“I guess I don’t really understand. Butchy just made him boss. If there’s a hit out on him, why would Butchy make him acting boss?”
Big Bang cracked his knuckles as he sat quietly on the bench glaring up at Ray.
“New York has a target on Michael’s head… but they ain’t the only ones gunning for him. If anyone has retribution to claim, it’s Miles.”
“Think he’s gonna try to get revenge?” Ray asked. “He was at the house yesterday and didn’t do shit.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Big Bang asked with a grilling stare.
“If my old man framed me? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I would.”
“You wouldn’t have the balls. Not if your old man was the Butcher of Carrion.”
“Anyway, New York is only gunning for Michael because he’s in charge. Put somebody else in charge, and let them take the fall,” Big Bang explained.
Ray looked down upon the beach, his eyes following Miles’s movements.
“He sure ain’t acting like an underboss…” Ray mentioned.
“That’s ’cause he don’t know yet…”
“How’s this gonna play out?” Ray asked as his brow furrowed with stress.
“My guess? Miles is playing nice right now. It’s easy to draw out the pitbull in a man. Just take away something that’s important to ’em,” Big Bang said as he took another puff of his cigar. As he blew the smoke from his lips, Big Bang motioned for Ray to look Miles’s way.
“It’s all very simple, really. I don’t know why I gotta explain everythin’ to you.”
“’Cause I’m not a twisted fuck like you, that’s why.”
“C’mon. We gotta get back to Carrion.”
“What about him?” Ray asked, referring to Miles who was still happily pushing G on his swing.
“Frig ’em. He’ll eventually make his way back home, and when he does… Bang!”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
MILES DROVE THE FORTY-SEVEN miles back to Carrion. The radio hummed at a low decibel as Letty sat quietly beside Miles in the passenger seat. The mood was somber as they drove back to Carrion—everyone still very much traumatized by the execution attempt on Miles’s life. There was a strange sense of déjà vu about the situation. Letty had a sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn’t shake no matter what she did. It could only be summed up as dread. A storm was coming, and no matter which way they turned, their newly reunited family seemed to be in the path of destruction.
The silence in the car was loud, and Miles didn’t have the words to ease Letty’s fears. Instead, Miles reached for Letty’s left hand, not daring to take his eyes off of the road. At a few minutes to two in the afternoon, Miles pulled into the driveway of Letty’s father’s house, honking the car’s horn loudly. Letty leaned over and kissed Miles sweetly on his cheek.
“I’ll be right back. I just need to drop G off to my father.”
“I’ll be right here,” Miles said, giving Letty an assured expression.
Letty pulled her sleeping son from the backseat of the car, and carried him, along with his diaper bag to the house. After a few knocks at the door, Juan answered, looking happy to see his grandson. He leaned in to give Letty a smooch on her cheek. With a smile on his face, Juan waved to Miles in the car, before turning around to go back in the house with G clasping tightly onto his arm.
“‘Bye, Dad…. I’ll be back around dinnertime to pick him up,” Letty called.
“Why don’t you go out? Me and G are good. We have lots of that chicken stuff you made. We’re going to watch the game. You deserve a night to yourself.”
“Are you sure?” Letty asked, clearly stunned at her father’s offer.
“Positive,” Juan said as he waved his daughter away. “Be careful, baby.”
Before Letty could say anything further, the front door slammed shut and Juan left Letty standing there in silent but happy surprise. Miles climbed out of the car. He approached Letty and with a concerned look on his face, placed a hand on the small of her back.
“Everything okay?” Miles asked her, his brow furrowing with uncertainty.
“Yeah,” Letty said in a pleasant voice. “It seems my father has given us a kid-free evening.
“Hmmm…” Miles said as a smile creased his face. “Let’s go see what kind of trouble we can find.”
“I think we’re in enough trouble, don’t you?” Letty said with a half-smile.
Miles shrugged. “Same shit, a different day. We’ll get through it. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am. Stop worrying.”
Just then, as Letty’s nerves were getting worked up again, her cell phone began to vibrate. Pulling it out of her purse, Letty brought her phone to her ear.
“Hello?” Letty asked.
She was met by Landon’s deep voice.
“Hey. Are you on your way?” Landon asked in a voice that was so pained with worry that it struck Letty like a lead pipe.
“I’m on my way now. Is everything all right?”
“You have Miles with you, right?” Landon asked, the trepidation in his voice raising a red flag for Letty.