“What? How do you know this?”
“Grandpa made some calls, found out where those guys came from. They’re from New Jersey.”
“Wait. Isn’t that—?”
“Yeah, the DiMea family. But these two stunads decided to take on some contract work without permission. They’re in big trouble. Probably lucky they’re in jail now.”
“And the Rojos picked them?”
“To make it look we were taking potshots at the Roccos to cause a war.”
Chrissy seethed. This was the sort of shit that made her want to disown her family and disappear into a black hole. Only, with her family, you can’t disappear. Someone will always find you.
“Do you think Saks will be okay?” asked Gloria.
“He’s got the Spawn and his family around, so, yeah.”
“But what if he doesn’t know who sent those guys after him? What if he thinks it was our family?”
“Why are you so concerned?”
“Because you really seemed into him, and you haven’t liked anyone since high school.”
“Gloria, you know our grandfather told me to stay away from him.”
“Yeah, but he should know hospitals are public places. Anyone can walk in.”
“Gloria,” growled Chrissy. She’d walked away and wasn’t about to walk back in to hand off gang gossip.
“Okay, okay. He’s your boyfriend. You should tell him.”
“He’s not...” She sighed. “I’m sure his family and his gang are watching out for him.” She forced the subject closed by changing it. “You coming home tonight?”
“Sis, you’re lucky I’m still paying rent. No. If you didn’t have your head up your ass you’d have noticed I’ve been moving my stuff out for weeks. Marcus says he doesn’t mind me hanging at his place.”
Chrissy rolled her eyes. “That’s horribly romantic.”
“Shut up. We’ve been looking at rings.”
“You mean he hasn’t picked up on oh-so-many hints on the one you want?”
“Some days I swear you’re more evil than our family. Or maybe,” she said gleefully, “you need to get laid.”
“Gloria,” huffed Chrissy. She pinched her nose, utterly exasperated with her sister. Why was Gloria trying to push the Saks issue now? What did that little agitator have rolling around in her manipulative mind?
“Hey,” said Gloria, “you want to see your boyfriend get whacked by a biker gang, that’s no business of mine.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Chrissy sputtered.
“Whatever. I’ve done my part. ‘Bye.”
The call abruptly dropped and Chrissy stared at the phone. She scoffed her indignation and dropped the phone onto the couch. What the hell did Gloria mean, she did her part? Chrissy loved her sister, but sometimes Gloria said and did the most outrageous things.
Chrissy stood and paced the living room, entirely agitated. Was Saks in danger? She couldn’t be with him, but she didn’t want to see him hurt any further. What if he didn’t have that piece of information? Anyone could walk into that hospital.
He had to be warned.
As worry knotted her gut, she reached for her phone and didn’t find it on the couch. Chrissy pulled up the couch cushions and didn’t see it there. Frustrated, she dropped to her knees and looked under the couch, groping the carpet fruitlessly for the phone as the minutes ticked. Conceding defeat, she grumbled her irritation and turned to stand.