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“Stop at 411 Dunston Street,” Bane said. “Sienna, you cool if we drop you off? Kenzie and I have plans.”
The elevator ride that morning crashed into my musings. The most insufferable and one of the sexiest men on the planet wanted to take me out after swearing we’d neither date nor hook up. I blame Vito for distracting me from the gnawed-lip fretting I was supposed to do that day to prepare.
“Yeah, drop me off,” Sienna replied. “I’ll grab a car and head back out. I’m supposed to meet up with friends tonight.”
“You are? Who?”
“Marty, Nathan, Samara, and Destiny.”
“Guys from River’s crew,” I said. “Sienna, I told you what Ryker said about River and his gang. This changes things. No wonder it always felt off between me and River—like I didn’t know the whole story. We don’t know what the four of them have done for him.”
“I know what they’ve done for us. Samara brought us to River when we hadn’t eaten in a week and I had that cut that got infected. Destiny shared food, coats, and blankets with us. Marty saved me from Digger’s guy. Whatever they do for him, they’re our friends.” She gave me a look. “River’s our friend too, despite all he’s hidden from us.”
“I know. I just—”
“River?” Bane broke in. “As in River Delaney?”
I twisted to him. “Yes. Do you know him?”
“Not a lot of guys out there named River,” he said simply. “I know the Rat King.”
“It’s weird hearing him called that. We were with his crew for months and nobody said the words rat or king.” I blew out a breath. “Part of me thinks Ryker is messing with me.”
“Ryker doesn’t have a sense of humor. Whatever he told you about Delaney is true, but it’s not a surprise you never heard his crew mention the name. It was given to him. He didn’t choose it for himself, and as you can tell, it’s not a term of endearment.” Bane gazed out the window, watching the city zip by. “Few of us get to decide what we’re called. What we become known for decides that. My dad, the unstoppable street fighter, became Brutal. Sole’s known in the streets by another name too.”
“Isn’t it Sunny?”
The corner of his lip curled up. “Far from it, my friend. His name is Demone.”
“Demone? As in demon?” I laughed. “That doesn’t suit him at all. Do they call him that because he shuts down rivals or helps himself to the majority of their profits?”
“Something like that.”
“What’s yours?”
“Bane.”
“A cause of great distress. It works.” I shook my head, getting back to Sienna and the point. “Si, I know they were there for us when no one else was, but people don’t keep secrets for no reason. A group of people for sure don’t hide that they’re a gang unless they’re up to something innocent witnesses shouldn’t know about. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise, but trust me, we lived with them for months. If there was darkness in their hearts, I would’ve sensed it. I mean, yeah, we knew they stole and picked pockets to survive on the streets, but if they were just another gang looking out for themselves and what they could get, they would not have taken in two empty bellies, on top of other homeless people River brings in from the cold every day. River isn’t some greedy kingpin, counting his cash stacks while his people die for him. If he didn’t give away more than he kept, he wouldn’t be homeless too.”
Sighing, I kissed her cheek. “You’re right. I know there’s a good, kind side to him. It’s just easy to forget—buried under his half-truths and backhanded trades.”
The cab turned the corner, coming up on the Fairfield. Sienna hugged us both bye and climbed out.
A soft statement came from Bane’s side of the cab. “That’s how he does it, you know. River.”
“Does what?”
“Gets so many people to follow him. It’s how the Rat King amassed an army rivaling the size of the old Kings. Everyone in his crew is just a little bit in love with him.
“Columbia Street,” he told the driver. “After-Hours Fresh.”
“What’s with this veil of secrecy?” I grasped Bane’s chin, making him face me. “I asked River what’s the deal between him and Sunny, and he says to ask Sunny. I ask Sunny, and he tells me to ask River. So, now I’m asking you. Why won’t Sunny do business with him?”
Bane grinned. “It’s just you and me and an incoming surprise, and you want to talk about old history right now?”
“I really, really do.”
“Fair enough. It’s pretty simple.” He flicked to the back of the driver’s head. “We’ll discuss it later.”
It’s then the panic came back, reminding me Bane asked me out for reasons unknown. We were quiet on the drive, soaking in the city lights and soft Bollywood music drifting from the speakers. It’s odd to say about a nonstop talker like Bane Alexander, but he was one of the few people I could sit with and enjoy peaceful silence.
