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“Just today. Boss wanted to see how useful she could be.”
Meaning, he wanted to know what I would do to keep her alive. The answer was a lot. Aislynn O’Bannon had become somewhat of a sister, despite her own familial ties, and I’d do anything to keep my family safe. But I was curious how far Cash was willing to go with Ash. Fatherly love or not, if Cash hurt her in any way, Sean would rain holy hell down on him and anyone he’d ever known. Was that intentional, or did he just not know his opponents?
The silence got to Jerron the same way it got to everyone else. “P-please don’t kill me. I only joined because my friends did, and to be honest, I need the money. My folks are…out of work, and my sister needs new clothes.”
Addicts, was likely what he meant. Plenty of people in the city were. It was why I tried to keep the most harmful substances out of my territory. We already had hungry children; more drugs would only amplify the number.
Pity struck me in the heart because I believed him. I believed this doe-eyed nineteen-year-old boy joined a fucking gang to buy his sister a new pair of sneakers. It killed me that he was going to die instead.
“I’m keeping this.” I waved the camera around. “In exchange, I’m going to let you go with a message. It’s time your boss and I had another chat. Tell Cash I’ll meet him at the old Cosera Lighting warehouse at noon in two days. If he isn’t there, I’ll assume that he’s vacated my city.”
The kid shook his head. “I don’t want to tell him that.”
To be honest, I didn’t want him to either, but there was nothing either of us could do. Or was there? I pulled up the phone and dug through the contacts again. There was only one: B.
I had a way to contact Cash directly.
“Is this his number?” I held up the phone, and Jerron nodded. Fuck. Grey was going to have my head. “Is there anyone else you can stay with? Someone in another state, perhaps?”
Jerron blinked, and I swallowed the urge to tell him to hurry up. “My grandma lives near Mount Shasta.”
California. Perfect. “The train go there?”
Blink. Blink. “I think so, yeah.”
“And she can take care of you and your sister?”
Finally, I saw some understanding on his face and, dare I say it, a little hope. “Yeah. She’s been trying to get my parents to move there for ages.”
“Good.” I fished out the money clip that I always had attached to my clothes—because you never knew when you were going to have to sprint for your life, and I was not losing a few grand in cash because of it—and slapped it in his hand. The poor kid’s eyes were wider than saucers. “Go home, get your sister, and get on the next train out of Seattle. Don’t stop or call anyone until you get to Oregon. Buy a ticket to California from there, just make sure it stops in Mount Shasta but doesn’t end there. Cover your tracks when you can. Got it?”
More nodding.
“Leave everything Cash gave you behind, and don’t use a cent of this for your parents. They’ll find their own way out. Focus on you for right now.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want to see you step foot in my city again, okay? Get gone and stay there.”
That one was harder. He swallowed again, and I understood he was worried for his parents. I flipped the money clip over and tapped the card I always kept on me. “Leave this for your parents. Fourth Street Sanctuary will take them in and get them treatment. I promise.”
His hand clenched around the card like he didn’t want it to blow away. When he spoke, he was still staring at it. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you helping me? I’m the enemy.”
The laughter was a reflex. Hell, even Cameron laughed. “You’re barely legal, kid. You’re not my enemy. Besides, I’m trying to avoid bloodshed. Getting you out of here is one less body on my conscience. Two, if you count your sister.”
He thought about that for a minute, and I could feel the grains of sand ticking in the hourglass. If he wanted to leave the city alive, he needed to hurry. “Thank you.”
That made me uncomfortable. “I’m not doing this for you?—”
“I know, but you don’t have to do this. You could’ve killed me the second you made me and no one would’ve batted an eye, but you didn’t. You’re giving me a chance. You’re giving my sister a chance. That means something to me. So, thank you. If you ever need anything, let me know.”
This time, when our eyes met, I saw steel in his. Somewhere beneath the kid who’d begged for his life was the heart of a warrior. I hoped he had the chance to find it.
Nodding for Cameron to twist him around, I carefully cut Jerron’s hands loose. “Your thanks isn’t necessary. I won’t be calling to collect.”
