“No.”Price runs a hand over his hair.
“Good, then we’ll be going.”Drew stands and grabs Tom’s arm.
“We need to be able to get in touch with you.”Price stands like he’s going to block our way.
“We know how to reach you.”Drew helps Natasha to her feet and puts them both behind him.“Tom is needed with us and he won’t go anywhere without Natasha, so…”
Drew shrugs and steps back.
I rise and shake Price’s hand, giving a nod to Martinez.“You also seem to be able to find us when you need to.We have somewhere to be.”
We hurry to the door, and as we get outside, I look back.Martinez’s gaze collides with mine as he says something into the phone.Fuck.
“We’ve got to hurry.”
We shove through the busy sidewalks to get to where our car was, but a guy in a suit stands next to it.
My gaze meets Drew’s and he nods.We need a diversion for the guy.
“Give me a minute.”He strolls ahead of us.When he gets to the guy, he holds his arms wide and yells, “Gus!My god, I haven’t seen you in— Well fuck, how long has it been?”
The guy follows him to the side.As soon as his back is to us, we hurry to the car and get in.The guy tries to tell Drew he isn’t Gus, but Drew keeps mentioning dates and events to jog the guy’s mind.
When we’re in the car, Drew steps away and looks at him discerningly.“Fuck, I guess you aren’t Gus.Sorry, man.”
The guy finally goes back to his post with his back to the tinted windowed car.Drew rounds to the passenger side and slides in.
As soon as the door closes, we take off for the airport.There’s not a lot they can do since we’re not actually wanted for anything.When the time comes to be witnesses, these two will be there.Until then, we need to hold all the cards.
The ride to the airport is uneventful and silent.We easily bypass the one security guard at the private landing strip.
It doesn’t take long before we’re tucked away on the private plane.The flight attendant is the same man and he makes sure we’re all settled for takeoff.Part of me thinks the Feds are going to show up and surround the plane, aborting our trip, but that only happens in movies.
Before long, we’re in the air and I can finally breathe a little easier.Our mission is accomplished.Well, almost.
Natasha stands.“Excuse me.”
She heads to the bathroom and I meet Drew’s eyes.He gives me a little nod.We converge on Tom, sitting across from him.
“I’m here.I’ll do whatever we need to do to get Sara to safety.”He glances between the two of us.“You don’t understand the life Natasha was living.I had to help her.”
Drew’s smile is plastic and his words are meant to put him at ease.“Sure.Sure.We believe you.”
“Sara wasn’t really supposed to be in danger.”Tom looks to Drew like he’ll understand him.“I told her to move in with you guys.”
“The same guy you spent years keeping her away from?”I narrow my eyes.
“You know why,” he bites out.“You and Sara never would have been good together.You only would have hurt her.”
“The only one who consistently hurts her is you.”I can’t hold back.“Even when we were younger, you always left us to watch out for her.Knowing we’d do anything to protect her.You made her our responsibility over and over again, even though she was supposed to be yours.”
“That doesn’t sound like you were a very good brother,” Drew says.
Tom’s brow furrows.“She’s my kid sister.I’m not supposed to want her to follow me around like a puppy.”
“But you did.You loved that she worshipped you.”I shake my head, seeing it so clearly now.“It’s been a while since she needed you, hasn’t it?After all you were the first person she called when Verity ruined her.”
“She told you?”He seems surprised.
