Legend (Requiem MC #6)

Chapter Four A Real Firecracker

Glory

I wasn’t sure if I even liked Legend’s dad at this point. Over the last ten minutes of conversation, he looked either angry or disapproving. He even seemed to manage to look arrogant in between those emotions. I did not have to wonder why Legend left home like he did. I knew I was overly protective of Legend. I admit it, but I never felt this aggravated about it before.

“My intentions?” Stephano asked. “Whatever do you mean, child?”

I glared at him. “For one, I am not a child. For two…Legend isn’t going back home with you.”

Luca laughed. “And three… you are a real firecracker!”

Stephano joined in his laughter. “I so agree, Luca.”

Ignoring their teasing, I looked over at Legend as he stared at me. “Well, you aren’t going with them, right?”

Legend shook his head.

Stephano looked back over at Legend and said, “You have your hands full with this one, eh?”

Yes, that old school male code again. I shook my head at him. “Are you from a different time? Like fifty years back or something? I am not in his hands…” I paused as I had secretly wished for that to literally be true many times. But that wasn’t the point here despite the fact that I had to fight a smile threatening to show on my lips.

Luca laughed. “Your name is Glory, si?”

I nodded as I narrowed my eyes at him.

He raised his hands in a defensive way. “I didn’t mean that as any disrespect. I only mean that you wear the name well.”

I raised a sarcastic brow at him.

Staring at my doubtful expression, he and his father both laughed again.

With a smile that he couldn’t seem to suppress, Legend shook his head and looked over at me. “I don’t plan on going back, no.” Then he turned his head as his smile faded and stared at his father. “I would like to know what you have planned though.”

“Planned?” Stephano retorted. “It is less than a plan and more of an event that will put Deacon into an early grave. I will use all my contacts and resources to find him and wipe him out once and for all.”

“That would be very helpful,” Uncle Zed said as he looked happy at this news.

“It isn’t as easy as it might sound,” Justice finally spoke up. “Most of the law agencies have no idea what a kingpin he is. He made such strides and high marks in the Bureau that many would never believe he is a criminal. So he has contacts too. Some are in very high places.”

Stephano shrugged. “I can go higher.”

“Yeah, you might get a bloody nose at the heights Dad can go,” Luca quipped.

“Or the depths he can sink to,” Legend added quietly.

Both Stephano and Luca looked over at him.

Stephano then did something surprising, he tilted his head back and laughed.

Luca laughed too. “Very funny, baby brother.”

Legend rolled his eyes.

I knew he hadn’t meant it as a joke, but these two men seem to see things in their way only. Yeah, I now knew why they aggravated me and got on my nerves ever since they both exited that limousine. They had two traits that I saw right off. Arrogance and a sense of entitlement. Two things in men that always pissed me the hell off.

“Maybe we can set up a video meeting between you, Redemption and Talon,” Uncle Zed suggested.

“Talking to both of them would be a good idea,” I agreed.

“Who are they?” Luca asked.

“Redemption is my nephew and the President of Requiem MC,” Uncle Zed explained. “Talon heads the Louisiana Walkers and is mostly in charge there.”

“I’m not asking for anyone’s permission,” Stephano stated with almost a sneer on his lips. “This Deacon was looking into my son’s life. He is willing to hurt him, just by his association with the Walkers I am sure. So therefore, his life is over.” Stephano gave Legend a nod. “I have some things to set up. We will be back.” He stood from the table then looked over at me. “It was especially nice to meet you, Miss Glory.” He gave me a nod and moved away, heading to the doors.

I blinked at his words and his departure.

The large guards-slash-cousins moved faster than a person would guess as they instantly flanked both sides of him. They did, however, stay in character as Italian bodyguards with very serious expressions on their faces.

Luca smiled at Legend as he patted him on the shoulder. “It was good to see you, little brother.” He then followed his father out through the doors.

Uncle Zed looked over at Legend.

Justice stared at him too.

He shrugged. “Yeah, so you can see why I never…”

I shook my head. “Are they really like…mobsters, Legend?”

Legend sighed as he nodded. “For the most part, yeah. The winery and the clubs he owns are legit. So is the whiskey distillery. But they do operate under the mafia’s umbrella. I’m not sure what they are into these days though as I have been gone for more than ten years.”

