Page 53 of Broken

He chuckles and tilts his head to stare at his boots. “Yet you brought me out here. Anyway, it’s nothing you don’t already know about. I’m… I’m tired of it.”

“Nero shouldn’t keep bringing you round.”

Phoenix shrugs. “You know what he’s like. He likes control.”

“He’s the one who says he wants you out of it. Then he brings you around. He needs to decide if it’s one foot in or one foot out.”

“Like he does with you?”

“That’s different.”

Phoenix turns, so he is facing me. “Is it…Ghost?”

My jaw clenches.

“I know he hasn’t called you up a lot. Just that last job a few weeks ago. You seem more settled about it.”

“He’s listening.”

“About the enforcer shit?”

I nod, not wanting to talk about how Nero used me to intimidate people. Nero has enough people who go to those lengths for him. I’m not an idiot. He got me embedded, did it theway he wanted and now he’s lenient with the work. I’ll forever be on his hook.

“That’s good. I know you didn’t like that shit.” He’s quieter when he speaks again. “She’s using.”

Fuck. He means his mom. Kate’s been clean for a few years. For her to be taking drugs again, that’s huge. And understandable why Phoenix isn’t dealing with it.

“I told her last time, Garrett. She knew what would happen.”

This is the part where some people would try to placate him, tell him she slipped up, but she can get clean again.

I’m not that person. I wanted him to cut her loose the last time she had a relapse. His mom has a routine when she gets like this. She uses Phoenix as a crutch. Or she needs money from him. It always starts the same.

“How long has she been calling?”

“Only a week. I didn’t think it had got so far, but it’s bad. A couple of weeks back, Nero said Darla was around and not to come over. He never said anything about mom. Then she starts calling.”

“Did he know she’s using again?”

“He says he didn’t,” Phoenix lets out a wry laugh. “We both know nothing happens that Nero doesn’t know about. He said he has a lot on so isn’t paying attention to what the women are doing.” His voice turns harder, quieter. “She’s getting that shit from one of the brothers, Garrett.”

Nero is preoccupied by whatever he had me looking for. He won’t be looking out for Phoenix’s mom. It’s got to have something to do with that asshole Caleb Dexter. Who is showing interest in Calli. Why the fuck didn’t I ask Nero any questions?

It’s not like I can do it now. Nero cut me loose from that job. Asking questions will piss him off and bring up the whole argument about me being a part of the club.

If I need to know things, Nero will say I should be a legit, full-time member. I already hear his voice in my head.

If it means I have to keep a closer eye on Calli… She gave nothing away about where her head was when I left her apartment. Not that I gave her a chance. Won’t stop me watching out for that prick. As if he even has a chance with her. Jesus, jealousy is not something I’m used to. I don’t like it.

“Yeah, some brother huh,” Phoenix squats down and plucks at the grass.

Shit, I’m thinking about Calli again, when I need to focus on my friend. Another reason why I should stay away from her. She’s a distraction I can do without.

“Maybe you need to cut ties.”

“You believe he’ll let me,” he looks up, squinting against the sun. It’s not a question. We both know the answer.

“Back to the real issue at hand. What are you gonna do about Kate?”

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