find the truck.

It doesn't take me long to realise the place is under attack. I back the car out and park down the road. I've already called Lyncon and Zac and they aren't that far away.

This could be my chance to show Victor how well we work together, and maybe I can choose my own team of men.

Zac is the first to arrive. I send Lyncon a message on where to meet us. We load up on guns and supplies and head around. I take the front while Zac takes the east entrance and Lyncon will take west from the other side. Lyncon messages he's in place and we move in.

Weaving through the front trees and bushes, careful to stay out of sight, I make my way up the stairs and into the house. Bodies of both Victor's crew and a group I have never seen before are strewn all over the front lawn and up the stairs. It looks like one hell of a battle was fought here.

In the main entrance is four more men dead and one hanging over the banister. I move towards Victor's studies where I have no doubt I'll find him. Seeing that the stairs are clear, I run up quietly, my gun ready.