“Is that why you left?” I asked.

He looked up at me. “In a way. Like did I want to be born into the mob? No, I did not. I tried to ignore it. In high school, I just thought of us as being a well off family with close ties to Italy itself. I knew it wasn’t realistic but as a teen, I wanted to actually bypass it. But after I graduated, I found out that my father had plans for me. Like he does for all his kids. I didn’t want to go into the so-called family business. So I rebelled.”

“You wanted to be a doctor,” I said and it wasn’t a question.

“Yeah, I did. I knew that even as a teen. I mean I have four brothers. Any of them could be a part of his plans. Luca is the oldest and will take Dad’s spot. I wasn’t needed. I told him that repeatedly and he wouldn’t listen.”

“So you just took off?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Not right away. I had thought after our big blowup over this subject that he would listen. But I should’ve known better. So one day, he made an announcement at dinner about…” Legend looked away. “A job he wanted me to take with some mafia member’s company and…” He raised his gaze to meet mine. “He arranged to have me marry some girl.”

I stared at him in a little shock and asked, “M-marry?”

“Yeah.” He scoffed. “Most Italian families do that. Well, the old school ones do. Some of these kids are spoken for and have their careers chosen for them when they are like ten years old. But I refused to run some company and marry a woman I never even met. I wanted to have my own life. Hell, I had been looking at medical schools and applying for scholarships. My dad wouldn't listen to me. Like you can see that Luca is perfectly happy with taking over and living that life. But not me. So, I took what little cash I had and packed up what I could fit into my saddlebags. I got on my Chief and went down the road.”

“What I want to know is how you hid yourself from him for all that time?” Justice asked him. “I mean the man has contacts up the yahoo. And lots of money to burn to get information from anyone. Yet, you managed to stay off his radar for ten years.”

“It was your dad,” Uncle Zed spoke up.

We all looked over at him.

“What?” I asked him. “Our dad?”

Uncle Zed nodded. “He hired a couple of hackers and experts to take care of this. They got Legend a new name and identity. I mean he couldn’t live under his given name and SSI number, could he?”

“You knew about that?” Legend asked in shock as he stared at him.

Zed nodded. “I did and I didn’t. I happened to be at the ranch one day when one of these shady characters came to meet with Jarret and get paid. Cash only is what the guy had said, in fact. I butted in then, worried that your dad was into something illegal or something. So he explained that he needed to hide Legend from his family. I then said no need to tell me more. I mean it wasn’t my business. But I promised my sister when she was alive that I would help to protect you all.”

I turned my head to look at Legend. “So, now your dad is determined to take Deacon out,” I said.

He gave me a nod.

“Yeah, that’s what the man said,” Uncle Zed confirmed. “But should we even try to stop him?”

“Hell no,” Justice replied. “We need Deacon gone. He is and always will be a threat to any Walker.”

“Like you could stop him.” Legend scoffed.

I stared at him. “See… That’s what worries me. And that’s why I told him to forget it, that you weren’t going home.”

“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” Justice asked.

“Maybe,” Legend said. “But he’s stubborn and he’s used to getting his way in life.”

“Well, he didn’t get his way over your life,” I quipped.

“He never gives up, though.” Legend looked out the window to see the limousine was gone. “I wouldn’t be surprised if after he dispatches Deacon, that he will expect me to come back to the fold.”

I reached over and took his hand. “He is not taking you anywhere.”

Justice and Uncle Zed stared at me and laughed.

“You were pretty snippy with the man,” Uncle Zed pointed out.

“Ya think?” Justice quipped as he chuckled.

“I was not,” I said. Then I laughed and admitted, “Ok, so I was. But Legend is right. He is going to try to get his way. I could tell by the look in his eyes. He doesn't care or realize that we are Legend’s family too. One that he chose actually.”

“Chose…” Justice laughed again.

“Well, I did sort've,” Legend agreed. “Requiem has been my family for a long time.”

“Didn’t you miss your brothers though?” Uncle Zed asked him. “I saw how those two cousins treated you. That was family for sure.”

Legend smiled. “Yeah, they were like my best buds when I was a kid. I was really close to them and Romeo.”

