NINETEEN
SITTING ON THE FLOOR, spine to the wall, she switched one sentence with another. Dark mode meant light from the laptop screen was minimal. Editing, tweaking, the piece was almost—
“We got asses to kick?”
The croak of the voice from the bed raised her head. “Oh my God, Strat…” Putting the laptop aside, she jumped up to sit next to him and grab his hand. “How are you?”
“Still alive,” he murmured. “All that tap, tap, tapping. What you writing?”
“An obit.”
His lazy smile was a welcome sight. “Must be bad news then. The doc give me a timeline? Better just shoot me now.”
“Shut up,” she said, combing her fingers through his hair. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry, Scamp.”
Chastising him wasn’t fair. Adrenaline became relief. God, it was good to hear his voice.
Took her a second to gather strength and subdue tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“What’d you do? Crash the car? We’ll get another car.”
His eyes weren’t open, could be the meds. Couldn’t be the light because there wasn’t enough to hurt.
“I got you abducted, beaten, what happened?”
“Six of his guys jumped me,” he said and hazarded another half-smile. “Did not bad against six roided out gym geeks half my age.”
“Yeah, old man, they had it coming.” Her palm slid to his cheek. “You said three bullets but—”
“Immie, Ford, Jagg—”
“Oh my God, he—”
“It was the threat, Scamp. You’d have made the list too, if he wasn’t so eager to bang you.”
“So you went quietly.” After getting an ass kicking. “He threatened the people you love and—I’ve always been headstrong.”
“I know.”
“Stubborn.”
“Roger that.”
Her fingers slid between his on her lap. “In the last week… I’m putting the people I care about most in danger. How did the wheels come off the wagon so fast? And I don’t know what to do, I don’t know if…” She sighed. “Sorry, you don’t need me rambling.”
“That’s exactly what I need.” He took their joined hands to his chest. “Vex, the fuck, was too scared to lay hands on me direct.”
Just his style. “He’s always been like that. Evander doesn’t fight his own battles.”
“He’ll have to now. Ire fill you in?”
“He’s asleep. He’s pissed. Like he’s been pissed ever since I woke up here.”
“Here?” Yes, they were in the same room she’d first woken in. “What happened?”
“It’s not a fun story.”
This time she actually got a laugh. “Wow, that’s a surprise, our lives being so full of joy and all.”
“He thought I’d leave him. That I had—the McDade shield failed me, that’s what he said.”
“So he doesn’t know you’ve been living with guilt about dragging him past that shield?”
And wasn’t that basically what she’d said?
“We’re at the McDade Mansion.”
“Yeah, the car had windows.”
Ha-ha, that got a nudge of objection.
“I didn’t even know it was still a thing, that Conn still had it.”
“You like it?”
“I don’t care about the house. I just wanted you to know we’re still in the city. The doctor is looking after you, I don’t know where he is now, but if you need—”
“Score McDade’s on his way north.”
“Here? How do you know that?”
“Wasn’t just sitting around waiting to be snatched up.”
If he’d been on the street, connecting with contacts, he’d know more than her.
“What have you heard?”
“Doran McDade, Play, Ire’s cousin, he’s taken up residence in Stag. People are worried, allies nervous.”
“Is he an asshole?”
“Less than your guy.”
“So why are they nervous?”
“Raze was around, now Play, we’ve got the big kahunas lining up. And the Doherty’s inserting herself, getting way too comfortable. Manzanis don’t like it. You know how it is, they front it out, but with news Score’s on his way too…”
“A family reunion.” At least the mansion would see some life again. “Score has a kid.”
“Yeah.”
“How old is—”
“Not old enough,” Strat said.
“And his wife is…”
“Not from this world or any one close to it. Sure not who anyone thought a guy like Score would end up with. Doesn’t matter. You know the play?”
“What play?”
“Ire’s got a plan, right? That’s why he’s off the scene, to keep everyone guessing. Is he alive? Is he injured? Is he poised to take over the world? Maybe he’s in danger, or he’s lying in wait to strike. A lot of questions out there. Silvio’s used to knowing the city, they call him ‘The Director’ for a reason. Was a time Silvio Manzani could nod and someone would be taken off the board. Anyone. There was no one out of his reach.”
“His world’s in motion, it’s falling apart.”
“And his boys, well, you’ve got Helios coming to the end of his stretch, Atlas, God only knows where, and Vex… that guy doesn’t know what’s good for him. He should be at his father’s shoulder, should be listening, taking notes, following orders, that guy… Imagine what he could’ve had? With some sack, he could be his father’s key weapon. Instead he’s an embarrassment.”
“Think he saw it coming? That at some point, he just…”
“You know Vex better than almost anyone. You’re the longest relationship he ever had in his life outside family.”
Not an accolade she was proud of. If anything, that truth was a beacon of his insanity. The longest running relationship in his life was with his stalkee. Crazy didn’t cover it.
“He doesn’t know what’s good for him.”
“No, ‘cause if he did, he wouldn’t be taking on Ire McDade at the peak of his power. Wouldn’t be going after Ire McDade’s girl at all. Guess it’s not a problem anymore though.”
“What’s not a problem?”
Strat patted her knuckles. “Ire give you the run-down?”
“Run-down?”
“On what happened tonight.”
“We haven’t done much… talking.”
“You get too distracted, kid.”
“What am I supposed to do when he turns me on and—”
“And that’s the limit of what I want to hear. Rest of us are looking to you. Someone needs to be on top of him.” He dug a fist into the bed to force himself upward. “We need your voice in there.”
