Page 232 of The Wicked

“Yeah.” I smiled, knowing we were okay and appreciating his clarifications about the kiss. I was glad it didn’t mean anything to him, because I felt the same way. It was nothing compared to his brother’s—fuck—his brother, who was probably somewhere plotting my murder for putting Devil in harm’s way.

Hopefully I would at least get a day off before talking to Elio. I wasn’t in the right headspace for that conversation.

When we entered our quarters after Dog was finished with his patching up, Milk jumped from a chair with a scream as she threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “Oh my God, I knew you guys were okay, but—fucking hell, I’m so happy to see that you’re okay.”

I hugged her back just as tight. “Me too.”

She broke away, hugging Devil immediately. “I’m glad you were there with them; if it were just the two of them, that bus would have—”

“Yup, I’m glad I was there too,” he said, just as Upper came from the passageway, breathing out in relief.

“You guys scared the bloody fuck out of me after that comm disconnected. I pulled out the Bible and prayed for the third time in my life,” Upper said.

“You have a Bible?” I asked as he hugged me.

“Yes. You never know when you will need it.”

I watched Milk break away from her hug with Devil before facing Dog. “You just couldn’t stop cursing, could you.”

“For the record, the kids love me now; I told them how they would—”

She threw her arms around him in a tight hug, mindful of his wounded arm. “I’m so happy you’re alive.”

He hugged her back with his good arm, letting out a dramatic sigh I knew was probably real. “It would have sucked for you if I died, so I just had to come back.”

“You did good,” Upper said, stepping away from me and then towards Devil, who was checking his wrists, which were more bruised than mine and Dog’s. “You might want to get that checked out.”

Devil looked up at him. “Yeah, wanna help?”

“Me?” Upper asked, surprise in his eyes.

“Yes, I was talking to you.”

Upper blinked. “Um… sure? I mean, I’m not great with the—”

Devil sighed. “Stop being awkward.”

“I can’t just turn off awkwardness; that is not how it works,” Upper clarified.

Milk pulled away from Dog. “I’ll get the first—”

A knock on the door stopped her from completing that statement, and whoever it was didn’t wait for a response before they came barreling in.

Four soldiers walked into our space, one holding a huge briefcase.

“What’s going on?” Upper asked.

The soldier holding the briefcase dropped it on the center table while proceeding to open it.

There were five passports and bundled notes of money. “That is a quarter of your payment for your team’s deal with our boss. There’s also a check in there for the remaining payment. New names and new identity cards with passports, if needed. From this moment on, you’re all free to go.”

“What?” Milk asked.

One of the soldiers that accompanied him held my arm. “That is, once the boss questions her.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, let her go,” Devil said, and the soldier… released his hold from my arm. “What is this about.”

“We were given direct orders to keep her in the compound prison for questioning when the boss returns, Mr. Marino.”