Page 178 of The Slayer
“You know, that’s Junior’s older sister your amigo’s dancing with,” Marcos finally offered rather than comment on the rest. “He looks pissed off about it too.”
Chuito found Junior in the crowd, sitting in a lawn chair, nursing a beer, and glaring at the dance floor. Chuito just laughed in response. “Good.”
“Chu—”
“Leave me alone,” Chuito snapped at his cousin. “I’m allowed to enjoy his misery.”
“You’re such a vindictive pendejo.” Marcos hit his arm for good measure. “He saved your ass. Can you recognize that now?”
“I’ll say thank you tomorrow,” Chuito said dismissively. “Let me be pissed off until then.”
“Fine,” Marcos said as if he knew it was the best he could get. “Areyouokay?”
“I guess.”
“You scared me today.” Marcos’s whisper was barely heard over the music.
“I’m pretty hard to take out,” Chuito assured him. “I’m good.”
Marcos snorted in agreement and then asked, “Am I invited to the wedding?”
“You’re gonna be the best man, so you better fucking be there.” Chuito glared at his cousin and then leaned past him to look at Katie. “Can you put him in a suit?”
“I think I can manage it,” Katie said with a laugh. “I put him in one for our wedding. He looks good in it too.”
“Of course,” Marcos said vainly as he smoothed a hand down his chest. “But I’d hate to make the groom look bad.”
“Get the fuck out of here.” Chuito pointed to the lawn. “Go dance with your wife.”
“You sure?” Marcos asked in concern.
“Yeah,” Chuito said, glancing to the lawn, seeing that Tino had stopped dancing and was looking over at him. “I’m sure. Go enjoy my engagement party for me.”
Marcos followed his line of sight and then rolled his eyes and grabbed Katie’s hand. He pulled her to her feet and said, “I need so much more to drink for this.”
“There seems to be no shortage,” Chuito observed, because everyone had a red plastic cup. “Where does my mother get all this?”
Marcos laughed as he wrapped an arm around Katie’s waist. “Did you think she only stockpiled food?”
“Obviously not.” Chuito stared at Tino when he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “You want to take a walk?”
Tino nodded and took a drink out of the red cup that had somehow ended up in his hand between the lawn and the porch. Chuito left his bowl there, because somehow the food wasn’t as important anymore.
Tino’s eyes were bloodshot, but Chuito knew it wasn’t from bud.
“Come on,” Chuito said as he got to his feet.
They walked out the side gate in the backyard, the two of them silent as the music and laughter echoed around them. The street was lined with black SUVs, and Chuito saw that not everyone was enjoying the party.
Nova had this house guarded better than the White House. Tino acknowledged a few of the Italians standing on the driveway. He made a point to stop and hug one, before kissing his cheek as he said something too low for Chuito to hear.
Then Tino followed Chuito down the street, drinking from his red cup again before he said, “Tony helped get rid of the bodies. Unpleasant. He probably wanted guard duty. Better than faking it for a party.”
“Where did they get rid of them?” Chuito asked, because the vindictive side of him wanted to know where Angel ended up.
“Everglades.” Tino grimaced as he said it. “But they had to dig the bullets out first.”
Chuito winced at that image. “Ay Dios mio.”
