I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded.
“It’l take time. You should know we don’t speak for the others. You take on the street, you don’t have no protection from us. We’re Switzerland when it comes to you. And this deal does not leave this room. Word hits the street before we pul out, it’s war. Got me?” Shirleen went on, her eyes were no longer kind, they were hard and they were sharp.
I just nodded again. She stared at me a beat then it turned into two.
Then the sharpness went out of her eyes and she said quietly, “Thank you for takin’ care of Tye.” Oh my God.
She’d known al along it was me who got Tye off the street. I felt something hit my chest, a weight I hadn’t felt in a long time, not since Auntie Reba died.
I knew what it was. It was tears.
I swal owed and quickly pul ed myself together. “Tye’s a good kid,” I said softly.
“They al are,” she replied just as softly.
Then abruptly she put her hand on Darius’s shoulder and stood. “I need a drink. Who needs a drink?” No one said anything. “Suit yourselves. Shirleen’s gettin’ a drink.” Then she was gone.
We al stayed where we were and were silent.
Final y Lee, his eyes on Darius, asked from beside me,
“She speak for you?”
Darius shook his head, not in the negative, instead, partial y amused, partial y beleaguered.
“You know Aunt Shirleen,” was al he said.
“You told Eddie?” Lee asked.
“We’ve set up a meet after this one,” Darius replied.
“This gonna go wel for you?” Lee went on and Darius’s eyes changed, went hard, scary.
“I had to guess? No,” Darius answered.
More waves of something I didn’t get started pounding around the room.
“You know –?” Lee started but Darius interrupted him.
“I know.”
Lee nodded then his eyes cut to me. “Let’s go.” I got up and fol owed Vance in order to leave the room, Lee fol owed me.
Before we got to the door, Darius addressed me for the first time and cal ed, “Law.”
I turned and looked at him. He stared at me, his face blank. I stared at him the same way.
Then he said, “Tye’s my nephew.”
This news hit me like a physical blow. It was a miracle I didn’t stagger back but somehow I found the internal strength and kept myself under control.
Again, I just nodded but didn’t say a word.
Lee’s hand went to my back and with a gentle push, he moved me forward.
Without a word, we left the bar. Vance and I got on his bike and Lee got in his Crossfire.
Vance flicked two fingers at Lee, I put my arms around Vance’s middle and we shot off.
*
Vance parked close to the backdoor of my house and we got off the bike. He grabbed my hand and started toward the house but I stopped him with a jerk on his hand. When he turned his eyes to me, I realized I was trembling.
“What just happened?” I whispered.
“We’l talk inside.”
“It was important, wasn’t it?”
“Jules,” Vance said softly, “let’s get inside.” Then he tensed and his head swung to the side of the house, his eyes narrowing. Lee materialized out of the darkness. I stared at him as he walked to us, straight to us, straight to me.
My body went solid, my hand tightened in Vance’s but Lee stopped, close, leaned in, wrapped a hand around the back of my head and pul ed me to him. He kissed my forehead, let me go and then just as fast as he got there, he was gone.
I didn’t realize I was holding my breath and I let it out in a rush.
“It was important,” I whispered to the darkness.
Chapter Thirteen
My List
I let us in. Vance locked the door behind us and unarmed the beeping alarm then rearmed it for windows and doors.
Throughout this he never let go of my hand.
Boo pranced into the kitchen, took one look at us and let loose with news of his day and his dissatisfaction at the wait to get his treats.
Vance murmured, “Quiet, cat.”
Boo, surprisingly, ceased meowing (though, he did it with a kitty pouty face).
Vance curled me into his body and his arms went around me tight.
I didn’t resist this. I told my Rottweiler to hush because I needed this just this once, just this time.
I put my arms around him, pressed my face into his neck and held him back. Slowly, I felt his strong, warm body absorb my trembles until they were gone.
Vance’s phone rang. He ignored it and kept hold of me.
His phone quit ringing and he said quietly, “You did wel .” I nodded against his neck. Vance saying that meant a lot, more than I wanted it to mean, but I sure as hel wasn’t going to let it show.
He kept hold of me as the minutes ticked by and Boo started swirling his kitty body around our ankles.
Then Vance’s phone rang again. I pul ed back but Vance’s arms stayed around me.
I looked at him and whispered, “I’m okay. Get your phone.”
He watched me a few beats and read on my face that I wasn’t fibbing so he let me go.