Elicit (Eagle Elite #4)(72)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Phoenix paled. “But, what if I hadn’t told Tex?”

“Then we wouldn’t be here,” Sergio said quietly. “He trusted that in the end you’d do the right thing, redeem yourself, find your soul, and finally find peace. He knew it was a risk, he knew he may die in the process, knew that we’d all die if Tex didn’t do something. He knew you, Phoenix, better than you knew yourself.”

Nixon exhaled loudly and leaned back in his chair. “Why not tell us?”

“If things ended badly,” I said finally. “It would get traced to everyone but you…” I swallowed. “The Abandonatos are the most powerful family in America, we needed you guys clean, alive, and in the dark.”

“You shouldn’t have made that call,” Chase said.

“We did what was best,” Frank said. “You’re family has taken the brunt of things for the past twenty years, it was time we protected you, it was time to do the right thing.”

Shaking, I finally sat down. “What happens now, do I move back to Sicily, run the Family from here, make a second in command?” I groaned. “Marry into the Nicolasi family still?”

Frank hesitated briefly before drumming his fingers across the table. “Well, that all depends…”

“On what?” I barked, my patience was officially gone.

“On Phoenix.”

All eyes turned to Phoenix, his eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What do you mean, it depends on me?”

Frank stood, with shaking hands he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and read. “On the terms of my last will and testament, I leave all of my earthly possessions, listed in detail within my will, to Phoenix De Lange.”

My mouth dropped open as Phoenix made a noise that sounded a hell of a lot like a whimper.

“I understand that The Nicolasi family will be in need of a leader, I also understand that in rare times it is allowed to choose someone who is not blood, someone who has within them the heart of a warrior, the loyalty of a true family member. Blood does not always win. After all blood is a part of the human heart, and I deem this heart ready to lead. I name the next boss of the Nicolasi family: Phoenix De Lange.”

Frank set down the paper and wiped his face with a cloth. “So, as I said, I guess it all depends on, Phoenix, what will be your first act as Boss?”

Phoenix had grown so quiet I was afraid he’d died of a heart attack, or at least shock.

His face had gone completely pale. “But I’m not his son, I’m not—”

“You were more his son…” Frank’s voice shook. “Than you will ever know.”

“I…” Phoenix’s voice cracked. “I need… some time.”

“And a drink.” Nixon exhaled loudly and knocked on the table. “Someone get him a drink.”

“He doesn’t drink anymore.” I took my eyes off Phoenix and made eye contact with Nixon. “But I’m pretty sure now would be a good time to pick up the habit again.”

“No drinks.” Phoenix held up his hand. “Time, I need time.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY

The Mafia is where broken hearts go to die…

Mo

THREE HOURS.

I waited three hours for Tex to knock on my door. I willed him to enter into the room and at least tell me that things were going to be okay.

My arm was a little bit sore but it was barely scratched and hadn’t bled all that much, I took some painkillers anyway and tried to read a book.

But how do you read a freaking romance novel after surviving a gunfight? I mean seriously. It was almost laughable… almost. My stomach clenched at the sight of Luca slumping to the ground. I’d never fully trusted him, but he was good—in the end, he was good and he’d died. It was unfair, but then again, nobody ever said the Mafia was the place to go when you wanted fairness and equality.

Even though I’d been waiting for it, the soft knock on the door startled me. I opened my mouth to say “come in,” but Tex had already pushed the door nearly off the hinges. He slammed it behind him and stalked towards me, his face intense, serious.

I gulped. “Things not go well?”

“Marry me.” He kissed my mouth, hard, so hard I fell back against the bed with a huff.

“What?”

“Again, for real, marry me.” His lips collided with mine as his tongue entered my mouth. My breathing picked up as his hands moved to the skin of my stomach. “Please, please don’t say no. I won’t survive it, I won’t, Mo.”

“But…”

Tex’s mouth assaulted mine again, stealing my words.

“But, the contract.”

“Void.” He teased my lower lip with his tongue. “Ripped up.”

“What?” I gently pushed against his chest. “How? Why?”

Tex sighed and leaned back. “It’s a long story.”

“So tell me.”

“Say yes first.”

I grinned at his hopeful look, he was too beautiful, even after seeing all the death and destruction, I could look at him and see beauty, I could see goodness, love, desire. His blue eyes flashed with hunger as he leaned in, the roughness of jaw brushing against my cheek. “Say yes.”

“What was the question again?”

Tex pulled back and stood in front of me, gripping both my hands, then as if having second thoughts, bent down on one knee. “Marry me, not because you’re forced at gun point, not because you have to, not because there is no choice, or a damn contract signed in blood. Marry me because I love you. I love Monroe Abandonato with every bone in my body, I love you. Marry me, because you want to, because I can’t survive without you, because I don’t want to imagine a world where we aren’t together. Marry me, because I can’t stand the thought of waking up next to anyone one else but you, for as long as God allows me to live, I want to wake up to your face, your lips, your smile, you. I just want you. God knows Mo, if I were given one wish in this world, I’d ask for you. Every time. I’d ask for you.”

Tears streamed down my face as I nodded. “Yes, yes I’ll marry you.”

His mouth crashed into mine as he pushed me back onto the bed, hovering over me as he searched my eyes. Then with a soft moan, he tracked kisses over my lips, down my neck, back up to my chin… I groaned with delight as he lifted my shirt, his mouth moving across my stomach, caressing every inch of my skin until my body burned for him.