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I know I did, but the reassurance doesn't help. I took the one thing from her that she desperately sought for years. I took that.
Boone comes up beside me, his rifle flat in front of him. “I need to talk to you.”
I don’t stop walking. I only glance over at the reserve in his voice. “Go ahead.”
He doesn’t talk for a few seconds. “I need to leave for a while.”
My brows furrow with a cock to my head. Ever since he saw the woman in Anita’s crew, he’s never been the same. I never wanted to pry, but now it’s getting to this point. I’ll be losing my right hand, my trusted member. A friend.
A brother.
He looks over at me, his eyes blank from the world, like he’s been walking the earth soulless. It’s the same look he had in his eyes when I first approached him in that bar. It’s also a numbness I understand all too well. Used to...
“Is this about her?” I stop before we get to the door while Mal waits.
We face each other at the same time. He glances down, and his silence is enough to answer my question. I have an understanding that is Anita’s close team member, the relationship between them, I am not aware of—but I know they must be close. If he intends to kill her, well...that’s going to be a big problem.
“Are you planning on killing her?” I rub my hand over my beard, my gaze stern on his. I’ve never questioned him before, but things are different now.
His eyes flicker up to mine. After a long pause, he shakes his head. “No.”
I nod with some kind of relief. “How long?”
He looks at the building, then back at me. “There are some loose ends I need to tie up. The time length, I’m not sure.”
I inhale a breath, stuffing my hands into my pockets. “You know I’m here. For anything.” He’s been more loyal to me since day three. The example of ride or die. From where he was when I first met him to now, it’s a miracle that he’s still here and alive.
“I know.” He nods with understanding.
I extend my hand from my pocket and hold it in front of me; he meets the hand slap, then we bump shoulders together.
“Alright, let’s go finish this shit off,” I say, pulling away from the brotherly hug. We break away, walking up to Mal, who waits at the side of the warehouse.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before,” Mal says with surprise in her eyes. “I like the bromance.”
“Stop.” Boone grunts, walking ahead. Mal rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out at Boone's back.
We make it to the one-story steel building that's pale gray and dingy from the wear and tear of the weather. It’s nothing fancy, like the one in the mansion in London.
This run-down unit is just another one of his spots he uses to conduct his sick business. We make it to the door to hear Victor speaking. Every sting burns on my chest, fury from the pain he put me through. It all boils down to this. This moment.
“What the fuck! No one is answering back!” he barks, the thundering sound of his steps heading toward the door immediately as we draw our guns to the door. “I’m not waiting any longer to be murdered. Ready the helicopter, Jax!”
The door swings open, his head looking over his shoulder and his phone at his ear. At the same time, he turns his head, I cock my gun.
Shock and worry shines on his sweaty face. I form a methodical smirk as his eyes widen from his sockets, and his skin turns clear white.
“Are you shitting bricks right now?” I stroll into the room, guiding him back into until he’s stumbling on his desk. His hands raised upward, his lips parted. Boone takes a seat at the far corner, watching the whole ordeal.
“Oh, he’s definitely shitting something,” Mal snarls with a devilish grin, walking around Victor’s desk.
“Poison,” he chides with a nervous chuckle. “You were supposed to be—”
“Dead?” I say, itching a spot on my temple with the barrel of the gun. “It’s so ironic how you thought I was dead before. Wasn’t. And now here I am again.” I chuckle enthusiastically.
“You just can’t stay dead. How?”
“You can thank me for that,” Jax intercepts, raising his gun and walking around to us.