And I want to hold her close, too.
It sucks. Everything sucks.
Not even Alex can do a fucking thing to placate or distract her.
"We're going to go somewhere until I have this figured out, so Lyndall, get some rest. You too, Lola," I say. "In the safe room."
"Come on, Lyndall, let's get some rest," Lola says, and leads my sister into safety.
"Messy," Cade says, pushing his glasses to the top of his head after he examines the wallet that is on one of them. "The other's clean, and this one might well be, too, considering the wallet's only for show. Ten bucks, and that's that."
"No fucking phone," I say.
"You would think they would be polite and pin something on them, like a note with directions." He half-laughs, then slides his hands into his pockets. "Does this have to do with you, your dad, or your girl?"
"Not my girl," I say, a growl forming in the back of my throat. "And it might."
"Fuck."
"Those are my sentiments," I say.
"What's the plan? Is the basement compromised?"
"It's not. But I think I have to go remote for a while."
"Cancun?" he asks.
Heat takes me as I glower. "What happened in Cancun, asshole, isn't anyone's business, and no. I have got Lyndall here."
"How's the kid?"
"Fifteen going on thirty."
It is at that time that Silas rocks up, taking in everything. "Nice. Real nice. You called the cleaners?"
"No," I say to him, "I thought it would be fun to just leave this."
"Dude, Enzo called the cleaners and the cops. There is no record of any calls placed from neighbors." Cade crouches down to examine something. "Thought it was the remnants of a removed tattoo on his hand." He drops the hand and rises.
"You called the cops?"
Cade rolls his eyes at Silas. He is aware Silas is pushing buttons, but he plays anyway. "They're called Syndicate contacts. You should try them."
Silas laughs. "I'm too good."
"You're too much of an asshole," Cade says. "Gino?"
"Fuck no," I say. Though I just might have to call my uncle. "Too many strings and favors, you know that."
"Why not call your dad?" Silas asks as he opens the door for the cleaners who are dressed like EMTs.
Cade hands me the wallet he found, and I pocket it.
"My father's worse than my uncle. Gino can only extract favors. My father can extract the rest of my life as his," I say. "And best-case scenario is Dad will pull complicated strings, which I don't want to deal with."
But I'm going to have to call him again about tonight, but my main priority is getting Lyndall and Lola away from here and somewhere safe.
"Where are you taking them?" Cade asks. "I can cover if you can't get this job done."
