Page 36 of Oliver

Once I’m parked, I exit with a zing of excitement. Finally, Bone is going to give me some answers. I wasn’t exactly prepared to rush downtown but I’m not about to pass up the opportunity to speak to him.

Closing the door behind me, I shiver in the morning air even though it's quite balmy outside.

Bone greets me at the entrance to the diner, and says, “Just play it cool, okay?”

Play what fucking cool?

I’m given no chance to respond, and I’m thrown completely off when I find a big bruiser seated at a booth when we enter. It’s impossible not to spot him from a mile away. The dude is huge and menacing and his cool blue eyes watch me as I pause.

“What’s going on?” I whisper.

“That’s Hate. Do not mouth off to him,” Bone says.

“Why would I?” I ask, a tingle racing down my spine. Hate?Whowould mouth off to this guy?

Someone with a death wish that’s for sure.

“Look, he’s not someone you mess with, know what I mean?”

I glance at him in a daze and whisper, “What? Like mafia?”

Wincing he nudges me gently forward.

“Just play it cool,” he repeats, and I swallow before sliding into the booth, with a weak smile.

The smell of pancakes and coffee assails my nostrils and I choke on a hysterical laugh.

I would never have guessed a meeting place so innocuous for a dude who works for the mafia. Silly me.

Knowing I’m on this dude’s radar gives me a bad fucking feeling. Why has he summoned me?

“Hey,” I say as Bone backs away and stands by the door. My wide-eyed stare does nothing though and with a wince, I turn back to Hate.

His mouth curls in amusement, and I’d like to say it softens his expression but soft and this guy are not and never will be synonymous.

He pushes a cup of coffee my way and I wrap my hands around the mug. Although it’s sunny and warm outside, the chill in the air from this dude has me gripping the cup, for all I’m worth and the heat feels good on my icy fingers.

“Hm. You been barking up the wrong tree,” he says.

I sink in my seat at his chiding tone but raise my chin. Hate may be the scariest fucking dude I’ve ever seen but I was the queen of the bullies once. I’ll fake it until I fucking make it if I have to.

“I don't know what you mean?” I say but he completely ignores me to say, “You hear me?”

“Hear…what? What tree?”

His eyes narrow and I resist the urge to shiver. What have I gotten myself into now?

“Stop poking your nose in shit.”

Okay, I suspected this was leading to my obsession with Dixie’s death. I guess I was hoping he had the wrong girl though.

“Just looking for some answers is all,” I murmur, and he sits back.

“There ain’t no answers. None you’re gonna like anyway. Folks get itchy when people ask questions. You wanna end up dead?”

“I think one of them killed my sister,” I whisper.

“I rest my case,” he grunts, moving to stand.

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