“I’m going.” I picked up my bag and walked off. “I’ll be outside in the back of the apartment standing next to your donut masturbating brother.”
Humor laced his voice. “Why not stand next to West inside?”
“Because I like donuts too.”
“Phoenix, wait.”
I stopped in the hallway and looked back.
Prowling forward, he carried his duffle bag in his left hand. He had the comforter bag tucked under it. When he got to me, he grabbed my suitcase and then took the lead.
I followed him through the small living room and to the back door.
Poor Boss.
The dog was now on his side, snoring. A loud fart left him.
Cain glanced at the dog. “Who will take care of him?”
“Quin. That’s her dog.”
“He’s well trained. I almost couldn’t get in here. It took several slices of meat. He did his best to not look at them and attack, but in the end. . .animalistic desire won over loyalty.”
I frowned. “Quin is going to shoot you for bothering Boss.”
“She’ll want to shoot me for more than that.” He glanced at the bandage peeking out of my shirt collar and then opened the back door. “I like Quin. She’s a good friend.”
Groaning, Griff put his gun away and got up from the ground. “It’s about fucking time. I almost shot myself due to the boredom.”
I muttered, “Ran out of donut sex videos?”
Griff sneered. “That was a pop-up advertisement. Completely a mistake.”
Sure, buddy.
Griff looked at Dr. Fuzzy. “Nice bear.”
“Let’s go.” Cain walked ahead. “Call West and tell him to come on.”
I stayed next to Cain.
Griff pulled out his phone and got on my other side.
I scanned the space, not knowing when I would ever see this neighborhood again.
The early morning sun was slowly rising making the deep blue sky slightly lighter on the horizon and silhouetting distant trees in dark gold. Yet, the morning breeze was crisp, and small daggers of ice clung to the blades of grass. The rich fragrance of wet earth thickened and mixed with the mist draping the block.
What will happen next?
The faint sound of our footsteps broke the quiet of the morning along with the gentle chirping of waking birds.
For a quick second, I considered racing off. But I knew that if Cain didn’t catch me, Griff or West would. If I showed him that I couldn’t be trusted to walk free, then he’d keep me handcuffed forever.
It was all about the right moment and seizing the best opportunity. Not to mention the fact that if I escaped, he would find me. There was nothing else I was more certain of in my life.
The vision of his chest flashed in my head.
I can’t believe he wrote my name there.
We rounded the corner, headed down another block, and stopped at the black truck. Cain loaded our stuff on the back. I spotted other duffle bags in the truck’s bed.
Where the hell are we going?
Cain opened the passenger seat and gestured for me to get in.
“Really?” Griff groaned. “That’s my seat.”
I climbed in.
“When West is driving it is. When I’m driving you go in the back.” Cain yawned and looked at me. “Put on your seat belt.”
I smiled at him. “I could drive and let you rest.”
“Very funny.” He shut the door.
If he’d let me behind the wheel, I would have driven us right to the cops. While I didn’t fuck with the police much, this was one time where I would.
West showed up minutes later and hopped in the back. “Thank God. I was close to passing out.”
“Then, get some rest. We have a few hours.” Cain started the truck and messed with the radio, switching through stations. “What type of music does everyone want to hear?”
I sank down into the seat and muttered, “Hip hop.”
West snuggled in the back. “Heavy Metal, but the classics from the 60s and 70s.”
“No way,” Griff muttered, “Put some country on. It’s great for a misty morning like this.”
Cain stopped on one station and drove off. “Opera it is.”
His brothers groaned.
Music wafted through the air, beautifully flowing and touching my soul. Several people sang and it sounded like a symphony of angels.
Exhausted, I leaned back in my seat as the orchestra washed over me.
I heard words that I couldn’t understand, but it didn’t matter. The notes filled my veins and muscles. They throbbed in my brain. They drummed in my bones. The chords tingled in my chest and fingers.
I raised my eyebrows as Cain pulled onto Caviar Lime Highway and got into the center lane. Right when I thought he would be getting off, he continued. Exits sped past us. Eventually, we left the city of Glory and headed East.
Where are we going?
Anxiety should have come. The smooth pavement of Caviar Lime Highway stretched out before us. Somehow that sight was both comforting and exciting.
I gazed at Cain.
Terror should have hit me.