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“We watched the church and saw that the priest was there all the time. So we put you in a box with some newspapers. I had nothing to give you. Vicky opened the door, yelled hello and then we ran across the street to watch. I wanted to make sure the priest came out to get you. We watched him open the doors and look around. Then he looked down and saw you. I knew you would be okay so after a day of resting, we headed back home to Portland. My father tried to get me to tell him where you were. I refused. The three of us kept that secret together. I read any news that I could find about Portwalden. One day I read an article that the fire captain and his wife had adopted an abandoned baby. I was so happy, you had a mom and dad, and I hoped you would have a good life.”
By now, tears are streaming down Veronica’s face. I look at Jagger and he nods at me without words, he knows what I need to do. I walk over to Veronica and hug her.
“Please tell me you had a good life. That you grew up loved and happy.” She sobs.
“I did. My parents are wonderful, they loved me so much. I have two brothers and two sisters. You gave me a good life.”
“Thank God. Now I don’t know how my father found you. But I know he did. You’ve gotten an anonymous letter from someone, right?” she says as she looks at Jagger.
“I did. There’s been two now. One with the initial threat and the other names an amount with a deadline. But I don’t understand why. Why does your father need money?”
“My father made a lot of bad decisions. And most of his crew is gone. This money will allow him to make alliances with other families. And he wants to take Quinn so that he can sell her or marry her off to another family. I overheard him talking to his second-in-command. As soon as I did, I told Vinny and Vicky. That’s when we saw the article about you and Jagger. It said you were from Portwalden. It also had some information about your parents. I knew it was you and had to come warn you.”
“Thank you for coming. And telling me your story. I’m so sorry that you had to go through all that. I always wanted to know why I was left on the church steps. I never thought it could be something like this.”
Veronica hugs me again. “I’m sorry I left you. If I had any other choice, I would’ve taken it. But I was so young and I had no money or skills.”
“I understand. And I promise, I had a great life. You made the right choice.”
I really need to make this up to my parents. Now I know I was an asshole to them for nothing. I was angry for as long as I can remember for no fucking reason.
“I need to ask you a few questions,” Salvatore says to Veronica.
“Ask me anything,” she says.
Chapter Twelve
Quinlan
Salvatore interrogated Veronica about her father and everything she knows about his plans. Apparently he is coming to Chicago. He might even be here now. Luciana’s dad, Giacomo, has asked one of his men to be my bodyguard. His name is Brennan ‘Raziel’ Doyle and he’s the chaplain of the Cimaruta MC. It’s taken a few days to get used to having him around all the time. He jokes that we won’t even notice him most of the time, which makes me laugh because he’s huge. Six foot five and about two hundred and eighty pounds. He doesn’t blend in well.
Everyone’s on edge and I thought of asking my parents to postpone their trip. I had to tell them what’s going on and now they’re coming tomorrow instead of next week. They want to be with me until this thing is over. My siblings will join us in a couple of weeks. For now, Enea Mancini has sent a few of his men to Portwalden to be with them. Which I’m eternally grateful for.
Going to school today was harder too. I felt like I was always looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to jump out and grab me. Brennan says that won’t happen, but the fear is real. We’re coming up on summer break in a week and he says that will be easier because we’ll be at home.
Tonight we’re going to the show at Luminescence. The plan is that I stick to the back area and only help when the guys need it. I’ll do the same at Jagger’s shows. Stay backstage and enjoy the music from there. Jagger said maybe I should stay home. But there’s no fucking way I’m going to let these assholes force me into hiding.
I’ve also been talking to Veronica and she’s nothing like what I imagined. She’s funny, smart and she keeps telling me how she wished she could’ve raised me. I assured her that I love my life and I’m happy she’ll get to meet my parents.
Jagger walks over to me and wraps his arms around me.
“Thank you for being here with me,” I say as I breathe him in.
“There’s no where else I want to be. I got you, Quinn. And this whole situation will end soon, then we can get on with our lives.”
“I just hate that you have to worry when you’re onstage and when you’re working.”
“I know, baby. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I remember when I found out about Luciana’s family. The MC life seemed so odd to me, then I met Giovanna and her mafia family. I thought my life is so weird. MCs and mafias, it was like being in a TV show. Now look at me, my birth family is mafia. And not the nice kind like the Mancinis. The shitty kind you see in movies and you cheer when they die.”
I chuckle and hold Quinn tighter.
“That’s just your birth family, it doesn’t mean anything. You’re not part of them.”
Jagger
I’m a little concerned about going to Luminescence tonight. We can’t run background checks on everyone that comes to the show, so it’s kind of nerve wracking. I worry about Quinn coming to our gigs too. But I won’t tell her she can’t go, I tried that and she walked away muttering something under her breath. I took that as a no.
