Cane: Soon.
Me: Soon. <3
Cane: <3
CANE
I woke up as the sun came up and reached out to pull Jada close. My hand brushed against the sheets, and they lacked the warmth that her body usually brought to them.
When I opened my eyes to search for her, I remembered she wasn’t there. The loss of her was almost more than I could bear.
It was for her safety. For our future.
I pulled my black comforter over my head and tried to go back to sleep. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw her green eyes, heard her laugh, and felt her skin against mine and I was reminded, yet again, of what I didn’t have.
And why.
“This is fucking bullshit!” I yelled out, my voice bouncing off the walls. The echo made the room feel so empty just like I felt inside. So fucking empty.
How did I let things get this way? How did I so royally fuck this up?
I jumped out of bed, fueled with my own stupidity, then tugged the legs of my boxers down as I heard my phone ringing faintly.
Where the fuck is it?
It stopped ringing and a few seconds later the ring indicated a voicemail.
I scratched my head, trying to remember where I had set it the night before.
My office, the workout room, the shower …
I remembered setting it on the vanity while I brushed my teeth, fighting myself on whether to call Jada or not the night before. I walked toward the bathroom as it went off again.
Once I’d grabbed the phone, I looked at the screen and answered.
“What’s up, Nick?”
“Hey, Cane. I have some good news for you, for once.”
I stilled. “I could use some good news right about now.”
“My sources tell me that Simon is hiding out in Casa Grande. There’s a pickup spot there for the cartel he works for. The police are watching it closely, but they can’t go in there guns blazing without a warrant, and unfortunately, they don’t have probable cause.”
“So we wait?”
“We wait. But at least we have somewhere to start.”
I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like shit: bags under my eyes, the color of my face dull.
“Let me know if you hear anything else. He’s still around. The call to Jada proves that.”
“I know. We will get him. Just hold tight.”
Jab,cross, hook.
Jab, cross, hook.
Jab, cross, hook, uppercut.
