Keir turns back to Chanel and says, “I would lower that gun in my presence unless you intend to use it. Because, unlike Lucas, I will not hesitate.” She lowers it straight away, and Joey takes it from her and passes it to Keir. He studies it for a moment, then says to me, “You gave her your gun?” He knows it’s mine because he was the one who gave it to me. He was also the one who taught me to shoot when I was a teenager.
“She wouldn’t get in the car without it.”
Keir nods at my words. “She also used it to kill your father,” he points out. I look behind him at Joey and Chanel walking off to his car before I focus back on Keir. “Who, I might add, you lied to me about.”
“I had to.”
“You know that displeases me,” Keir says before he strides into the building. I stand there as the rain starts to fall, and Chanel slides into the car. She glances at me, and her eyes tell me so many things, but the main emotion that radiates from them…
… is hate.
I suck air between my teeth and smile at her. She turns away from me and looks at Joey. Something passes between them before they take off.
Chapter Six
Chanel
“You can just take me home,” I tell Joey as I turn away from Lucas’s glare.
“No can do. You’re injured, and you probably need to be watched all night. Sailor will help you.”
“Sailor is about to have a baby,” I complain while shaking my head. “She doesn’t need me around the place annoying her.”
“She’s been asking about you, so I think she does.” I stay quiet until he speaks again, “Can you tell me what happened? How did you know Malik?”
“He was a client of mine. I had to put a protection order out on him to stay away from me because that man would not leave me alone. And we were taught that if a client becomes even the slightest bit obsessive… to end it before it starts,” I tell him honestly.
“Lucas is obsessive,” he points out.
“That he is.”
“You don’t feel the need to protect yourself from him?” Joey is digging, and I simply stare. “You do know about him? I know all the people from the streets do. You would be stupid not to.”
"What’s the worst thing you’ve seen him do?” I ask.
I have to know.
Maybe if I do, I’ll know to be better. It may help me to stay away from him.
“I watched him a few years ago. Keir and I were sent to retrieve money that was owed. It wasn’t a small amount either. The guy had been talking shit about us, saying that soon we would fall now that Keir was in charge.”
He rubs his hand over his jaw before it goes back to the steering wheel, and he grips it quite tightly at the memory surfacing.
“Lucas doesn’t let anyone talk smack around him unless he does it or it’s family. This guy was far from family, and as soon we walked in, he pulled Lucas to the side, wanting him to join him. But you see, once Lucas is loyal, it’s impossible for that loyalty to be challenged.” He glances at me. “It’s why Keir will never get rid of him or kill him. For the sole purpose that he will do anything Keir tells him to… with no whys, ifs, or buts.”
“What about his father? Did he know about him?”
“No. Lucas lied about him to Keir. I’m not sure what’s going to happen there, but it won’t be good.”
“Will they try to kill me? You know… for killing him?” I lift my hand and chew on my nail. I taste blood and dirt on my finger away before I look back at Joey. I was stuck on autopilot when I shot that monster because I didn’t think about the consequences of my actions. The problem is, I simply didn’t care. All I wanted was for that monster to be far away from me, so there could be no more hurt, no more harm, and no more damage inflicted by a madman in a suit.
“Keir has no allegiance to him, so you are fine.”
Releasing a heavy breath, I look out the window.
“Lucas, though…” My spine straightens, and I close my eyes. “If he is willing to lie to Keir about him, which he never does, I think it’s best now if you see him, you run the other way.”
“I don’t plan to bake cookies with him or to tell him my secrets. I would prefer not to see him again.”