Page 35 of Damien’s Mate

They took a taxi to a graffiti-covered pullout beneath an overpass. There were a couple of drug dealers down the other end, but Damien made sure his gun was visible and they kept their distance.

A few minutes later, two vehicles pulled in. One was the big black SUV Damien had stolen from his former boss, with Uncle Vinnie behind the wheel, and the other was Vinnie’s Lincoln, driven by Damien’s Aunt Jenn.

Vinnie got out and grabbed Damien’s shoulders, giving him an old-school Italian double cheek kiss. He was Damien’s mother’s brother, and he’d always been good to Damien. Better than he deserved, probably.

Vinnie said, “Man, Damien, you’re giving your Aunt Jenn agida. It’s a good thing you’re getting out of town for a while. That your girl?” He jerked his chin at Lila, who was sitting on the bag of money looking like death warmed over.

“Yeah. We had to jump off a fire ladder to get away from Rostov’s goons, and then we got shot at, so she’s not feeling too good.”

“She’s a looker though. Hope you ain’t letting the little head do the thinkin’ for the big head, if you know what I mean.”

“I probably am.” He definitely was. “But it’s worth it.”

“Ain’t never worth it.”

Damien wasn’t going to argue that point. “Look, thanks for everything, Uncle Vin.”

His uncle nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. “The new plates for the SUV and the bag are in the back. I added a couple burn phones and some extra ammo. Gonna come say goodbye to Jenn?”

“Of course.”

He went over to the Lincoln and his Aunt Jenn got out. She was little and skinny, but Damien knew she could stand up to anybody. He gave her a big hug.

“In trouble again, I see,” she scolded. “You’re giving your uncle agida. He worries so.”

Damien grinned. They both always claimed it was the other one who was worried.

“Trouble since the day I was born, Tia.”

She slapped him lightly on the arm. “Too good-looking, that’s your problem. The girls let you get away with too much.” She peered at Lila, who was looking mutinous at having to be helped into the SUV by Vinnie. “That one looks tough, though. Maybe she’ll keep you on the straight for a change.”

If only she’d stay long enough to try. “Not likely,” he said.

“Well, straight or not, you’re our boy and we love you. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t. But you probably won’t see me for a bit.”

She nodded, kissed his cheek and went around to the passenger seat of the Lincoln. Vinnie got into the driver’s seat, and they drove away with a final wave.

Damien changed the plates on the SUV and used one of the burn phones to make a quick call to his shifter contact, who didn’t answer. He left a message, and then they took off. The faster they left Chicago behind, the better.

They drove in silence for awhile. Damien was a little worried about Lila—he had a feeling she was a lot more hurt than she was letting on.

As usual.

He told himself it was probably a good thing she was going her own way when she was better. He sucked at taking care of people. Although for some stupid reason she made him want to try, which kind of scared the hell out of him.

They were outside the city, on the highway heading south, when she asked, “Have you heard back from your shifter contact yet?”

Damien glanced at his new phone, but he knew there were no notifications. “Not yet.”

The contact was Brock Reilly, one of the shifters he’d met in Kentucky. He’d promised their leader, Brandon, that he’d forget all about shifters and never try to contact them again, but at the last minute, when Damien was leaving, Brock had given him a card with his number and their address on it.

Just in case, he said. As if he knew something like this might happen.

Lila said, “You better hope he gets the message. Otherwise, they’ll probably attack the second we get there.”

Of course they would. Damien sighed. “People attack us everywhere we go. Why should this be any different?”