“Not even a little bit. Ethan keeps trying to repeat it, but he can only manage ‘ego.’” He took another bite.

“Are you sure he’s not asking for an Eggo, like the waffles?” she replied and paused as he stared at her like she had just unlocked the secrets of the universe.

“Fuckin’ waffles? That’s what he been asking for? Wait who the hell is feeding our son store-bought waffles—”

“What do you want?” I cut in, not able to take another second of this. They both turned to me like they really had forgotten I was here. “You want Frank. But you’re not going after him. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that this is messy. You both get a kick out of fucking with people and taking something like this and burying it. It just proves how powerful you are. So the only reason you aren’t doing it must be because you all want something. What is it?”

“Told you he’s smart.” Finally, Liam put his fork and knife down.

Melody took a sip of wine. “It’s simple, really. My family and I pride ourselves on having a clean image. And while everyone here knows us, we are not household names, nor do we have the luxury of being all over the international media.”

“What are you saying—?”

“Dogs,” Liam stated, his now face serious. “With your father and brother out of the picture, I’m sure after your movie comes out, you and Amelia will go on to do great and better things. You’ll repair your image, and when that happens, you will be at our beck and call. Any function we want you at, you both will be there. I don’t care what other obligations you have—for all intents and purposes, we are now your new BFFs and will never go away.”

“Done,” I said without hesitation.

“You should think this—”

“I want my girl back. I came fully willing to do whatever the hell you needed if it meant she was returned safely. You want Amelia and me to boost your image and national presence. Fine. I don’t care, just bring me Amelia….and—”

“And?” Melody questioned.

“And, my brother Bo, don’t kill him. I don’t give a damn what happens to Frank, but Bo stays alive.”

“He kidnapped the girl you’re so passionately after,” Liam reminded me as if I would ever forget or forgive him.

“I said don’t kill him. Whatever quality of life that you choose to bestow on him other than that is up to you.”

They both looked over to each other, and Liam reached into his jacket pocket.

“Well then let’s get this done. Who should we get? Chicago PD or the FBI?”

He’s joking.

“Let’s not make it any bigger than it needs to be,” Melody replied, and he nodded like he understood her.

“SWAT it is, then,” he said, then frowned. “I hate giving the department something to boast about.”

They aren’t joking.

His eyes then drifted over to me. “And you’re still sitting at my table because …?”

I hate these people.

Getting up, I put the chair back at its original table.

Amelia

“1945…” I coughed, giving them the last four digits of Noah’s number. I couldn’t remember at first, and between that and all the times I kept falling asleep, I was worried he’d lose it.

“This better be the right—” before he could finish, a light so bright I had close my eyes exploded into the room.

Seconds later, the windows shattered and I jumped, hearing voices shout, “ON THE GROUND!”

Opening my eyes as best I could, all I could see were the white letters S.W.A.T. on their vests. Everything else was a blur. Rushing to me, they pulled the chains at my wrists.

“KEYS!” One of them yelled, and I could vaguely see Bo, with a boot on his head, his face on the ground, motioning to something below.

“Got them,” the man before me said, unlocking my hands. When he did, I limped forward, my body completely giving way to gravity. He picked me up with ease.

“This city hates me,” I whispered, and he chuckled.

“Don’t take it personally. Besides, your boyfriend apparently has powerful friends here.”

Noah.

I didn’t care that I was crying or in pain or that I most likely looked like something out of a horror movie. I just wanted to see him.

But for now, I needed to sleep.

Chapter Eleven

Noah

Stepping into the hospital room, I felt nothing. I didn’t need to think this over. I needed it to come to an end.

“Noah! What is this?” Bo struggled, pulling against the restraints. “Bro, help me get out of this.”

Walking over to his bedside, I took a seat, staring at him as he was strapped into the bed.

“Noah—”

“She was in car accident—bloody, bruised—and you kidnapped her for Frank,” I whispered, sitting on the edge of my seat. “You know I love her. That she’s mine. And you did it anyway.”

“I wasn’t gonna hurt her, I swear. I was trying to make you do the right thing—”

“In what universe is saving Frank—after everything he did to us growing up, after he almost killed your mother—the right thing? When did you stop hating him?”

He was quiet, falling back against the bed and staring at me, tears in his eyes, as if that would save him.

“You left me, Noah,” he whispered. “You just up and left me for your big fabulous life. You never looked back. I didn’t want your money ... Frank was messed up, but for the most part, he and I started over. He ain’t perfect, and he’s a still a mean drunk, but he was tryin’, and you just kept shuttin’ us out. We’re family, and you hated us. You think it ain’t hurt? I couldn’t let you just throw Frank to the wolves. He’s still blood. You’d regret it.”

“No,” I shook my head. He really didn’t get it. “I wouldn’t regret it, I don’t regret it. With Frank gone, I’m so happy, Bo. I’m so happy I’m serious when I say I want to cry.”

“What did you do?” he asked, trying to sit up.

“The Callahans have him. The official story is that he died in the raid, but what the Callahans choose to do with him after that is their business.”

“Noah! How could—”

“Nothing you say will change his fate. I just wanted to know if you have any last words.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“You’re gonna kill me now?”

“No matter what, you will be my brother, Bo, but you chose Frank and not me. And so I’m going to choose the people who have always asked nothing of me. Since I was child, Bo, I’ve been looking after you. My big brother. It should have been the other way around. But I could never look up to you for anything other than how to steal cars and screw women. I’m tired of carrying you, Bo. I’m tired of you selfishly needing to be the center of the universe when you offer nothing to me. It’s out love for your mom, respect for our past, and the daughter you have that I won’t kill you, but I won’t call this living either,” I said, pulling the syringe given to me by the Callahans from my pocket.

“Noah, please, I swear I’ll change my life around. I swear I’ll—”

“You took my girl. There is no mending this bridge,” I got up and injected the drug into his IV.

“Noah. Noah, please no!”

When it was in, I sat back down, “I’ll stay here until the rest of your family shows up. Sadly, you won’t be able to move or speak. You will spend the rest of your life just watching others live. I’ll visit. I promise to keep taking care of your daughter and her mother. But you … this is it.”

“No ...” he trailed off as his mouth opened and closed. However, he didn’t say anything, and as each minute passed, his body relaxed more and more before he stopped moving altogether, the only proof that he was alive being the beeping of the machine right beside me.

“….” I exhaled looking up to the ceiling. It was over.

It was that easy.

And yet it still was painful and ugly.

Hearing the tap on the door, I stood as it opened and a thin woman holding a 9-month-old baby girl in a pink ruffled dress came in, her eyes glued to Bo.