Page 38 of Diamond In The Rough

“Hey.” Felix answers the phone, his voice a balm on my already pounding heart. “Christabelle and I are taking the day. You’re not invited.”

“Wilkes’ man has threatened Christabelle,” I state, cutting through his shit.

I know the exact moment his brain processes my words, because the air within our call changes. Tempers turn glacial, so I know, even though I’m not with them, Felix’s jaw will be clenched. His hand, already wrapped around hers.

Which is a new development, considering, before her, he would always wrap his hand around the grip of a gun.

“Conlon was going off on the street last night,” I explain. “Killed a sex worker, and mentioned Cannon.”

“Where is he?”

“I’m not sure. But Stovic and I are in the car and heading your way. Where are you?”

Silence hangs for a beat as he presumably takes stock of his surroundings. “Only about three miles from the house. We stopped for a minute because Christabelle wanted to steal.”

“A flower,” she calls out impatiently, clearly none the wiser to the rest of our conversation. “I saw a whole bush of these pretty, purple things last time we drove past a house out here. I wanted to drop by and grab some for you to propagate.”

“I’ll deal with it,” I promise her. Then to Felix, “Tell your driver to slow down—not too much,” I amend. “Don’t make it obvious. You’re just out for a scenic drive. That’ll give us time to catch up.” I angle to the side and look through the windshield to the street outside. “Once I have you in my sights, I can watch your six. You and Christabelle go about your day, and I’ll keep watch.”

“You know you’re not actually my security guard, right?” Then, away from the phone, “Slow it down a little, Smith. Micah wants us to take the scenic route.” Finally, he brings his focus back to me. “You’re my brother. You’re supposed to be one of the protected ones.”

“I have my place in this world. Go a little faster,” I tell Garth, my own driver. “We’re going to tail Lix’s car into the city. We want him in our sight, but keep enough distance that others won’t know we’re moving together.”

“Yes, sir.” He places a little more pressure on the gas pedal and speeds us up.

Satisfied, I ask my brother, “Where are you heading today? And did you broadcast that information?”

Lix snorts. “Do I ever? We’re heading to the funeral home, actually.”

“The funeral home?”

Instantly, Stovic looks across and meets my eyes.

“Why the fuck are you heading to a funeral home?” I demand. “No one we like is dead. And those who are dead are that way because we made it so.”

Felix scoffs, soft and not-quite-playful. “Christabelle wants to do something for her sister. A headstone,” he clarifies. “She wants to mark Charlotte’s final resting place.”

“Fuck.” I drop my head back and groan. “She okay?”

“Yeah. We’re working through it together.”

“She moving the body?”

“No. Leaving things where they are, but creating a little something in her honor. So we’re heading to Carson’s, in case you wanna tell your driver.”

“Boss?” As though he knows Lix was talking about him, Garth draws my attention. When I look to him, he nods ahead so I catch a glimpse of a familiar, shiny, black SUV. “Found them.”

“Alright. Lix, I’m on your six.” I chew on my bottom lip and watch the SUV like I’m afraid it’ll simply disappear. “Go about your business, head to Carson’s. I’ll keep watch. If shit turns bad, I’ll call you back.”

“Alright.”

He ends our call. No goodbyes, no see ya laters. Nothing. He just goes back to Christabelle to help her adapt to the life she’s choosing by loving the fuckin’ don.

“You think they’re gonna make a move today?” Stovic strokes a Glock 17, holding it against his thigh. “In broad daylight?”

“I think Wilkes is new to this world and fumbling his way around. And Conlon is a wannabe baddie who clearly has no issue with video documented kills. That makes him a grenade, and the pin has already been pulled. If he doesn’t make an attempt in the coming days, I’ll be surprised.”

“Moving into denser traffic,” Garth announces.

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