Leader: Book Three (Princes of Prophecy 3) (21 page)

“Let’s get the boys down babe.” I stand taking Teller and she carries Phoenix. I don’t think she wants to let him go.

“Patio at ten,” my dad says. I throw him chin walking by.

I get towels and wash the boys talking to Lily. She’s calm but shaken. When I take Phoenix to change him she lets him go but watches him the whole time.

“We could have lost him again. That was so fast.” She has tears again.

“We didn’t and I wouldn’t let it happen.”

She looks at me and her face softens. “You wouldn’t. You won’t let any of us go.”

“Never.”

She smiles for the first time and I think we’ll make it through this like everything else. “Thank you.” She leans over the boys and kisses me. Yeah. It will be fine.

Just before ten I kiss a sleeping Lily and my boys. I hit my watch and walk out seeing HS at the end of the hall. “Where are they?”

“At the table on the path for the beach. The building is wired. HS is waiting for you.”

My dad, Pres, Uncle Danny and Rich are here. I throw them chin as I sit down.

Pres stands. “The New York gang saw you on the news. They tied you with us and figured you for easy money. Taking out the gang in the last town also played a part in this. Retribution for a like kind I guess.”

Fuck. Easy money? They were going to ransom him?

“Need the dogs,” my dad says.

I nod. Fuckin’ dogs. “I’m getting that.”

“This is for life LB. Knowing your name is linked to big money puts a price on your family’s heads,” Uncle Danny says like I’m slow. I’m fuckin’ pissed.

“I already have HS on them and Lily. I have Security on the Compound. Family Security is up and running. I get what it means. There is nothing more that I can do than what I’m doing right now. I’ll take the dogs and keep doing what I’m doing.”

No one says anything for a minute. I’m thinking life is a long time to have this type of Security, but Mitch does it and doesn’t seem fazed by it. Jess, Kaleb and Jared have had it their whole life. Getting my head straight I look at Pres. “Anything you think I should be doing beside what’s already in place?”

He shakes his head no. “You’re already doing it and it didn’t stop someone from taking Phoenix.”

“You’re wrong Pres. I was warned. I chose not to put more coverage on because it had to play out. It was a decision I made knowing what was going to happen. I put my son in those hands. I did it knowing I would get him back. Our abilities are a weapon and a curse. Knowing my boy would be taken was hard to let play out, but risking another Aubrey nightmare is worse. I could have kept him safe with the knowledge I had. I chose not to.” I feel like a fuckin’ dick right now knowing I did right, but feeling I let Lily down by letting it happen without her having that knowledge or choice.

“I don’t know that I could have made that decision LB,” Uncle Danny says, and I feel he’s telling the truth.

Rich slaps my back. “I know I couldn’t. I see the curse all the time, but never really thought about what it means when it’s your own. You made the hard choice and it was right Little Ben. Tess doesn’t tell us what she chooses or why. I’m fuckin’ glad now. It’s not an easy life when you’re juggling someone else’s in the balance with every decision you make. I’m proud of you for having that ability and making the choices even when it’s your own in jeopardy. You’re a good leader for your Club.”

I throw him chin and look at Pres. “I told you to let it play out not realizing what that meant. I didn’t get the details beforehand. Just that a try was going to be made.” I nod. “You made the toughest decision you will ever have to. The next problem is what is told to Lily.”

I look down. Fuck. “I didn’t tell her anything. I didn’t give her that choice Pres. I couldn’t, not knowing what she would choose.”

“That’s why Tess doesn’t tell us. She is the one with the ability to see the effect that causes; not us.”

I throw chin at Rich and look at my dad. “It’s right. Did what you had to.”

I’m relieved and look at Pres. “You know what I would say.” I nod.

“I’m with Pres on this one. You got more information than we did. You planned and adjusted in a way that got you Phoenix back but didn’t interfere with what should be. Leave it as it is. Lily’s video shows the pussy taking him. Let VP then the PD handle it with the evidence they have. Lily doesn’t need to know all your decisions just like Rich doesn’t need Tess’s. We all get that the seers make the tough decisions and we give that respect to you knowing you will do what’s right. Today we got to see how hard that job is. Lily doesn’t need that information right now. She may wonder, but I don’t think she’d ever ask.”

