This was his life now.Standing too close to a fae, holding up the hood of a gutted Pontiac, and staring at what was probably the largest cat he’d ever seen.
Pretty cat.Orange, long fur, paws like dinner plates.But it could’ve been one of those famous ReelSelf cats and Antonio would’ve still wanted it out of his garage.Even if it was an ‘actual cat’ and not some pooka playing games like he still half expected.
Ears back, it hissed, retreating toward the banshee.
“Don’t hiss at him, you naughty furry brat,” the banshee scolded.“I’d not blame him for dropping the hood on you for that.Get out of there.”
The cat stood, stretched, and made no effort at all to listen.
“Glad you found him,” Antonio said, keeping the ‘now get out’ behind his teeth because he didn’t need another curse to add to his collection.“My nieces like to hide in there, too.”
The banshee threw him a too-wide smile, showing all those sharp teeth.Funny thing was, it wasn’t so bad.Not as rough as spotting a sidhe or a wisp walking around, anyway.Looking the way she did, those graveyard eyes and impossible teeth, at least she didn’t remind him of anything that hurt.
“You hear that, Puck?You’ve reached new heights in clever mischief.”She fiddled with the leash she held.“I’d not have found him without your assistance.May I pay you for your time and allowing me to poke around for him?”
“You got your cat.I got to not have a cat breaking things in my garage.I call that square.”
Antonio knew better than to take anything from the fae or acknowledge any debt or favor.He bounced on his toes, needing to move and not wanting to rattle the hood and scare the cat.With his free hand, he rubbed the nettles inked on his wrist, just above his iron bracelets.Another useless symbol, but it helped.
“Square it is,” the banshee agreed, scooping the cat into her arms.“Would you be so kind as to get the doors for me once more?I don’t trust him to walk out without trying to squirm away again.”
“Sure.”He lowered the hood, then forced himself to step past her.The side door was closer.“Keep a grip on him this time.Even that size, he runs into the road, you’re down one ‘actual cat.’”
The fae laughed, while the cat chirped and purred in her arms.“I’ll do my best.He’s barely in his thirties.Still a kitten.Goodbye, shopkeep.My migraine will rest easier for your assistance.”
And then she was gone, if notgonegone.Walking away down the sidewalk, not disappearing back to Faerie.Calloway’d always bragged about how easily he could cross the veil.Something only wisps could do.Other fae, like the banshee, couldn’t.They had to ask a wisp for help.Faehatedasking for help.
And that was why there was no fucking way the banshee had been taking her cat for a walk.She’d come for a reason.And even with her gone, Antonio couldn’t shake the sick feeling the reason had something to do with him.
“WhataboutaFerrari?”Mara stood with her arms crossed, her expression set in perfect teenage disdain.
“What part of Classic American Steel aren’t you following?”Antonio asked his niece as he squared away the last of his tools.“Why would I risk jail time for a shitty Italian penis extender?”
“But it’s okay for anAmericanpenis extender?”Mara asked.She raised a high-heeled foot, as if to kick the wheel of the Mustang, but thought better of it at Antonio’s growl.“That’s kinda racist.”
“It’s not okay.Period.Marinha, your mother wouldmurderme.And I like being alive.”
“Mom said you stole a Mercedes, like, a new one.And that’s why you got arrested.That’s not ‘classic American steel.’They’re French.”
“They’re German.”It wasn’t Antonio who answered, but the tattooed, red-headed white guy now leaning in through the open garage.“Classics for love.The rest for money.Right, Tio?”
“Long time ago, Reece.”He should’ve warned Reece off.Clara’d have kittens if she caught Antonio chatting with old friends.But what he said was, “This is my niece, Mara.”
“Hey, kid.You taking care of your Uncle Tio?Keeping him out of trouble?”
“I guess so.”Calling Marakidwas an easy way to get on her bad side.And correcting her was worse.“Are you one of Uncle Tio’s friends from when he was in … where he was?Mom says he’s not supposed to talk to them.”
“Nah.We go back way before that.Right?”
“Yeah.”Antonio squeezed Mara’s shoulder, pushing her toward the stairs.“Upstairs.I’ll be there in a minute.Gotta feed you brats dinner.”
Mara managed to aim a final, extremely pointed frown at Reece before stomping upstairs, heels loud with each step and the girls’ laughter carrying down when she pushed open the apartment door.
“Shit man,” Reece said into the silence.“Thought you’d gone and had a kid there for a minute.Adopted.Since, I mean, not like you’re gonna knock some chick up.”
“Yeah, they don’t hand those out to batshit ex-cons.Doesn’t matter how much cock we suck.”One more reason to treasure the girls.He’d never have a family of his own.
Reece laughed, that slightly wild snicker.He’d always been ready to find just about anything funny.Even the insane gay kid who stole his car.