“Romeo?” I asked.

“Yeah, my brother. He’s closest to my age and he felt the same way I did about going into the family business.”

“Romeo Descalia, Esquire,” Justice said.

I looked over at him as did Legend.

“He became a lawyer?” Legend asked.

“He did.” Justice gave him a nod. “I met him at that trial.”

“What trial was this?” I asked my brother.

Justice slowly shook his head. “It was kinda huge at the time. Like two years back.” He stared at Legend. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it.”

“I did. I just tried to ignore it.”

“They accused one of your brothers of murder, Legend.”

Legend looked angry as he stood from the table. “So? It wasn’t surprising to me. My father has made too many enemies with his ‘fuck you’ attitude. I didn’t care about his huge chess game then and I don’t care about it now.” He turned and left.

I watched him as he stalked away. Legend did look upset now. I turned to my brother and asked, “Why did you bring that up?”

Justice shrugged. “I didn’t know it would upset him, Glory. I mean his brother was found to be innocent.”

“Did you agree with that?” I stared at him.

Justice paused then he nodded at me. “I did, actually.”

“Oh, really?” Uncle Zed asked in surprise.

“Yes, it was trumped up in my opinion. I mean I just consulted but I saw the evidence and it looked like someone was trying to frame the guy.”

“Interesting,” Uncle Zed commented.

“Yeah,” Justice agreed. “And especially since Legend seems to be troubled by it. I mean his brother got off the murder charge and it went away.”

“Well apparently, it still bothers him,” Uncle Zed observed. “It is a rare event when Legend looks mad.”

“Right?” I asked. It was true. And also why I fell for him in the first place I think. He was so easy going and kind to everyone. Beside the fact that as he got older, he simply got hotter. I paused and felt a bit of a hot flush. Yeah, I wanted the man badly. Years of crushing on him had brought me to the point where…I was just done with waiting. Earlier today, I even made that clear to him after he finally kissed me. I knew he liked me too and not like a little sister either. Time and time again I had caught him looking at me. I felt the heat in his intense gaze. After they got me back from Deacon and he came to the Texas ranch, he couldn’t pretend at all at first. He looked right at me with desperation. Like he had worried about me, cared about me and he felt more than this brother-sister love thing he’d tried to convince me that we had together.

So finally, when he came back to the Connor House that had been when I started to plan my seduction. But I never got the chance to carry that out. He left to help with the injuries our members received when Zed had been captured.

There had always been something separating us. Hell, it had been that way for a couple of years. Mostly, him though. His conscience, I guess. Falling for the sister of his MC brothers. Well, so what? He wasn’t my biological brother. Besides, my brothers and father loved Legend. He was fully accepted by them and a permanent member of the family. So why couldn’t he and I be together? I dared anyone to tell me that. If they were dumbass enough to ask.

He told me when I finished high school that my dad and brothers would kick his ass if he made a play for me. Of course, I told him that I didn’t care what they thought or wanted. To hell with their ideals. It wasn’t their business.

He then went to work at the local hospital for his residency and was gone a lot. I swore that the only way I could get his attention was to break a bone, maybe?

So finally, when I came home from college, I had been more than ready to tell him that we needed to stop pretending. I wanted to date him, be with him and someday maybe even marry him. That was when someone caught me at a store. They sedated me and I woke up in the next state while tied to a bed. Deacon had taken me. Not that I knew that at the time. But I did think why me? I knew my brothers and father would not stop until they got me back. And I was right.

Yes, I waited and I had been waiting at least five years for this man. Then after the weddings today, he finally seemed to see the light. That kiss had been explosive and I almost lost my ability to stand on my legs. Wow… But before I could even talk to him about it, what happened?

His family showed up out of the fucking blue. What? Why now?

Next, we hear that they will be joining this war. I called it the Walker War. Secretly, that is. After all, Deacon was a Walker too. I cared about it, sure I did. I loved Ma, my dad and the Walkers I’d met and gotten to know over the last several months. They all needed to be safe and maybe the only way to do that was to get this mafia head…what did Legend call his father? Bad Moon. Yeah, unleash that onto Deacon, maybe they could do what the Rebel Saints and the Walkers couldn't do.

Kill Deacon Walker.