Letting out an audible sigh that puffs in the frigid air like smoke, I check the time. Only another twenty minutes until Aurora shows up for her semi-weekly laundry trip and tonight's meeting to go over everything for her lunch with Ambrose in a couple of days.
Just enough time to scrub the blood from my knuckles, pick her up a shake from Chick-fil-A, and get back to the office.
34
THIS IS MY NIGHTMARE
The restaurant is deserted when the driver pulls up in front of the entrance. There are only a couple of cars in the entire parking lot, and it looks dark inside the building. There's even a sign on the door. I can't make out everything it says, but Icanread the word 'CLOSED', which they've printed on the sign in a larger font.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" I ask Ambrose's driver. "It says it's closed."
"It's the right place, miss. Mr. De La Rosa had them close the restaurant to the public for your lunch."
Of course he did.
How thoughtful of him.
No distractions, just the two of us in an empty restaurant. We'll be able to hear every scrape of our cutlery over the plates. So intimate.
"Wow," I say, trying on a smile. "That's so…nice."
Now I really wish I brought one of those French ciggies I stole from Atticus. I'm going to need one after this.
"He should be there already," the driver explains as he steps out of the car. "We shouldn't keep him waiting."
It's amazing how fast time goes when something you don't want to do is right around the corner. Why can't it go that fast when you're waiting for a vacation or a concert for your favorite artist?
It feels like five minutes ago I was going over possible scenarios and responses with the guys in the back of the laundromat on Friday. Now, here we are.
I fix my jacket and step out of the car when Ambrose's driver opens the door for me. We decided not to do a bug for this meeting. With his increased caution, we agreed that until we know how far he'll take it, it's best not to give him something to find in case he decides to check.
The only item the guys agreed to let Atticus use is a tiny tracker. And it's hidden near the metal buckle on the strap of my boot, sewn into the interior fabric. Who knew Atty could be good with a needle and thread? I definitely didn't see that one coming.
It was no surprise that there was no trace of my tiny dick explosion on Friday, and not only that, but Atticus apparently didn't even complain about it to Elijah and Seven. They didn't seem to know anything about it.
I wonder if he'll be as chill about it when it's fifty pounds of dickfetti instead of two.
It's cute that he thought I was kidding.
I'd rather sacrifice groceries and drop five hundred dollars on a fuck ton of dicks. I can survive on ramen. I've done it before. And it'll be worth it to see his reaction to an explosion that big.
The restaurant doors open before I'm anywhere near them, the hostess's attempt to rush me, I suspect. And it works.
I hustle faster to the door and thank her for opening it for me, acting like I'm unbothered when she shuts it and locks it once I'm inside.
"May I take your coat?"
The restaurant is definitely upper class, but not in the in-your-face way that the restaurant in Ambrose's casino was. This is probably the best he could do in Boone, though.
I shrug out of my jacket and am led to the dining area, which is not just devoid of people, but also of tables. He must've had the staff move a lot of them out of the round, windowed dining area, leaving one table next to the windows and a half-moon of vacant booths bordering the opposite side of the circle.
Ambrose stands when he sees me, and I lift my hand in a wave. "Hi."
"Hello."
His smile is wide as he rushes around the table to pull out my chair for me, the picture of the perfect gentleman. I'm glad he doesn't go in for a hug as I sit down, and he scoots me into the table.
"I hope this is all right," Ambrose says after he's seated opposite me, and I find myself wishing for the longer table from our last meeting. This one is so small he could reach across it with no effort at all. "It was the best Linette could arrange on short notice."
