“Maybe next Saturday?” I offered.
She rocked back on her heels, clearly unhappy, but after a second she sighed and threw her hands up.
“Fine. But you owe me details. Real ones.”
I snorted. “We’ll see.”
She pointed at me like she didn’t believe it for a second, then turned, heading for the exit with one last wave over her shoulder.
The garage door rattled shut behind her, and just like that, the space felt too quiet.
***
The garage gate rattled as I dragged it down, the metal slats clanging into place one by one until the last strip hit the concrete with a hollow thud. The sound echoed too loudly in the empty shop.
I stood there a second, hand still wrapped around the handle, jaw tight.
Enough. I’d had enough.
Turning on my heels, I headed for the front office, boots striking hard against the floor. Shoving the door with a sharp creak, I walked in, crossing my arms over my chest.
Yendor sat behind the desk, head bent, flipping through receipts like nothing in the world was wrong.
“What’s your deal today?” I asked, voice cutting through the room. “You pissed at me for telling Alto about the oil inventory mix-up?”
Nothing. He just kept sorting, stacking, sliding papers into place like he hadn't heard me, but the pages in his hands crumpled slightly under his grip.
Fine.
I shifted my weight, tilting my head as I tried again. “Guess I’ll just ask Alto then. See what?—”
The sound cracked through the air.
His hands slammed flat against the desk, papers jumping under the impact. His chair scraped back as he shot to his feet, chest rising hard, green eyes flashing too bright, almost glowing.
“Shut up, Olivia.” His voice came out raw, shaking at the edges. “Just shut the fuck up!”
He rounded the desk in two quick strides, stopping just short of me.
“Do you even know why I’m here and why Alto’s not?” he demanded.
I blinked, caught off guard. He didn’t wait.
“You really thought he wouldn’t find out?” he snapped. “Thought you could just keep working for Manshu and nobody would notice? Nobody would tell him?”
The words hit like a punch. My chest tightened, breath catching halfway in.
“What happened to Alto?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. “Why isn’t he here?”
For a second, something in Yendor’s face cracked. His mouth twisted, his anger folding into something uglier, heavier.
“Last night,” he started, voice rough, “someone called him. Told him they saw you with Manshu.”
His gaze dropped, jaw clenching hard.
“He lost it. Went looking for him.” His hands curled into fists at his sides. “Cornered him. Told him to stay away from you. Stay away from the shop.”
My grip tightened around my own arms as guilt filled me.
