“Carpe diem.” I cracked my neck to relieve some of the pressure gathered there from the mistake I was in the process of making.
Not that it stopped me from typing in my passport number and downloading my boarding pass...
No way was my angel dealing with a bunch of drunken twenty-year-old college students on her own.Ormaniac Russians.Orhomicidal Albanians.
She needed my protection.
Yesterday.
And as stressed as I was, and as fucked-up as the night had been, just knowing where I’d be in a couple hours’ time put a spring in my step.
When Chad, who waited outside for Rory, asked, “Everything okay in there, boss?” I shot him a look.
“Where’s Matteo?” Rory’s Camorrista guard.
My poor sister had two on her at all times, one from each faction she served. A fact I knew rubbed her raw.
“In there somewhere.” He shrugged. “I’m not officially on duty. Rowan is.”
Talk about perfect timing, even if he seriously needed to get a life. And ifIwas saying that, then it had to be true.
“Can you drive me to the airport?”
“We picking someone up?”
“I have to fly out somewhere. Rory will be in the meeting a while longer.”
Because Chad might look like a meathead but had a higher than average IQ, he glanced back at the warehouse where the council had gathered. “No one knows, huh?”
“I’d appreciate it if we kept it that way.”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
As I climbed into the passenger seat, I asked, “You definitely want to stay on my sister’sStidda? Don’t feel like switching to my team?”
Chad chuckled. “She keeps me plenty busy, but I did have fun last night. Been a long time since I heard an enemy cry like that.”
“Good for the soul.”
“Purgesthe soul,” he corrected before maneuvering us through the horrendous traffic that’d take us to the airport. “Where are you flying?”
“Will you tell Rory if I let you know?”
“Yes,butit’ll head off the crisis when you go missing without telling anyone you’re leaving the city. They’re more interested in your movements since the… hospital.”
“Fucking pains in my ass. Key West. Shouldn’t be away long enough for it to come to my brother and sister’s attention.”
“Why Key West?”
“This isn’t about work.”
“Belated spring break?”
I barked out a laugh when his lips twitched. “Do I look like a college kid wanting to let loose?”
“I don’t really know, Stan. I’m not sure you’ve ever been the type of kid to let loose, even when youwerea teenager.”How little he fucking knew.“But you keep your cards close to your vest. And from one tight-lipped motherfucker to another, that’s not an insult.”
“If they ask, you can tell my siblings that I’ll be back shortly.”
