Page 38 of The Air You Breathe

Giovanni was right, it was a shit show; the cops and feds showed up. A few of our guys were taken into custody. I barely made it out, almost getting arrested if it weren’t for Giovanni tackling one of the cops. Unfortunately, Geraldo made it back with us, with a few of his friends, and Lucio went nuclear.

No one was safe from his wrath.

16

DARCY

Going to Monroe was a treat for me. Since I worked so much with Mary, making the trip was such a hassle, so I never wanted to go. When I went to work this morning, it was like any other day, but when one of Mary’s friend’s daughters came in ready to work, I was confused.

Her name was Lyla and she had lived with her dad most of her life and came here to attend Monroe College. She had previously worked for Starbucks, so when Mary had heard she needed a job, she hired her on the spot. Her classes were in the afternoon and nights, so she was perfect for the job.

Mary had it all worked out that I would open, and she would close with Mary on the days she didn’t have an afternoon class. She picked up all of the recipes quickly and I think I could have kissed her when she worked like she had been there for years instead of a few hours.

I didn’t realize I desperately needed some time off until I was perusing the racks at Target with a Mango Dragon fruit refresher. Mary would give me the side eye if she knew I ordered one of these, but it was fucking refreshing.

I bought things I didn’t need, walked around the dollar section too many times and decided I needed a whole new skin care line. As I loaded my bags into my car, I suddenly felt lighter, like Target had recharged my battery. I had been coasting on low battery mode for way too long.

I got into my car when I heard my phone ring. Looking through my purse, I smiled because I knew it would be Mary asking me some questions. When I saw it was a number I didn’t recognize, I let it go to voicemail. If they really needed to speak to me, they would leave a message. Not too long after the phone stopped ringing, a text message came through as I was backing out of my parking spot. I glanced down at it as I saw a message on the screen.

Please call me, Darcy.

I wondered who the hell it could be as I drove to the highway that would take me back to Mountain View. When I stopped at a light, I responded.

Who is this?

The light turned green as I turned on to the highway, losing myself in the music I was playing. I sang my heart out, with the windows rolled down until I realized that number might be Jane. I got out at the next exit, eager to call the number back. I hadn’t heard from her in a few weeks, making me worry as more time went by, especially since she hadn’t answered a single phone call or text.

Once I pulled over, I checked my phone again.

It’s Evan, please call me back.

Disappointment shot threw me when it wasn’t Jane. I missed my friend, and I was really fucking worried about her, hoping that she was ok. Since I was already pulled over, I dialed her phone number hoping she would just answer the phone. It rang for what felt like forever, every ring making me lose more hope that she wasn’t going to answer. I left a message, telling her I loved her, I wanted to make sure she was ok and if she needed anything that I was here.

Hanging up the call, I felt like I was the worst friend in the world because I wasn’t with her, to help her work through whatever was going on. I stared at Evan’s text to call him back wondering what the hell he was doing and how he got my number.

We had gone our separate ways after we had sex. I just had to dodge him for a bit so he would understand that we were still nothing. It wasn’t until he left that note with that camellia, that I had almost reconsidered talking to him, asking why he wanted to talk after all these years.

I shook off my thoughts of Evan, he made his choice and now I was finally coming to terms with his decision. Maybe I should have slept with him years ago just to get him out of my system or maybe I was just exhausted from always thinking of a man who didn’t think twice about me.

Throwing my phone back into my purse, I turned my car around to get back onto the highway. I raised the volume on my music, getting lost in “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, fortifying my decision that I was better off without Evan.

I belted out the song—maybe a few times too many—until I turned down the street that led to the coffee shop. Mary told me not to come back, but I just wanted to make sure they were ok. I parked in the back of the shop, grabbed my purse, and I heard my phone ring again.

Searching through my big purse I began to wonder why the hell I had decided to get such an enormous bag that served no purpose other than to frustrate me when I couldn't find something. After what felt like an eternity, my hand brushed up against my phone. It had long stopped ringing, but I was on high alert for Jane. Another missed call from Evan and two missed calls from another new number. That new message caught my eye.

Darcy, its Dev. Please call me back.

Chills crept up my spine, giving me the creeps because something had to have happened for both of them to be calling and texting me. Was it that guy who came in the other day? Dev hadn’t been in as much as he used to—my mornings weren't the same— but when he did make it in, he looked bone tired. I assumed that whatever danger he thought was in the area, had gone away. I wasted no time calling Dev back.

“Darcy,” he answered on the first ring like he had been waiting for me to call.

“What happened?” I got out of my car.

“I need to see you. We need to see you,” he said quickly, as I heard murmurs in the background.

“What happened?” I asked again.

“Can we please talk in person?” he asked, a hint of desperation was in his voice.

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