Unbroken (The Protectors 12)

My eyes drifted to the gun tucked in Vaughn’s waistband.

The gun he rarely had out of his sight.

“He made you do bad things?” I asked.

“He didn’t make me,” Vaughn said. “I wanted to make my dad proud so I did it all without question. He wanted me to learn how to fight – I learned how to throw a punch with the best of them. He wanted me to carry a gun – I made sure I always hit my target. He wanted me to rough a guy up – I didn’t even ask why I was doing it.”

I felt sick to my stomach because I couldn’t envision Vaughn hurting people for no reason.

“Fortunately, the old man still had a conscience. My job was mostly just to push people around until they saw my father’s side of things,” Vaughn murmured. “Only fuckers I’ve ever put in the ground were the ones I met after Gio was taken.”

“That’s why Con said you were the best equipped to go after Gio from the inside.”

Vaughn nodded. “King’s good, but he and subtlety aren’t the best of friends. After I move on to the next ‘client,’ King and his team get the kids out and eliminate the fuckers. Con gets the kids to safety and Lex helps them either go home or start over. Luca finances all of it and uses his contacts to take down any network he can, usually by leaking evidence to the cops or task forces around the country. He also chases down every lead on Gio while still maintaining the outward appearance that he’s just another super-successful businessman.”

I leaned against the bench and let my fingers roam over the inscription on the back of it.

“You’ve all paid too high of a price,” I said softly.

Vaughn shook his head. “Luca’s suffering is far worse. That kid was… is his entire life. Luca was on the same path as our father until Gio came into his life. Then it was like he just woke up.” Vaughn smiled. “You should have seen our father’s face when Luca told him he was taking all the businesses legit. Fucker nearly had a coronary on the spot. Finally did six months later.”

“What did you do?” I asked. “After Luca told your father that.”

“You’ll just laugh,” Vaughn said with a smile.

“No, I won’t,” I responded. I nudged his knee with mine. “Tell me.”

“I finished high school first. Got my GED.”

“Your father hadn’t let you finish school?”

“No reason to. You don’t need to understand algebra or biology to know how to shoot a gun or beat the shit out of someone,” he said.

The lightness I’d been feeling dissipated. “How old were you when you got it?” I asked.

“Twenty-seven.”

“What did you do afterwards?”

“I’d always dreamed of being a pilot but to fly for a commercial airline, it meant going to college and I wasn’t so sure I wanted to do that at that age. Luca surprised me with flying lessons. I knew after the first one that it was what I wanted. I enrolled in college the very next day – full-time. Luca paid for everything. I tried to argue with him that I should be working while I was going to school so I could pay my own way, but to Luca everything was ours, not just his. The profits from the business, this house and the other properties he owned, the planes, the cars… all of it. It was just one of those things we never really agreed on, but I wanted to be a pilot and the sooner I could have that, the better. So I accepted the money.” Vaughn dropped his gaze and stared at the gun tucked in his waistband. “Gio was taken three days after I started school.”

“You were close to him?” I asked. I’d already guessed as much, but I wanted to hear about his relationship with his nephew.

Vaughn nodded. “I guess he woke me up too.” He looked at me. “I love that kid so fucking much, Aleks.”

“I know you do, James.” I reached out to brush some hair off his forehead. “We’ll get him back.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want you at that party.”

I sidled up to him and put my arms around his waist and made him the promise I hadn’t been willing to a mere hour earlier. “You won’t lose me, James. I promise.”

He sighed but didn’t relax.

And I couldn’t really blame him.

Because we both knew there was a good chance it was a promise I couldn’t keep.

Chapter 17

Vaughn

Can I go flying with you today, Uncle Vaughn?

Not today, buddy. But soon, I promise.

I’m gonna be a pilot just like you.

I thought you wanted to be a businessman like your daddy.

I’m gonna be that too. You can fly me and Daddy around on our business trips and when you’re too old, I can fly us. And I can fly Uncle Con to his fights and Uncle Lex to his con…con…