THREE MONTHS LATER

Ezra hadn't set foot in the clubhouse again.

After Phantom had told him about his past and what had happened with that cop, he'd also explained that Esai had lied for him—and that he hadn't contradicted his words. That was why they had whipped Phantom's back with a belt. Because someone else had lied, and he had gone along with it. Ezra had heard that Esai had been suspended for a few months and wished Phantom had received the same punishment. That would've been a hundred times better than a beating.

Then Ezra could have shown him that he didn't need the club. That it really was possible to live a life outside of it.

But no such luck—Phantom was still involved with the club, and now that they were one man short, they demanded even more of his time. Phantom tried his best to show his good side, and Ezra could tell that it bothered him how little enthusiasm Ezra showed for the activities the Mayans organized.

Ezra just couldn't move past the anger. He couldn't pretend to enjoy chatting with the guys who had beaten up his boyfriend. Who had humiliated him and wanted to keep him small—humble, like a servant who had to put the damn club above everything else.

Luckily, Phantom understood him—even if he didn't agree. He still held on to the club, even though Ezra could see he wore his kutte with far less pride than before.

A few weeks after Phantom's punishment, they had gone on their postponed weekend getaway. Ezra had booked a hotel by the coast, and it had been three truly relaxing days.

No hassle from the club. No hassle from his mom either.

Everything there had been fucking perfect, and even though the club caused some tension afterward, it had never led to an actual fight.

Things were good between them. Serious.

Serious enough that they were now standing outside his mom's apartment. He figured it was time to introduce him. She'd known for a few weeks that he was in a relationship, but he'd kept postponing the moment they'd meet. Most visits weren't exactly fun, and one time she had mistaken one of his exes for a Russian spy because of his accent. Misha had thought it was hilarious in hindsight, but Ezra had been mortified and never brought him back.

He had warned Phantom. They had debated what would be better—wearing his kutte or not. The leather jacket now hung over his shoulders. His mom was suspicious of anything that smelled like the police, so the so-called street thug look would probably put her at ease. That was familiar territory to her.

"Ready?" Phantom had been unusually quiet. When Ezra looked up, he saw his shoulders were tense. "If she flips out for whatever reason, just know it's not because of you."

"That's not it." Phantom glanced down the gallery behind them. "This part of the city just brings back a lot of memories."

Ezra laid a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "I'm also glad I don't live here anymore. But Mom won't budge for anything. Not even if I offered her a villa."

He pressed the doorbell.

Somewhat nervously, he nudged the doorframe with the toe of his shoe. Please let her be in a good mood. Phantom's own parents were gone. He wanted him to have a good start with his mother-in-law.

She could be a sweetheart—Ezra just forgot sometimes. Often he felt guilty for seeing her as such a burden. It wasn't her fault she'd been so traumatized by the loss of her husband.

The door opened. He exhaled in relief. She looked well-groomed, and her eyes sparkled. She looked ten years younger in an instant.

"Hello!" She looked curiously at Phantom. "So good to see you both. Come in!"

Ezra and Phantom shuffled into the hallway. Her hand found his shoulder and she whispered, "What a handsome man! He reminds me of your father."

For a second he waited tensely, wondering if that would trigger a setback, but she let go of him, winked, and walked into the living room. She really was in a good mood.

"What would you like to drink? Coffee? I baked apple pie!"

That surprised Ezra even more. Had she missed mothering so much? Maybe he should've brought Tyson over more often.

"That sounds great. Both," Phantom said, flashing her a charming smile that made her beam even more.

She disappeared into the kitchen. The apple pie was probably fresh out of the oven—the delicious scent still lingered in the apartment.

"Well, I don't know what kind of spell you've cast, but I haven't seen her like this in ages," Ezra muttered from the corner of his mouth as he sat down on the couch.

Phantom chuckled. "Seems like you're not the only one with a soft spot for street thugs."

"That's not how I saw you. I saw a kind guy, moved by a friend's near-death experience, with great taste in music. And yeah, he happened to wear a leather jacket."

Phantom grinned. "Same difference."

Apparently, the coffee was already ready, because his mother returned with filled cups and big slices of apple pie. She set the tray down and turned to Phantom. "I haven't even introduced myself yet." She held out her hand. "I'm Esther."

"Phantom," he said, shaking her hand.

