Page 97 of The Devil We Know

Matt: 50/50

Carolina: I don’t dare speculate.

Declan: Well, that was clear.

Antoinette: Yeah, just get here.

I send a token thumbs up and close out of my app.

I know asking was probably stupid, but for some reason, getting three completely different answers makes me feel better.

We manage to make it to the warehouse in just over an hour, which is exceedingly good, given the time it takes to taxi an aircraft and maneuver through traffic.

It’s the wee hours of the morning, but everyone is congregated in the communication room, our version of the family room.

I walk directly to Antoinette, pulling her into my arms and hugging her. I open my mouth to speak, but she interrupts, “I swear to fucking Christ, Declan, if you try to give me condolences, I will kick you in the balls.”

I flinch and then laugh. “I was just going to ask who we get to kill first.”

She relaxes in my embrace, patting me on the back awkwardly in her prisoner-hug position. I step back, my hands squeezing her biceps. She gives me a small, grateful smile, tension around her eyes and in the set of her jaw evident. “We’ve got a list going.”

I step back with a nod, then walk over to greet Matt and Tony, taking a mental headcount of everyone in the room.

I look around for Issa and find her standing with Jessica and two women I don’t recognize. One of the women hands something to Issa, and I take a closer look, noting a handgun. I walk over to them, stopping beside Issa as I say, “Come on now, dollface. Put that down.”

She glances at me with her eyebrows raised. “Excuse me?”

I wince, immediately realizing my error, but then I say, “That’s not a toy.”

Her eyes narrow further. I wince again, and Jessica laughs. “By all means, Dec, keep going.”

I grit my teeth, searching for words that won’t escalate the situation. I glance at Jessica and then back at Issa, who’s staring at me, and when I remain silent, she smirks knowingly. “Was there anything else?”

I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head, realizing there’s nothing else I really can say so I turn back to Antoinette, who’s smiling at me teasingly. I glare at her. “Don’t fucking start with me.”

“What could I possibly say?”

“I just don’t like seeing her with weapons,” I reply grumpily. “It just doesn’t fit for her.”

“I get it,” she replies. “She hasn’t had to be part of this world, and I totally understand you wanting to keep her away from it.”

“I tried to get her to stay home, but she wasn’t having it.”

“I don’t blame her. She knows if you’re coming over here to fuck around, anything could happen.”

I laugh and nod. “And that’s exactly what she said.”

Antoinette levels me with a serious look as she says, “You do realize if she decides to come with us, there’s nothing you can do, right?”

I bristle, frowning as I sputter, “Don’t remind me.”

“I’m not saying she’ll want to,” she replies with a laugh. “Just making sure you know what’ll happen if you try to interfere.”

I look back at Issa, who’s now holding a bigger gun and talking animatedly to Jessica, and I sigh. Antoinette rests her hand on my arm, drawing my focus back to her, and she says, “We won’t let anything happen to her.”

“If only it was that simple.”

She snorts. “Ain’t that the fucking truth.”

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