Page 72 of Salvation

“I thought you respected me as not just your associate, but also your friend. I see now that you don’t.

“This meeting should not take place. Just like the meeting with Renald shouldn’t have taken place.” He tosses the keys to the Escalade onto the desk. Then, he pulls the set of keys from his pocket, my house and warehouse keys, and lays them next to the Escalade keys, before dropping the gun he keeps at his waistband on the desk surface beside them.

My eyes widen as I watch him, though my face remains a mask.

What is he doing?

Stepping back, he smiles sadly. He shakes his head as he says, “You seem to have a death wish lately. I don’t know why, or what’s changed, but your mind is not as sharp. You’re going to get yourself, and your men killed…

“You’re going to get me killed. I have a family, and I’m not sticking around to make my wife a widow and my children orphans. You won’t listen to reason, and I cannot walk this path with you.

“Goodbye, Gabrial.”

What?

What is he saying?

With one final look, filled with remorse, he turns on his heel, walking away from me. I just stare at him in absolute disbelief as he walks out of the door. His feet echo on the stairs before fading as he crosses the warehouse. The sound of the door closing reverberates throughout the empty building.

Did he just quit?

He didn’t quit.

He wouldn’t.

Yet, he’s just returned all of my keys. And his gun…

He left because I didn’t want to back down…

Is he right? Do I have a death wish?

No, of course I don’t.

Everything I do ensures that I’ll live…

I have Hope to live for.

Max is being ridiculous. He’ll come crawling back…

But I’m done…

No one walks out on me!

No one walks out on Gabrial DeLucca.

I’m staring at both sets of keys, and the revolver. My vision wavers and the walls start to close in…

* * *

Sometime later,I hear tires squealing outside in the parking lot.

What the fuck is that?

With sudden clarity, I realize I’m alone in my warehouse. For the first time since the day Hope found me in the church yard, all those years ago, I’m completely alone.

Someone harshly beats on the door. I stare down the stairs from my office at it in shock.

Who would dare to come here uninvited?

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