I can’t blame her. We all don’t trust easily, and however she found out what Nicky and I were up to… it’s going to look bad.
“Well, I saw Paris today and she looked like she had been through a blender. My guess is Tillie beat the shit out of her. Not surprising really. It was only a matter of time since Paris thinks she sits on a pedestal and loves to make everyone feel beneath her, especially our girl. Paris is obsessed with you too. Did you see this turning out any other way? We should have told Tillie, but no. You didn’t want to involve her, and now it’s blowing up in our face.” Nicky shakes his head in disgust as he leans over, throwing his Glock in the glove compartment in anger, and clenches his pants legs in his fists as he sits back.
“You’re right.” I heave out a breath. I can’t believe how much I fucked up. “I promised her no more secrets, and I already screwed it up because of my pride. I just want to keep everyone I care about safe!” I shout, suddenly punching the steering wheel, thanks to all the raging emotions and guilt bubbling up inside of me.
I see the sign of the Mexican restaurant down the block and try to gain some of my control back. It has to work out. She’ll have to forgive me once she knows everything.
“You about done? Get your head on straight. Besides, if she really thought we cheated on her… she would have killed us or left instead of having sex in my car with Tey. They both know I can’t stand messes, but this kind of mess, I really don’t mind. I would love to paint both of them in my cum, soaking into their skin so they smell like me for days. That’s the kind of mess I want.” Nicky checks the bullet chamber, clicking it back into place, and acting like he didn’t just admit something out loud that’s never easy for him.
Tillie is really changing us all for the better.
Nicky is starting to not give a shit about what Jin thinks.
Tey is letting his psycho fly and loving life.
Dalton’s rough edges have calmed down, as if he’s found peace with this life.
I… Nothing else matters to me except my family. The people who aren’t blood but all the same. They’re my brothers and the woman who makes my cold heart beat again.
“I’m proud of you, Nicholas.” Just saying the words feels as though they were ripped from my soul, but the minute they were out, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.
“Shit. Don’t start getting emotional on me now. Our people are in that building. Be the Logan who we need, then afterwards you can go back to being a sap.” I turn my head to see Nicky wiping away the smirk that just formed on his face.
Looking back at the road, I pull into the restaurant’s parking lot and slam on the brakes so hard that we jerk forward in our seats. I don’t bother turning off the engine, better to leave it running, just in case. Stepping out, I flex my stiff fingers around the trigger of my gun and straighten my suit as I quickly take in our surroundings. Jin’s freaking limo is already in the parking lot, and Dom’s car is parked closer to the back of the restaurant.
Good. Both exits will be watched if shit hits the fan. It’s one thing me and Dom have in common; taking over a situation without hesitation and looking at all outcomes.
Nicky gets out of the car and looks over at me with a perfectly raised black eyebrow once he notices I’m already looking at him.
“I’m going in alone,” I say, noticing his jaw tightening at the order.
“No.” His lip curls, breaking out of his stoic facial expression.
“No? You're going to lose your cool walking in there, seeing Jin treating this like a business meeting. You know I’m right. I’m going to get them out of there,” I promise him, seeing the indecision in his gaze until he kicks his tire and rounds to the trunk.
“Fine, but the moment anything goes south, I’m coming in guns blazing. The moment we learn the truth of everything, Lo, I’m done holding back,” Nicky vows, opening the trunk to pull out a rifle under a hidden compartment.
“We’ll all have that day very soon.” I slap him on the shoulder and head towards the entrance of the restaurant without looking back.
The moment I enter the building, the smell of cooked meat and loud, upbeat Mexican music hits my senses all at once. If this place wasn’t a hangout for dipshit fuckers, I’d eat here on a taco Tuesday. The atmosphere is low lighting and family-oriented. Too bad it’s all just a front for gang members to hang out. We should really blow this place up, just because.
I scan the seating area, looking at families sitting in booths and eating without a care in the world, not knowing that any minute someone could draw a gun and it ends up being a shoot-out. I spot the back of Jin’s head near the rear of the restaurant in a dark corner, sitting at a table, and across from him sits Carlos.
I walk over to them slowly, like I have all the time in the world, and try to keep my facial expression clear of any emotions. Carlos glances over Jin’s head and smirks, raising his tequila glass at me before throwing it back.
“Logan. What brings you to my neighborhood, cholo?” Carlos asks innocently and gestures for me to take a seat next to Jin, but I stay standing instead.
Like hell I’m going to sit at a dining table with him. My mother always said a kitchen table is where friends and family gather.
“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I have places to be. Where are they?” My eyes bore into his, waiting for him to look away first.
“Logan, where are your manners? Didn’t know Franco raised an animal.” Jin speaks up for the first time since I got here, glancing over his shoulder at me as he grabs a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and starts wiping down the table in front of him like it’s dirty.
“Apologies, Jin. How are you?” It takes everything in me to not spit the words at him, but my voice comes out sincere and pleasant as I turn my head to look at him.
“Good, good. Just having a business meeting, although I expected my son to be here.” He doesn’t look at me as he talks, a sign of disrespect, and Carlos is eating it all up.
“He’s busy doing some gun inventory with Dalton at the moment.” I smile wide and walk around the table to the other side so Jin can see me.