Page 103 of Ruthless Commander

“I don’t know.” I glanced at the kitchen as shadows cut through the light. “Go back to the container, search through his shit.”

Voices filled the space.

The low drone nagged at me.

I tried to focus on Xael, on the grayish tinge of her face, as the waitress headed our way and smiled before sliding a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of me. “Full breakfast and fruit.” She smiled.

Xael opened her eyes as the door opened behind me. She froze and her eyes widened. “Edon?”

I stiffened, then whipped my head around, to wind up staring straight at my baby brother.

“Mateo?” He whispered, his eyes widening as he glanced from me to Xael. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

I shoved upwards, sliding out of my seat.

“What the fuck amIdoing here?” I growled. “What the fuck areyoudoing here?”

“You shouldn’t be here.” His eyes slitted as he glanced toward the front of the cafe. “You need to go…you need to gonow.”

40

Xael

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Mateo grabbed his brother’s arm.

But Edon shook his arm off and turned around, walking back out the door. “Go back home, Mateo.”

“Go back home?”

I had no choice but to slide out of the booth and go after them.

“Edon…Edon!”Mateo barked as his brother strode into the alley.

It was just like them to walk through the streets and the cafes like they belonged. But they didn’t belong. None of us belonged, not in this place, not anywhere.

But they kept walking. Edon tried his best to stride away, but Mateo wouldn’t let him.

“Edon…stop. EDON!”My husband’s accent came roaring through when he yelled.

Edon stopped walking, staring straight ahead.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Mateo pleaded.

He never pleaded.

The squeak of a door hinge came behind me. But Mateo didn’t hear it as he took a step forward. “You called me.”

Edon shook his head, but he didn’t turn around, just muttered. “I didn’t call you.”

“The fuck you didn’t.”

Edon shook his head, before he slowly turned around. “I didn’t call—” He stopped, frozen, staring over my shoulder.

“I did.” The frail male voice came from behind me.

I spun around, watching as an old man stepped toward us. He was older, stoop-shouldered, with dark eyes which were fixed not on Edon…but on my husband. I scowled, my heart pounding.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Mateo slowly turn…