Chapter 22
LAKE
There was no time, no thought. I was driven completely by instinct.
"We're leaving." I opened the safe, handed out all the weapons, and cleared out the documents.
Like hell was I going to leave anything here for the police to find.
After fixing the electric panel, I ducked under the desk and ripped the hard drive out of my computer tower.
The others waited by the door, watching me with solemn eyes.
I jerked my chin up and Atlas threw open the door.
He and Joaquin led at the front, ready for the fucking boogieman to jump out. Kim and Beasty, the best of us, were in the middle right where they were supposed to be.
I was last, with one hand on my weapon and a snarl on my face.
Anyone could be here tracking us. Watching us. Fucking waiting for us to be off our guard for a millisecond so they could take us down.
Guy came out of the back stairway, his mouth open like he was about to say something.
"Later." I barked, and his jaw slammed shut.
Soon, we were speeding down the highway as fast as we could without breaking any traffic laws. I wouldn't put it past the hard-bitten detective to be hiding out, waiting for us to screw up. He’d done piss-all to hide his irritation when he couldn't conduct a full search or take us to the station.
"Where are we going?" Kim craned his head as we flew by our road.
"Not home. It's not safe there."
"Quilliam!" Beasty twisted wildly in her seat.
“Fuck." I pulled a U-turn, hoping I was wrong and the detective wasn't following us. I slammed the car into park by the door, sliding a few inches to the right from the aggressive swerve.
"Grab clothes, Quilliam, and anything you need for at least a week. We're not coming back here until we know it's safe."
No one argued.
Within five minutes, we were back in the car. Somehow, everyone had a duffle bag stuffed to the brim. Even Beasty, but I had a feeling Kim packed for her.
Tucked between Kim and Atlas in the backseat, Beasty gripped the enclosure in her lap. I hated the fear thrumming through her and the light blue circles forming under her eyes, but there wasn’t a goddamn thing I could do about it right now.
We had to find a safe place before I could…What? Give her a hug? What good was that when we had to sleep with one eye open.
I ground my teeth until it seemed like a molar cracked.
Focus, Lake.
"We're going to stop in the next town and swap out vehicles." I checked the rearview mirror for the hundredth time, relieved that the long stretch of road remained empty.
Rolling my shoulders back, I tried to work out some of the tension.
“What about Desiree?” Beasty burst out.
Fuck, I forgot she was in our house. I opened my phone and typed out a message to Guy. “Guy will get Desiree.”
Beasty slumped back in vivid relief. She’d be devastated if the girl was hurt by men hunting for us, prior connection or not.
"Where are we going?" Kim asked again.
"We're going back to the Pescis' stomping ground." I bared my teeth. "I have a feeling that's where Gio and Adrian are heading because, as much as they say they have it out for us, they want the Pescis dead more."
No one had an answer for that.
The closer we got, the more Beasty fidgeted as if she didn't like being this close to her past. I got it, I didn’t like being anywhere within spitting distance of where she met Stevo, but we needed this shit behind us and there was only one way to do that.
Now more than ever, we had to make a statement.
The only question was, what would be big enough to put the fear of God in them, and how much of an asshole was I willing to be?
I could send Storm's decaying body back to Gio with a bow on it, but that thought soured my stomach.
We could also send the fresh bodies to Donnie, but I was hesitant to do that. I didn't put it past him to report it to the police and send a fuckton of legal trouble our way again.
With the other charges so freshly dropped, I doubted we'd get off so easy.
Eventually, we pulled into some backwoods motel that didn't even have the care to fill in the letters of the sign. What should have said Skill and Herring Motel said Kill Her Motel.
"I think this is a bad omen." Joaquin bent forward so he could get a better look at the place.
It was a shitty view from both my seat and his, but there weren’t any other options unless we wanted to be in town, which we didn’t.
The engine quieted as we sat at the very end of the parking lot. There were only a handful of cars here. None as nice as ours.
Fuck. I'd have to move this thing around back once we checked in, otherwise we’d draw attention.
"I'll go." Joaquin unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Why don't I?" Beasty asked.
"No," we all barked.
Beasty pinned us with a scowl. "Why is it okay for Joaquin to go but not me? He's going to be recognizable. I won't.”
Joaquin twisted in his seat to look back at her. "Kim and Atlas, absolutely. Maybe even Lake with his Santa Claus hair." He smirked as I glared at him. "But a regular Joe Hispanic man? No one will remember me."
