Page 181
Story: Ready to Cash Out
“Hear that? You need to show me how grateful you are.” Trev kissed Jupiter firmly before falling into step behind the others out of the garage, eager to be out of there.
Jerry was waiting just outside with the limo, holding the door open for them with a polite smile.
Cold went in first and the other Gentlemen scattered. Thirdsies, Valdemar, and the redhead left in a big truck. Roger and Mickey vanished in a slick black classic muscle car, and Jules drove off in an El Camino with flames painted on the sides.
Trev climbed into the back of the limo with Jupiter right behind him. He took one of the seats on the side and waited for Jupiter so he could collapse against him. Before he could even blink, he realized they were missing someone. “Where’s Juicy?”
“Safe.” Cold pushed a button that rolled down the screen separating them from the front seat.
Jerry was behind the wheel and Juicy was riding shotgun, excitedly talking away. Trev couldn’t hear what he was saying because there was still a window between them, but judging by how happy Juicy looked, he imagined it was about Barkie.
Then again, it could have been about murdering people too.
There was no telling now.
“I’ve already called Dr. Queen to come examine him,” Cold said. “We’ll make sure he’s all right. I understand that she was concerned he has not been taking his medication.”
“But you’ve had nurses coming to see him, like, every day?”
“Mr. Cusack is nothing if not resourceful.” Cold chuckled as if that was a joke he found very funny. “It’s nice to see that he hasn’t lost his touch.”
“Yeah. Super nice to see him in action. That was just great. Love all this murder. So. What happens to all the bodies back there?” Trev asked quietly. “They gonna be the result of a gas leak or something?”
“Do you really want to know?” Cold asked.
“No, I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Jupiter kissed Trev’s brow and held him tight. “The only thing that matters is right here, baby doll.”
Trev’s heart skipped a few beats, and he sagged against Jupiter’s chest. “Yeah. There were a few seconds there where I thought…” He didn’t even want to finish the thought. “I’m just glad it’s over. It is fucking over, right?”
“Yes,” Cold replied simply. “Emil and Sal will return to Perry City to lick their wounds. They may spin whatever story they’d like to ensure the council’s compliance.”
“And if they don’t?”
“I think I’ve made it clear that the consequences are severe.” Cold smirked. “Unlike the Luchesi family, my assassins don’t fail.”
Trev mirrored Cold’s smug smirk. “Technically, he didn’t fail. If you fucked up and it had been a real gun, you’d be dead.”
Jupiter made a small sound. It may have been a snort of laughter that he was trying to hide with a cough. He stared down at Trev with wide eyes and then looked at Cold, no doubt bracing for his reaction.
Cold leaned forward, his face curiously calm. “Well, then it’s a very good thing I do not tend to fuck up, isn’t it?”
“Yup.” Trev clicked his tongue. “Must run in the family.”
Cold smiled at that. “Perhaps it does.”
Trev smiled too.
Jupiter gave him a gentle squeeze, and somehow that was all Trev needed to be sure that things were really going to be okay. They were both alive, free, and Cold wasn’t the full-blooded asshole Trev had thought he was.
“Did you mean what you said?” Trev asked suddenly. “About the trip?”
“Trip?” Jupiter echoed.
“Yes.” Cold nodded, leaning back against the seat. “I own a villa that sits right on the beach of Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas.”
“And that is where?” Trev pressed. “The Caribbean, right?”
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