Page 183 of Sinful Like Us
“There’s no more pain meds,” Farrow reminds everyone.
“She’s critical,” Akara agrees with Quinn, and we move on.
To me.
But at this meeting with Epsilon, I’m Banks Moretti. Which means that my client is Maximoff Hale, shared with Farrow.
So I turn to him beside me. “You go ahead.”
Farrow balances back on his chair legs. “Maximoff isn’t sleeping. He’s probably clocked in two hours in three days, and that’s being extremely fucking generous.”
“Is he taking Ripped Fuel?” O’Malley asks, actually being cordial.
“No.” Farrow shakes his head. “He’s just stubborn as fuck, and he feels responsible to help get everyone home.”
Akara nods. “Where would you rank him?”
“Urgent, but he’s going to place himself asfine.”
Maximoff won’t take up a spot that his cousin or sister could fill.
We continue, jumping over Donnelly who has no client here.
Oscar sounds deadly serious as he says, “Charlie can’t be here. I’ve never seen him locked inoneplacefor this long. He can’t handle it, and I’ll tell you right now, he’s critical and he’s number one on the priority list.”
Akara nods. “And Joana?”
“Other than being pissed she missed her fight, she’s fine.” Oscar shifts forward. “But she’s attached to me, so if you send me with the four clients, Jo has to be one of them. I love most of you motherfuckers and I trust you all, but I’m not leaving her.”
“Can she stay with Quinn?” Akara asks.
“No.” Oscar looks to his brother. “Sorry, little bro.”
“She’s my sister too,” Quinn retorts.
“I’m ten years older than you andtwelveyears older than her—so let’s not fucking start this. Okay?”
Quinn nods tensely.
We have two clients left to discuss.Jane is last.I wait in anticipation, my chest tightening, and Akara brings up his girl.
“Sulli is homesick.” Akara rubs his chilled hands. “She can’t call her dad or mom here, and it’s been getting to her.”
He’s my closest friend, and I hate that he hasn’t talked to me about this. I can see that Sulli’s pain is tearing at him.
“She’s urgent.” Akara ranks her.
“What about the Rooster?” Donnelly asks. “Won’t he wanna be with his girlfriend if she leaves?”
Akara restrains an eye roll at the mention of Will Rochester. “He can’t go. If he wants to complain, he can complain to the nearest wall.”
Farrow and Oscar are grinning.
Yeah, Akara sounds jealous. But he nods to Tony, keeping the show on the fucking road, and my senses sharpen as her name reaches the air.
“Jane is fine,” Tony says easily. “She’s just been keeping to herself.”
I swallow a rock. I want to say how last night she almost had a panic attack. How I held her in my arms and I practically rocked her to sleep while she cried in my chest.
