**
“Hey, Uncle Alex, we’re leaving,” Christina smiled sweetly. I eyed her and she seemed somewhat normal. I hugged her and as much as I wanted to tell her to be careful, I knew that even though she was in a mental fog she wasn’t stupid and she’d pick up on any inconsistencies and she was staunchly in her grandfather’s corner.
“Okay, bring me something back.” I touched the tip of her cute button nose and she crinkled it up.
“I will.” Before she left my room she spun around and rushed into my arms for a hug. “I’m glad you’re home.” She said with her face pressed against my chest. “Mmm…you smell so good.” I frowned and pulled back, breaking the embrace.
“Thanks. Go have fun, Chris.”
“There you are. Hey, Alexander do you want anything from Hart’s?”
“Yeah, just bring me back a nice big burger.” I laughed, rubbing my stomach. Christina’s eyes zeroed in on my stomach and I felt uncomfortable.
“Can I see your muscles?” Chris asked. I sat down instantly and frowned at her.
“No,” I snapped much angrier than I’d meant to. I understood that my niece had a problem but I didn’t appreciate being the target of her delusions. I could feel her eyes on me in a way they shouldn’t have been and it was disturbing and heart breaking at the same time. She was searching for her father in everything and everyone but she failed to realize that Manny never stopped loving her. He never chose Camilla over her. He did choose Camilla in spite of her though. I could understand how that left her hurting.
The love between Manny and Camilla wasn’t easily understood, but evidently it was meant to be. I wanted to be mad at it but I couldn’t. They’d remained together no matter how much outsiders said they shouldn’t be.
Christina would have been fine if she had tried to work through it and put distance between herself and her father but she was hell-bent on competing instead of refocusing. There was no contest though, Camilla was the love of his life and Christina was his daughter and only child for quite some time. He loved them both.
“Let’s go Chris,” Joseph grumbled, tugging her along. I lay there on the bed staring at the ceiling until I heard the front door close and the car start then pull off. I let out a pent up breath and sent Manny a text telling him to send Camilla.
When she honked, I looked around outside and then rushed out to her. I didn’t want her lingering around one more minute than she had to, besides I’d promised Manny I’d protect her and I would.
“Hey,” she smiled at me. I nodded and waited until she was safely on the road before I offered her a smile in return. “You okay?”
“I’m fine now. Just needed to get away from that fucking house. I hate being around him.”
“I bet.” she frowned. “We’ll all figure something out. The entire hit squad is at the house now.” She joked with a cute as hell laugh.
“Everyone?” I asked somewhat nervous.
“Yup. Dad, Laurel, Xavier, Cole, and of course the Governor,” she laughed again and snorted. “That’s so gonna be his hit man nickname.” She couldn’t stop the laughter and it was contagious. “Don’t make me call the fucking governor.” She said in a phony low voice.
“Something is wrong with you,” I chuckled. “Thank you for making me laugh though. I needed that shit. Your sister is…she’s gone man.”
“Oh, I know. I wanted to put her out of her misery but Emmanuel loves the crazy bitch so…” She shrugged and let her words trail off. I knew she meant everything she said. She’d kill her sister if she had to.
“What did she do to you?” She asked with a stern expression etched on her delicate features. I recognized that tone. It was protectiveness. She loved me and would therefore protect me with everything she had.
“She’s looking at me in an inappropriate way. I don’t like it.”
“Mmm, she just wants to screw her father. That’s all. You look like him. Shit, I’m surprised she hasn’t offered herself up to Joseph on a platter.” She cringed a little as the words left her mouth. I did the same.
“Sadly, I wouldn’t put it past Chris. He would murder her though.” Camilla and I both nodded in unison. “He has to die,” I said quietly.
“I know.”
“No. He needs to die now. He’s fanatically obsessed with you. I’ve never seen anything that bad before. It’s like some shit straight out of a movie, Camilla.” She stopped at a red light and looked over at me. “He has an entire wall of his bathroom wallpapered with pictures of you from floor to ceiling.” I spared her the rest of the disgusting details. She shuddered and continued to drive to her and Manny’s house.
