Page 60 of Devil's Deal

“I’ll explain it later.” I took a step back. “I promise.”

Cory scowled. “You bet you will.”

Rocco followed me as I headed toward the door, saying loudly, “Is that your thing? Leaving hickey’s all over your man? I saw two on his neck.”

Hoping Cory hadn’t heard him would be too much to ask, especially since Dante, who was much farther away, barked out a laugh. “Just come on.”

“So where we going?” Rocco asked ten minutes later.

I glanced at him over in the passenger’s seat. “Do you really care?”

He shrugged. “Nah, not really. But Vin will be pissed if we don’t handle Family business first.”

Yeah, I was well aware of the parameters Vin set in our meeting yesterday. The middle brother wasn’t taking kindly to my presence in Takoda at all. At this point, I wasn’t sure that Nico was either, but he knew me well enough to know that if I said I was staying, I was staying. The only two people who hadn’t been completely antagonistic were Rocco and Dante.

Dante liked me, even though he tried not to show it. In the beginning, it might have been because of my reputation. But we’d formed a mutual respect while he’d overseen security at The Gin Mill. Even though he and his guys hadn’t caught the culprit, they’d tried. I also appreciated how respectful and attentive they’d been while hanging around Cory’s place of business. Like I’d told Dante, not embarrassing me was a point in his favor.

Rocco, on the other hand, barely made it ten minutes at the table before reminding his brothers that I was familia. “Ya know, you really fucked up, Romeo,” he said, interrupting my thoughts.

“They’ll get over it.”

“Maybe Nico will, but I don’t know about Vin.” He shook his head. “When Vita had her troubles, I think he expected you to show up, ya know?”

“So you’re not talking about what happened the other day back at the hotel?”

“Nah. Shit happens. Don’t nobody care about that. But Nico, I think you hurt his feelings or something when you didn’t show up as soon as he was made Don. But Vin, yeah, he’s been carrying his hate towards you around for a while. Nico and Vita think I’m kidding, but I worry about his heart.” He clasped his thumb and two fingers together and thumped his chest. “It can’t be good to always be so pissed off, am I right?”

Was he right? Absolutely. Should he be running his mouth so much? Hell no. He knew his brothers didn’t trust me right now, and I hadn’t sworn an oath to the Family. “You talk too much.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Nearing the alley where I’d rescued Charity, I saw one of the blondies bent down, speaking with a man through the open window of his car. I pulled over quickly and hopped out of the car. “Hey, excuse me!” I yelled.

The guy looked in his rearview mirror, then revved his engine and pulled away with a squeal of his tires. The young lady turned around, glaring at me.

Rocco caught up to me, cackling his fool head off. “Oh shit, she wants to kill you.”

Ignoring him, I reached into my pocket and took out my money clip. Her scowl turned to interest as I pulled out a few bills. “Pretend we’re negotiating,” I said to her softly, not sure where her pimp, Tad, was.

Her gaze flicked from me to Rocco and back again. “That’s gonna cost you triple,” she said. She blew a bubble with her gum and popped it loudly. “You know, on account that you lost me that last guy.”

Jesus. She was a baby. How’d I end up here? “Nah, the big guy here has himself a man. Plus?—”

Cutting Rocco off, I said, “Tell me where to find Tad.”

Her face went blank as she stepped back. Another girl, this one with blonde hair but auburn roots, came up, asking loudly, “Can I get in on this?”

The first girl spun toward her. “They don’t have anything we need.”

The new lady—a little older than the first or Charity—hissed, “Aren’t you the guy who helped out Cha—our friend?” she asked quietly, peeking over her shoulder the minute the question was out of her mouth.

“I am.”

“How do you know?” Rocco asked curiously, keeping any suspicion out of his voice. I was glad he asked since I wondered, too.

“I was behind the dumpster, trying to find something to hit the guy who was attacking my friend, when you came up. Thank you for helping her. Is she okay?”

Her concern was so sincere that I answered honestly. “She is, but I’d like to have a chat with Tad. That’s your boss, right?”

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