I shake my head no because I know she won’t ask. It feels like shit, but I’m relieved they agree.

“Pres needs more to get where you are,” my dad says. I nod. I’ll get a list for him. He nods.

“Is there anything else I need here?”

Pres smiles at me. “No Little Ben. Go see your boys. We have Security for the rest of the time you’re here.”

Thank fuck. I could use the vacation.

I look in the crib and smile. They’re holding hands still sound asleep. I put my hand over theirs and feel their energy.

I walk downstairs to get coffee and heat their bottles up. I’m given a tray to bring it all back up. The Innkeeper sent Lily a plate of pastry. I smile glad that she wants to do something nice for my Little Mamma.

I set it down and change the boys then start feeding them. Teller holds his bottle moving my hand away making me laugh. Phoenix lets me hold his. I’m happy to feed him for a little while longer. When I look over Lily is watching with that sweet smile on her face. “Love you Little Mamma.”

“Love you too my handsome Prince.”

We get them burped and put some clothes on them. She’s got them in little cargo shorts, one in blue and one in black with tees. They’re cute. I take my coffee to the balcony and watch the water roll in. Something catches my eye and I look to the right. Jesus. I laugh as the mummy swings in the breeze. How the hell does he hang them so fuckin’ high? This one has to be the two taped together, they’re swinging from the third floor, that’s a lot of fuckin’ weight to pull.

Pres comes out and does a double take making me laugh. “Why does he always use duct tape?”

There’s a mummy hanging and he wants to know why he used duct tape? I step on my foot. “Axe used it to shut people up.”

He looks at me. “I’ve known him for fuckin’ ever. I’ve never seen him put duct tape on anything but people.” He’s serious. I snap my mouth shut and shrug. “He told me you have information to help me understand.” He points to the mummy. “What you did to one of them.”

“Yeah Pres, I wrote it out last night.”

“I need coffee then we can do that. Are you okay to meet in a few? I’ll have it brought up.”

I nod looking in the room. Lily is playing with the boys on the bed. “Yeah if you get me a cup too. I’ll get the list.”

I kiss my Little Mamma’s smiling lips. “I need to meet with Pres. I’ll watch them if you go to the balcony and look at what my dad did with the pussies that tried for Phoenix.”

I watch her walk out and look to the left then right. She freezes then laughs and walks out of my view. I hear yelling and know it’s my mom. Fuck. I take the boys and make it out fast but not fast enough. My mom is hitting the mummy with a broom. Brothers and old ladies are out here watching. Jesus. No one is stopping her.

The Innkeeper brings a tray out and smiles. “I’d like a swipe at them too. I like justice the old fashioned way. No slap on the wrist and they’ll remember this for a long time. That duct tape glue gets sticky in the heat.” The Brothers are agreeing with her. My mom calls her over and hands her the broom. Oh Jesus. Pres comes out and laughs.

I take the boys back in and sit them in the playpen with some toys. When Lily comes in she’s laughing. “They’re all calling a shot.”

I text Pres that I’ll meet him downstairs in the den. “I’ll be downstairs.”

I have coffee waiting when he walks in. “Thank fuck! Tiny took a cup then everyone was wanting it. Fuckin’ Brothers.”

“Did Kate get one?” She’s not happy without her coffee.

He nods. “I took it away from Balls.”

I hand him the list smiling. He reads it then goes back through it. “Fuck. I’ve never thought about how many there are and they are all different.”

“Yeah.”

“Is this why you keep Josiah on Air?” He’s still looking at the pages.

“Yeah, he knows just before something is going to happen. He sees close, but he can read too.”

“This helps. Is there more that you didn’t write?”

Shit. “Yes. I didn’t write what isn’t already known. Some abilities will show later. Dakota says the spirits haven’t blessed us with that yet. Maybe we’re not old enough or we need to reach a level with what we have first. I don’t know. I do know that we are learning and becoming stronger. The reader from the NSA Op wasn’t strong enough to shield and read. All of us on the list can. Jeremy can do everything I can, but he is a healer. Hurting someone would be hard for him. Dakota is a protector and he can heal. He has no problem throwing and killing someone then five minutes later healing whoever is hurt.”

He nods looking at the list again. “Throwing is that lightning energy you sent to the pussy at the press conference?”

