Jace’s nostrils flare. “Mom and Liam—”

“Would be ashamed,” I repeat. “Because we don’t turn our backs on one another. Ever.” I jab them both in the chest with my finger. “Boo-fucking-hoo my boy messed around with my sister. I’m gonna cry about it like a little bitch for the rest of my life. Get the fuck over it.”

“He almost killed you,” Jace snaps. “That’s not something you just get over.”

“Exactly.” Cole snorts. “Not to mention all the other fucked-up shit he’s done.”

Jesus take the wheel and knock some sense into these morons.

“Yes, Oakley’s made some mistakes in the past—but unlike you two angelic saints who have never fucked-up—he’s loyal. And you know damn well he’d never turn his back on either of you if you needed him. Because he considers you his family.”

And our mother always taught us that family was the most important thing in the world.

Guilt colors their features. Good.

I shove them both. “Suck up your goddamn pride and get your asses to the hospital. Not just because it’s the right thing to do. But because he’s one of us, and I know deep down you still love him.”

Chapter 60

Oakley

“Can’t get rid of me that easily,” my dad says with a chuckle. “That asshole shouldn’t quit his day job because he has one hell of a lousy aim.”

The fact that he just had massive surgery after being shot and he’s already making jokes about what happened is…

Well, not unlike him…but still.

“Dad.” I can’t bring myself to look at him when I say the next words. “That asshole was an associate of Loki’s.”

Given Loki’s still in jail somewhere across the country—and will be for the next ten to fifteen—he must have hired someone to do it for him.

The shame snaking up my chest nearly chokes me.

My dad never would have been shot if it wasn’t for me.

A horrifying thought hits me like a brick to the head. What if he goes after Bianca next?

Or C.J., Dylan, Sawyer, Jace, and Cole?

What if he takes out everyone I care about in order to make me pay?

Nah, fuck that.

A ball of white-hot rage simmers in my gut.

He won’t get the chance…because the next shots fired will be by me.

And unlike the piece of shit he hired to attack my dad…I won’t fucking miss.

I’ll take out all his people one by one—and when they slap the cuffs on me and drag me to court—I’ll do everything in my power to make sure they send me to the same prison he’s in.

Then when he least expects it? I’ll shank the motherfucker in the shower and watch the life bleed out of his worthless existence with a huge smile on my face.

I stand up so fast the chair goes flying.

“Oak,” my dad barks. “Sit down.”

I can’t sit. I have too much shit to take care of.

I need to do this quickly before the next attack happens.

Wincing, he leans over and grabs my arm. “Let me handle this.”

“No.”

My dad’s done enough. It’s time for me to handle my business.

His grip tightens. “Crystal says she remembers the shooter’s voice, and I remember his height and build. We’re gonna find out who it is. And when that happens, the police will nail his balls to the wall, and he’ll cut a deal with the DA.” His smile is menacing. “In turn, Mr. Loki will get time added to his sentence. That’s the way it’s going down, Oak.” Letting go of my arm, he leans against his pillow. “I don’t want you taking matters into your own hands. I already lost you once over him. I’m sure as hell not letting it happen for a second time.”

Too late.

Because if I don’t put a stop to it now, the war will just keep brewing.

I refuse to let him hurt the people I love…again.

I look him in the eyes because I don’t know when I’ll have the chance to tell him after this, and I need him to know. “I love you, Dad.”

I start heading for the door, but a fuming Crystal barges in.

“You were shot because of Oakley?” she screams, balling her fists. “I should have known your lowlife son was responsible for this.”

“Crystal, calm down.” He tries to move but flinches due to the pain. “What happened wasn’t Oakley’s fault.”

She glares at me. “Like hell it wasn’t.”

“I’m taking care of it—” I try to tell her, but she’s so irate, she won’t let me get a word in edgewise.

“You’re never coming near Clarissa Jasmine again.”

It’s like a bullet straight to the heart.

My dad makes a low noise in his throat. “Crystal—”

“Don’t you dare Crystal me, Wayne. I mean it.” Her blue eyes narrow. “You’re lucky if I allow you supervised visitations with your daughter after this.” She stabs the air with her finger. “I’m getting sole custody.”

He laughs. “Like hell you are.”

Tossing her head back, she cackles. “Well, once I tell the judge how dangerous your son is and how you insist on being in his life, I’m positive he’ll give it to me.”

She’s right. No judge in their right mind would want a child around all this.

I open my mouth to inform her I won’t be in the picture for long, but my dad growls, “And once I tell the judge you started an affair with my son when he was only sixteen, he’s going to realize that you have no goddamn business being around children.”

Mic-fucking-drop.

Crystal’s mouth falls open and she stumbles back.

But my dad isn’t done yet. “Fuck with me and my kids, Crystal. Because I swear on everything I love that I will bury you. I’ll tell the court you manipulated my teenage son. That you seduced him and tried to get him sent off to military school after you got pregnant. I’ll tell them about all the psychological damage you inflicted on him.” His gaze swings my way. “Better yet, I’ll put Oak on the stand and have him tell the court.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I flash her some teeth. “I was just a kid when you exploited me for your own needs. A young, innocent kid who was looking for a mother figure to fill the void. And hey, who knows? Maybe a psychologist will attest that my love of alcohol and drugs started after your abuse, so what happened to my dad was really your fault.”

It’s not the truth. I knew exactly what I was doing when I initiated things between us, and my love affair with alcohol and drugs started long before we did.

However, you don’t fuck with the people I love.

If my dad needs me to play the victim so he gets rights to see C.J., it’s the least I can fucking do.

He’s a good dad. Hell, he’s the best dad, and depriving C.J. of him would be wrong.

Crystal looks like she’s going to throw up. “When we talked last week—you know, after I went down on you in a parking lot—you promised not to bring that up in court.”

Stunned, I give my dad the stink eye. “Dude.”