Page 39

On three, I covered Gerry’s mouth. His eyes shot open, and I applied more pressure. “Breathe through your nose. You’re not dying.”

“Yet,” Sabre supplied.

Pretty sat his ass on the desk facing the foot of the bed. There was nowhere to escape.

Gerry nodded his head, and I took my hand from his mouth, plopping my ass on the duvet cover. I wasn’t touching Gerry, but I made sure he knew we weren’t here on a family visit.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Sabre asked him.

“Staying in a hotel,” Gerry responded smugly. We weren’t dumb fucks, and I wasn’t sure which part made me angrier–that he thought we were when we’d bailed him out multiple times, or that he discredited his daughters. They had chosen the two of us.

“No. I’m not fucking around with you. You’ve got about three seconds to spill what the fuck is going on, or you’re going to our Playroom. I can sneak you in without your girls even knowing.”

Pretty and I shot each other a glance. Sabre never threatened. If he said something, he was serious. Gerry was going to the Playroom unless he talked.

“I’m visiting associates, and you’ve rudely interrupted my sleep.” Gerry sniffed.

“We saw you coming out of Diego Lopez’s office building. Isn’t it ironic Matt cleared your gambling debt in that same building?” Sabre deadpanned.

“He calls us dumb fucks, but he hasn’t learned from the last time.” Pretty had taken offense, and I didn’t blame him. If I got the chance, I’d strangle Gerry and be done with this fucking shit.

“I’m not gambling.” Gerry was indignant as he sat up, fluffing the surrounding pillows.

“Then what the fuck are you doing?” Sabre grabbed Gerry by the throat and slammed the back of his head into the headboard. Gerry flapped his hands around, sputtering and coughing until his face turned a bright shade of red. He tapped his hand against Sabre’s wrist, trying to get him to loosen it.

“I’m broke.” He coughed, and Sabre finally gave him some slack. “I have over thirty years of experience, and I can’t get work. I’m about to lose my home.”

“So? You haven’t earned trust. Your thirty-year reputation flushed down the drain. How does it feel to fuck up that bad?” Sabre asked.

“None of this explains why here, why now?” Gerry thought he was so slick, but none of this was sitting right with me. He was involved in something shady…again. I just didn’t have the answer for it all to make sense.

“I turned her in,” Gerry whined. His eyes stayed dry, but each breath hitched—sob after silent sob falling from his chest. “She’s always been the same, and six months with you fucks, and she’s completely different. Pajamas! With dog slippers! In the middle of the day.”

“Aunt E?” Pretty sat up straight, his ass still on the desk. “Are you really bitching about clothes and makeup? None of that shit fucking matters. Didn’t you learn that the first fucking time?”

“I turned her in to the cartel.” Gerry fake sobbed again. “She’s always been there for me, and now she doesn’t even take my phone calls.”

“Aunt E doesn’t have a phone, you fucking idiot. She’s been building the strength in her arms, down to her hands.” Sabre slammed Gerry by the throat against the headboard again.

If he wasn’t careful, Sabre was going to knock Gerry out. The second hit made the old man pause for a second, and his eyes had slightly rolled back into his head. It made me think of when Aunt E had first been healing and she would pause in the middle of a thought, retreating into herself.

“She’s always dropped everything. If I needed a plus one, she could be ready in half an hour. If I didn’t want to cook, she always had leftovers. No one moves in on my territory. Not even fucking El Sombra Roja or that man of yours.” The sobs had stopped, and Gerry’s eyes were dry.

“Are you jealous?” Pretty sputtered. None of us could believe the shit Gerry was spewing.

“They were never supposed to meet. He was my client,” Gerry spat.

“Did you kill your wife?” I needed to know.

“No, you fuck. She died in the car accident.”

“It sure sounds like you lusted after your sister-in-law. I’m down for a good soap opera, but this is even a little too weird, even for me.” Pretty swung his legs, constantly kicking the drawers in the desk.

“I’m confused. What does any of this have to do with Diego?” Sabre’s brow furrowed as he ran a hand through his hair. He was getting as aggravated with Gerry as I was. If we took a vote, I’d definitely raise my hand for the Playroom.

“Weren’t you fucking listening? I turned her in to the Lopezes. They’re going to use her as a pawn, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.” Gerry flopped back down on the bed, lying flat.

“If you couldn’t have her, no one could, huh?” Pretty asked. “Don’t look at me like that. I understand complex relationships more than you two do.”

“El Sombra Roja already had an arranged marriage lined up when she found out about Peter. I told her to get rid of it, but she was in love.” Gerry snorted. “No one fucking listens to me.”

“This is sick,” I said. “Aunt E is healing, you fuck. She’s not thinking of dating, and even if she was, none of you are good enough for her.”

“You think your biker buddy is?” Thunder had been playing it cool, letting their relationship develop. He was the best option so far, but if Aunt E turned them all down, I’d be okay with that. She was free to do whatever the fuck she wanted.

“I got news for you.” I smirked. “Your baby killed your nephew with her belt. Peter won’t be doing shit. He’s dead.”

“Nooooo…” Gerry moaned. “Diego said he’d leave them alone if Peter succeeded. My girls are in danger?” Gerry shot straight up in the bed. If he wasn’t careful, he’d throw his back out, and I wasn’t taking him to the emergency room.

“We found out about the bounties.” Sabre knocked Gerry down before he could get comfortable.

“He was only supposed to use Liz’s name as a decoy. My girls were never supposed to be a part of this. I was protecting them, since you like to accuse me of doing nothing.” If looks could kill, Sabre would have been dead. Holidays were going to be fun.

“Diego sent two soldiers to kidnap your girls, and JR was with Grace. Grizz doesn’t forgive, so I highly doubt you’ll meet your other grandchild.” Sabre smirked, finally gaining the upper hand.

“Where’s Diego?” I went in for the kill, playing the good cop.

“Seriously, she’s adorable. If you want any chance of getting to know her, I wouldn’t piss Grizz off.” Pretty’s voice was smooth as he laid it on thick. Gerry would be lucky if he ever met Pumpkin.

“You won’t reach the soldiers. They converted the second floor of the office building into apartments. It’s not the best, but they don’t have any other use for the building.”

“Diego,” Sabre said, keeping Gerry on track.

“He has a mansion somewhere along the water. That’s all I know.” Gerry dropped his eyes to where the sheets lay on the bed.

“It never sat right with me that Krait knew about the tablet, and that’s why.

He has to know Diego’s living in his territory.

They’re doing business, or he’s surveilling them,” I said, looking at Sabre.

A piece of the puzzle slid into place. We’d always known Krait wasn’t loyal, but it was undeniable now.

“Krait tipped them off,” he replied. “It seemed too easy. No cameras. Only eight men, and we didn’t get injured, except for one slice.”

“Yeah, but how do we get all the Lopezes in one place?” Pretty asked, jumping down from the desk.

Gerry waved his hands around, like it was obvious we were supposed to know what he was thinking.

When we said nothing, he spat, “You fucks blew up their drugs and guns. There’s an emergency shipment coming into the warehouse.

Don’t ask me where, I don’t know. All I was told was to stick around in case I could be of service. ”