“I think so.”
“There have to be others looking for him. For them. Because of what Thomas used to be. They won’t just let this go.”
“They won’t,” Gordo agreed. “But they won’t be looking the same way we will either.”
“How?”
His tattoos flared. I turned away from it.
“You mean to kill.”
He sighed.
“You’re okay with that?”
“Nothing about this is okay, Ox. But Joe’s right. We can’t let this happen to anyone else. Richard wanted Thomas, but how long before he goes after another pack just to become an Alpha? How long before he amasses another following, bigger than the one before? The trail is already growing cold. We have to finish this while we still can. For everyone. This is revenge, pure and simple, but it’s coming from the right place.”
“You honestly believe that.”
“Maybe. Joe does. That’s enough for me.”
We were quiet for a little while, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
Then, “I’ll bring him back, Ox.”
Everything hurt.
“Can you trust me to do that?”
I didn’t want to, but if there was anyone that could, it’d be Gordo. I told him as much.
“Good,” he said, reaching his leg out and bumping his boot against my hip.
“You should talk to him,” I said. “Before you go.”
“Joe?” he asked, sounding confused.
“Mark.”
“Ox—”
“What if you don’t come back? Do you really want him to think you don’t care? Because that’s fucked up, man. You know me. But sometimes, I think you forget that I know you just as well. Maybe even more.”
“Well, shit.”
“Yeah.”
“When did you get so smart?”
“Had nothing to do with you, that’s for damn sure.”
“Then you’re going to have to do the same.”
I frowned. “What?”
“Talk to Joe before we go. You can’t leave it like that, Ox.”
“I could,” I said. “Very easily.”