Leaning in close to him, I whispered, "I'm going to tell you a secret and you can never tell your sister or brother."

His eyes went wide and he flipped over to stare me in the eyes. "What?"

"Of all my children, you, Wyatt, are my favorite."

His mouth opened and then closed again before a slow smile spread across his lips. "Really?"

"You want to know why?" I asked, and he nodded, moving closer. "Because of all my children, I understand you the most. Ethan is very much like your dad and has everyone backing him. Dona is surrounded by people who always defend her. But you, Wyatt, are like me; you see everything and ask, 'Where do I fit?' When you figure it out, there is going to be no stopping you."

He didn't seem to understand but was just proud that he was my favorite. It was true; I loved him because he was so much like me. Soon his breathing relaxed, and so did mine; before I realized it, I was falling asleep too.

LIAM.

By the time I got back to our bedroom, Fedel's body had been removed; Declan and Neal wanted to personally handle everything else. None of us had ever said it because we had never felt the need to...until now...but Fedel was as close as family. Never once had he taken a sick day. Never once had he not been there when we needed him. His loyalty was unquestionable and he'd paid the price for it with a bullet. If we were upset, I had no idea how Melody must have felt. Every last person she'd come to this house with had left in a coffin.

"Mel?" I called out when I got to our room, but the lights were off and she wasn't back. I checked the bathroom before moving to the Dona and Wyatt's room.

"Mel..." My voice trailed off when I saw her asleep next to Wyatt, who was curled up next to her. I would have left them, but I was selfish.

Moving over to her, I tucked my arm under her back before tilting her to me and lifting her up.

"Liam?" she said softly, her eyes opening slightly.

"Shh. I got you," I said when her head rested on my chest.

"If ...if I have a plan that would guarantee no one would ever mess with us ever again, would you forgive me for the pain it would cause?"

Melody...asking for forgiveness? I knew all of this was hurting her. She would never admit it, but her father, Emilio, Fedel...it hurt her.

"We'll talk in the morning," I replied, laying her down.

She shook her head. "Answer me."

"Melody, you have always said not to ask you questions I know the answer to. Now I'm going to say the same."

"Just this once then." She smiled though it didn't reflect in her eyes.

Lying beside her, I kissed her hands. "I'm obsessed with you Melody. No matter what you do, I'll always forgive you. Even if you were to kill me, I'd forgive you."

She didn't reply, just closed her eyes. "Fedel...he was more than a soldier...he was like my only brother."

"I know."

TWENTY-ONE.

"Funerals aren't for the dead. They're for the living."

~ Gavin Extence LIAM.

It was pouring like God planned to flood the earth again, each raindrop beating down heavily on our umbrellas as we stood and walked away from the funeral home to our cars. Five black Chevy Tahoes were parked out front, each of the windows tinted so dark I could see my reflection. I said nothing. The two new men who had been promoted since Fedel's death-Rowan, who was Irish and heavily built with blond hair and brown eyes, and Lucian, a slim man with curly brown hair and a birthmark on his cheek-now stood in his place. They had worked under Fedel from the beginning; it was like looking at dogs without their leash.

Hopefully, they last long.

"Sir, ma'am." Lucian nodded to us, opening the car door, but Melody walked toward the kids with Rowan holding the umbrella over her. The black veil she wore covered the top portion of her face. She hugged all three of them before they got inside the car in front of us, which would take them to the airport. Declan hopped into the back with them.

"They will be fine," I said to her when she came back after the car pulled off. She didn't say anything; she hadn't said anything since the night before. What was her grand plan? I had no idea. If she didn't tell me, it meant me not knowing was crucial for it to work. It still pissed me off to no end, though.

"Follow them," I instructed, pulling my tie down.

This silence is fucking killing me.

We took the back roads toward the airfield, the route completely covered by woods. "How long do you think it will take him-?"

"SHIT!" Rowan hollered as the kids' car was hit head-on by another Tahoe. He swerved the car to left, the tires locking and rubber burning against the road.

"DOWN!" I yelled as men poured out from the car, rifles ready as they shot not only at us but at the kids. Bullets hit metal, sparking off the bulletproof glass.

Melody reached under the seat, pulling out a gun just as I did. She glanced up at me and I could only wink. For the first time in twenty-four hours, she truly smiled at me, shaking her head.

"After you, wife."

"With pleasure." She reached behind and opened the car door, as did I, the rain soaking us both when we stepped out. I could feel every drop beat against my face, drenching my suit and even my socks. The only thing between them and us were our doors. It wasn't just Mel and me; all of our men in the cars behind us stepped out, marching up the line and shooting.

"Move back!" one of them yelled, trying to make it to their car, but Melody shot the tires out.

