I froze in my tracks. "What?" My voice was barely above a whisper.
"Come sit." She patted the seat beside her and I slowly dropped into it. My mother wasn't a person who talked quietly, she was loud and fun. When she laughed you could hear it through the whole house, her presence relaxed everyone. But now the room was tense and her voice was soft.
"Calsy, I know."
"Know what?"
She gave me a look, I pointed my eyes to the ground. "Do you honestly believe me stupid enough to not notice the man watching our house and taking you to school?"
"No."
"Look at me please." I met her gaze, green eyes glazed. "There's something you need to know." My mother took a breath, "I know about Mason. I know what happened that weekend you went to a 'friends house'. I know about-" Another breath, "I know about Black Butterfly."
The air seemed to fly out of my lungs. "What?"
The air seemed to fly out of hers too. "There are things you don't know about your father."
"I know enough. He died a hero, overseas."
She shook her head. "No, he didn't. He died a hero, yes. But not overseas." She pulled over a box that had been resting on the table. "He died protecting Jordan."
A small gasp escaped my mouth.
"Jordan and your father were best friends. He was his second in command, Jordan trusted your father with everything."
"So, you're saying- my father,-" I huffed, trying to find the right words. "Dad was a Black Butterfly?"
"Yes." My mother pulled out a picture from the box, in it two men stood side by side. Jordan looked younger, his arm hung around my dads shoulder. My dad looked, alive. His eyes seemed to glow, even from inside the photgraph. His smile still as bright as it always was.
"How?" The question squeaked out of me.
"When Jordan went ahead with the plan to asassinate The Ark's head, James, your father, was right behind him. Everything went smoothly, nobody got hurt, at least on our side." I could see tears welling us in her eyes and her voice wavered as she spoke the next words. "When The Ark came back for vengence, they snuck into the compound. Nobody saw it coming, not your father and not Jordan."
"Caden slit the throats of every one of the gaurds on duty that night and walked right into the room where everyon was gathered. Only James noticed and when Caden raised his gun-" A sob ecaped her then, one that had been gathering for a while. "Your father jumped in front of Abigail. And the bullet went through both of them."
Silence filled my ears, and Mason's words rang though my mind.
"That day I came to school drunk? That was the day my mother died." Oh my god.
"Were you,- are you a member too?" I asked faintly.
"Never. I didn't want that life, but I loved the man who did." She wiped the tears off her face and sniffed. "You should probably sleep." I took her hand and squeezed.
"Thank you." I said, she nodded. My mother took her hand from mine and stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. She hadn't even changed into her pajamas, she must've been waiting for a while.
I went upstairs a little after her and took a quick shower, getting into my bed without ceremony and falling asleep, hot tears making their way down my face and onto my pillow.
-
I didn't say anything to Liam as I got in the car the next morning. My mom had already gone off the work and my brother had caught a ride to school with some friends. I didn't feel like going today, but my absence from school could jeopardise a part of the plan. The last thing I wanted to have right now was Ivy glaring and yelling at me.
Though Jasie tried to pry at my silence she let it go after she realized I wouldn't talk. I wanted to ease the hurt in her eyes, but I couldn't tell her about this. My father was a mob member. A Black Buuterfly mob memeber. Did Mason know? Jordan must've, and he didn't tell me. He knew, and he didn't say a word. I see where part of the ice comes from. That bastard.
Mason didn't say anything to me as he came into English but one look at me and worry etched into his features. Even a small smile couldn't bring a smile to my face. As expected after class Mason pulled me aside and started to ask questions.
"What's wrong? Has somebody threatened you? Should we up security?"
"No." I mumbled trying to make my way past him, but he blocked me.
"Then what is it?"
I looked around and pulled him into an empty classroom. "Did you know?"
His eyebrows creased. "Know what?"
"About my father."
"What about your father?"
"He was a mobster. Of your family's gang."
Mason's eyes widened in surprise. "Calsy I had no idea-"
"Did you also know that my father was your father's second in command? How about that they were best friends?"
"No, I didn't-"
"Or how about this Mason?" My voice was shaking, and tears were threatening to fall. I was so angry. Sad and angry, at him, at his family, at everything. "How about the part where my father died trying to protect your mother? Did you know about that? That they both died that day?"
Mason went silent. I rushed on, "You got to mourn her, but I didn't get to mourn my father. We burried an empty casket."
"You think I got to mourn?" Mason's spat, an edge in his voice. "I couldn't even shed a tear because I had to be strong, I had to look unafriad in front of everybody. I cried myslef to sleep every night for months afterward because that was the only place I could let the mask slip. My heart was broken." He was panting and so was I. We stared at each other, two people who lost a parent to a demon. One person had caused both of us pain.
"You're right. I'm sorry." I said.
"I shouldn't have reacted that way, I'm sorry." Mason responded. "You weren't even told the truth."
I took his hand and held his fingers tight within my own.
"We'll get him." Mason whispered.
I could only hope he was right.