Page 25 of Dragon Strife
“I knew you’d be here.”
I turn at the sound of Laith’s voice as he comes through the door, his boots hitting the new hardwood floor with loudthuds.
“I didn’t hear your bike.” I rub the back of my neck as I look at the floor. “Am I that out of it?”
“I’m in the car today, I was trailing Genni and Malik,” he replies and then huffs before wincing. “I spoke to her.” He toes at the cement floor with his boot.
“What?” I straighten as my heart slams against my rib cage. “What do you mean?”
“I mean for once she was without my brother.” He avoids my eyes as he looks around the room, and I can tell he’s hiding something from me.
“Laith, what aren’t you telling me?” I question as my mouth slowly dries out with fear. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll have to forgive me, brother,” he says, his eyes finally slipping back to mine. “There are reasons I’m holding back information.”
“I–I’m cl–clean today,” I stammer, my hands shooting outward in desperation. “I haven’t drank a drop.”
“It’s not that.” He shakes his head. “I see how loyal you are to Jaeger, and I understand why. You two feel as close as blood, and even I know how that can muddy the waters of distrust. No matter how much wrong your brother will do to you and the people around him, you will always try to see the silver lining, the good in him.”
“There is good in Jaeger,” I implore, hoping I can convince Laith about the man I’ve known since we were kids. I look him in the eye and try my best to portray Jaeger’s reasoning. “Vic fucked him over. His own father betrayed him, Laith. He played his two children against each other, and Jaeger found himself once again on the losing end of family love.”
My eyes fill with tears as I imagine everything Jaeger’s been feeling for months, and even though he did something despicable to his sister, I don’t think he was thinking clearly. I truly believe he thought Bear and Barrett would stick to the deal, and fuck, so did I. There was so much at stake for them to let it all fall.
We should’ve known better.
“I didn’t say there wasn’t, Chino.” He comes forward and places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.The sentiment has me clenching my eyes shut to stave off the tears, but one escapes to slip over my cheek. I quickly brush it away as Laith continues speaking. “I’m saying you will bypass the bad shit because you’re only focused on the good. Or the potential for good. On a side note, you’re looking much better today.”
“I need to know how she is,” I beg. I can hear the whine in my voice, the pleading in my tone. “Can you at least tell me how she is?”
“Yeah.” He nods before leading us to a new leather couch as the workers move around us, hurrying to get everything done. “She’s stronger, I mean physically stronger,” he begins once we’re seated. “She’s tough now too, I can see the edge in her eyes. Ruthlessness oozed out of her very pores. She basically told me she’s coming for all of us. She wouldn’t even consider coming back with me.”
“You should’ve just grabbed her!” I exclaim, my stomach twisting with anxiety at the thought of her hating us so much that she’d rather be with the enemy. “She shouldn’t be with them, Laith! We don’t know what they’re doing to her.”
“All things that should have been considered when she was taken,” he murmurs, his eyes filling with what looks like pity.
“Jaeger was betrayed!” I cry out as I stand, my body trembling with anger. “He felt like he had no other choice and I agreed with him.”
“That’s because all you see is his point of view, the good in him,” he reminds me and I deflate at his words. “Regardless of what Vic’s plans were, Jaeger should’ve never used his sister in a deal with our enemies. Her life is just as important as his, what made him think she was his bargaining chip?”
“Then maybe she is better off with them because I was angry too. I saw her plans with Vic as a betrayal. She could’ve declined Vic’s offer, knowing that position was for Jaeger.” I fall back on the couch and tip my head back to stare at the ceiling. “She knew how Jaeger would feel. What made his life and position any less than hers?”
“Jaeger needed to look at things objectively, and when he found out what Vic’s plans were, he should’ve confronted him. Genni was not the mastermind of what was happening, anyone could see that, and she was following her father’s wishes.” He scrubs his hands down his face and shakes his head. “But I disagree that she should stay there. I think we need to do a hostage swap.”
I watch his eyes flick with cunning as his mouth curves upward, but I stare at him in confusion. “We don’t have a hostage to swap.”
“I guess we’ll have to get one. Someone as important to them as Genni is to us.” He stands from the couch and gives me a look over his shoulder. “Can I trust you to keep this between us?”
I give him a single nod as hope once again begins to bloom in my chest. I just want Genni to come home so I can prove to her how sorry I am.
After being at the clubhouse all night tending to a self-inflicted gunshot to the foot of a prospect, I stumble into my house to the smell of bacon and eggs, and my sister standing at the stove.
“You could’ve texted me to let me know you were staying all night,” she chastises as I sit at the table.
“Ajani came home just after midnight, I thought he would let you know.” I look around the room with confusion. “Did he not come home?”
“He did,” she says as she turns around to face me while lifting her brow. “But you still should’ve texted.”
“All right.” I roll my eyes as I grab a piece of bacon from her plate when she turns to the stove. “I’ll text next time.”