"FUCK THIS! TAKE THIS BITCH!" another yelled, but instead of aiming at her, they shot at the kids' car, now on its side in a ditch next to a tree.

"Kill them all!" I shouted, watching as one by one they fell like flies.

"STOP!" Melody yelled once the last one fell to his knees and crawled behind his Tahoe, blood pouring from his leg onto the street only to be washed away by the rain.

"You're outnumbered!" Melody yelled at him.

"DIE! FUCK YOU!" He poked his gun around to shoot but she shot at his thumb. His screams meant nothing to her as she walked toward him; taking off her hat, the rain dripped off her chin.

"Back her up," I told Lucian before rushing toward the children, smoke now coming out of the engine of the car. "Declan?"

"Ugh..." he groaned, kicking open the door. His legs hung out as he pulled up his shirt as if he were Superman, exposing his bulletproof vest where three rounds were embedded. "Next time you guys play fucking decoy car, I vote to not be in it."

"Stop your bitching and move." I pulled him aside and saw the kids behind him. They weren't ours, but orphans, all of whom were holding on tightly to each other and trying their best not to scream, though the girl was crying.

"Did we do okay?" the eldest, who was supposed to be Ethan, asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Yes, you did...so I'm going to keep my promise. Now get out, this thing is going to blow," I told them as Declan helped me get them one by one.

He told them to head to the other car before looking over to Mel, who stood above a broken man leaning against the car tire. "Is she all right?"

"She will be," I replied, moving to her. We knew Emilio wouldn't wait. The moment he'd sent Fedel's body, he was calling for battle. The best chance for that was to get to the kids. I had sent them out while they were still sleeping. No one knew where they were except my mother and Neal. Cora and Mina had taken the rest of the kids and gone elsewhere. The only ones left in Chicago were Melody, Declan, and me. This was going to come to an end one way or another. If Emilio thought to be the mayor and to have a few families on his side meant he'd won, he was dead fucking wrong.

"I'm not going to ask you again. Where is he?" She stepped into the wound on his leg, grinding her heel into his skin.

He grinned. "He was right...he's always right...one step ahead. He...knew this was too easy."

"SHE ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" I snapped at him.

"And I'll ask one too." He laughed before biting down on his on lip. "What's the weather like in Boston?"

"Liam." Melody's eyes widened, our hearts dropping into our stomachs...I was already dialing.

RING.

RING.

RING.

COME ON!.

"Liam?-"

"NEAL GET MY KIDS OUT OF THERE NOW!"

"Wh-"

BOOM!.

Just like that, the line went dead and I froze as Melody grabbed the phone from my hands. "Neal? Neal?"

I grabbed Lucian by the throat, pulling him to me. "Get me a jet now!"

NEAL.

I shifted the groceries in my arms as I searched for the key to the townhouse.

"Uncle Neal, can we get burgers?" Wyatt asked beside me, adjusting the cap and wig on his head.

"No, we will be eating in for a while," I muttered. Where is this damn key?

"Uncle Neal-"

"Wyatt." I sighed, pausing. "Go help Nana get the things out of the car, all right? And stop messing with your hat."

"But it's itchy."

"Go," I ordered. He grumbled, crossing his arms and stomping his light-up shoes as he went. Shaking my head, I focused on the keys as my phone rang. The only person who had the number was not calling until it was over...

I answered. "Liam?-"

"NEAL GET MY KIDS OUT OF THERE NOW!"

"Wh-" I heard the door click and before I could do more than take a step away- BOOM!.

I felt myself fly back into one of the parked cars on the side of the street. My whole body felt like it was on fire...it might have actually been.

"UNCLE NEAL!" Ethan screamed.

"NEAL!" My mother hollered and I rolled over in time to see the black shoes of the men as they grabbed Ethan, Wyatt, and Dona, all of them struggling in their arms.

"LET THEM GO!" My mother reached for them, but one of the men slapped her so hard she fell to the sidewalk.

Move! Come on move! FUCK! MOVE NEAL! GET THE FUCK UP! I mentally screamed at myself as I saw them being stuffed into the trunk of the car. The best I could do was bring my wrist to my mouth. With my tongue, I pushed the crown of my watch, forcing the case tube in and signaling the light on for backup.

"Neal!" My mother ran to me.

"I'm...okay..." I felt fine, but I knew that was bad. "This...this...isn't Chicago...the Irish run...Boston. They...won't...get..."

"Stop talking! I know, you idiot! We need to get you to the hospital!" she replied, blood all over her hands.

Is she hurt? I wanted to ask but keeping my eyes open took far more strength than it should have. The last thing I saw was men coming up behind her; I wanted to tell her to run but she just kept her eyes on me, sobbing.

Liam is gonna be pissed.

WYATT.