Page 86 of Demitri

“What?” She sits back, and the look on her face is hilariously terrified. “No way! I could never!”

“But you’ll sit here like a thirsty ho and comment all night?”

“Exactly. It’s what I do!”

“Wouldn’t it be so much easier if we could get laid?” Sofie bemoans beside her. “All look, but don’t touch. That’s our life. You’re the lucky one.”

“Just have to find you a guy with the patience of a saint. It’s what I did.”

Does Mia’s statement make me smile? Yes. Punch the air with how wonderful she thinks I am? Of course. More than that, it was the way she could objectively see a group of decent looking men and not have to fan her face. Does she really think I have the patience of a saint? Well, maybe when it comes to her, I do.

I go back to watching the camera and the woman they keep trying to tell me is my sister. In my experiences, that doesn’t mean much. Blood has never done anything but cause me pain. Nothing from this situation makes me think anything is different. I’m on edge, wanting to be out there, a barrier between that woman and my girl, but I know the safest place for me to be is here. Doesn’t mean I like it.

“You look like you’re constipated.”

I look up at the man standing at the door smirking at me.

“Sarge.” I stand up and reach out to shake his hand.

“John.” The way he looks at me, like he knows that name is a lie, almost makes me feel like a little boy with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Should I even bother asking how much you know?”

“Probably not. But I’m asking, what do you need?”

“I need you to protect Mia. Please.”

“You love her?”

“Yes.”

“You told her that?”

“Not yet. We’ve been a little busy lately.”

“No time like the present, son. You don’t tell her now, who can guarantee you have the opportunity to tell her later?”

I nod, knowing he’s right.

“So that woman out there, that’s who we need to protect your girl from?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Who is she?”

“They tell me she’s my sister.”

“Fuck, son.”

“Welcome to the shit show that is my life.”

“We’ll be here all night. You know we’ll keep her safe.”

“Who is we?”

“Those are my boys. Two of them served with me, one of them was also with Daniel. And you know Davis and Sammy.”

“Does he have to wear his hair down and flowy like that? I didn’t recognize him at first.”

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