“What are we going to do?” I asked.
“That’s part of the reason we need to hole up. We need to come up with a plan.”
I guessed that made sense. “And the other part?”
“I’m not comfortable letting you out of my sight for a while.” He glanced my way. “For my own sanity.”
His sanity?“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean”—he took a deep breath while keeping his eyes on the road—“there were bullets flying past your head tonight. I’m furious you didn’t go to the storeroom like I asked. I was also strangely turned on by how well you handled those pistols.” His brow pinched as he shook his head. “Regardless, I’m still on edge about how close you came to getting shot. After everything that’s happened since Dante and Maxim broke into your apartment, I need to know you’re safe right now, okay?”
I stared out the window. “You don’t have to babysit me.”
“It won’t be babysitting. I just witnessed you take on the Mafia in a shoot-out, and you barely broke a sweat.”
I supposed I had. Another thing occurred to me. The rapid gunfire at the club hadn’t engulfed me with thoughts of the drive-by. Perhaps my visits to the firing range had desensitized me. Either way, I was proud of how I’d responded to the situation.
“I know you can protect yourself,” Brandon added. “But we’re stronger together. And we make a good team. Don’t you think?”
I choked out a laugh. “We’re so not a team.” But then his words hit me. I must’ve been in some level of shock and was only now resurfacing, because the reality of tonight’s events slammed into me like a wrecking ball. “Brandon.” I clutched the seat cushion until my fingers hurt. “We killed mobsters.A lotof mobsters.” My pounding heartbeat echoed through my body.
“On the upside, you didn’t freeze up. Try to focus on the positive.” He took in my agitated state, then returned his eyes to the road. “Or not. Listen, they would’ve killed us if we hadn’t gotten them first.”
I rubbed my forehead with a shaking hand. “I know. I don’t feel bad they’re dead. I just…I can’t believe it happened. Oh my God. What did we do?” My mind worked overtime, assessing the potential fallout from our actions.
Brandon’s gaze darted between me and the road. “Hey, look at me, Sage.”
I did.
“You’re just freaking out because you’re coming down from the adrenaline high.”
“No, I’m freaking out because we murdered members of the Wolf Street Mob.” I stared straight ahead, not taking in our surroundings. “We’re so screwed. They’re going to find us and kill us. Either that or we’ll spend the rest of our lives in prison.”
Brandon shook his head, his expression composed. “Neither of those things will happen.”
The guy was delusional. There was enough DNA and assorted evidence to convict us ten times over. That was, if Dante didn’t murder us first.
I fidgeted in my seat and twisted to look out the rear window. Blinded by headlights, all I could see were shadowy figures inside the vehicles. Was Dante following us?
My breaths came fast. “We need to leave. Get out of the city.”
“No,” Brandon said slowly. “What we need is to go to the nearest hotel so I can set up my laptop and start fixing our problems.” He shot me a stern look that suggested arguing with him was futile.
“Set up your laptop? Brandon, a few emails won’t save us. We have to hide from Dante and the police.”
“I asked you earlier to trust me, and now I’m asking you again. I need you to have a little faith in me here.”
Ice crept down my spine. Dante would never stop looking for us. Maybe we could evade him if we went on the run, but staying in one place felt risky. My knee bounced while I chewed on an already-ruined nail.
“And if you don’t mind, I’d like to get this patched up.” Brandon glanced at his bicep, where blood seeped through my apron tourniquet. “I can’t go to a hospital with a gunshot wound.” He grinned. “Would you consider a career change from exotic dancer to nurse?”
I snorted. “Not a moment too soon.”
“Shame though. You have a real talent for—”
“Don’t.” I glared at him because I didn’t need reminding of what I’d done in that room. And I especially didn’t want to think about how it had made me feel.
“But I have more hundred-dollar bills in my—”