“Are you gonna hurt him?” I asked.
“You need to shut up now,” she replied, settling back in her seat. “You’re getting on my nerves.”
I started to argue, but the man in the passenger’s seat shifted his gun, glancing at me over his shoulder. I clamped my mouth closed and stared out the front window.
We eventually pulled off the main road and into a small campground. There, the driver cut the engine and we waited until Bones’s blue Jeep came barreling into the parking area.
“He’s alone,” the driver announced.
“Good,” Natalia replied. “Signal him over.”
The passenger rolled down his window.
Seconds later, I heard Bones’s voice say, “Where’s Ari?” He sounded out of breath, but otherwise okay.
Natalia slid the side door open, bathing the interior of the van in light as she revealed us to Bones. She had a pistol aimed at him. “Hello, brother. Hand over your weapons. Slowly.”
He looked past her, locking gazes with me. “You okay?”
I nodded.
“We need to get out of here before the Marianis show up,” Natalia said. “Are we doing the exchange or not?”
“Give me a second to make sure she has a ride,” Bones said, fiddling with his phone.
“What about your Jeep?” Natalia asked.
“I disobeyed orders when I came out here, remember?” he asked, anger flashing in his eyes. “Thanks for that by the way. I’m not sending her back in my Jeep. Not with Carlo as hot as he is. She needs protection.”
“How do I know you’re not calling in backup?”
“Guess you’re gonna have to trust me,sis.”
“Or I could force you into this van at gunpoint.”
“You could try,” Bones replied, flashing her a terrifying smile. “But trust me, you’d rather have me come willingly. I’m sick of all the lies and games. This shit is between me and you and I’m willing to come with you and hear what you have to say, but I’m gonna make damn sure Ari is taken care of first. I’m not leaving her ass out here in the dark, unprotected, without a fuckin’ ride that I trust.”
The two stared each other down for an intense moment before Natalia nodded, her expression softening. “You’re so much like him. The way you talk, the way you move, it’s like seeing him again. He was protective of my mother, too.”
Bones’s eyes only hardened as he finished typing out his message. “Cool, because the bastard abandoned my mom for yours,” he snapped. “I’m nothing like him. Cut her free.”
Natalia hesitated.
The passenger aimed his gun at Bones.
Bones took a deep breath. “I swear to fuckin’ Christ, I don’t care how many guns you have in this car, I will lose my shit if you don’t cut her lose. I’m the one you want.” He held out his hands. “You got me, but you need to decide if you want me to come quietly, or if you want me to lose my fuckin’ cool and rip this van in half.”
“Hand over your weapons and I’ll cut her free,” Natalia countered.
Bones handed her two guns and three knives, then Natalia leaned me forward and cut my hands free. Circulation returned as I squeezed and released my fists. Bones reached for me and I went to him. He pulled me from the van and set me beside him as his eyes filled with anguish. “You okay?” he asked, looking me over.
I nodded, my eyes burning. “I’m sorry. You warned me that I could be in danger, but I didn’t think Harlow would… Fuck! I can’t believe that bitch. I’m so sorry, Bones.”
Wiping tears from my cheeks, he kissed me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the danger, babe. They used you to get to me.”
“What are we gonna do?” I asked.
“You’re gonna wait for Nonna to pick you up, then you’re gonna stay your fine ass with her and wait for me. I’m gonna listen to what Natalia has to say, and then I’ll come for you. Do not leave Nonna’s side until I get there. You hear me?”
