Page 94 of Blackout

Chapter Thirty-three

BLACKIE

Lacey took Jack to the cafeteria like Pipe had suggested and once they were out of my sight, it was my turn to drop to my knees. Only instead of turning to another person for help, I was forced to rely on a higher power. Tearing my hands away from my face, I lifted my red-rimmed eyes to the heavens and summoned God. An odd occurrence for a man who always turned to hell when things got rough. I guess different times call for different measures.

The scene from the other night played vividly in my mind and all I heard was Lacey’s voice, begging me to choose her and the baby. I wanted to be that guy—God as my witness, there is nothing I wanted more than to be exactly what they both needed. But I wasn’t lying when I told her I don’t know how to erase everything I know and become something else.

I waited for God to guide me, to fucking send me some sort of sign—but the man upstairs left me hanging. I suppose I deserved that. After all, there’s gotta come a time in a man’s life when he stops looking for a way out or someone to hold his hand. A time when he figures shit out for himself.

Pulling myself together, I made my way to the cafeteria along with the rest of the club. There, Jack continued to rant, swearing on everything holy that Javier was the one behind Reina’s accident. In not so many words he declared war on the cartel—something Wolf didn’t support. Without the support of his club, Jack would be committing suicide and I’m not sure anyone else realized that.

He also expressed his concern for Danny and asked that Lacey and I have papers drawn up, appointing us as his legal guardians if something should happen to him. It was a lot of shit to take in and I think it’s safe to say we were all relieved when the doctors came in and interrupted him.

The doctors informed us that Reina had made it through surgery, but her injuries were extensive, and she had coded on the table. He went on to tell us that she was in a coma and the next forty-eight hours were critical. Jack insisted on seeing her and they took him to the intensive care unit. None of us were allowed in there with him and yet, nobody could bring themselves to leave.

But when Bianci called, I had no choice but to excuse myself.

“You want the good news or the bad news?”

These days it was all the same, so I didn’t even bother answering him. His good news was that he had gotten a hold of Schwartz and they were on their way to meet me at the hospital. The bad news was that they spotted Ritzer at the courthouse, filing an emergency motion and requesting a warrant for my arrest.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, they had Grace Pastore with them. I didn’t ask why she was there. I simply figured it had to do with whatever she and Reina were concocting. I asked her to go check on Lacey and maybe try to get her to eat something and led the two men to the hospital chapel.

I explained to Bianci there was a change in plans and revealed Jack’s suspicions on the Cartel playing a part in Reina’s accident. Everything we had discussed was no longer an option. Jack wasn’t going to prison and there was no way to offer the cartel to the D.A.

Confused, Bianci pointed a finger at Schwartz.

“So, what the fuck is he doing here?”

“I have an hourly rate,” Schwartz added, tapping his index finger against his Rolex. “Time is money.”

Ignoring him, I looked back at Bianci. It felt odd confiding to a man I never bothered much with over the years. Still, the more I told him, the more I realized he was the best person for the job. He likes to pretend like he’s a changed man, a reformed criminal, but that shit lives and breathes inside of him. If anyone could understand being torn between the woman you love and a lifestyle you can’t escape, it was him.

The guy had been in my shoes, he left the woman he loved and went to jail for his father-in-law. Sure, there were differences. He took the rap for something he didn’t do, and Adrianna wasn’t pregnant when he had left, but in the end, they made it. He got out, reclaimed his woman and they’ve got a beautiful family.

If he could do it, so could I.

That’s where Schwartz came in.

“They’re looking to try me on two counts of murder,” I informed him. “They’ve got an unregistered gun with my prints on it and two dead bodies. They also got a witness—one of the members of the Cartel who named me as the killer.”

Cocking his head to the side, he smoothed a hand over his tie and glanced at Bianci.

“Surely, we can do something about that, no? Isn’t that your expertise?”

Bianci’s expression remained neutral as he crossed his arms against his chest. I knew he’d make that motherfucker disappear—no questions asked, but he’d have to do it on his own accord. I wasn’t dragging him to hell with me.

He sliced his gaze back to me.

“What are you trying to make happen here, Blackie? You’re not retaining a lawyer to bury a witness. Give me the plan.”

“You said you saw Ritzer filing for a warrant,” I started. “That leaves Jack free to take care of Reina and Danny and able to find out who the fuck is responsible for running them off the road. But it also leaves my wife without me and our kid without a father and that ain’t fair,” I said, diverting my eyes to Schwartz. “I got less than eight months until my kid is born. Knowing everything I just told you, can you get me off?”

He slid a hand into the pocket of his perfectly tailored pants and squared his shoulders back before he flashed me a cocky grin.

“I don’t come cheap,” he said. Keeping my eyes locked with his, I reached behind me and pulled out a key ring. I worked the small silver key off the ring and chucked it at him.

“That’s the key to a safe deposit box in Richmond County Savings Bank. There’s fifty grand in cash in that box. Get me home to my wife and every cent is yours.”

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