Page 166 of Pink

Lev grinned. “It really was.”

“Let’s not do a repeat, huh?”

Well …

“That’s fair,” he told his boss.

Andino grunted under his breath, shooting one last look at the jailhouse that he had avoided other than the one visit. A lot like everyone else. He understood and wasn’t about to get in his feelings because of it. The less attention and stories they gave the media while they handled his situation, the better it would be for all of them.

After all, it wasn’t just the officials that needed the spotlight to go away … no doubt, Andino’s criminal organization had a broom ready to get the dirt under the rug fast.

“How much?” he asked Andino.

“Hmm?”

“All of this. How much did it cost you?”

Andino lifted one shoulder, stepping away from the car to smack Lev on the shoulder again with a chuckle before he waved at the car. “Doesn’t matter, get in. I hear there’s a couple of girls who are really looking forward to seeing you today.”

Yeah.

His little Arely.

And hopefully Gigi, too.

Every call he was able to have with Arely was just with her. Sometimes, he heard Gigi in the background. He’d been told she was staying at his townhouse, too. Sleeping in his bed. But for whatever reason, she couldn’t get on the phone.

Maybe it hurt too much.

Maybe she was scared.

God knew he had been.

Sitting in the passenger seat of the BMW, he turned to his boss to say, “Shit, look at this.”

Andino glanced his way, pulling off the curb. “What?”

“You are driving me.”

That had them laughing.

It felt good.

Real.

Then, Lev said, “I feel like I should ask again, though. How much? I owe you and—”

“One can’t put a price on true friendship.”

“And that’s what I am—a friend?”

His boss had said it before. Lev still wondered if the man might someday say enough was enough. But apparently, not.

Andino smirked. “One of my best, one of my first I chose.”

“That can’t be true.”

“More than you know, Pink.”