Page 67 of Bullets and Blood
He stepped outside into the expansive gardens of the property in Serpentine.The gum trees shed dappled light over the lawn.This was where they’d been brought, wounded and immobile.“Can I go back in?”
“You don’t need to torture yourself.Day five is bad.We don’t usually let partners near because it creates unnecessary fractures.”
“So you’re kicking me out for the rest of the day?”
“You are free to leave.”Garrick pulled a set of car keys out of his pocket and almost handed them over.“Or should I assign you a driver so you don’t try to get out speeding fines?”
He was never going to live that down.Ensorcellment was always more fun when he was doing it to someone else.“I’ll be fine.”
“Will you?”
He was going to try to be fine.He didn’t know if he could do normal, but he was going to give that a go.“I hope so.”
Garrick pulled out a business card.“I doubt it.Your first appointment has been booked for tomorrow afternoon.I suggest you make it a regular thing.”
Nix looked at the card.A date and time had been scrawled on the back.“And he’ll report back to you?”
“No, he’s Reid by blood, but he’d never break patient confidentiality rules.What you told Ann won’t leave that room either.”
He put the card in his pocket.Maybe he could learn to sleep through the night again.
“In better news.The purchase of the winery has been arranged.Settlement is in three weeks.Have your lawyer contact me for the details.Until then you live here, but you are free to come and go.”He handed over a phone.Pin is today’s date.Should be easy for you to remember so don’t change it.”
And a constant reminder that he owed his life to the Reids.But it would be his life.Nix put it in his pocket.
“I’m sure you know the drill, answer when called, everything is monitored and so on.”
“Yeah.”
“Car is in the garage.”He pointed to the large shed that must house eight cars.“A welcome gift if you will.”
He was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for a favor to be tacked onto the end of this.
“Stop looking so worried, you’re Nixon Hadley.People here were terrified when you were brought in and yet here you are looking like you’re scared of spiders or something.”Garrick grinned.
“My name isn’t who I am, who I was.”
“So I’ve realized.But no one else is going to know that.They all think you’ve taken on the job of expanding our southern border.Your name alone will keep the unaffiliated away.”
His name meant trouble and bloodshed.That had never been the legacy he wanted to leave.“What is it you want me to do for you?”
“Make wine and keep out of trouble, Hadley.That’s it.Someone else will deal with security and the expansion.”
Nix watched Garrick the way he’d watch a redback spider crawling up his arm.“That’s never it.”
“It is for you.You will not keep unregistered firearms on the property, and I can tell you right now the cops will never approve your application.”He stepped closer and looked up at Nix.“You’re on a long leash, but you are still leashed.Get used to seeing me around.”He stepped back.“And good luck.That winery is a piece of shit.”
“But it’s my piece of shit.”Or it would be in three weeks.
He walked into the garage and pressed the button on the key.A dark blue car flashed its lights at him.The Reids had given him a hybrid, proving they had a sense of humor.He laughed and couldn’t stop.He put his hand to his stomach when the new muscle ached.
It was over.He wasn’t going back.He was out.
All he needed was Lance, and then his life could begin.
ChapterThirty-Six
On day six,Lance woke on the floor, surrounded by his destruction.His knuckles were caked in blood, and he had scratches all down his arms and legs where he’d tried to spill his own blood to stop the burn in his skin.
