He’s not far away, just four blocks from here. The doors of the elevator open and I bounce out with renewed optimism.
I know where he is.
* * *
The street is busy and bustling and I make my way out, knowing the little red dot is here somewhere, I just have to find it. I think it’s just up here on the right. I keep my head down and walk as fast as I can, aware that at any moment I may be spotted.
The red dot seems to be underneath me, and I frown as I do a full circle on the spot.
Where the hell is he? I walk into the bar on the left hand side of the street and search with no success. I stare at the phone and frown it says he is literally above me. I look around, and over by the wall I find a staircase and tentatively walk up. I smile broadly when I get to the top.
A bar. I walk through and the first person I see is Stace, sitting alone at a bench seat at the back with a beer as his companion.
I approach the table. “Mind if I join you?” I ask.
His eyes rise up to meet mine and he shrugs without answering.
I slide in next to him. “They’ve found us.”
He frowns as his eyes flicker to me. “How do you know?”
“I saw Stucco and one of the others in the street below our hotel looking for us.”
He exhales deeply and sips his beer.
I wait for him to say something but he doesn’t.
“I think we should go,” I whisper.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” he replies flatly.
My heart drops. “Stace,” I whisper as I put my hand on his thigh.
He flicks it off. “Don’t touch me. I’m so fucking angry with you, I can’t see straight.”
“I know. I’m angry with myself.”
We stay silent for a while and he orders another drink.
“We really should go,” I whisper. “We don’t have time to be sitting in bars.”
He shakes his head. “Right now I got bigger problems than fucking Stucco.” He growls.
A smirk crosses my face. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” he snaps.
“I should have asked you if you took them.”
“You should have.”
“I just…” I pause as I try to articulate my thoughts. “I’m not very good at trusting people.”
“You said you loved me.”
“I do,” I whisper.
“That’s not love, Rosh.” He pauses. “Not the kind I give, anyway.”