“Don’t move around,” she said. Even in his weakened state, he was stronger than her. An attempt to push him down was fruitless. Not that she’d push too hard. They had a kinship when it came to being ordered around in the name of recuperation. “I’m useless without you, you know?”
“Give yourself more credit. Sersha McLeod doesn’t need any guy to stand up for her.”
“He was working flat out, remember? Whisper was going to the prison for Biz. Conn had a plan, and what happened with my father, it’s diverted everything. We didn’t need the detour. How do I know we didn’t lose valuable time?”
“Now Ire has you back, he’ll get things on track.”
Family went two different ways. The McDades were her priority all day long. But the McLeods, actually one particular McLeod, might not be ready to get in line.
“And my father?” she asked.
“From what I hear, man’s got his own troubles.”
“Don’t ask me, I thought he was with Lach until Conn told me otherwise.”
“He say where he was?” The question lingered until her shoulder rose and her friend shook his head, amused again. “Haven’t done much talking, right.”
“Did the doctor say how long you’d be here?”
“I’ll be good to go tomorrow.”
Now who was the joker? “Not a chance. You’re staying here until you’re healed.” Conn’s threat to keep her chained up sounded like a good idea for her friend. “If anything happens to you—”
“Focus on what’s right ahead of you, kid. Think Ire’ll let you out again?”
He’d never ask her to be something she wasn’t. “I’ll support his plan, whatever it is. This week with my dad has put so much in perspective. I didn’t get it. I thought I got it, but… Being part of this world, the McDade world, it has to take precedence, and everyone else has to know it.”
“That what the obit’s for? An ode to your former self?”
“No, Conn asked me to write it.”
“For who?”
“Evander.”
“Ouch, now, that’ll send Vex a message. Smart.” Impressed, her friend didn’t seem surprised. “It’ll run tomorrow? Day after? Plenty of time for Silvio to wonder about his kid. Hustle was a clusterfuck.”
“Lives were lost.”
“Yeah.”
“How did you get out of there?”
“That’s on your guy. Man didn’t even flinch when he walked in there. Crowded with Vex’s ass kissers, weapons, the works. Had me surrounded every which way and Ire just… strolled on in like it was a day in the park.”
Never shy, and full of confidence, her guy would front it out probably until the day he died.
Fear was foreign to their leader. “He doesn’t get scared.”
“You told me that.”
“Conn’s already put a bullet in Evander’s gut.”
“Ah, that’s what it was. They talked about something the rest of us couldn’t follow. Vex didn’t want to relive that night, but he sure was pissed about it. And, I’ll say, he’s not Mensa material, he actually seemed surprised Ire showed up.”
Although Evander asked her to come alone, he couldn’t really have thought she would. Conn would’ve put a bullet through Strat, through anyone, before letting her walk in there by herself. He’d remind her it’s about pride.
“What did he think would happen?”
“You’d show up, I guess,” her friend said. “Boy doesn’t understand why people fear and respect his father and men like Ire.”
“Because he never grew up. In his opinion, he’s entitled to position and power. It’s a birthright, and he flouts respect on the field.”
“Doesn’t understand he’s nothing but a child pissing in a pool no one else is swimming in.”
“Do you think he’ll come for you?” she asked. The answer was kind of a given, yet she said it out loud to ensure her friend faced it. “On the street.”
“No.” Strat shifted higher again. “‘Cause I don’t think your guy will let him live that long. I’m surprised he let him leave Hustle alive.”
“Killing a Manzani son comes with repercussions.”
“Yeah, love him or hate him, Silvio would have to avenge his son. It’d be a sign of weakness to let that slide. People on the street, anyone in the country familiar with the family…” Which was a lot of people, probably most, some helped by her exposé. “They hear a son is dead and the father lets it go? He can’t do that; he has to hit the murderer full force. The legend is, in some ways, more important than the reality.”
Hmm, suspicious, she probed. “Sounds like something meant for Conn’s ears.”
“And this is the only way it gets there. Think he shoots the shit with me?”
“I listened to you once before about that.” Drawing a knee up to the bed, she got closer. “Then I opened my stupid mouth and it came out wrong.”
“When?”
“The night at my grandfather’s. In the car and I, stupidly…” Almost unable to believe it was true, she scrunched her hair in a fist. “I told him if we ever had to leave town in a hurry, I wouldn’t ask questions. That he should just show up and—”
“He took it to mean you had no faith in him.”
“At the worst possible moment, and then with how the night ended, it was just, I couldn’t tell him I was sorry.”
“That’s what you get letting crazy people like me in your head.”
And in her heart. “I feel better that you’re here.”
“Not the best of circumstances. Maybe next time just give me a call.”
“Tried that and Evander picked up.”
The door opened, and a silhouette appeared. “Macushla.”
“Sorry, yes.” Leaping up, she kissed Strat’s cheek and scooped up her laptop. “Sleep, friend. Breakfast’s on me; I’ll cook something great. Eggs?”
“Think I’d rather not wake up, Scamp.”
Earning the pet name, she scurried to her guy. “Glad to know your sense of humor wasn’t injured.”
“Only my ego.” Strat slid back down, happy to return to rest. “Night, kids.”
Conn put an arm around her to draw her out and close the door. “You leave me to go to another man’s bed?”
“I didn’t want him to wake up alone.” Going into their dark bedroom, she held her computer aloft. “And I was finishing my assignment.”
As he took the computer, she stripped out of his shirt and climbed back under their covers. Sitting in the middle of the bed, knees drawn up, she watched Conn as he read her words, his face lit by the dim glow of the screen.