“Some. She didn’t wanna talk about it all and I can’t say I blame her. But she did tell us about where you guys were and how you got out. As well as some shit about her family being dead and having nobody else.” He squeezed my hand harder. “I don’t need to know about anything else you did or went through. Your escape alone was so good and you are a fucking bad bitch. I know I’ve said it before, but I mean it even harder – you’re so damn strong, I’m jealous. I would have given up ten minutes in and offed myself.”
A part of me wondered if I should admit to nearly giving up before I decided it was better off kept secret. At least from Widow.
I wouldn’t lie to my men – I would tell them everything.
“But I am not strong.” I laughed without humour as I stepped back, wanting to go back to my room and leave Henley in her peace. “I am just spiteful and stubborn.”
Widow laughed too, refusing my point with far too many compliments as he led me back to my bed, helping me onto the covers again. The moment I was situated against the pillows, I grabbed his arm, holding on as tight as my weary body would let me.
“Rocky and the Jackals will pay for what they did to your family – I will start with Kalvin and-”
“He’s dead.” Widow interrupted. “Beau found him and killed him a few days ago; Kalvin fucked you over for a deal with John O’Malley, not just with Rocky, and Beau wasn’t waiting for you to come home before he got revenge.”
Relief and delight burned through me like a tidal wave.
“I thought it might happen one time. I just did not think it would be like this,” I said as I leaned back into the cushions and Widow handed me another bottle of water that he kindly took the lid off so I wouldn’t have to struggle.
He was such a sweetheart, and I just knew when he eventually found the perfect woman — the one he could break his ridiculously cute female-abstinence bet with Kellan for - he would make her exceptionally happy. He was kind and truly kind men were rare and I was glad to call him a friend.
“It’s not your fault. He was a pussy and John threatened him. There was nothing you could have done and your original deal with him was sensible at the time you made it; my dad would have even made the same choice, and you know he’s a dumb fucking bitch with everything except gang shit.” Widow sighed as he grabbed a seat on the couch again, as we waited for Beauto arrive back.
I nodded as I drank and pretended my head wasn’t hurting or that the voices in my head weren’t still present. Weren’t still begging me to just give up and die already.
“How did Beau kill him?” I wondered.
“Very, very violently.” Widow replied. “There was a lot of your usual torture stuff, but he also thought it would be poetic to, um… well, to use rats.”
I burst out laughing. “Because Kalvin was a rat.” I could already picture what happened and, as fucked up as it was, I found it amusing. “He set rats on Kalvin?”
“Yeah, he tortured him a while until he bled, then tied him to a post in the middle of fucking nowhere, cut his intestines out until they just hung there, and then waited for these rats to come and eat him alive.” Widow shuddered. “Remind me not to piss Beau off. Ever. Like I would rather piss off every single one of your boys first before even thinking about making Beau mad.”
The images were making me happy, not grossed out, but it wasn’t Widow’s fault that he didn’t carry the same sadistic glee my uncle and I shared.
“Did Kalvin scream and beg?”
“An awful lot until the rats took his tongue.” Widow’s smile dropped a moment. “It seems a fitting death for rats and I presume that’s the fate that anyone who betrays you will meet.”
“Good.” I laughed harder, almost a little maniacally. “That is good to hear,hermano. I am happy with this, even if I would have enjoyed doing it myself.”
“So am I, even if it would have been nice to take a pound of flesh myself.” Right before Widow went to tell me in graphic detail all the things he would have enjoyed doing to Kalvin, the door burst open and I was greeted with another pleasant sight, even if it wasn’t Beau.
“Oh, pet. Look at you!” Retta rushed into the room, eyes teary, smile false as anything. “I just came to check on you again and Delilah said you were awake!”
She was by my side in an instant, ushering Widow to get me various things and instantly filling the room with her love and motherly care. It was enough to choke me. More than enough for the tears to keep fucking coming, like they were trying to drown me or something. And it was safe to say I didn’t want to be drowned.
I hadn’t even been able to shower before getting dressed, and was glad someone had so obviously given me a sponge bath or something, even if it was weird to think about someone bathing me whilst unconscious.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” I didn’t usually swear at Retta – it wasn’t polite, and I knew she scolded the boys for it. “I’m sorry about mytío. I did not mean for him to die; I would die before him, but I wasn’t able to do anything, and I will regret that forever.”
She grabbed my hand, tears falling too. “I don’t want to talk about it now. We can deal with him later, okay? Right now, I just need to see that you’re alive and get you feeling like yourself again.” To emphasise her point, she gently grabbed a lock of my dark hair, holding it up a little. “Want me to redo your hair? It suits you.”
She was lying to make me feel better, and I really appreciated it. Sure, I was heading for the nearest hairdresser the second I could get out of here, but for the moment it was nice to pretend, and I was glad to have Retta here to do that with me as I nodded my head, letting her coddle me and redo my braids even if they were fine.
Widow returned with the bag she asked for and took a seat in the chair. He didn’t stop smirking his damn head off as Retta spent an age brushing and braiding my hair, removing it from my face and line of sight.
He didn’t stop smirking at all as I waited with a woman I loved more than anything, a man I was glad to have as a friend, for my uncle to come to me. For my family to finally be back and with me – for me to no longer be alone.
Chapter Sixteen
