Page 11 of Dangerous Command

“Is there anything else?”

A long pause, then he added, “I’ll talk to you about it when you get here.”

With that explanation, he knew I was coming. Derek needed my help. I tried to lighten the mood.

“So you’re the boss now, huh?” I asked. “Officially.”

“Officially.”

“How are you doing with everything?”

He laughed. I rolled my eyes at the reaction.

“Death is inevitable in the Adler life,” he said. “I don’t hold onto it much.”

“Still, he was your dad,” I said. I didn’t know my biological father at all, and my stepdad was a man of nightmares. But that didn’t mean that I didn’t understand the crushing loss of losing a parent.

Cold sweat dripped over me as I waited for his answer.

“The world keeps moving,” he said, his tone reluctant. “It doesn’t stop for anyone.”

I wanted to believe him, to give him that benefit of the doubt. But I knew Derek. His family was his life; it meant everything to him. And as much as his dad was a crappy boss and a lousy husband and father, he was stillhis dad. He had been Derek’s number one supporter growing up, and to lose that kind of love, it did something to you.

I hadn’t spoken to my mother in years, and she was gone too. And she had never supported me like Gerard had supported Derek. But it still made me feel strange to think about her death.

But Derek was right. Life moved on.

It had been a while since I had asked Lucy for help—almost six months, to be exact. And yet we still visited each other’s apartments for dinner multiple times a week. Lucy wouldn’t mind watching Mack.

But the last thing I needed was to get involved with the Adlers again, especially back in Sage City. But a part of mewantedto go, to be there. To see Gerard and Margot’s bodies. To see his brothers. To be there for Derek.

And I knew I would regret it if I didn’t.

“Double the pay?” I asked.

“If that’s what it takes.”

“That’s seriously overpriced,” I said. “Do you know how much I get paid?”

He laughed. “I don’t care. Just come here.”

“Once I finish up,” I said. “Move the bodies though.”

“Already done,” he said.

I hung up and dialed Lucy. Mack perked up when he saw my posture change.

“Who was that?” he asked. “Are you calling Lucy now?”

I smiled, holding the phone to my ear. “Why do you like going to her house so much?”

“She has an Xbox.”

Ah. So it all made sense. I could see her playing video games with Mack. I wondered if she’d tease me about going back to work in Sage City again. I had told her about Derek once, back before I left.

But this was different. This would be the last time.

CHAPTER 3