Ezra noticed she had even painted her nails.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you! It's been years since Ezra brought anyone over."

"I didn't know you missed it so much," he mumbled. "You didn't usually react this... excited." He bit his cheek, regretting the comment instantly.

She waved it off. "You always brought such odd types. First that girl who only wanted to travel—ridiculous, as if you had the time or money for that. Then that strange Russian..." She shuddered. "And then that girl who looked like she'd gotten lost on her way to the red carpet... She didn't even dare sit on the couch. What was her name again? Angela?"

"Angelita," he said with a grin. That had been Lacey's cousin, who'd seen a picture of him and immediately wanted to date him. It had all moved way too fast while he himself was still searching for a real connection.

His brother had been impressed, though. She had been stunning, but they hadn't had anything in common. It hadn't lasted long.

"Well, I think this couch is perfectly comfortable." Phantom leaned back demonstratively and then nudged Ezra with his knee. "So, you dated some kind of celebrity?"

"Not at all. She just looked like one. She wanted to be an actress, but she wasn't exactly talented."

"But you wanted to keep her secret, didn't you? Afraid I'd get jealous of your supermodel girlfriend?"

Grinning, Ezra picked up his plate with the apple pie. "Nah, there wasn't much to hide. She dragged me to her parents within a week and wanted to meet Mom too."

Ezra had mentioned a few exes to Phantom, but he never really counted Angelita among them.

Phantom just smiled and turned back to his pie.

Ezra did the same, while studying his mother's face again. She was glowing—no exaggeration. And no matter how much he adored Phantom, he couldn't believe he was the only reason. Something else was making her this cheerful, and he could only think of two possibilities: either she'd finally met someone herself, or his brother had been allowed to get in touch with her again.

"Well, Mom, I get the feeling you're dying to tell us something that has nothing to do with Phantom or me." Ezra winked at her.

A rare smile spread across her face. He was surprised to find it touched him. He'd seen her smile so little over the past years...

"You're right." Her gaze flicked hesitantly to Phantom. "Does he know... about Jacob?"

Ezra nodded. For some reason, that seemed to fully put her at ease, as if she trusted Phantom completely now. "I told him Jacob made a deal with the justice department and wasn't allowed contact for a few months. Did he call you?"

She nodded. "Yes, finally!" Her eyes shimmered with tears. "It was so hard, not hearing anything from him for months." She wiped her eyes as the first tears fell. "That protection they give him... well, you just have to hope it's all trustworthy, right?"

To be honest, Ezra thought she had handled it surprisingly well over the past months. As far as he knew, she'd only had one psychotic episode—and only called him in a panic twice because she thought she saw dark omens. That was way better than the period before. He just hoped she could stay on that path, and that his brother wouldn't give her new reasons to worry. "So, he's doing okay?"

"He says there's no sign anyone's onto him or even actively looking. They're planning a meeting next week."

Ezra forced a smile onto his lips. Was it wrong that he'd kind of enjoyed the past few weeks without his brother? That his brother hadn't been dragging him along to every little thing, while he just went with it to keep the leash tight?

Yeah, in a way, it felt wrong. Ever since their father had been killed so brutally in a robbery, they'd looked out for each other. Each in their own way, with plenty of arguments, but they'd always been there when it mattered. Even if it wasn't always in the way the other expected—or hoped.

He noticed Phantom watching him, like he'd picked up on the insincerity. They hadn't spoken much about his brother. Ezra just found that relationship difficult, and he didn't like digging into the complicated feelings that were simmering just beneath the surface.

Phantom didn't say anything though—he'd probably bring it up later, when Ezra could give an honest answer without hurting his mother. And Ezra appreciated him all the more for that.

"Is it a long trip for you?" Phantom asked his mother. "Ezra told me you don't leave the city much?"

Her shoulders hunched slightly. She rubbed her hands together and tucked them between her knees. "I'm dreading it. But I'll have to get used to it. He's never going to live nearby again."

"We could always come with you? I mean, uh... well, at least Ezra could. I don't want to overstep, of course."

There was a nervous quiver in his voice. Was it really that big of a deal to even suggest it?

Ezra didn't see the problem in introducing his boyfriend to his brother. Maybe they could even turn it into a short getaway for the two of them. Or did Phantom think he was asking something huge—something that required a deeper level of trust? As if he had reasons to keep his whereabouts a secret.