Upon walking in, I could hear everyone’s familiar voices immediately. I plucked out Trevor’s thick accent, Cole’s gravelly voice, Laurel’s sweet tone, Xavier’s cocky chuckle and of course my brother’s deep baritone. “Hey, are the kids asleep?” I leaned over and asked Camilla.
“Yeah. All of them,” she answered. I wanted to see them so damn bad but I’d never disrupt their sleep. P Q¸lus I knew I’d get to spend unlimited time with them once Joseph was dead. Until then, Camilla, Manny and Xavier had every right to be overprotective of them.
“You sure it’s cool with me being here?” I frowned before we walked into the family room.
“Alexander, you’re a part of this twisted family too. Yes, it’s fine. You’re the lynchpin for the entire set up anyway. Nobody will be mean to you. I got them all in check before I even left.” She patted me on the back and we walked in. The conversation paused as they all turned to face me. I felt like the new kid in class or something.
“What’s going on, Alexander?” Manny stood and pulled me in for a hug. Laurel was next. Cole shook my hand, as did Trevor but Xavier he sat there eyeing me. I didn’t blame him. Chloe got kidnapped under my watch and he’d broken my jaw in two places because of it. I was lucky he didn’t kill me. I’d fought countless men in prison but I couldn’t challenge a father who was rightfully protective over his only daughter.
I nodded at him and he grunted his arms folded tightly across his chest. Camilla nailed him to his seat with a glare and his icy exterior melted in a puddle. She had his ass on a leash. “What’s up, Alexander?” He finally said.
“Everything is good,” I told him. I sat by Camilla and watched as Manny stood in the middle of the floor, rising like a pillar.
“We need to bring Joseph in and kill him now. This shit can’t wait,” he spoke urgently. “He thinks Logan and Lucas are his kids and he wants to come get them and more than likely, Cami too.” There was a collective grumble from all the men in the room, including myself. It’s when I realized that Joseph picked the wrong woman to target.
**
Chapter Twenty-Four
Emmanuel
Every man in the family room wanted Joseph dead but we all knew Camilla wanted to do it and we’d see to it that it happened on her terms. As much as I had a problem with my little brother in the past, I couldn’t deny his love for Cami. I couldn’t blame him for it either.
She was his rock while he was locked up. He seemed sincere in wanting to help and just be her friend, so I was willing to let things slide with him. If she could forgive him then so could I.
“I have a plan but nobody is going to like it. I don’t care if you like it though, just follow through.” I said, looking in the eyes of each man.
“Jesus,” Cole grumbled.
“What the hell is it?” Trev asked point blank, leaning back and tossing his arm around Laurel.
“All I wanna know is, does it involve my kids?” Xavier’s light brown eyes narrowed to slits. Sometimes I wanted to knock Pretty Boy’s teeth in because of how he claimed all the kids as his too but I couldn’t be too mad because I claimed Chloe as mine.
“Yes,” I replied with a curt nod. There was another collective groan.
“No,” Camilla said, shifting in her seat beside Alexander.
“Yes.” I stared her pretty ass down but she didn’t budge.
“Cami don’t fight me on this right now. I know you don’t want to involve the kids but we have to lure him in realistically. He wants the twins, we have to make him think he’ll get them.”
“I don’t want my children anywhere near him!” She shouted.
“Neither do I! They’re my kids too. You think I want to put them in harm’s way? Do you think I would put them in harm’s way?”
“Of course not but…I don’t trust Joseph. He could do anything to them.” She was on the verge of tears and I could sense every male in the room wanting to comfort her. I went to her first.
“He won’t even get to touch them. Just hear me out. You trust me, right?” I tucked my fingers under her chin and lifted her face until our eyes met. She looked so scared.
“I trust you,” she said in a small voice.
