CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
*Baylor “Bae” - Secretary*
“No rest for the weary, eh Bay?” Vee claps me on the back with a half-assed chuckle as I plop the folder onto the counter and ease down onto the stool. Getting on the stool is a hell of a lot easier than trying to crunch down and fall onto the couch. I tried. It sucked.
As soon as I emerged from the room earlier, Vee and I ran through the details from last night a few times. The paperwork was solid. Everything started out playing according to plan. But the fucker was just a bit… cleaner… than expected. True psycho. No drug or alcohol abuse screwing with his head. No, his psychosis ran deep. In fact, some drugs could have tamed him. Tranquilizers. The kind you might give to a damn horse. More or less, it all boiled down to “shit happens.”
Kal takes the stool next to me, squeezes my shoulder, and gives me a little jostle. “Been a long time since I pissed myself, brother.”
“Oh, you know, just helping to make sure all parts of your anatomy function properly. Glad you passed the test.”
He chuckles, spins his stool the opposite direction so he can recline against the edge of the counter, and checks his watch. Kio hops up onto the counter itself at the corner and leans back against the outer column. Zane drags out the stool he was using at my bedside and joins us.
Once Zane is situated, I address him directly, still somewhat speaking in code since Kio is here, and he is technically on the need-to-know list. “Heard you did a damn fine job covering our tracks.” I thrust my hand out. Zane takes it, and I give him a firm squeeze before letting go.
“Nothing a good prayer and candlelight vigil couldn’t handle.” He bites on the inside of his cheek, lips twitching.
Vee and I both burst into laughter. Kid is finally getting a sense of humor. I love it. “Biggest candlelight vigil likely ever seen.” I chuckle.
Vee goes to the kitchen, grabs several drinks, each our preferences, and passes them out, sliding them across the counter one by one. But he circles around to personally deliver Zane his. Their hands meet against the cold soda can. Zane tugs, but Vee grips tighter. Zane flashes Vee a questioning warning. Vee claps him on the bicep with a tight grip. “Una candela non perde null’accendere un'altra candela,” he states in his thickest Italian. “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. I appreciate you, brother. I was sloppy and am thankful you cleaned up after me. I am in your debt.”
A blood-curdling roar shakes through the condo, jolting us all out of the moment. Standing so abruptly and drawing my gun causes the wound in my side to stretch painfully. Coty comes charging out of a bedroom like a damn rhino. The vein at the center of his forehead pulses and his hand is clenching something so tight that his skin is white and taut. We all just stand there, weapons at the ready, silently waiting for him to drop yet another fucking bomb.
“Where. The. Fuck. Is. He?” Coty growls out low, panting through each word.
The rest of us all share a look. Kio steps toward him. “Who?”
Coty, face a purple-red, opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Kio gets closer, reaching out toward the item in his hand. As soon as Kio touches him, Coty goes into beast mode, roaring and throwing air punches. Kio is quicker, though, flipping him into a hold, dropping his body onto the ground, and pinning him with a knee at the center of his back and arm wrenched at an uncomfortable angle.
Coty counters the move, but Kio is able to get the item from his hand and stagger away before he can be taken down. The rest of us step forward, blocking a heaving Coty from any more retaliation. Vee steps in front of me, blocking me from being able to help. The radiating pain in my side overrides my pride, so I allow it.
Kio shows us that the item is a cell phone, then he starts tapping at the screen to solve the puzzle. His fingers stop moving almost right away, eyes narrowing on the screen. He blinks once. Twice. Then his lips press tightly together and hand comes up to cup his mouth. The rest of us all gape at him, confused. His head shakes rapidly and shoulders begin to tremble.
Kal breathes out a huff of impatience, launches forward, and swipes the phone from Kio. Kio fucking loses it, braying with laughter. Calm, Zen, Kio laughs harder than I have ever seen. All it takes is one look at the screen for Kal, and he throws his head back, chest rising and falling with a calming breath. Vee loses his patience next, stealing the phone from Kal.
Kal aggressively rubs his hands down his face and groans in his palms. “I have no damn time for this shit,” he states, barging toward the front door, plucking his keys off the hook, and swiping up his helmet off the storage bench. Before walking out, he spares me a quick glance and head tilt.
Vee laughs, snapping my attention back to the scene. Eyes wide he does Zane and me a favor, flips the screen around, and holds it up high. Coty tries to lunge for him, but Kio and Zane are ready, each taking an arm and holding him back.
Looks like a damn porn reel. Squinting, it dawns on me who the cast consists of. Chaz is slamming Lace hard and fast while Coty is asleep beside them. Not just a little bit asleep but like the ugly kind. A laugh bursts out of me, immediately followed by a groan. Damn. I ease back onto the barstool.
“Where is he?” Coty demands again, only slightly calmer.
“About to be with Kal,” I answer, knowing Chaz and Kal are up on the job schedule this afternoon, and that is likely where Kal just headed off to.
Coty shoots the deadliest of glares at the front door.
Even Zane chuckles this time.
Chaz couldn’t have made himself more unavailable if he tried.