Besides, Rogue was keeping Jacob safe, so there really wasn't any actual risk involved.

The suggestion seemed to catch his mother off guard—but in a good way, because she smiled.
"That's a sweet offer, Phantom." She glanced at Ezra, a look that said she had already fully approved of him. "Of course I'd prefer that over traveling alone."

Phantom smiled back. Still, there was... something. A kind of weight behind his eyes—Ezra couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Maybe the whole topic of "brother" — or even "family" in general — was painful for his friend. Phantom didn't have anyone left.

Where Jacob had escaped gang life, Phantom's brother had died because of it.

A silence fell, one that made Phantom visibly restless. His hands wandered over his pants, his phone, the fabric of the couch.

His mother picked up on the tension. Unfortunately, she asked exactly the wrong question.

"What do your parents do for work, Phantom?"

His fingers curled into fists. It took him ten seconds to answer.

"My dad used to be a bus driver. But he died of a brain hemorrhage when I was ten. My mom did cleaning jobs."

"She doesn't anymore?"

"No. She's dead, too." A bitter twist appeared on his face. "So is my brother, just to complete the picture." He got up and wandered toward the window. His voice had taken on a darker tone, a coldness that made Ezra's own unease flare up.

"He died nearby. I can almost see the spot from here."

It felt like Phantom had slapped him across the face. He hadn't said a word about being so close to where his brother had died.

His mother glanced back at him, clearly shocked.

Ezra stood and moved to stand beside Phantom. When Phantom kept staring stubbornly out the window, Ezra did the same.

"I didn't know..." The words caught in his throat. No, of course he didn't know. He didn't need to spell it out for Phantom.

"I only realized when we drove past," Phantom muttered. "This part of town just brings back a lot of memories."

He'd said that earlier when they were standing outside his mother's apartment. No wonder he'd looked so tense.

"Have you ever been back to that place?"

Phantom shook his head. "No. I've always avoided it like the plague. Afraid I'd still see blood stains or something."

Ezra thought about that. Phantom rarely talked about his brother. How much had he actually come to terms with his death? That was probably part of the baggage he'd mentioned earlier.

"Do you want to go?" Ezra asked gently. "I could imagine it might... help, seeing the place again. Like a kind of closure."

"Or it just rips the wounds wide open all over again."

Ezra leaned lightly against his shoulder. "Sometimes you have to go through that before the wounds can really start to heal."

He heard Phantom swallow hard. "I don't know... What if I just fall apart?"

Ezra wrapped an arm around his waist. "Then that's okay. Grieving takes time. And I'll be right here with you."

In the window's reflection, he saw Phantom's expression tighten — like he was shutting himself down, piece by piece. Like a house where the windows close, then the curtains get drawn, and finally the shutters come down.

"No. It's not necessary."

Ezra nodded. "Okay." That was fine, of course. Maybe he just needed more time. After everything with Lola, and the deaths Phantom carried on his conscience, the loss probably felt even heavier right now.

That cop, that politician—they might have done terrible things, but there were still people missing them. People who felt just as lost as Phantom did.

Ezra squeezed his shoulder, unsure what else to say. The mood in the room stayed heavy. Even though his mother tried to break the tension by chatting nonstop for the next hour, Phantom eventually excused himself, saying he wasn't feeling well.

Since they'd come on Phantom's bike and Ezra wasn't keen on taking public transport home, he said goodbye to his mother too.

"Once you know when we can visit Jacob, just let me know," he said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

She smiled, but the exhaustion was clear on her face. Phantom's change in mood must have drained her too, even if she could understand him through her own loss.

"Drive safe. Nice meeting you, Phantom."

He nodded but seemed to look right past her. With a heavy knot in his stomach, Ezra followed him up the hallway.

"It's still eating you up, isn't it?" Ezra asked quietly as they neared the stairs. "Your brother's death. The killer got away with it, right?"

He knew how these things went — revenge and all that. He could imagine it was tearing Phantom up inside, especially since he had gotten revenge for Lola and Dwight.

Phantom stiffened, staring straight ahead.

"One day I'll find him. And he'll pay."

Ezra stayed silent, but inside he felt something prickling, like thorny vines growing. That kind of anger and thirst for revenge could burn like wildfire.

He didn't want to lose his friend to that—but he didn't know how to put out those flames either.