As we pull away, I lean out of the window, watching Specter until he turns and walks to his car.
“He meant what he said about not coming home until he’s done, didn’t he?”
Phantom nods. “Specter means everything he says.”
“Good to know.”
“You’re one of us now. We may be a motley crew, but we’ve got each other’s backs. We’d die for each other. That includes you now.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat as a flood of happiness washes over me, replacing the years of sadness, loneliness, and detachment. I thought being alone was the best and safest plan, but I was so wrong. This is way better.
“I’m thankful for you all.”
He squeezes my shoulder before heading for the freeway. Now all I have to do is get through the night, waiting for Specter to come home.
Then we can start our future.
Together.
CHAPTER 29
Specter
“Found the fucker,”Whisper says, leaning over a laptop in the back of his van.
He volunteered to do some internet sleuthing to see if we could get a location on Bradley, and no one is better at that than he is. Less than two hours later, he’s got something.
“Where?”
“Bradley Weir, 122 Harvest Road in Mistone.”
“Harvest Road,” Wraith repeats. “That’s addict row, right?”
“It is,” I confirm. “We should be prepared for him to be tweaking.”
“We’re always prepared.” Wraith claps a hand to my shoulder. “Let’s go, huh? I’ll drive.”
We part ways with Whisper, since he’s still on a job of his own, and head back to Wraith’s vehicle. Since I said goodbye to Colson at the club, we’ve been putting feelers out through some of our allies around town looking for that damn van, but it was Whisper’s skills that got us an address.
“What’s the plan?” Wraith asks as we speed down the road. “Quick and painless, or…?”
“Or.” My jaw clenches. “He’ll beg me for death before I’m finished with him.”
Wraith chuckles. “Right on, man. That’s what I was hoping for.”
The closer we get to the area of Mistone we’re after, the more voracious I become. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be anywhere Colson isn’t, and I’m pissed off that I have to be right now because of some misguided loser. He’ll pay for taking me away from my man tonight, for scaring him, and for hurting him.
Wraith turns onto Harvest Road, where the worst drug addicts hang out. Here you can find any vice that suits you, from sex workers to drug deals. If you want it, you’ll find it. I lower the window despite the cold so I can scan everyone we pass easily. The area reeks of urine, vomit, and smoke, even in the winter. The few times I’ve come down here in the summer, I almost threw up from the stench. Every decade or so some bright-eyed politician sets their sights on cleaning up the area, but it never works long term. The affordable housing deal was given to one of the most notorious slumlords in the city, and of course he took shortcuts and didn’t keep up on maintenance. Within just a few years, the solution became part of the problem, turning the place into a rich breeding ground for more drugs, more violence, more sadness.
“Two-ten, two-six,” Wraith murmurs, reading off addresses as we get closer to our target.
The nicer vehicle we’re in does attract some attention, no surprise, and when we’re forced to stop at a light, three men rush up on us, doing their best to look intimidating. I’m in no mood to be fucked with tonight, so before any of them can even speak, I’ve got my gun out and pressed to the nearest guy’s forehead.
“I have no problem blowing your fucking brains out.”
The other men bolt and the guy in front of me raises his hands in surrender. “I got no beef with you, man.”
“Go.”
