Page 61 of When Sinners Rise
“Yeah.”
I nod and keep driving, pissed with the thought but not about to dissect it any further. Not a lot I can do, is there? Other than what I am doing. “Been a long time since I’ve been to Nashville. I was nineteen. Dante brought me. Brother’s weekend, he said. He talked shit about our business the whole journey here, made me laugh a lot, got part trashed with me at a bar, and then left me in a hotel room most of the night. Still don’t know, to this day, what he got up to that night. He knew this place we’re heading to, though. I remember the name well. He spoke about some deal with Chance back then.”
“You haven’t been to this Grillhouse?”
“No.”
“How do you know where it is then?”
“He showed it to me on the drive in. Said to remember the location. He must have thought we’d do business with Chance here further down the line.”
“But Chance is dead?”
“Yeah, my sister shot him.”
“Wow. Your world is truly screwed.”
A laugh peels out of me, followed by yet more laughter. “Screwed? You don’t know the half of it. I can’t remember a normal fucking day in my life. Don’t even know what normal is in reality. Maybe my normal is normal, and yours is the one that’s screwed.” I keep chuckling, unsure why I am. Exhaustion? Sheer fucking insanity? “The hell am I doing?” mutters from me. It isn’t a question.
“The right thing?” Miri says.
My laughter dies down, and I nod. “Yeah.” Right by who, though?
Slowly, the strip disperses, and I pull around to some old buildings out back of the flashier places. Nothing on the outside shows it’s the Grillhouse. These kinda places aren’t advertised like some of our strip clubs are. No neon or arrows pointing the way in. No hawkers or security outside either, other than one guy a way off under a canopy. And yeah, the law and city might see them as legitimate businesses on paper, but they both know they’re not, and it’s just more corrupt shit that makes the world inside those walls disappear. Last I knew, Chance was tipping a good six-figures a year to anyone in authority that needed it to stay quiet. We don’t usually do that so much. We threaten.
“Is that it? The place?” Miri asks as I stare at the black door and pull off again.
“Yeah.”
“Why are we leaving?”
I drive around the corner of the block and kill the engine, turning to face her. “We’re gonna need to do something like we did back at the casino, and you’re gonna need to be ready to get the hell outta here with or without me.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m about to deal with some real fucking lowlifes, and I might not get out. You don’t see me clean and free and coming out of that door …” I point at the back entrance,“… within the fifteen minutes we laid down last time, you leave. Don’t look back. Just drive. Go live your life somewhere under the radar.”
She screws her face up, ruining those pretty as fuck eyes of hers. “Can I come with you? Help?”
“No.”
“But I helped with Abel and-”
“No. Not this time. I didn’t get you free so you could get caught again.” Something softens on her face, quietens at least. “All this I’m doing is to make sure, for once in my life, that the thing I’ve done makes sense to me. You get me? You understand? All this might not have been for you alone, and yeah, maybe it’s some kinda penance for me, but if you don’t get free, then it’s been for nothing. I can’t deal with that. I sure as hell won’t go in there, knowing I might die, unless I’m certain you’re gonna do the right thing by you.”
“But-”
“But nothing, Miri. You get your sweet ass free of this shit and go live your life. Have a bunch of kids. Forget all this and move on, yeah? You promise me that right now.”
She frowns but nods.
Fine.
I grab my gun and ease out of the car, pushing the weapon into the back of my waistband.
“Shaw?” I duck to look back at her. “Stay alive.” Yeah.
Slamming the door on her, I start moving. I don’t have time to think too much about it anymore. I said I’d do this for her, and the only way it’s getting done is at speed without any goddamn sentiment driving me.
