43. Zane

Chapter forty-three

Zane

I t's been a long night. The atmosphere in the room is more bearable as Marcus and Jasmine make their peace. They stand together beside Alex, while I wait beside the window. Being here is the right thing to do, but like Lenny, I am keen to be out there doing something useful.

Alex is still unresponsive, but the twitching of his fingers has increased and is joined by a flickering of his eyelids now and then.

"Enough waiting," Jasmine decides suddenly, her body turning away from the bed to face me head-on in a way that makes me fear I have done something wrong despite not moving.

"It's time to do it properly."

"Do what?" I counter her demand.

"It," she insists. "I told you I would say when it was time, and now it is time."

"Oh?" I frown, pondering on her words for a moment. And then it hits me. Her rejection of my proposal came with an order to repeat the gesture when she decided it was time. But now can't be the right time, surely? "Now?"

"Yes, Zane. Now."

"Well, okay. My feelings towards you are unchanged." I comfort her that my delay has nothing to do with a change of heart but my worry for the small boy in the bed.

"Then get on with it." Jasmine folds her arms like this is a limited-time offer. I glance around her at Marcus, who shrugs unhelpfully.

"Fine." I nod. She smiles patiently, and I realise this drama has convinced her to commit to the family. "Yes. Great."

With the threat of nonsense continuing to slip from my mouth, I run off into my bedroom to the drawer where the ring sits unloved. My fingers closed around the velvet box that had been burning a hole in my mind since I first asked her.

Back in Alex's room, I take a deep breath, letting each second stretch out as long as I can bear it. Then I drop down to one knee and offer up the open box. "Jasmine Morgan, would you do the honour in agreeing to be my wife?"

I pause, my soul laid out in my hands.

Instead of us lying in bed together while Alex jabbers on the phone, it is now Alex lying in bed and the two of us at the foot of the bed.

"Yes," she breathes, the word a lifeline thrown across the chaos. "Yes, I will."

Nodding to her through my own disbelief, I fit the ring onto her finger.

"I'm so happy, Jasmine. I can't quite believe it." I rise up and kiss the beauty before me.

"You can trust a member of the family," Jasmine grins. I glance across at Marcus, knowing how strongly he believes in family.

"Definitely." I agree.

"Right." Jasmine stiffens up, stepping back away from me. "I want both of you to man up and stop moping around. I will stay with Alex and let you know if anything changes. You need to prove that Alex is right. He is the son of the mafia, the grandson of the mafia. A bad man hurt him, which means he also hurt you. And you won't let anyone get away with that."

"You're right." It was Alex's belief in that which helped him stand his ground before Desmond, and I am not going to let him wake up knowing we sat here crying while that man got away with it.

With Jasmine's words fuelling our resolve, Marcus and I head for the door to be the men he believes us to be. If someone hurts us, we don't hide at home licking our wounds; we beat the fuckers who hurt our own to a bloody pulp.

"Are you going somewhere?" Lenny questions.

"Yes. We're going to kill Desmond."

"About fucking time," Lenny agrees.

As we passed the dishevelled living room, the evidence of the earlier chaos still scrawled across its floor.

"Hey," I call to one of the security. "I thought you were clearing that up."

"The new window will be here in thirty minutes. Once it's in, we'll make sure you can't tell anything happened," the security man promises confidently.

"We're heading out now. I want men on every door until I get back. No one goes in or out, whether you know them or not. Understand?"

"We have a photo of Desmond Graves. We'll keep the house tighter than a duck's arse until you return."

I love the sentiment and also the confidence with which the man addresses me. There is no hint of the usual nerves that come with facing the consigliere. We also have the dog handlers patrolling outside, switching out the bouncy springer spaniel who sniffed out Jasmine for a couple of tan coloured dogs that would happily take someone's hand off. I'm more than happy with the ability of these guys.

"Thank you. I have complete faith in you all."

Their heads snapped up, eyes wide, not just with surprise at the gratitude but with a renewed sense of urgency. They nodded briskly, scrambling to their feet to secure the premises and ensure the safety of all within. With the window soon to be fortified, Marcus, Lenny and I head out to hunt a man who thinks he can hurt a child and get away with it.

We take separate cars, giving us more flexibility, driving like a procession down the street towards Desmond's club. A hostile take-over of his pride and joy should lure him out of the woodwork. Our men are already here in force, his usual hang-outs are covered. With his work and home compromised, it is only a matter of time before we close the noose around him.

"Listen up," I call, my voice low and steady as I gather our men in Desmond's office. No Jasmine dancing on the stage this time, no William and Ronan by my side. Instead, I have Marcus, Lenny, and a whole team of men hoping for a promotion. Getting the attention of myself or the capos is the fastest way up the ladder. "Desmond's out there, and we're going to find him before he can do more damage."

"Desmond hurt one of our own; a child of only six lies unconscious because of him. Spread the word: We're coming for him," I continue, the words laced with a promise of retribution that leaves no room for doubt. "I want eyes on every corner. He won't slip through our fingers this time."

Acknowledgements crackle through the men like fire catching the wind. They know what is at stake, the urgency that drives us forward.

"Desmond will know we're on his tail," I add, a final note to stoke the flames of determination within them. "And let him feel the fear he tried to instil in that boy."

From this small group of men, the message spreads throughout the network, to every drug runner, every known associate, every fuck buddy. A photo of the man in question goes with it, spreading our reach into every corner of the city.

Now it is just a matter of time before we can bring Alex the justice he deserves.