Page 103 of Pieces of Heaven

“Good to see you’re in one piece,” Glenn tells his son.

Tomcat gives him a tight smile before looking at me. “They’ve brought in Hobo,” he explains. “Eagle, Dice, and Yagger are hurt, too. I don’t know how bad any of them are. Ruin’s got me organizing shit here. He’s running clean up around town. I’ll get back to see what’s what and let you know.”

“Thank you,” I say before he leaves and I text Irina with an update.

The next twenty minutes move like molasses. I start imagining Tomcat returning to say Hobo’s gone. Fidgeting in my chair, I recall all those days I thought about Hobo but didn’t track him down. I’m wrecked by the wish that we could have shared more time together.

“Nash,” Glenn says, startling me from my panicked thoughts. I take a second to realize that’s Tomcat’s real name. “Last year, he took a bullet to the chest. He looked like death warmed over when I saw him after surgery. Wasn’t sure he’d make it. But the Berserkers refuse to die that easily.”

Taking his hand, I squeeze it and fight tears. “Thank you.”

Next to me, Quana exhales hard as if annoyed.

“Who is this chick again?” Glenn asks, and I can’t help laughing at how he’s probably been wanting to ask since the shop.

“My sister, Quana.”

“What’s with your wacky names?”

My sister leans around me to frown at Glenn. “Our parents were creative types. I’m sure that blows your small-town mind.”

Glenn glances at me. “She seems like a real peach.”

Giving him a weak smile, I notice two armed men in suits entering the lobby. Glenn glances in their direction, tenses for a moment, and then settles back down.

“Todd Rogers’s men,” he tells me.

Nodding, I go numb while waiting for news.Hobo isn’t the only one hurt. The ER must be chaotic. Tomcat will be back when he can get away.

Finally, when I feel zapped of all energy, Glenn stands up. I realize Tomcat is signaling for us to come back. Quana follows after us despite how I didn’t acknowledge her as I walked away.

Moving past the security men, Tomcat brings us to another, smaller waiting room.

“Hobo was shot a few times,” he tells me before immediately raising his hands to settle my panic. “But the wounds look mostly superficial. He’s getting stitched up. You can go back soon.”

“Is that the truth?” I ask Tomcat.

“It’s what Walla Walla told me. He’s back there playing den mother to them. Hobo and Eagle were talking and walking on their own,” he says and then looks at his father. “Yagger and Dice are messed up bad.”

Glenn pats his son’s shoulder before casually signaling to keep the details to a minimum. Tomcat must notice me shaking and teary-eyed because he suddenly offers a warm smile.

“Hobo’s the toughest guy I know, and you see the company I keep. This shit today is nothing.”

Nodding, I step back and try to settle my nerves. Behind us, the waiting room doorway stands open. I feel exposed. What if someone came in here and started shooting? Hobo is defenseless. I feel like Tomcat and Glenn have lowered their guards since they’re with their friends and armed guards are around. Without knowing who the enemy is, how can we feel safe?

“Xenia, things are quiet here,” Quana says. “You should go with me to the hotel. We can be out of this place by the evening.”

Exhausted, I can barely stand. “I need to be here when Hobo asks for me.”

“Let his friends take care of him.”

“He’s hurt, Quana,” I say, sounding like a whiny child losing her shit.

She immediately replies, “This is the life hechoseto lead.”

“Shut up!” I snap at her. When Quana gasps and steps back, I sigh and regain control of myself. “You’re my sister, and I love you, but you need to shut the fuck up right now.”

Tomcat tries to play peacemaker by ignoring my sister and telling me, “It’s going to be fine. The bullets went through and through,” he says and shoots Quana a dirty look. “Yagger and Dice might not survive, so maybe don’t be a bitch right now.”

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