Page 47 of Devil to Pay: Cutter

“You’re on my shit list right now. Where’s she heading? I’ll start riding; already in Dayton on a job for Vlad.” He’s already in Dayton on a job that I’d have normally gone on with him. But I punked out. I fucking punked out.

“K-zoo.”

“Right. Hanging up. I’ll try her next.”

His reaction surprises me. He’s not even that close to Aja. But he was the one brother who said he wasn’t turned off to the idea of an old lady and I have one; one I left swinging. He wants this. What I have—or what I hope I still have with Aja. Maybe not with her, but he wants it and I took it for granted.

I’m an even bigger asshole than I thought.

Please keep her safe until I get to her.

Here’s hoping the universe finally listens.

15

AJA

My phone rings again. It serves him right for me to ignore his ass, but I pick up annoyed that he won’t leave me alone. “What?”

“Aj, this is Rough.”

“Oh,Rough. Sorry. What’s up?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m on my way up to Michigan.”

“I know that. Where are you specifically? I’m heading your way because you shouldn’t be traveling alone.”

“Rough, I’m fi—”

“Don’t tell me you’re fine. You need your friends. I’m on my way.”

I don’t know what to say. “Lima. I’m almost to Lima.”

“Get off at the next rest stop. Text me the exit.”

Why would Rough want to go with me? Since when are we friends? But he’s right; they won’t let me leave by myself. He could at the very least give me a ride back to the hotel after it’s done.

“I’ll text you,” I say.

“Good. I’m not too far from you. You eaten yet?” he asks. “There’s a Waffle House in Lima. Love it. Eat there anytime I pass through.”

“No. I wasn’t very hungry this morning.” And I yawn. A real nice touch.

“Well, you need to eat now. Be about an hour. Less if I speed.”

“I’ll wait. Don’t kill yourself trying to get here.”

He laughs. “Is this what having a sister is like?”

“Don’t know. I never had one. This is what having me as a friend is like, though. I’m serious. Be careful.”

“I can speedandbe careful. Been doing it a long time. Text the exit. I’m off.”

“Rough?”

“Yeah?”

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