Page 19 of Marx

Roman wanders around the room, running a finger along the top of Marx’s chair, before moving around the table, doing much of the same.

“God, that guy is such a dick,” Rider says under his breath. “Oof, what was that for?” he asks when Ana claps him on the back of the head.

“That’s my bestie you’re talking about. He’s just misunderstood,” she harrumphs.

“I know that you have pissed off the two Cordoza allies.”

“I believe it was you who pissed them off when you killed all the men in their family.”

Roman grins at the statement, before schooling his features once more.

“Besides, Cordoza didn’t have any allies.”

“Ah, but he did. Two of his sisters married low level drug runners. The next thing you know those drug runners are lords and running their own cartels.”

Marx doesn’t give anything away. The kid is cool as a cucumber and I have to admit, he’s good at this shit. He leans back in his chair, the only tell is a flicker of his eyes at Rhodie. “In that case I haven’t pissed off two cartels.You’vepissed off two cartels with a familial grudge and they’re taking it out on us.”

“I do believe it was your little Icer that pissed them all off when she shut down their lucrative operation.”

Marx’s eyes narrow as he stares Roman down.“Are you trying to say we’re in this together?”

Roman bobs his head this way and that. He unbuttons his suit jacket, flicks the back and takes a seat. Right in front of the goddamn camera, blocking our view of Marx .We can still see Vic, but it’s Marx’s reactions we want.

“Oh fucks sake! Get him to move his head, I can’t see anything now!” Rider whines.

“How the hell are we going to do that, dumbass? Call Marx and get him to ask Roman to scooch to the right a little?” Flack growls.

With Roman’s head in the way we can’t read any of Marx’s body language, or cues, to see if what Roman says is affecting him. Yeah, we can hear a little of what they’re saying, but without watching their faces, it’s just a game of outfoxing each other with the information sharing. Or lack thereof.

“Chewy! Zoom into Vic’s face. He’s never had a poker face, it might work in our favor,” Blanche says.

“On it,” Dayz frowns then zooms in on Vic.

Blanche is right, the kid has no poker face. I don’t even know what Roman is saying, given he’s facing away from the cameraand Dayz must have given us the cheap, nasty surveillance equipment, but judging by Vic’s face it’s not good.

“Is it me, or does he look like he’s going throw up?” Dex asks.

“Nah, that’s just his face,” Blanche comments, then snorts.

“Well, this is a waste of time. Nat, pass me that tray of brownies, would ya?” Savage asks, taking them from her outstretched hand and making a start on devouring them.

I shrug and decide to join him. It was a good plan, until Roman’s fat head got in the way. We’ll just have to wait to see what Marx says. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll just have to get on Gus’s nerves until he caves. Either way, it’ll be fun.

Chapter 8

Lovely

“Well hey there sleepy head,” Marx smiles down at me and I’m not sure whether to be alarmed or not.

I mean, I’ve seen him smile before, rarely, but this smile, it’s full of teeth and I just never expected him to have so many. Or them to be so perfectly straight and white. I stare up at him while he beams down at me and I have no idea what to say or do. I can’t even blame the pain meds because I’m sure they’ve worn off. Judging by the pain in my chest, they have.

I swallow a couple of times. “Um, hello.”

My eyes dart around the room, looking for, I don’t know what. He must notice because he turns toward the door before spinning back to look at me, “Oh, Vi has Bee in the farmhouse playroom with the other kids.” He grins down at me. “Bee was full of energy when she woke up so we thought that would tire her out, playing with the big little kids.”

What is happening? My brows pull down low and I grasp the throw blanket to my chest. Marx’s eyes clock the movement and he frowns back at me.

“Um, would you like help getting up and maybe going to the bathroom?” He raises his bushy brow and I relax a little. This is more like the man I know. All gruff and growly.

---