“What?!” I yell, trying to hold it together. Rage flows through me, and I can definitely say that I don’t like how strong and uncontrollable it all feels. “You took my memories? How dare you?!”
I blink at her, unable to comprehend her words.
On the surface, it explains so much. But there is more digging I need to do. I just don’t think I can do it now while my head is swimming and I feel dizzy.
“It was for the best,” she says, and I can hear in her tone how she truly believed it was.
“Will they come back?”
“I… I don’t know,” she tells me, looking down like she can’t meet my eyes.
I’m mad. And sad. And confused. All the emotions are swirling up inside of me. I’m ready to buckle under the weight of them, and I don’t ever remember feeling this way before. I try to pull them in one by one, but I’m finding it hard to take a breath.
Without thinking, I turn and run out of the shop, my chest aching. I only manage to get a block up before I have to stop and force myself to suck in a lungful of cool air. That’s not normal for me. My lungs feel tight. I push up the sleeve of my sweaterand stare down at the lines on my arm, taking in the way they come together and abruptly stop right in the middle of my palm. I turn my hand over, nothing on the back. What is going on? I need to look up what kind of allergies would cause this, and if it’s something bad, I need to get to a doctor.
A high-pitched noise catches my attention. It sounds either like a wounded animal or a cat in heat. I turn my ear in the direction of the alleyway I’m standing beside. There it is again. If it’s a poor little animal in pain, I can’t just walk away. I go rushing into the alley to see if I can help it.
Only to find out the noise didn’t come from an animal.
I realize too late that I’ve walked up on something I shouldn’t have seen.
SIX
Donovan
The situation with the late payment from the owners of the Lock Street Deli has been handled. Without violence, and though I’m not a bloodthirsty rougarou, I do itch a little when I’m ready for some action and am left hanging. I try my hardest to push it aside as Torrin and I wait for our food at the deli counter. Torrin wouldn’t leave without his fucking sub, turkey and all the fucking veggies they could put on it. I’ll take my roast beef with Dijon mustard and nothing else, thanks.
I brought my best muscle with us. Andre is out back, sitting with the SUV at the closest entrance to the alley behind the shop. I didn’t think the old couple who own the deli would try to sneak out, but I like to be prepared for anything.
The powder Fabien gave me has helped significantly. I feel like I’ve got a bad cold now instead of like I’m rushing toward Death’s cliff. That said, the lines on my skin haven’t receded. The opposite, actually, as Torrin pointed out on the drive here. I turn my palm up and stare at the lines poking out from under the cuff of my sleeve. There are three of them, snaking down until they come together at my wrist and carry on as one to the middle of my palm.
“Hey,” Torrin says as the back of his hand thumps against my chest, causing me to snap alert. I follow his gaze to see whathe’s spotted. It honestly could be anything from someone he thinks is attractive to a threat. “Is that fuckin’ Paulie Napor?”
As if the punk senses our attention on him, he looks up. What the hell is he doing in the back of the deli? I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think he works here. Paulie has a reputation around town, and they wouldn’t be foolish enough to hire someone like him. Plus, everyone knows he’s on my shit list. Looks like I’m about to cross his name off of it since I’ve been hearing things lately.
I’ve had my guys on the lookout for his ass for three weeks. I was starting to think he’d disappeared. But no. That isn’t it. So where has the fucker been hiding?
Paulie’s eyes grow wide, and he takes off for the back a second later. Torrin jumps over the counter like a damn panther while I dart around the side and through the break where employees can walk out. The way clears for us as we make a break for the back door, which is now wide open and swinging back to close. Torrin is seconds ahead of me, shoulder ready to push the door back open as we burst through the space and outside.
It seems our heroics weren’t necessary because Andre is standing ten feet away, holding a kicking Paulie up by the back of his shirt.
I’d laugh if my whole body didn’t just start to feel like I’d rolled around in a pile of needles. I’m going to need some more of Fabien’s powder soon, but the last thing I want to do is show I’m not up to par in front of Paulie. There’s a slim chance I’mnotgoing to kill him today. Very slim. And as small as that chance might be, I don’t need him seeing how I’m not at my best and running his fucking mouth.
Andre sets Paulie down and pushes him against the wall with a heavy hand to the chest. Paulie’s eyes are wild, franticallylooking around for an escape, but the three of us have him blocked in.
“I’m hearing things, Paulie,” I say. My voice sounds like my throat has been dragged over gravel, and though it hurts to talk, I use all of my strength to keep it from showing.
All the color drains from Paulie’s face.
I’ve had trouble with Paulie before, the slimy little weasel. I don’t like him, never have. I sure as hell don’t trust him. Today, he’s on my last nerve, and I’m about done.
“You don’t think I’ve got eyes and ears all over this city?” I say, sneering as he begins to sweat through his shirt. If I didn’t know better, I would swear he’s gotten into his own product. “I know you’ve been dealing again, Paulie. And I’ve already warned you once to never do it again.”
I don’t miss the way he seems to relax a little when he exhales.
“It was just a little,” he comes back with as if that will make me happy.
“A little is still something. A little is setting me over the edge, Paulie.” I lean in close so he can see the darkness playing in my eyes. “You’re in my city, disobeying my rules.”
