Chapter 34
Trinity
Ironically, as we head into New Orleans, where people party all day every day for no reason at all, I feel like we’re walking into a morgue.
I wish I could relax and enjoy my first trip here. Maybe even pretend Brody and I are an actual couple on vacation.
If only.
As the train starts to creep into the station, we rise from our seats. Brody offers me his hand.
Everything I want stands right in front of me, all bronzed and muscled with dark, untamed hair and shining eyes. This man used to strike me as so dangerous.
He still does, but now I glimpse even more depth shimmering behind that killer’s gaze. He’s not just the hardened enforcer and murderer who kidnaped me. I’ve yet to peel back all the layers, but he’s proven he’s loyal and compassionate.
I accept his hand. When he pulls me closer, my knuckles brush the outline of the hard drive in his front pocket.
My stomach churns at the reminder.
I have no idea what we’ll do next. Currently, my only plan is to stay alive and follow Brody’s lead. So far, he’s kept me safe,fed, and satisfied. This might be the orgasms talking, but despite our precarious situation, I haven’t felt this at ease in years.
Though Finn must be worried sick at this point. I was supposed to meet his guys in Austin last night. When I never showed, he probably ordered them to tear the city apart. Maybe if I ask, Brody will let me borrow his phone so I can avoid stealing it this time.
As soon as we hop off the train, Brody shifts into Enforcer Mode, scanning the platform for danger.
As I observe him, random trivia bursts from my mouth. “Did you know New Orleans is the home of the first American crime family?”
He pauses his inspection to quirk a brow. “Okay?”
“Just a fun factoid, in case you were wondering.” I’m rambling. Why am I rambling? “In the late nineteenth century, immigrants from Sicily laid down roots here, giving birth to the American mafia.”
Cocking his head, he pats his front pocket. “Are our families related to any of them? How far back does the info on this drive go?”
I laugh a little, the tension slipping from my shoulders. “To answer your first question, I’m not sure, but I highly doubt it. I just fell down some deep rabbit holes over the years, more out of curiosity than anything else. There’s a lot of useless knowledge floating around in here.” I tap the side of my head.
In response, Brody kisses my temple. “I like all the random facts in your pretty head.” He surveys our surroundings again. “Coast looks clear. Let’s go.”
He tugs me through the crowd. Good thing, too, because I think my brain just short-circuited.
He called meprettyoutside of our sexcapades. Said he likes my useless knowledge.
How the hell do I handle that?
When he wraps an arm around my waist, my heart flutters. I realize the action’s meant to keep us from standing out among the other couples on the street, but warmth still spirals through my veins like the sun on a winter day.
With Brody’s hand on the small of my back, we zigzag through people in the train station and step outside.
I stop short.
A sixtysomething Black man stands beneath a sprawling live oak, holding a saxophone to his lips. He sways to the rhythm, and I close my eyes and let the music wash over me.
I’ve never heard anything quite like it. In this moment, I feel…centered. Alive and serene. When I open my eyes again, the world around me appears almost new, vibrating with energy and full of promise and possibility.
“Have you been here before?” Brody pulls me back to reality, and I shake my head.
“No. I’ve read about it, but I feel like this isn’t the best city to travel to alone.” I try to sound offhand and breezy, though I think my loneliness seeps through. I’ve always wanted to see more of the world. My family possesses the means, and I’ve certainly had the time to explore during my breaks over the last few years.
While I know people embark on solo backpacking trips all over Europe, I never felt compelled to travel alone. Why do that when I can simply crack a book and curl up on my couch with a nice glass of red wine and ignore the fact that I’ve shut out any possibility of friendship with others since Angelica’s death?
