Bad Wolf (Wild Men 4)

And determined to go look for Sebastian at the gang’s meeting place.

“Please, don’t.” I want to hang on to him, stop him. “I have a bad feeling. Call him again. He has to answer, sooner or later.”

“The funeral is tomorrow.”

Crap. “Family is not only the one given to you, Jarett. I can be your family. My family can be your family. Staying in that gang will get you killed. I don’t want you to die. That’s what your family should want for you: to live.”

“Listen to me.” He looks serious as he takes my hands in his. “I’m leaving the gang. And I’ll find a way to get Seb out, too. But right now, I have to find him. Like you found me. He needs to know about his mom from me.”

That makes sense. And hope fills me like warm air, lifting me up, because this is the first time he has talked about the future. “Okay. Go find him. Then come back to me.”

“I will, I promise. Sooner or later, I’m always coming back to you, Gigi.”

There’s music playing in my head, a sweet melody. I swear I can hear it. It comes from inside my head, inside my heart. I look at his bowed head, his lashes throwing long shadows on his cheeks, and I love him more than ever.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jarett

The backroom of the bar where the gang usually meets is empty. I give another call to Seb, but it goes unanswered.

The bartender shoots me a dirty look when I come back out. “Nobody’s here.”

“Yeah, I noticed. Any idea where they all are?”

“All of you should stay the hell away from here. The police came around sniffing the other day, asking about your gang. I don’t need no cops in my goddamn business—”

I slam my fist on the bar, rattling the glasses he’s been drying. “Where. Are. They?”

“Had a big job coming up, so Angel said.” His hands flutter anxiously, gaze skittering to the door behind me, as if expecting someone to come in and save him from me. “Some huge deal. Everyone was stressed for days.”

Ah fuck. The big job Angel was talking about is tonight?

Reaching over the bar, I grab the front of his shirt. “Where? Think.”

“What? Oh no, I don’t know. They didn’t say.”

“I said, think.” I shake him. My gun is a warm weight in the small of my back, and I fight the urge to pull it out. “You probably eavesdropped on the whole thing, didn’t you, you filthy little shit? Where are they?”

“A warehouse downtown.” His jowls jiggle when I shake him again. “Jesus, okay. I’ll give you the address, just let go.”

I release him, and he stumbles backward, straightening his shirt. “I’m all ears.”

“You all wanna get killed, don’t you?” He sighs. “Fine by me. At least we’ll get some fucking quiet in here.”

When I climb out of the cab, I’m disoriented for a few long minutes in the dark. The place looks abandoned, no cars or trucks parked in the lot, just some junk piled up in the corners. The warehouses loom in a long row, like dark, sleeping dogs.

Okay, I’m here, so what do I do? Is the job going down now, is it over, is it still to come?

And who’s their watchman now that I’m not around? Jorge probably. Or maybe Elena. Or Shem, if he’s still around.

I text Seb.

‘Seb, leave before it’s too late. Get out of there.’ I hesitate, then type, ‘I can’t lose you, too.’

Not after Mom passing. He’s an ass, but he’s my brother.

Of course I get no reply. I pace in the yard, the phone clutched in my hand. It’s too cold to just sit and wait, an icy wind howling down the yard and whistling between the warehouses.