Page 108 of The Fractured

“You got somewhere to be?”

“Did you not see me lock the door?” I gestured back to the house for emphasis. “Yeah, I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

Vince huffed a laugh, tongue in cheek. “Tell your girlfriend she might have to wait.”

I didn’t bother asking how he figured I was talking about a girlfriend, so I didn’t bother denying it. Instead, I watched as Vince began walking back to the car.

“I don’t feel good about leavin’ Mom alone right now.” I still hadn’t moved from the doormat.

Vince stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “This isn’t up for debate. Boss wants you to go, so get in the car.”

A frustrated exhale blew out of my mouth. “Can I call my girlfriend to let her know?”

“Fine. But be quick.” With that, he turned and walked back to the car, pulling out a cigarette as he went.

I could have one of those. Fuck that, Ineedone of those.

I brushed off the idea of asking Vince for one and pulled out my phone again.

The other end rang twice before Lily’s hesitant response met my ear. “Hi?”

I rubbed the back of my head, walking slowly to the car while I thought of a way to let her down easy. Which was a bullshit theory anyway. No one was ever let down easy. No matter how gently they were told, they always felt like shit afterwards.

“Somethin’s come up,” I started.

“You aren’t coming?”

“I am… Antonio wants me to do somethin’ for him first. Vince is here. I don’t have much of a choice...” I slowed my steps at the curb by the car, catching a glimpse of my reflection in the tinted window.

The guy looking back at me needed sleep.

I turned my back to him. “I don’t know how long I’ll be, but I promise I will come get you.”

I was talking into the phone like there was a chance I might slip into the speaker and appear in her room.

Her voice was an emotional whisper. “Okay.”

“I love you.” My words were met with silence. I checked that the call was connected. And ignored when Vince impatiently tapped on the window from inside the car.

A faint and slow inhale came from the other end of the call. There was a shake in her voice again. She was frustrated becauseshe was stuck; frustrated because of my situation; and maybe frustrated that she was getting upset at all.

It’s how I felt anyway.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

I waited for her to hang up first, and then cursed under my breath as I pocketed the phone.

Could one fucking thing go our way?

I turned to the Mercedes, scanning the street as a precaution while I got into the front seat. I was leaving Mom home without company — other than a pint-sized dog that couldn’t do much against an intruder, except maybe piss on their boot and chew a shoelace.

It wasn’t until I settled into the seat that I noticed Vince and I weren't the only ones in the car.

With a soft clearing of his throat, Antonio made himself known in the backseat.

“Boss,” I said with a casual tip of my head.

How much of that conversation, and my reluctance to go on this job, had he overheard?