Angel:Aye, don’t come home just yet. Hang out at the library for an hour, and if I don’t come to get you, go to Ma-Pete’s and wait for me there.
She types: Okay.
She shows us the text. “Now what? I don’t think even if they get arrested they will keep them. Unless they were there and can be identified, none of this can stick to them.”
I figured as much. I’ve been around el Diablo long enough to know of the countless unmapped compounds they have. Snake, like Angel, has countless resources at his disposal. He hasn’t used all these years at el Patron’s side for nothing. Amassed unlimited wealth of his own. He has just as many bodies buried as his best friend, probably more.
“They are never going to keep them in jail. They aren’t going to be able to stop them. Ever.” The cold finality in Easy’s voice is jarring. None of us can reconcile the men we have gotten involved with compared to who they are in reality.
Yet I knew, Snake never hid who or what he was. I just thought there was a line he wouldn’t cross. I thought he had a code he lived by when it came to the innocent and the vulnerable. I never thought he’d prey on people. El Diablo was thrust into my life as a cruel but fair savior. I know what happens if you step out of line; if you betray the MC. There will never be a safe place for me. No matter what happens here. I will never be welcomed back, nor do I want to be after what I’ve learned.
Snake’s behavior makes so much more sense now. Maybe that is why he was constantly pushing me away — because he knows I would never countenance this evil.
Stepping away from us, Easy makes a call. For a minute I fear she’s calling Angel.
“The fuck you want?” A deep, thunderous voice growls across the line.
She has it on speaker so we can hear it.
“I need you to come get me,” she whispers, fear deadening her voice. Moving to her side in support, I listen in to the voice holding our fate in his hands
“What did he do to you, baby cuz?” The hard question cuts across the line. I can tell he doesn’t play about Easy. He’s a Love, and he sounds mean as fuck. I look to Kandie for answer but her focus is on her other two cousins’ conversation.
“Nothing.” She answers quickly, like it’s a knee-jerk defense of her husband.
“Bullshit,” he starts, then sighs so heavily. “I’m on my way. Takeda has an airstrip he lets us use. Do you know where it is?”
“No.” Easy looks to me and Kandie and we both shake our heads. I know nothing of the Japanese billionaire other than what I read in the Shelby-Love Chronicle.
“I’ll call him and have him send someone to come get you,” he says.
“No,” Easy, rushes in,”He’s really tight with Angel. He will see it as his obligation to tell him.” Her eyes getting wilder and wilder with fear makes me angry are even in this situation.
“Merdé.” I mutter, frustration eating at me.
“Fuck.” The harsh swear resounds in the room.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” parrots soon after in a cute baby voice.
“What’s going on?” We all turn to find Krie standing inside the door holding the small hand of Mateo, a frown puckering her brow as she looks from their littlest Love saying the bad words he’s just learned from his older cousin.
“We have to get out of town,” I say, cutting through anymore long explanations that will only delay us getting out of town.
“Wait a minute, who all is there?’ Oz’s dark question clearly indicates he doesn’t appreciate all these surprise developments.
“Me, Saban, Krie, little Mateo who just came in and Kandie.” Easy’s sheepish reply has him muttering curse after curse.
“Kandie? Fucking figures.” Another long-suffering sigh. “I guess all the news coming in about a raid on traffickers has something to do with this little gathering. Find a way out to the airstrip, I will find a way to get clearance?—”
“I can get it.” Krie who still looks ravaged from losing her restaurant and the man she so obviously loves pipes up cutting him off.
“How?” Oz sounds hopeful yet doubting at the same time.
“Kiyoshi lets me bring in imports, so I don’t have to go all the way to Birmingham or face a lot of hassles. I doubt he’ll rescind it just because I’m not with him anymore.” Her voice is sure even though her eyes look like two open wounds.
“Y’all and these fucking guys. Y’all didn’t learn shit from Mama-Pete, on God. Krie, keep your phone. The rest of y’all burn those, motherfuckers, or they are going to find you. Hopefully, Angel didn’t put a tracker in your little simple ass, Easy. I’ll scan you when I get there and take it out if he did.”
“He didn’t.” The way she’s still defending him has me worried. He won’t kill her but me. Snake would do the deed himself.
