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“You hired Arden? You and Brian?”
“Yes. After that kerfuffle with Kera’s friend, you weren’t going to consider him, but he was the best option. Besides, he offered. I don’t think he cared much for Sean after the first time they met.”
Deklan wraps his good arm around my shoulders and pulls me close to his side.
“I’m going to have to be consulted on this shit if I’m going to be in charge,” Deklan says gruffly but then smiles. “Still, I’m glad to know you have my back.”
“Always.” Teagan looks at Deklan stoically. “My father meant the world to me, just as he did to you. Sean was right—he loved you more. He was your father, too.”
Deklan takes a long breath and stares at the ground for a moment with closed eyes. He licks his lips, shifts his weight from one foot to the other, and then squeezes his eyes shut as he grunts in pain.
“We should get you to the hospital,” Brian says as he moves closer and checks out Deklan’s shoulder.
“No hospital,” Deklan says. “It will just raise questions.”
“The vet, then,” Brian says. “You need stitches.”
“Vet?” I ask.
“Yeah, there’s a guy on the west side of town,” Brian says to me. “He can do stitches.”
“The bullet went clear through,” Dek replies as he looks at Teagan. “It’s not even bleeding that much. I can wait.”
Brian opens up the trunk of the Viper and pulls out a first aid kit. Inside, there is rubbing alcohol and gauze for Deklan’s shoulder.
“We need to get Arden his money,” Teagan says. “He’s waiting at the main warehouse. We can all get in your car, and Mac can use mine to clean up. It’s got the trunk space.”
“I’ll call Andrew and the cleaning crew,” Mac says. He pulls out his phone and walks back into the alley.
“I can’t shift with my shoulder like this,” Deklan says.
“I’m happy to make the sacrifice of driving your car for ya,” Brian says with a big smile. He hands me the first aid stuff. “Kera can patch you up a bit on the way.”
Deklan and I climb into the small back seats of the Viper—it’s not easy considering Deklan’s size and wound—and Teagan takes shotgun. While Brian drives, I do my best to use the gauze to stop the rest of the bleeding, which is minimal. I put some tape over the gauze to hold it in place, and Deklan pulls his jacket back on.
Brian pulls in near the warehouse. On the far side of the lot is a sleek, classic Camaro. As we get closer, I see a bumper sticker that once must have read Soccer Mom but is now partially ripped off.
“It will look better if you pay him off,” Teagan says as she tosses a thick paper envelope into the backseat. “Start of a new relationship and all.”
“I’m not doing business with him again.” Deklan picks up the envelope and holds it in the palm of his hand, testing the weight. “How much?”
“Seventy-five.”
Deklan shakes his head as he shoves the envelope into his pocket.
“We are going to need all the allies we can get.” Teagan says. “Chicago is going to be a big part of that.”
“She’s right, boss.” Brian turns around in his seat and looks back at Deklan.
“Let me out,” Dek says with a heavy sigh.
Brian jumps out of the Viper and pulls the seat up so Deklan can exit. Deklan grunts as Brian grabs Deklan’s good arm and helps him out. Teagan gets out of the car as well, angling the seat up for me.
“Come on, Kera,” Deklan says when I don’t move.
“You want me to go with you? I have nothing to say to him.”
“He did save our asses, Mrs. K.” Brian leans against the car, peers in at me, and grins. “Ya gotta give him that.”