“Yes, uncontrolled. Yesterday I controlled it and sent black pain through one of the pussies hanging.”

“You didn’t kill him. You controlled it enough to leave him alive?”

Fuck. This is not where I want to be on the list. “No. My dad stopped me. I can’t tell you if I would have left him alive. I was focused on what I was doing and not really the end result.”

He nods. “Every question I have is about what is not written here. Elizabeth is guarded like Aiyana who is also not written here. Will she be another with Christian’s ability?”

I look out the window. My father wanted me to help him understand. “She is more like Tess and has always had the control that Tess has now. I think we are all growing in abilities. Dakota is the most fine-tuned and strongest in abilities. He watches and guides everyone else. I don’t know what everyone will have as adults.”

“Your father?”

I think about him. “His mind works like Jeremy. Everything runs like a tornado in his head. He pulls from that like a search engine on a computer. He takes what he needs and trolls the information for the next step. He could have abilities that I don’t know and he keeps hidden. That part is not mine to tell.”

He nods not at all pissed. “Danny?”

I look the other way. He’s never said or done anything that shows he has abilities. “It isn’t mine to tell,” is the only thing I can share here. Uncle Danny will show when he’s ready.

“So he has abilities but doesn’t show them?”

I push my hair from my face thinking about how to word this. “Has he ever done or said he has them? The guy is fuckin’ smart. Intelligence is not an ability. It can be enhanced with abilities but it is not, by itself, an ability.”

He looks at me for a full minute. “It would explain a lot.”

I smile. “An easy explanation isn’t always easy and wouldn’t make it true.”

“Fuck.” He looks at his pages.

“There isn’t anything more I can tell you. As things show pay attention and ask questions then. I learned to plan and adjust for the new information that I’m given by the seers and readers. You can’t wait for them to give you more information. It doesn’t work like that. They may not have it and will try too hard to supply it or change an outcome that was meant to be. Yesterday I had to wait for the pussy to put hands on my boy. Something so small like my mom or Lily’s reaction could change something or someone ten years from now. I was warned to let it play out.”

He nods. “I got that too from Dakota.”

“Am I done here?” I stand ready to run out to get away from more questions.

He smiles. “I don’t think you’ll be done for a long time Little Ben. I’m proud of the man you’ve become. Dakota is right you are a great and just leader.” He stands and hugs me shocking the shit out of me. “Go, have some fun doing whatever the fuck you want that makes you happy.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Thanks Pres.”

I close the door and Uncle Danny comes around the corner. “He in there?” Fuck he’s pissed.

“Yeah. Everything okay?”

“Would be, but he told VP he’d take a dog for Devan and Brenna. All the kids and grandkids aren’t enough. Now we need a dog.”

Oh fuck. “I’m sure he was talking to you about it. He got sidetracked with the list I gave him.” He looks at me and I feel him but shield.

“List of abilities?” How would he know? He’s never slipped before. “Your dad sent me in here to talk to him about it. I guess he figures it would be helpful that I know.” He smiles and walks by.

This is why I have no fuckin’ clue with him. He’s too fuckin’ smart. He laughs walking in the room and I stand staring at the door trying to figure him out.

Racks and Brenda are getting married and I need to help my girl so she can be there for Brenda. I run up the stairs so she can do what she needs to without worry. Alex is just about to knock on the door. His face lights up when he sees me. “Little Ben, I am here!”

I laugh. “I see that Alex. Can you help me with the boys today? Lily needs to be with Brenda. It’s a big day for her and Lily needs to make sure it all goes right.

His head bobs up and down. “I’m good with the boys; I can help. Lily needs to be a good Brother for Brenda. I can help her do that.”

I open the door putting my hand on his shoulder. “You’re always a good Brother Alex.”

We walk in and Lily looks surprised. “I’m helping today so you can be a good Brother for Brenda.”

She smiles. “Why am I being a good Brother for my sister?”

I laugh. “She’s getting married today. They didn’t want to have a crazy wedding so they’re doing it today with all the fuckin’ crazy Brothers here.”

She squeals. “Where is she?”

I give her the room number and tell her we have the boys. I get a kiss and close the door as she runs out.

“She’s a good Brother, but she yells a lot like Ally.”

I laugh and check the boys. “She is, Brother.”