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Natalia inches further back into the sofa as his dominating frame fills the doorway. I haven’t been through what she has, and even I’m intimidated.
He steps forward to shake my hand, and says, “Good to meet you, Jamie. Nice beat down on Vicki tonight.” If I’m surprised by his words, that’s nothing compared to the looks the other three are giving me. “Oh shit. He doesn’t know, does he?” I shake my head, while he laughs.
“What don’t I know?” Seb asks confused, looking between me and Dean.
“It was nothing,” I tell him, but it seems Jay has other ideas. I have no fucking clue how he knows.
“Nah, it wasn’t nothing,” Jay pipes up “I wish I’d been a fly on the wall of that toilet and seen Vicki’s face. I bet her lips were puckered up like a cat’s arsehole.” I can’t help laughing, even though I’m pissed with Jay for opening his bloody mouth.
Once the laughter stops, Rick suggests we head off and get some rest. Natalia seems to have relaxed somewhat, and I tell her I’ll talk to her soon. I also give her my number, and Dean gives her a burner phone for emergencies.
Jay decides he’s going to stay with Dean and Natalia, but the rest of us leave.
As soon as we are in Rick’s car, Seb turns to me in the backseat demanding to know what happened with Vicki. Rick eyes me in the rearview mirror, humour in his eyes. Now I know how Jay found out.
I tell him a short, watered down version because… Well, I don’t really know why. He seems happy with my version, although it’s clear he’s not happy with Vicki. The conversation turns toward Natalia and everything she told us tonight.
I apologise to Rick for screwing everything up and putting everyone at risk, but to my surprise, he thanks me for my help. He even jokes about joining them, to which he receives a vicious looking scowl from Seb and a firm ‘no fucking way’.
I don’t have the energy to argue with him about making decisions for me. All I want to do is go home to bed and sleep for at least a week.
I lay my head on the back of the seat, closing my eyes as Seb and Rick’s voices, combined with the gentle movement of the car, ease my chaotic thoughts.
I listen as they talk more about Natalia and her revelation about the cartel. Although, I am surprised when Rick mentions it’s not their first involvement with the cartels. They must think I’m a sleep when Seb speaks again.
“What if we’ve just put an even bigger target on her back, Rick?”
“I know you’re worried, but Jamie isn’t stupid Seb, she knew what she was doing tonight. She knew by making that bid for Natalia she would be noticed. And I know you’re pissed at her, and me, but I stand by my decision to let her go with you tonight. Look what she did.”
“Yeah, I know, but—”
“I do, Seb. I do know how you feel about her, and you make sure you hang on to that because it is everything, and you deserve it.” There’s a wistfulness in Rick’s voice I’ve not heard from him before and like he doesn’t believe he’ll ever have love again.
“Sam wasn’t it for you, man. I know you don’t like to talk about her much, but there’s someone else out there for you.”
“Nah, I don’t think so. There’ll never be another Sam.”
“Come on, Rick. We know you can never replace her, and you’re not meant to. But you are meant to move on, find love again and be happy. It’s what she would have wanted for you, and especially Max.”
“Maybe,” is all Rick says, and after that the car is silent.
Rick dropsus off at Seb’s as it’s closer to Rick’s than mine is. After a quick shower to get the invisible film of filth that clings to my skin off, I fall into Seb’s bed. He comes into the room after making a quick call, pulling his tie from his neck and unbuttoning his shirt. Once they are removed, he pulls out the burner phone from his pocket. A piece of paper flutters to the floor as he does, and he bends down to pick it up.
“What’s that?” I ask as he begins to unfold it.
“Tank slipped it to me when he gave me my phone back.” His eyes scan the paper, widening as he reads.
“What does it say,” I ask, scrambling to the end of the bed so Seb can pass it to me.
Thank you. Meet me Sunday 6am on the green bridge at Clayton Vale. Trust no one.
“Well, he said trust no one, so what makes him think we trust him?”
Seb has finished undressing and climbs into bed as I move back to lay beside him, and he wraps an arm around me.
“I guess we don’t have a lot of choice. Besides, Natalia trusts him, so we’ll go and see what he has to say.” He slides down, taking me with him as I rest my head on his chest and trace a finger over the tattoos there.
“What are you thinking about so hard?”