“Good. Just listen.” I stood back in the middle of the room and cleared my throat. “Alexander, you’ll let him know tonight that I’ll be out of the house all day working tomorrow. Bring him here and spin a story about Camilla wanting to talk to you.” I turned to look into a pair of pretty hazel eyes that I’d watched grow up right before my face. She had been like a daughter to me but now, quite frankly she was like a sister in-law and I loved her dearly.
“Laurel, I need you to keep Chloe and Mason at your house,” she chewed nervously on her bottom lip and Trev rubbed her shoulder then pressed a kiss to her temple.
“Okay, Manny,” she sighed.
“That’s all you have to do, sweetheart. Keep them safe,” I told her with a wink. She gave me a small smile and I knew she’d be okay. Then I turned to the men I’d come to trust and be annoyed with equally. “We’ll be all through out the house. I’ll be hidden in the room with the twins. Chief Dunham,” I looked at him earnestly, “I want you hidden in the room with Cami.” If there were anyone I trusted with Camilla’s life in a dangerous situation hands down it was Cole. He didn’t hesitate. He’d kill on sight. He nodded his head in response.
Next I turned to Trev. Camilla’s father, and the man I owed a lot to. He created the woman I loved and he didn’t shoot me for marrying her. He also wasn’t afraid to shoot but he was bulkier than Cole so I wanted him closer to the back in case Joseph tried to flee. Trev would knock his ass out with one good punch.
“I need you near the backdoors,” I told him. He gave me thumbs up with no further words.
“So, what the fuck am I gonna do? Take pictures?” Xavier frowned.
“I’m putting you with Cole,” I said with a sigh.
“What?” They both blurted. They still had underlying tension between them but I knew protecting Camilla would erase it. They both were in love with her but Cole had to see Camilla hurt over Xavier and Xavier had to watch Cole swoop in and be the best friend to her that he wished he could be. Regardless, I trusted and respected both of them with Camilla’s life.
“I want you on one side of the room and you on the other.” I pointed to them respectively. “If Joseph makes one false move blow his brains out.”
“No, that’s my fucking job,” Camilla grumbled.
“I can wound him so he can’t move,” Cole shrugged. That was exactly why he was going to be in the room protecting her. He was an excellent shot.
“Alexander, you just need to stay close by. If you sense anything off, just clear your throat and rub your nose. Whoever is closest to you will shut that shit down. Once he realizes the twins are in the house, and Cami you lure him in I want to be the one to grab him. After that, Cole and Xavier move in. If he bolts,” I glanced to Trev.
“I got it,” he nodded.
“Otherwise Trevor, you can come help subdue him or get the twins over to Laurel.”
“Get them to Laurel, Dad,” Camilla said sternly.
“You got it baby girl,” he smiled warmly. We all walked around the house mapping things out and laying down all possible scenarios. We were at it for a couple of hours because nobody wanted a single thing to go wrong. It was down to the wire and way past time for Joseph to meet his fate.
“Okay so anything else?” I asked once we were all congregated in the kitchen around the island.
“Yeah,” Alexander spoke up. “I know who killed Anais.” My brows flew up curiously.
“Who?” Cole asked.
“Joseph. He bashed her face in. Told me that she was trying to seduce him. I’m sure he killed someone else too. I saw pictures in his room. I saw shit in his room that nobody should see.” He looked like he wanted to punch something and I didn’t blame him. I felt the same way after he’d sent me pictures of Joseph’s bathroom wall.
“Fuck,” Cole groaned and rubbed his face. “Let’s fill this motherfucker with bullets, please. I’m sick of him already.”
“Feeling is mutual,” I chuckled. “Let’s wrap this shit up, Alexander you go home and start laying the foundation. Everything goes down tomorrow. I expect all schedules to be clear. This is gonna be an all day event.” I watched as they all filtered out and kissed Camilla’s forehead before she took Alexander back to Joseph’s. “You have your gun?” I asked.
“Yes. Always.” She flashed me a perfect smile then got into the car. I went upstairs to the twins’ room and stood there staring down at them.
“I’ll never let anything happen to you two or your brother and sister as long as I live. You guys have a family that would and have killed for you. Tomorrow might seem scary but daddy will protect you.”
