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“Everything.”
“That’s not an answer and you know it.” He cut the engine but both of us remained in our seats. I normally didn’t give a shit about ending someone’s life, but I’d struggled with this one, maybe because I’d allowed Grayson into the first tier of friendship.
That never happened.
With the passenger window rolled down a couple of inches for additional air flow, I was able to gather the stench of the ocean. I’d never appreciated the salty sea even as a child. To me, the water oozed of death and decay. Maybe because I’d witnessed far too many exterminations over the years, which had been my father’s coined term for eliminating enemies. This was the first time I’d made the decision to use the ocean as my burial ground, likely because there were already too many dead bodies buried in the darkest depths.
“It’s the only answer I have at the moment.”
He unfastened his seatbelt, prepared to exit the vehicle when he threw me another look. The man was about to ‘handle’ me, which he knew I hated. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take care of this?”
“Is Grayson here?”
“He’s here. I had Landry bring him last night. I don’t think you’re in the mood to handle business today. Why not take Zoe out to lunch?”
I popped the seatbelt, lifting my eyebrows as I glanced at him. “Number one, she’s in school until two-thirty and her piano lesson is at three-fifteen. And number two, I’d be shitty company for anyone.”
“Including me,” Maddox said, laughing. “Want to grab a drink tonight?”
“Yeah, I do.” It had been a couple of months since we’d shared a drink, other than at a business function, which lately had happened on far too many occasions. I would never have believed that my attempt to turn legit would result in attending humanitarian and political functions. No wonder Dad hadn’t considered it before I’d taken the reins.
Today I was cracking myself up more than usual. As I climbed out of the vehicle, I was forced to take a deep whiff. Even during the dead of winter, the humidity always made the area stink. I heard seagulls squawking a few yards away and buttoned my jacket. I had everything I needed on board if the situation with Grayson should require more brutal tactics to get him to talk.
Maddox flanked my side, his coffee cup in his hand.
“You’re addicted to caffeine. You do know that?” I asked him as we headed for the docks.
“And whiskey, wine, and women. The three W’s, my friend. You should try it some time. Might make you less grumpy.”
“You do have a way with women.”
“It’s an art caring for a beautiful creature.” He took the final swig from the cup, crushing it with his fingers. “Let me know if you need some pointers.”
“Fuckin’ asshole.”
Laughing, he tossed the cup with flair into the nearest trashcan, which was a solid ten feet away, acting as if he was a star basketball player. When he scored, he hooted, fist pumping the air. The guy was a kid at heart. At least on the outside. But I knew the darkness cradling his heart and soul, the pain that he lived with every day.
One reason we got along was because we were made of the same cloth, some of our experiences since childhood the thing nightmares were made of. He’d also taken up a void left by Thomas Cartier, which had been difficult shoes to fill.
“You want to know something funny?” I asked as we stepped foot on the wooden planks.
“Sure. Why the hell not?”
“Raven was irritated as hell that I punched you in the jaw. Not that I’d ordered a man’s assassination or that I was mafia. She called me a monster for issuing a hard hit.”
He stopped short, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. “I like this girl and I don’t even know her.”
“You would, you putz. Touch her and die.”
“She’s not my type. You know that.”
“I’m not sure what your type is. You like ‘em all.”
“Very funny,” he grumbled. “Just haven’t found the right woman to settle down with.”
“God help us all when you do. Did you check the weather report?”
“Yep. There’s a storm rolling in later. It’ll take the body further out to sea.”
