Page 35 of When Sinners Rise
“So, he sends you to deal with me?”
“Doubt you’d rather he’d have come himself.” I aim straight for the cellar, hoping to find more brandy down there. There isn’t any. I know that already because I’ve searched hard enough, but who fucking knows – could’ve missed a bottle. “Shaw?” Dante questions, as we walk downwards.
“Need a drink.” Or six. A bottle would be better because whatever fucking decision I was trying to make about Miri, just got taken out of my hands now he’s here.
I look back at him as I start searching the crates and boxes again. “How are we getting her home?” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a passport. Fake, no doubt. I snort and keep searching, annoyed that it’s all been so easy for them. Knox probably made it or had it made. He’ll have taken her picture from when they had her last time, dug it out from his hidden servers and forged the rest like the mastermind he is. And now this motha fucking hero is here to get a job done ‘cause I couldn't. “We flying or boat?”
“Flying.” Yeah, that’s not gonna work.
“She’ll never go quietly. She’ll bitch and shout the whole way.”
“No, she won’t. Not if she wants to see her sister alive again.”
I frown and knock a crate out of the way. The dead guy’s arm falls out of its confine as I do. Dante doesn’t even react, just sits his ass down on a step and watches me. Eventually, after fuck knows how many crates are moved, I slump my own ass down on one and look over at him again.
He flicks his lighter around and puts his stare anywhere but me. “You’re damn lucky I just wanna get this shit done and get home, Shaw.”
“Why? I deserve a beating for thinking?”
“Something like that.”
Huffing, I look at my boots. Maybe he’s right. It’s just, well, I’m not him, and I’m never gonna be either. “You’re back in now, huh?”
“I would be if I wasn’t here dealing with your weak, whining ass.”
“I’m not fucking weak.”
He glowers at me and picks up some old rags, standing soon after to head for the crates. “This was your chance to prove that, and you couldn’t even answer a goddamn call, Shaw. I’ve had to fly halfway across the fucking planet to deal. You think I want to leave Wren in New York while I’m doing what I’m doing back there?”
“You’re already in New York? With Wren?”
He starts slinging crates at the dead guy. “Got an apartment up on Fifth. Knox can’t commit enough time, and I’m running the first quarter under Logan. That cunt needs killing.”
“And Wren’s alright with that?”
He looks back at me, frowning, then turns back to whatever he’s doing. “As long as I’m not touching the girls.”
“And he calls me weak.”
A piece of wood flies past my face, nearly knocking my goddamn head off.
I stand instantly, glaring at his actions.
He raises himself up, matching my glare, then amplifying it tenfold. “Watch your mouth, Shaw. I’m barely containing my fucking mood at the moment, and she’s back there without me so I can save your ass from Abel’s wrath. Try a little fucking gratitude, yeah?” Whatever defiance I was trying for dies on my face as he turns back to the crates. “I’m killing and cleaning up back there, bringing some order,” he mutters, shoving bits of wood in holes. “No one likes me much for it. I don’t know how long I’ve got before they target her. You’re lucky I need you there with me. It was enough to bring Abel down from his thoughts so he’d stand guard.”
My head rears up. “You needme?”
“Where’s the girl?”
“Upstairs.”
“Ready to leave?”
“Yeah. I’ll just need my bag from the hotel.” I stand and make my way over to him. “Did you just sayyouneededme?” He stops and sighs, his back still to me, like he’s half a breath away from losing his cool. “Dante?”
“The fuck do you think this whole damn thing is about? You think Abel would get down on his fucking knees for Cane unless he was trying to protect us all?” I stare, not sure what he’s trying to say. “This was your one job to finish so we could move the fuck on, be a family and be there for each other. One thing so he knew, without a fucking doubt, that he could trust you with anything he needed you to do and look where we’re at? You being a pussy about a girl and me here trying to pull him off a ledge.” He starts squirting some fluid on the heap of wood, then looks back at me, frowning. “You think you’re worth trusting? ‘Cause I’m not sure anymore. You were thinking of letting her run, weren’t you?” I look at the floor and scowl, knowing the truth of that question. “And that right there is why the only thing you’re any good for is being by my side and not touching thewomen. So yeah, Shaw, I do need you with me because you sure as shit ain’t gonna cut it any other way, and this is the only way you stay with us. You hear me? One more screw-up and no one’s saving your ass. Not me, not Knox, and definitely not Mariana. You’ll be gone.”
He gets his lighter out and turns away from me, lighting it. “There’s a car out back, no plates. Go get the girl, keep her quiet, and meet me by it. I’ll deal with this.”
