'If I want to talk about what happened there, I will,’ I say, giving him my full attention, ‘but I don't right now. We could go around in circles forever. I just want to be free and to find out what I'm being kept in the dark about.'
'Okay,' he says. 'Just make sure you have your phone, and if you have any problems, call us. Okay, Tulip?'
He rises and cups my cheek with his large hand.
'Shade was going to take me there,' I admit. ‘He was going to wait in the car, though.’
Mav grins at me, shaking his head.
‘What? I just wanted to make sure you know I’m my own person.’
He puts his hands up. ‘Okay, okay.’
‘You can drive me if you want,’ I offer. ‘Shade won’t mind.’
‘I want,’ he says and kisses the tip of my nose before hugging me tightly.
'It's going to be okay,' I say. 'What else are you going to do today?'
He shrugs. 'Classes. The gym for weights later, maybe start a fight or two. Just kidding, that's Blake's thing.'
'Where is Blake?' I ask.
He picks up his coffee and sighs again. 'Cartel shit. He's being real tight-lipped about it.'
'Yeah,' I say, remembering what he told me the night before last.
'I think it's worse than what he did for Kormak, which is saying something.'
I nod, but don’t tell him what Blake told me. If he wants Mav and Shade to know the specifics, he’ll speak to them himself.
'Want to get the Novelle stuff over with?’ he asks suddenly, standing up.
‘Definitely,’ I say.
‘Come on,' he says, grabbing his keys. 'I'll take you in my truck and I'll wait outside. You won’t even know I’m there unless you need me. You said Shade knows?'
'Yes,' I say. 'I spoke to him about it yesterday. I didn't say exactly when, though.'
Mav pulls out his phone.
'Do you mind if I tell him?'
'Go right ahead,' I say. 'I'm not trying to hide anything. I'm just trying to get shit done.'
***
The drive to the Novelle house drags. The weather is gray and the gate looks ominous and stark, grinding a little as it opens.
‘You’ll be here?' I ask, looking up at the stone steps and feeling the trepidation creeping in.
He nods. 'I'll be here. Call me if you have any problems, okay?'
‘I will.’
I get out of the car and go up the steps, pushing away any response my body has to being here alone.
John is dead, I remind myself. Joe is dead. Nasty Nurse is dead. I'm just here to see my stepbrother who’s, at most, an annoying, rich prick these days.
