Page 16 of Lesson Learned

“Send your driver home,” he says, appearing at my side on such light feet that I give a start. “We’ll take my car.”

“We can go separately. I need to get home straight after.”

“And I can drop you off there.”

Bitter experience has taught me arguing is useless. I send a note to the driver and my smile fades as he pulls out of the lot and merges into the stream of traffic.

“Cheer up,” Patrick says, clapping me on the shoulder. “You can fill me in on the situation while I drive.”

The trip only takes five minutes. With the typical benevolence the world bestows upon my brother, there’s a parking spot just four doors down from the club. He pulls into it, remaining seated as he turns off the engine. “I’ve sent a message through to Jimi to cut all the camera feeds. It’ll just take him a few minutes to get them done.”

I nod, settling into an uncomfortable silence. Made worse when Patrick grins at me. “Now, do you want to tell me why we’re really sitting outside my new club?”

“It’s like I said.”

He releases his seat belt, turning to face me, his eyes searing into me with their burning curiosity. “You remember the plan, yeah?”

I grunt in the affirmative.

“So, what’s this little side quest all about?”

He has his big brother voice on and as much as I resent it, I also welcome it too. It’s hard for people outside of our family to understand what it’s like to grow up as part of it. How tough you have to be every minute. How guarded.

Among the wealth and the excess another truth lurks, loneliness. Most people outside the family business are off limits, they wouldn’t understand, and the people within it are as twisted and damaged as me.

I always envied the ones who found relationships outside our clan, but Patrick’s brush with death made me wary. When I found common interests with Saski, a daughter of an upcoming lieutenant, it felt wonderful, it felt incredible, but most of all, it felt safe.

But while I was looking at threats from outside, I should have paid more attention to the woman sleeping next to me.

“You can’t wriggle out of your obligation,” Patrick says. “Creighton will kill you if you try.”

“I know.”

“But you still thought it was important to deal with this bartender tonight? Two days before you go undercover?”

“A girl could’ve been hurt tonight.”

“No.”

I turn to him, irritated. “What?”

“No girls. No distractions. If you get this wrong—”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He reaches and grabs my chin, forcing me to face him. “You’re not the only whose life is on the line. I work with that man every fucking day. Everything you do, affects me.”

I shove his hand away, getting out of the car and slamming the door. “Are we going to do this or what?”

“Just wait a sec.” He leans against the car, staring at his phone and a trio of girls staggering past start catcalling him. He gives them a once over and a quick salute, igniting laughter.

“Aren’t you getting enough at your club?” My brother employs staff who enjoy ‘free use,’ in the workplace. I don’t even pretend to understand their interweaving demand and supply.

“Don’t be jealous, little bro. There’s plenty for everyone.” He straightens, tucking his phone away. “The internals are down. I’ll keep watch out here, you do whatever.” He opens the driver’s side door and sits in the car sideways, his feet still out on the curb, phone in hand, scrolling.

If that’s his contribution, he’s not much help but at least he’s not a hindrance.

The club is still open, but the door’s no longer accepting new entrants. The bouncer on duty shakes his head as I approach, folding his arms when I don’t automatically turn around.

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