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“Good to know.” I grin, my heart full. “And now that we have that established, how about I show you around? I’ll even let you take some pictures at the helm so long as you don’t go telling anyone you own the thing.” I stand, dodging his jab at my arm in the process.
“Dick,” he grumbles. “I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
“I know. That’s the only reason I’m teasing you about it because I know you’ve been too hard on yourself already. None of it was your fault.”
DiAngelo’s entire body seems to brace from the impact of my statement, and the truth of my words hits me. He’s probably spent twenty years punishing himself for what happened.
I place my hands on his arms and lock eyes with him.
“I don’t blame you, and I don’t want you to blame yourself. We’ve had too many years stolen from us to give up even a minute to that sort of negativity. You hear me?”
D pulls me in for a crushing hug. “Love you, man.”
“You’re my other half. Always have been, always will be.”
Hours later, I’m finishing up in the gym when my phone rings.
It’s Wolf.
“Tell me you’ve got good news.” I’ve been talking with him over the past few days as we work toward locating the trafficking ring Ruban was aligned with.
“We’ve got ’em, Reaper. We’re going in tomorrow.” His answer vibrates with triumph. “The bastards were hiding in plain sight on the Florida coast. We kept thinking it had to be an island, but we were wrong. They’ve been utilizing caves from a rocky coastline to move victims unseen—blasted tunnels from the caves a half mile inland to a swanky country club. Kids and women are being brought in like so much shrimp for the salad bar for rich assholes to use and dispose of. It’s going to be real fucking satisfying catching them with their pants down.”
“Fuck, man. That’s amazing. I wish I could be there.”
“There’s time if you want our coordinates. We could use another well-trained man on the ground.” He’s gathered I have combat experience, which is why he's using my nickname, which he seems to have interpreted as my call sign. This isn’t the first time he’s suggested we team up in a broader capacity.
“Actually, I’d like to take you up on that. I can’t make it this time, but I’d like to discuss being a part of your operation.”
“Oh, hell yeah. Let’s talk when I’m back from this mission.”
“Keep in mind, I have a past. A background check on me isn’t going to look pretty, but things are different now.” The cops will likely have me on a most-wanted list for a while. That’s something I’m going to have to work on. DiAngelo has connections and thinks he can make the worst of the heat go away. I’m hoping he’s right, but Wolf needs to know what he’s dealing with.
“Hey, man. Half the crew is former military with no fingerprints or records in the system. Our standards are a little different from corporate America.”
“Good to hear. We’ll talk more about it later and keep me posted on the op.”
“You got it. Tell Isa hello for me.”
“Will do.”
Fuck, yes.
That call was the icing on the cake. Not only have the traffickers finally been tracked down, but I have a promising new direction for my life. One that makes me feel good while still allowing me to be myself. I could never sit behind a desk, and retirement would bore the crap out of me. This gives me an outlet to practice all the skills I’m best at while making the world a better place and atoning for my sins.
And maybe, should the right opportunity present itself, I could do the occasional job with DiAngelo—help him out if he ever needs me. With a career I can be proud of and family back in my life, I’m more optimistic about the future than ever.
This is what my life should have looked like had misfortune not intervened.
If my time with the Greek taught me anything, it’s to appreciate the good in your life because you never know when you might lose it all. I plan to spend every damn day of the rest of my life grateful for the second chance I’ve been given.
EPILOGUE
ELIO
Kai and Tessa sit in the back corner of the little French restaurant we arranged to meet at when I arrive. Tess is talking animatedly while Kairos sips from a glass of wine.
“I hope you weren’t waiting long,” I say when I join them at the table.
