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José understood and nodded. “Focus on what you can control, not on what you can’t.”
“That’s much easier said than done.”
“I know.”
When the waitress brought their food, Tristan pushed his beer and the candle to the edge of the table. José placed his rice bowl on the other side of his plate, and Tristan served himself some noodles.
“I’m sure everything will be fine,” José said with a spoon in his hand.
“I hope you’re right,” Tristan replied and began to eat.
28
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Ariana
“Wait here,” Leaf said. As he went around the car, Milo got out too. “No, I said wait here!”
“Alright,” Milo stated, lighting a cigarette.
As Leaf opened the gate, he entered the entrance area and knocked on the wooden door. The iron gate fell shut behind him with a clatter, a familiar sound. He had entered and exited here too many times, yet it felt wrong as he opened the door and stepped into the air-conditioned room.
Diego sat behind a glass desk, glancing at him over the laptop. Further back, Ariana lounged on the couch, flipping through a fashion magazine with boredom. When she glanced up from under her black bangs, Leaf averted his gaze and approached the desk.
“Leaf, good to see you!” Diego shut the laptop and clasped his hands in front of his face. “How are you?”
“Diego,” Leaf murmured, putting his hands in his pockets and shrugging his shoulders.
Diego flashed a sly grin, revealing a gold tooth. “What brings you back? Is it your guilty conscience? Or do you want to buy? Oh, no, I know, you’re here to suck me off.”
“Cut it out. We’re even, and you know it.”
Leaf followed Diego’s gaze to Ariana, who had set aside the magazine and was now sitting upright on the leather sofa, glaring at him with venomous rage. The distance between them provided a sense of safety. Clearly, she still hadn’t accepted that he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.
“Yes, Leaf,” Diego said, chuckling. “We’re even, but it seems my sister still wants to take you down mid-air.”
Ariana rose from the couch and stormed out of the room.
“Don’t hold it against her. She’s just too damn resentful. You surely haven’t forgotten that,” Diego commented.
“How could I?” Leaf reluctantly recalled her wounded pride. His behavior toward her hadn’t been particularly kind, but enough time should have passed by now for things to settle down.
He scanned Diego’s office awkwardly. Since quitting two years ago, he had sworn never to set foot in this building again. He knew Diego too well to believe that his friendliness was built on thin ice. Underneath it was a ticking bomb.
It was a mistake to come here!, an inner voice screamed, but Leaf ignored it.
“So, what brings you here?” Diego stood up and came around the desk. He stopped right in front of Leaf and scrutinized him. “It’s not drugs, I can see that in your eyes. You’re clean. Congratulations. Although I heard you supposedly ended the tour completely coked out.”
It was a game Diego liked to play, demonstrating his power. The Mexican may have been half a head shorter than Leaf, but that had never stopped him from acting like a huge asshole.
“You know why I’m here,” Leaf hated this banter and simply wanted to get to the point.
“Yes, I remember our phone call. But you didn’t tell me why I should hire the kid.”
“You owe me a favor.”
Being reminded of this visibly soured Diego’s mood. With a grimace, he turned away from Leaf and walked back around the table to his chair. Leaf’s gaze fell on the gun tucked into Diego’s pants, clearly intended for Leaf to see. To emphasize his point, Diego set it on the table, and then sat back down.
