Chapter Forty-Four #3
“I’m sorry, I know we don’t have that kind of relationship anymore, I just—in the heat of the moment, that was the only thing I could think to do.”
I smiled. “It’s okay, I get it, if it wasn’t for you—we—let’s just say today would have ended very differently, so thank you, for being there.”
“Always, Z,” he said with a smile. “But just to be clear, we’re good, right? This doesn’t … change anything?”
“No, it doesn’t, you’re still my best friend, and I still love you; just maybe next time instead of kissing me, you can suffice with a slap.”
He laughed, shaking his head.
“No, really, it might be more effective,” I said.
“Well, let’s hope there’s no next time.”
“Yeah.” I smiled, knowing we were okay and appreciating his clarifications about the kiss.
I was glad it didn’t mean anything to him, because I felt the same way.
It was nothing compared to his brother’s—fuck—his brother, who was probably somewhere plotting my murder for putting Devil in harm’s way.
Hopefully I would at least get a day off before talking to Elio. I wasn’t in the right headspace for that conversation.
When we entered our quarters after Dog was finished with his patching up, Milk jumped from a chair with a scream as she threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “Oh my God, I knew you guys were okay, but—fucking hell, I’m so happy to see that you’re okay.”
I hugged her back just as tight. “Me too.”
She broke away, hugging Devil immediately. “I’m glad you were there with them; if it were just the two of them, that bus would have—”
“Yup, I’m glad I was there too,” he said, just as Upper came from the passageway, breathing out in relief.
“You guys scared the bloody fuck out of me after that comm disconnected. I pulled out the Bible and prayed for the third time in my life,” Upper said.
“You have a Bible?” I asked as he hugged me.
“Yes. You never know when you will need it.”
I watched Milk break away from her hug with Devil before facing Dog. “You just couldn’t stop cursing, could you.”
“For the record, the kids love me now; I told them how they would—”
She threw her arms around him in a tight hug, mindful of his wounded arm. “I’m so happy you’re alive.”
He hugged her back with his good arm, letting out a dramatic sigh I knew was probably real. “It would have sucked for you if I died, so I just had to come back.”
“You did good,” Upper said, stepping away from me and then towards Devil, who was checking his wrists, which were more bruised than mine and Dog’s. “You might want to get that checked out.”
Devil looked up at him. “Yeah, wanna help?”
“Me?” Upper asked, surprise in his eyes.
“Yes, I was talking to you.”
Upper blinked. “Um … sure? I mean, I’m not great with the—”
Devil sighed. “Stop being awkward.”
“I can’t just turn off awkwardness; that is not how it works,” Upper clarified.
Milk pulled away from Dog. “I’ll get the first—”
A knock on the door stopped her from completing that statement, and whoever it was didn’t wait for a response before they came barreling in.
Four soldiers walked into our space, one holding a huge briefcase.
“What’s going on?” Upper asked.
The soldier holding the briefcase dropped it on the center table while proceeding to open it.
There were five passports and bundled notes of money. “That is a quarter of your payment for your team’s deal with our boss. There’s also a check in there for the remaining payment. New names and new identity cards with passports, if needed. From this moment on, you’re all free to go.”
“What?” Milk asked.
One of the soldiers that accompanied him held my arm. “That is, once the boss questions her.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, let her go,” Devil said, and the soldier … released his hold from my arm. “What is this about.”
“We were given direct orders to keep her in the compound prison for questioning when the boss returns, Mr. Marino.”
Devil’s eyes widened. “What the fuck … did you just call me?”
“With all due respect, Mr. Marino, we have direct orders from the boss to not engage in further dialogue with you or any of the Street members after passing the message across.”
My mind was tuned out of the conversation going around.
The soldier held my arm again, pulling me back towards the door.
“Wait … wait, just hold on a second.” I turned, the soldier’s grip still on me as I settled my gaze on a worried Upper. “Upper, what was your stat on Chika when you last checked?”
Upper blinked. “He arrived in Mexico,” he said, and then warily creased his brows. “But we got word about an hour later that he was found dead in some alley close to a busy street.”
My stomach jumped.
“Dead,” I echoed the word.
“Yeah,” Milk answered this time. “We don’t know what could have happened; it’s still a mystery.”
“We have to go,” the soldier urged.
“Yeah,” I said absentmindedly.
“Hey, Z.” Devil called my attention, and I half-heartedly focused on him as my mind raged with questions I already knew the answers to. “When he gets back, I’ll talk to him.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly as the soldiers pulled me out of the house. I didn’t even fight to tell them to let me go and that I could walk on my own.
I just had one thought on my mind.
If I don’t think of perfectly constructed answers before Elio shows up, I will be wholly and royally fucked.