I didn’t expect that, but I should have. I pull it from its holster attached to my waistband, ensure the safety is still on, then hand it to him, muzzle pointed at the floor.
He snatches it from me, holding it out at me with a shaking hand. “I could shoot you.”
“You could. You won’t though.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re better than me. Besides, what would it do besides cause you a problem?”
“I could say you broke in. It was self-defense.”
“Sure, and I have eight brothers who would avenge me before the ink on the police report dried. Your call, Bouche.”
His jaw twitches, but he continues pointing the gun at me. “You don’t think I’m tough enough.”
“You’re obviously tough enough. I just don’t think you want to.”
After another tense minute, he puts the gun on the coffee table and slumps onto the sofa. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I do. I can help if you want me to. It would be better to let me help. If I walk away, I can’t promise nothing will happen to Boone.”
“How? It’s your job to kill him.”
It is, and the thoughts bouncing around my head right now go against everything I believe in. I’ve never defied orders, never even considered it, but if Boone is telling the truth and he’s just trying to get away from a really bad dude, maybe I can work with that. I need to know more before I go to Shadow and plead the case though.
“If what Boone is saying is true, I might be able to convince my boss to turn a blind eye. In my line of work, we come across a lot of victims, and we do our best to help get them to safety. He’d hate knowing we made it easier for scum like that to do what they do and hurt more people.”
He scoffs. “Oh, so you do have a moral compass?”
“Like I said, we have our limits. Kids, women usually, victims. We’re not completely heartless.”
When he doesn’t say anything, I continue.
“I need to talk to Boone. I need information about his former boss.” I sit next to Bouche, noting how he tenses when I rub his thigh.
He looks at me with sad eyes. No, not sad. Scared. “He’s all I have left, Wraith. I promised our mom…” He closes his eyes as his voice cracks. “He’s not a bad guy. He just makes really shitty choices.”
“I’m not judging him, but I am taking a chance and trying to help. I’m disobeying my orders, so believe when I tell you, you can trust me. My entire existence is on the line.”
“What would happen if your boss found out?”
“I don’t know. It’s never happened.”
Bouche nods, studying my hand on his thigh. “I don’t think I have a choice if I want to help Boone, but I’m not fucking happy about it.”
“Neither am I, Bouche. Trust me. All I wanted was to spend time with you. I never want to hurt you or anyone you care about.”
His teeth graze his bottom lip before he exhales slowly. “I have a lot of questions, and I think the least you can do is answer them.”
I should’ve expected that. “I’ll do my best.”
