Page 10 of The Job

I don’t say anything as I hop out of the truck, and Rafe hands me my keys before he climbs in.

“Message to let us know if you got in without incident and let us know when we can come over tomorrow,” Trick says.

“Got it,” I reply, “wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Jensen replies with a happy grin.

I head toward the house as quickly and as quietly as I can. I’ve been sneaking in and out of this house for years now, and fortunately, that means that I know every floorboard that creaks and every door that makes a noise.

Moving silently through the house requires a lot more stealth than my aching body wants to do at the moment, but the alternative isn’t worth it, so I grit my teeth and bear it. I finally make it to my room, and just as I’m closing the door behind me, I hear my parent’s door open down the hall.

“Shit,” I curse aloud.

I look around my room, my eyes landing on my bed, there is no way they are going to believe that I’ve gone to sleep that fucking quickly, and then that would make them suspicious and would definitely end up with me getting into trouble.

The shower it is then.

I quickly rush over to the door that leads to my ensuite and turn the shower on. I don’t bother getting in yet, though.

“Cash?” Mom calls.

“In the shower, what’s up?” I call back.

“We were supposed to have dinner tonight,” she replies, still in English, which is a good sign.

I decide that my best bet is to plead ignorance, “Shoot, was that tonight? I’m really sorry mom.”

Her sigh is so big that I can hear it through the door, “I’ve left the food on your desk.”

“Thank you,” I reply, feeling shitty.

“No problem. We are probably going to be gone by the time you wake up in the morning. Remember the rules, no parties, and if you need anything, go to Rob and Jenny’s place, they have said you are quite welcome to stay there while we are away anyway.”

“Okay mom, I’ll head over there if I need to,” I reply, “are the guys allowed to come and stay here while you are gone?” I ask.

She’s silent for a moment before she replies, “Yes, but only the guys.”

“Got it, thanks mom.”

“You’re welcome. Eat your food and get some rest. It’s late.”

“I will. I really am sorry I missed dinner. When you get back, we’ll go out for dinner, I promise,” I say earnestly.

She chuckles, “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Deal.”

“Night baby,” she says in Italian, “love you.”

“Love you too, mom.”

As soon as she’s gone, I let out a breath of relief and then let my head fall against the door, jarring my face. I hate lying to my mom, but the guys were right earlier, it’s not like I could just tell them what really happened, and how it's not really a big deal because it’s happened multiple times before, and I’m pretty much used to it happening now.

I don’t imagine that any parent wants to hear that.

Mom will want to make a police report, and then they are likely to pick up on some things between me and the cops at the station. Who really should have informed my parents of many things but never have. She would then get the guy's parents involved, and it would turn into a whole thing that would blow up massively.

I shake my head; there’s no point dwelling on something that I can’t change, so instead, I strip off, step under the shower, letting the warmth wash away the blood and grime from the fight, and relax my muscles before I step out. I decide to forgo a shirt since I don’t have any sleep shirts that do up and they all have to be pulled over my head. Grabbing some painkillers from the cabinet, I then head back out into my room somewhat cautiously in case my mom is still hanging around somewhere.

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