Page 35 of Hartley

Julia left with Oleander to grab food for us. The last time I had something to eat was on the flight down. They returned with drinks and decent food, not stuff from vending machines. We needed to eat because even when we got home; we had to drive back to where we lived, and we would most likely be too wired to sleep right away.

Fuck, was it still Friday? It was like the never-ending day.

By the time we boarded the plane, the sun had gone down, and a chill had formed in the air. I saw the house, relived wonderful memories, and ran from scary shit. I was more than ready to go home.

I sat beside Jordan on the plane while Vail took the couch and had Ava next to him. She was asleep soon after taking off. Vail tipped his head back and closed his eyes. When I looked at Jordan next, his gaze was out the window on the night sky, no doubt plotting the various ways he was going to torture Lane’s father and brother and watch them bleed.

17

JORDAN

The anger pouring from me hadn’t ebbed since we fled from our hotel room to the airport and flew home. What was supposed to be a weekend away, a weekend for the men I loved to show me where they grew up and for Hartley to check in on his grandfather’s home, turned into a shit show of epic proportions. And now I had one more person in my building behind a locked door in a small apartment. The man didn’t even have a fucking phone.

I still didn’t know what to do with Lane. He was my key to killing his father and brother. I wasn’t overly concerned with the guards they had. They would be easy to take out. It was the other two who’d been slinking around for far too long. My city would get a hefty donation when they were gone that would further assist the people here. It was a win-win.

Except it was more blood on my hands. Not that I cared, although Vail and Hartley did. Why these murders weighed more heavily on me was anyone’s guess. I killed a man the other day and barely gave it a second thought.

Sighing, I dropped into my chair and put my elbows onthe desk so I could hold my head up. It was another day, business as usual. Or it should have been, had we done what we were supposed to and had a normal weekend.

A growl tore up my throat. I lifted my head, looking for something to rip apart, whether it was paper, a book, someone’s fucking body, but I stopped short when I saw Ava in the doorway.

Doing my best to calm myself and put my mask of indifference back on, I asked, “Ava, your school day is over already?” It was the most idiotic question, yet I couldn’t think of anything else to say on short notice.

“Yes, I was wondering if you could help me with a project.”

“You’d likemyhelp?”

She nodded. “We’re supposed to pick a state and create a presentation on the facts about it. I chose Pennsylvania. It wasn’t very original, but since I was born here, I figured it would be easy. It’s not. You grew up here too, right?”

“I did, but I’m not sure I’m the best to give you facts about the state. I’m not very good with history.”

“Vail is downstairs working on his kitchen and Hartley’s working too. I can ask Raiden or?—”

“No, it’s okay,” I said and stood. This was something a parental figure should help her with. She came to me, and I wouldn’t let her down. “Do you have your computer open?”

A smile lifted her lips. “It’s already on the dining table.”

“Okay, let’s see what we can do.”

Ava had a small desk in her room, although she liked to do her homework at the table. I wondered if she did it that way when her mother was still alive.

We took seats at the table. Ava turned the school given laptop toward me to show me the search results. “There are so many things. How do I know what’s important?”

“Did your teacher give you instructions of what to look for?”

She slid a paper toward me with what the goal of the project was and what should be included. We sat together and went line by line to make sure we had every piece of information. Ava took notes, then typed up a presentation with photos and her sources cited. We worked on it while Irene bustled in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She gave us a snack of sliced fresh fruit. I wanted to glare at her, but it was much better for Ava than junk food, so I kept my gaze on the project.

Vail was the first upstairs, smiling when he saw me at the table with Ava. “There you are. I texted, but you didn’t answer so I reached out to Raiden who said you were with Ava.”

“Raiden?” I asked the guard with a raised eyebrow. He should have interrupted if Vail needed something.

“No, don’t do that,” Vail said as he moved in front of me, blocking my view of Raiden. “I asked him not to say anything when he told me you were busy. It wasn’t urgent. I just wanted to see how you were doing.” What he didn’t say was he wanted to make sure I hadn’t murdered Lane for the irritation he brought to my family.

Lane wasn’t the issue though. I was. This rested on me, and it was for me to fix.

“I’m fine, just helping Ava with her homework.”

The smile Vail wore melted the anger residing in me. “Keep up the good work. I’m going to shower and will be down in time for dinner.”

---