I kissed the tops of their heads and touched their soft sandy curls. Logan stirred a little causing Lucas to stir as well. I just smiled at it. Joseph would never even lay a finger on either of my boys. I’d slice him from end to end.
**
Chapter Twenty-Five
Joseph
“Was that her? Did she just drop you off?” I asked when Alexander walked through the door.
“Yes,” he sighed.
“Well, how did everything go? Are you in her good graces?” I’d never felt so anxious in my fucking life. I wanted to run after Camilla’s car and demand she take me to see those twins.
“We were so close to kissing,” he told me, shaking his head regretfully. She’s still pretty hurt about Manny.”
“So is he back in the house or not?” I blurted.
“No. He comes over to see the kids in the mornings and before bed. Then he leaves.” It was the best news I’d heard. Getting Camilla and the twins would be a slice of fucking cake. My plan was so close to being completed. With Emmanuel not guarding his household, I could waltz right in and take what belonged to me. “He’s not coming tomorrow because he’ll be out of town working.” Alexander raised his eyes to meet mine. “She wants me to come over.”
“Will the children be there?” I leaned forward resting my elbows on my knees.
“Yeah, just the twins because they’re sick. Chloe and Mason will be at daycare.” I blinked a few times not believing my fucking luck. A smile tugged my lips upward and I leaned back in my chair.
“That’s so fucking perfect, I couldn’t have planned it better. Thank you son, you have no idea how happy that makes me,” I was practically giddy.
“Camilla will probably be scared when she sees you, just let me talk to her first,” he explained. I nodded in response. I would let him smooth things out with her then I would come in and explain to her that she had my twins and that we needed to be a proper family…one way or another.
In the morning, I went into Christina’s room with breakfast. When she woke up she smiled at me. “Chris, today is the day. I’ll be bringing home the twins. I need you to make sure the house is perfect, okay?”
“Okay. Is Camilla coming too?” She wanted to know.
“Yes. She’s coming too. Try to behave yourself. I won’t have you two fighting and fussing around the boys.” I touched her cheek and she pouted.
“She hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you, she’s your sister.”
“So if you and Camilla get married, what does that make her to me?
My sister…and step-grandmother, is that right?”
“Look, don’t worry about simple things like that. Do what I asked you to and make sure the house is clean. Here, take my card and go get some things for the twins.”
“Okay, grandpa.” She grumbled then started poking at her plate of food. Her attitude wasn’t going to sour my mood. I was going to walk back through the door with my sons and my new wife. Life was great.
Alexander was already in the kitchen fixing himself a plate when I walked out of Chris’ room. “You ready?” I almost sang.
“Just trying to get a little something to eat,” he paused and looked at me before he sat down at the table. “Are you sure you wanna go do this today? Camilla is at home alone with two sick kids.”
“I’m sure,” I laughed. It was the perfect time. She would be distracted and Alexander would be there to take the edge off enough for me to move in.
“Is Christina coming?” He asked me.
“Hell no. She’s too much of a wildcard. She’ll be here getting the house ready.” I could just picture the twins running around while Camilla and I raised them right and with the Lord. I was ready to shove the damn food down Alexander’s throat so we could go. I didn’t want anything messing up the day.
He finally finished and was ready twenty-two minutes later and we were in the car, driving to Camilla. The closer we got, the more of a happiness induced high I floated into. I was fucking euphoric. By the time we pulled up, I drifted out of the car. I couldn’t even feel my feet on the pavement. “Dad, you need to stay in the car.” Alexander hissed under his breath.
“I’ll hang back, you go ahead son,” I smiled. He shot me a glare but I ignored it and watched as he went to the huge double doors. He knocked and that’s when I saw her. She was fucking perfection. She didn’t even notice me standing by the car she was so happy to see Alexander. She hugged him and pulled him in immediately. Jealousy raged through me but I quelled it quickly. She’d be mine soon enough and I’d make her pay for how loose she was with my sons. She’d pay but then I’d make her feel so fucking good she’d forget about the pain.
Twisted Justice Page 22
