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“I seem to remember having this same conversation with you about Meli. Now, you’re married and trying for a kid.”
He nods, smiling. “Touché.”
“I shouldn’t have gone behind her back.”
“It’s business, Albert. If she can’t keep the two separate, it definitely isn’t going to work, fire or not.” He sighs. “In other news, Tommy reckons the estate’s gone quiet.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
He shrugs. “Maybe. We’ve made enough noise to take the streets ourselves, but I feel like something’s off. It’s the calm before the storm.”
“You worry too much. Call if you need me. I’m gonna find Red.”
He laughs. “Like a fucking puppy dog.”
I leave, not bothering to argue because, right now, I don’t care what it looks like as long as she speaks to me.
I pull up at the MC and notice her car outside. I head in only for Mav to stop me, ordering me into his office. “She’s looking for a place to move to,” he tells me.
“Around here?” I ask.
Mav shrugs. “I wouldn’t put it past her to move farther just to get away. She’s upset. I’ve never seen her cry like that before, Albert. She cared for Archer.” I know it’s wrong, but jealousy surges through me. “We underestimated how much.”
“She hasn’t killed any of us, so that’s a good sign.”
He smirks. “Yet.”
“I gotta level with you, Mav,” I begin, sitting straighter. “I’ve had a group of kids from the estate followed. Ollie is hanging with some of the E15 boys.” Archer managed to get that much intel before we took him out. The E15 boys were running the Abbey Road estate under Jenifer Hall’s instruction before. We’ve since taken them over, and all the guys are saying the same—Ollie hangs out there, but he isn’t involved or part of the gang. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t wanting to join them.
I relay all that to Mav, and he nods. “I’ll take care of it.”
“I was gonna tell Rosey,” I add.
He shakes his head. “No. Wait until I’ve got more. I’ll have his room turned over and speak to him.”
I feel uneasy. “If Rosey finds out we knew this and didn’t share it, she’ll be pissed.”
“She’s already pissed. Besides, she’s in denial, thinking the kid’s just running through a bad patch.”
“You don’t think he is?” I ask.
“No. I had my suspicions but nothing concrete. Let me dig and then we’ll tell her.”
Rosey is packing her bags while Meli sits on her bed, pouting. When I appear, Meli leaves, gently squeezing my arm as she passes. “You going on holiday without me, Red?”
“I’ve lost my touch,” she replies. “You’re still walking around here breathing and shit. A few months ago, I’d have taken you all out.”
I nod. “So, what happened?”
“I grew a conscience,” she mutters, stuffing more clothes into the bag.
“You fell in love,” I risk.
She scoffs. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“That’s why it hurts so much, Red. I lied and went behind your back, and I hurt you.”
“Yeah, you did, and yes, it hurts, but don’t think for one minute it’s because I fell for you. I’m hurt you all got together and made this plan behind my back. I’m hurt you knew how much I wanted to help him yet you still had him taken out. And I’m hurt you brought Mav in on it, the only man I ever trusted.”