Beasty rolled her eyes. "A gorgeous Hispanic man dressed like he's from old money at a dingy motel. I call bullshit. But a white woman with average brown hair and features? I'm the one they won't remember."
"Sorry. Joaquin's going in." I unlocked the doors, and he hopped out.
Beasty grumbled under her breath. I couldn't hear what she said, but Kim snorted and Atlas' lips twitched.
I wanted to care, but my mind was still racing on how we needed to play this.
Within minutes, Joaquin came back with a bent key dangling at the end of a dirty beige card. He held it up, dangling it in the air, trying and failing to come across as anything other than unnerved.
I rolled down my window.
"Last room on top." Joaquin pointedly looked at the room directly above us. The door was scuffed and scratched more than the others, yet it was the best case scenario. We’d have less people to worry about hearing us if the place filled up.
"Atlas, grab my bag too and I'll pull the car around the side," I said.
Getting the car around back was doable but rough. There was barely enough of a dirt patch without the overgrown woods threatening to overtake the motel. I guess this was to be expected this far out of the city.
As soon as I was out of the driver’s seat, Beasty and Kim's soft voices floated down to me.
I ground my teeth. I couldn't understand them, but I could recognize their voices.
That was fine. We'd just have to be quiet until I figured out our next step.
Inside, the place smelled like musty piss. It was everything a seventies motel aspired to be. Shag carpet, moldy popcorn ceilings, and floral comforters over both beds that had seen much better days.
I swiped a finger over the table, noting the grease and crumbs left behind. We didn't work our asses off to spend any time in shitholes like this.
My phone rang.
Parker’s fucking name popped up.
"Yes?" I answered quietly, weighing the option of telling him Gio had gone off the deep end or not.
"Where are you and why does the club smell and look like a used ashtray?"
My body locked up, and I shot Atlas an accusing glare. He was responsible for watching the security cameras. "You're in the club?"
"Of course. And I brought the best brother with me. Or at least the best brother as far as the Pescis are concerned."
I didn't know a lot about his brothers beyond my recent introduction to Andre. I knew their names, and I knew they were each their own brand of psycho. What it meant that he brought the best suited brother—I had no idea.
And I was afraid to ask.
"Where are you? We'll come meet you."
We just got here. I wasn't sure I wanted to compromise this place.
Beasty and Joaquin crowded my elbows, listening in.
Lightly pressing her fingers into my back, Beasty mouthed, "I know a place."
"Okay. I'll text you a location. But we're not close to the club."
"Where are you?" There was a curious note in Parker’s voice, but I wasn't sure if he was about to blow or not.
"Close to the other brothers." We were on burners. Chances were, we weren't tapped, but right then, I wouldn't bet our lives on anything.
"Perfect. That will save us time. I'll meet you in a couple hours." The little shit hung up on me.
I blinked at the phone as Atlas chuckled. "That guy is a nutjob. I can't predict what he's going to do."
"Good for us, I guess." Kim lined our bags against the wall.
"Where is this place?" I asked Beasty.
She bit her lip. "Shit. Maybe it's a bad idea. But I don't want to meet people here." She must have had the same doubts I did.
"Where is it?"
"The bar I used to work at. Linda's. You know what? No, she'd have my ass for bringing her trouble." She shook her head.
She wasn’t wrong. Anywhere we met, we'd be placing whoever housed us in danger. I didn't want that on her conscience.
"Fuck it. We'll meet here." Before I could second guess myself, I texted the location to Parker. "If something goes sideways, we'll go find another shithole to stay at. It's not like money is an issue."
Then we waited.
Ninety minutes later, gravel crunched outside. I peeled the curtain back just enough to see Parker step out of the driver's side and a blond man exit the passenger side.
The brother had crazy eyes. I immediately didn't trust him.
Another car pulled in, and I recognized Jorge, the driver Parker had loaned us. He was the one to go to the office. Hopefully, they'd buy the rooms next to ours.
Three quick knocks came at the door.
When I answered, Parker grinned while his brother worked his jaw, keeping his attention on the deserted parking lot. He looked like a ruthless motherfucker. Maybe he was the best one to bring.
"Well hello there," Parker drawled.
I stepped back and let them in.
"This is my brother, Grey. Grey, this is Lake, Kim, Joaquin, Atlas," he motioned to everyone as he named them. Grey dipped his head in acknowledgement. "And this here is...Beasty." His nose wrinkled.
Beasty huffed. "Just call me Cressida."
Grey didn't even bat an eye.