You’re not too shabby yourself, Baxter, but I’m kinda taken now…
I creep out of the room, closing the door halfway and make my way downstairs, checking that the doors and windows are all locked. What Dillon said about Marconi has me a little on edge, when I’m not hanging onto Dillon that is.
I jump with a start, looking out the front window, there’s a huge guy sitting on a big bike, smoking a cigarette and eyeballing the house. A few seconds later, he’s joined by another.
I get scared, wanting to go wake Dillon up, but figure it’s a free country… until I hear the third bike, then I start to recant my approach to the constitution.
It’s a nice neighborhood, not the usual meeting place for bikers and definitely not out front of the house I’m sitting.
Double checking that the doors are all locked and making another tentative glance outside. I try my best to distract my mind by doing the dishes, not wanting to wake Dillon because I know he needs his strength for tonight and he didn’t sleep at all last night.
Plus what he just did for an hour or more…
The man’s a machine.
He’s also a very neat cook, and the dishes left over from breakfast take all of five minutes, leaving me with nothing but my own mind for company which is dangerous.
I walk past the phone in the hall again to check on those men out front, still there. The phone tempting me to stop and call up dad, to see if he’s really okay, to check what’s going on out there.
But I remember what Dillon said, I have to do what he says and most of all, I have to trust him.
My own best thinking landed me and dad in deeper hot water with Marconi than ever before and I still have no idea how we’re even gonna get ahead. Let alone break even.
I start to worry, then I feel myself wanting to cry all over again, when the sudden ringing of the phone I’m right next to makes me jump with a start.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Dillon
I reach out for her, still asleep but hear a phone ringing from somewhere. I must have fallen asleep but I’m so tired, I can’t even open my eyes, only reach for her on the bed next to me.
She feels bony. Hairy too. Her kiss is wet and warm though and I smile, glad to be waking up to her-
“What the fuck?”
“Baxter! No! Ugh!”
I spit the taste of dog out of my mouth but have to laugh because Baxter looks genuinely hurt I'm not smiling from his kisses anymore.
He’s woken me up, and just as well too. I can’t afford to lay around all day.
Was that really the phone I heard just now?
I shiver some as I get out of the bed. A full day it feels like with only my stinky fight shorts on. Next time Marconi tosses me out of his building, I’ll make sure I grab my bag first.
It has everything in it, my cell. My wallet, my keys…
I guess he figured I’d be crawling back to him soon, but I’ve got other plans now. Time to pull it all together.
At the top of the stairs I can hear Roxy’s voice, and I just know she’s talking to her dad.
Dammit! I told her… I told him…
I hustle down the stairs, registering Roxy’s face that’s glad to see me but there’s so much emotion in her eyes it hurts me to look.
There’s a reason I wanted her to only know so much.
But before I can even get to the phone, I can sense something else. Without even looking I know there’s someone, or a couple of someone’s out front. It’s that fighter’s sense again. I can just feel when there’s a threat or a surprise lurking.
Flicking back the lounge curtain, I breathe a little easier.
Relief.
It’s Niko and his brother. Two of the new Russian neighbors I know for a fact that Marconi and his family haven’t met yet. I should’ve figured Jake would have them come keep an eye on things.
I dunno how they found us though, but that’s why I’m glad they’re on our side. I’m big and can hold my own, but these guys are like ghosts.
I’m glad I’m getting out of the fighting game and Marconi for good. There’s a change coming and I don’t want to be anywhere near it, even though I’ll be there for the welcome parade.
I’m sort of half smiling, but I don’t feel anywhere near happy. I won’t be happy until all this is over and I know Roxy is safe, and her dad isn’t under Marconi’s thumb anymore.
Then I can get a decent night’s sleep.
Roxy’s conversation with her dad is what arrests me next, “I just need to know you’re okay dad, that other stuff? That’s personal… that’s my business…”
I know she’s talking about us. I know her dad’s pissed because I can hear him from where I’m standing. Roxy must be used to her old man’s hysterics, but I’m not.
Okay, chat times over.
I stride over and take the phone from Roxy, giving her a look before I talk to her dad.
She opens her mouth to say something, but I narrow my lips into a thin line, shaking my head in the negative.
“Carl?” I say harshly, watching Roxy’s eyes grow wide at hearing me on first names with her dad.
“I thought I told you this morning how things were going to be… you’ve left town already?” I ask, watching Roxy’s eyes grow wider, then shining with tears as she torments herself between storming to the kitchen and staying by me.
I pull her close and stroke her hair to calm her down, which works.
Feeling her hands on me, clawing a little, but on me nonetheless, it makes me feel better.
“No… I haven’t. But I had those biker friends of yours in already. That’s a large deposit
