291 - Leon Carter

291 - Leon Carter
Leon Carter

The seasons had begun to change, and along with the cold wind taking over Chicago, something inside me started to shift as well. I was observing the world around me with more focused, strategic eyes. But lately, there was one thing that distracted me more than it should.

Gavin.

With each passing week, he grew more withdrawn. The initial excitement of trying to find Lessie had given way to a heavy silence. It wasn’t just longing that was changing my cousin. I could see that his own absence was starting to show more than he intended. It was as if that red-haired girl had taken pieces of him when she left our lives. And now, he was rotting in the place where he remained.

I noticed how he would stare at his phone screen for long minutes, waiting for a message that never came. How he let papers pile up on his desk. Or how, during meetings, he’d respond with grunts or empty phrases, always looking elsewhere, maybe hoping she’d suddenly appear there again.

Little by little, he was becoming a pale reflection of the cousin I once knew.

"He’s going to fall apart, Leon," Ella said one night while we were reviewing reports. "He’s losing himself more every day."

"I know," I replied, running a hand through my hair, exhausted. "And if he doesn’t wake up, he’s going to lose himself for good. Gavin needs a purpose. Something beyond the pain, or he’s really going to get sick."

That’s my fear that my cousin will give in completely to this sadness he’s feeling inside and that depression will take him in an irreversible way. We had a lot of people looking for Lessie. We sent people to Palma, in Spain, to search for her, but we’ve started to believe she lied about where she was from, since no one knew anyone by that name.

Two days after my conversation with Ella, I received a call from a familiar number. I sighed when I saw the name on the screen and smiled.

"Leon?" my father said without preamble. "It’s time."

I didn’t need to ask what time it was. I knew my father so well that the tone of his voice made his command clear and direct.

"It’s time" meant that Chicago’s time had come to an end. That the plans were ready. That New York was calling us back for something bigger, darker, and more definitive.

In the months that had passed, with my parents’ idea that I would soon return home, I began thinking about who I would leave in my place. The morning after my father’s call, I summoned Frost and Gruber for a private meeting.

As soon as they arrived, I motioned for them to sit across from me with the usual respect. They are experienced, loyal men. The only ones I trusted to continue what we had built here.

"I’m going back to New York," I began, straight to the point. "And when I leave, this city will be yours."

Frost raised an eyebrow. Gruber clenched his fists on the table.

"You’re giving us everything?" Gruber asked.

"I’m trusting you with everything. You’ve taken care of this territory, expanded our lines, solidified alliances. Now, you’ll have to maintain and grow. The Carter name will still be feared here, but the responsibility to uphold this structure is yours."

Frost nodded slowly.

"Something big is coming, isn’t it?"

"It is..." I confirmed. "And we can’t afford any mistakes. We’re going to get Arnold. And for that, I need to be in New York, where everything is going to happen."

They accepted without hesitation. And for the first time in a long while, I felt a hint of relief. Leaving Chicago in their hands was the right move.

Going back to the apartment felt like crossing through a silent farewell. I found Gavin on the couch, his eyes red from a sleepless night. In his hand, a photo of him with Lessie sitting on his lap, gazing at each other with love. He kept that photo folded in his wallet.

"We’re going back home," I told him plainly.

He looked up.

"New York?"

"It’s time. You, me, and Ella. My father needs me there. And you need fresh air, Gavin. You need to remember who you are. Or at least try."

He took a while to respond. Then, he slowly nodded.

"If I go... and she comes back? What if I’m not here?"

"Then she’ll know you’re trying to live. And she’ll admire you for that. She loves you, man. Watching you die inside won’t bring her back. But seeing you fight for yourself... maybe it will."

I played my card, hoping my cousin would understand that if he keeps going the way he is, that girl might not even need to come back. Gavin let out a long breath, like he was surrendering.

And for the first time in months, I saw something in his eyes. It wasn’t hoped, I know that feeling too well. But he looked like he was ready to try.

The farewell to Chicago was quiet. No party, no ritual. Just packed bags, clear orders, and exchanged glances.

On the flight back to New York, Ella held my hand tightly. Her gaze was fixed on the clouds outside, but I knew her mind was filled with questions that only time could answer for all of us.

"Are you sure we’re ready?" she asked, without taking her eyes off the window.

"No," I replied honestly. "But those who wait to be ready miss the right moment. And this is our moment."

I was returning home, and without a doubt, my responsibilities to the First were only growing. I managed to prove my loyalty, and even after a long time, I completed the mission, even though I didn’t come out unscathed.

New York was never just a point on the map for me. It was the epicenter. The place where everything began and, inevitably, where everything will end. It was the ground that shaped my name, my blood, my destiny. And now, after years spent trying to build an empire in Chicago, I was coming back with a harder body, a colder gaze, and a heart warmed by the love of my wife.

Ella slept with her head resting on my shoulder. Even in sleep, she still held my hand, as if the connection between us was the only anchor keeping her grounded amid everything. And maybe it was. The truth is, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be half the man I am today.

I came out of my thoughts when the city finally appeared below us. The lights of New York sparkled like a silent promise.

At the airport, as always, there were First men waiting for us, and within minutes we were in separate vehicles. Gavin sat silently in the back seat, his eyes lost in the city he had also left behind, but in a different way. I knew he wasn’t coming back home; he was trying to find whatever was left of himself.

"We’re going straight to the mansion," I said.

I have an apartment here, and that’s where I’ll be living with Ella and our furry kids, who were currently lying at her feet.

Ella nodded, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. Even without words, I could feel her energy. She was trying to be brave, but she wasn’t blind. She knew something was going on, and that our return had an urgent reason behind it.

As soon as we crossed the gates of the mansion where my parents and sister live, we were greeted by my father, who had apparently just helped himself to something from the bar.

"I thought you were staying at the apartment, daughter?" my father said, looking at Ella as she stepped closer and received a kiss on the forehead.

"We will, after this conversation. But I’d rather rest here, I like it here!" My wife’s smile made my father smile too.

Something that only happens to the women in our family.

"Leon’s room must be ready. I’m sure your mother-in-law made sure everything was prepared!" he said as I approached and received a tight hug.

His posture was as firm as always, as if the entire world had to align itself around his presence. When he let go, I saw something in his eyes that, perhaps, resembled pride.

"Son," he said, in a deep voice.

"How are you, Dad?"

"Always well..." I let out a laugh.

As he stepped away from me, still laughing, he looked at Ella again, then at Gavin.

"You..." he pointed at my cousin. "You need to eat. You look like you sleep badly and eat even worse."

Gavin let out a dry sigh, almost a laugh.

"Lately, all I do is exist. But thanks for the advice, godfather."

My father narrowed his eyes, then turned to me and gave me a nod. We walked to the office, where we were finally alone.

I closed the door.

"What’s been planned?" I asked.

"Arnold moved to something in southern Italy. One of his properties was hastily abandoned. Our spies confirmed he’s returning to the continent. And that, Leon, is exactly what we needed."

"He’s coming to us?"

"Not yet. But we’re planning something for him, and we’ll strike at the right moment. After discussions with the entire council, we believe Arnold may become useful at some point, but for that, we need to apply pressure."

I looked at Gavin, who seemed a bit lost with everything he was hearing, and I began to worry about him.

I felt a real weight settle in my chest. I think the end of Gavin’s relationship will end up affecting all of us. No one wants to see my cousin like this, and I’m certain my godparents will do everything possible to find Lessie and understand what happened that made her leave his life in such a way.