They all nod in agreement.
I slip my phone from my pocket and dial Sloan’s number. When the call connects, I start talking. “Chief. Can you meet?”
His reply comes out with tones of concern and confusion. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” I reassure him. “I just need your help with something.”
I can hear the relief wash over him. “Okay. I’m at the station now but leaving soon. You want to come here or the mansion?”
Maybe because I spent so much time in Teddy’s home, I don’t see it as anything other than that—a home—so his words catch me off guard. “I’ll meet you at the house,” I reply after a second.
“Okay, I’ll be there in thirty.”
I disconnect the call without a goodbye, then turn to Carl. “Let’s roll now. He’s meeting us at the house.” Carl nods and walks away, grabbing his coat.
“I’m coming too,” Charlie pipes up.
I shake my head. “No, you’re not. We still don’t know if anyone is watching it. I’m not risking anything with this shit, so you’re staying.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but she knows this is a battle she won’t win. I made a promise to protect her not only to myself, but to her too, and I intend on keeping it.
She walks away sulking before I can say anything else.
I let out a breath, then turn to Julius. “Stay with her and make sure she doesn’t try to leave once we’re gone.”
He salutes me, then plops onto the couch as Carl and I walk out the door.
Pulling into the drive is different than it has been before. Since shit has been so sketchy lately with Cameron on the loose and Emil possibly on the warpath, Jules and I have even avoided staying here. We still keep a guard posted 24/7 and have Sloan keep an eye on things when he’s free, but something about being here just doesn’t sit right with me. Hopefully, that will change once we handle all of this shit.
Sloan’s patrol car is already parked in the front, right at the bottom of the steps when we kill the car. Stepping out, a thick air surrounds me. Maybe it’s the thought of things ending the same way they did a few months ago, or maybe it’s the relief I feel just from the thought of this shit being over.
Carl and I walk up the steps and push open the door. “Sloan,” I greet him when I see him standing in the foyer.
“Lucas, Carl.” He dips his head. “What’s going on?”
I love how he always cuts straight to the point. “We have a plan to end all of this once and for all. A plan that revolves around our terms and won’t get anyone hurt. Well, only the ones who deserve it.”
He crosses his arms and widens his stance, not bothering to hide the look of skepticism all over his face. “Oh? And what’s that?”
“We need to find Sebastian. A location, contact number, something other than his name.”
He squints his eyes. “And why would you need that?”
I turn to Carl, and he nods, telling me to go ahead and explain. Like I need his permission. It was more of a “Are you sure you want to do this?” but whatever.
“If we can get him on our side to help bring down Emil, we can finally end this. Make this fucked-up town better for the baby and shit.”
“Emil? Why? There has been nothing but radio silence from him, so why poke the bear?”
“It’s not poking,” Carl interjects. “It’s attacking before the bear wakes up. We all know damn well it’s just a matter of time before shit hits the fan.”
“You really think the man who organized the murder of my best friend—of Charlie’s dad—is going to be willing to help you?” he asks with a new tone to his voice.
“He will, with a good incentive,” I say.
“And what’s the incentive?”
“Emil’s territory. He can use it for whatever he wants. He can have the illegal shit, including his escort service.”
Sloan rubs a hand down his face. “The whole reason Teddy made a deal with Blake was to push the cartel away, not bring them closer.”
For a moment I have to think of who Blake was. We’ve always referred to him as Charlie’s dad or the chief before Sloan. I had almost forgotten he had a name.
“I get that, but Teddy isn’t here anymore. We need to do what we can to make sure shit is safe for this baby and for Charlie.” I say the words I know will make him agree. “This will be on our terms. We can keep the drugs out of here, only let him run the escorts on this side of town, so Teddy’s promise will be kept, and we can walk around without looking over our shoulder.”
Sloan shakes his head. “Trusting the enemy is stupid and reckless, but if you’re hell-bent on it, I’ll do my best to help. Don’t say I didn’t warn you though when shit doesn’t go the way you want it.”
“That’s all I want, Chief. You get me what I need, and I’ll handle the rest.”
He huffs. “If I were you, I’d find something more he may want too. Something to sweeten the pot, because as of now, what you have doesn’t seem like enough.”
“I said I’ll handle it,” I snap.
He holds up his hands and backs toward the door. “I’ll dig tomorrow and see what I can find.”
I give him a firm nod as he exits.
When the door clicks closed, Carl speaks up again. “Honestly? He isn’t wrong. The more ammo we have to give him, the better.”
“I know,” I agree.
Charlie gets to me in ways no one else ever has. All it would take is her batting her eyelashes in my direction and I’d burn
