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She has to return to her apartment, the one her asshole of a fiancé has given her, and I won’t let her walk home alone. Rule three: never be alone. No matter where you go, you have to do it in pairs. It’s what has kept us alive for so long. It’s what’s managed to keep us safe and protected. I’m not going to let anything happen to Tee.
“What I don’t understand,” I begin as we walk toward her apartment complex, “is how did they find you?” Dario wouldn’t tell me last night, and I’ve been wracking my brains trying to figure it all out. But every scenario that I play out doesn’t ring true.
Nell nods in agreement. We’ve spent the time that Tee was gone discussing this. “You have no physical trace, Tee. You don’t have social media, you don’t have a cell, no bank. There’s no evidence that you’re even alive and yet those two assholes pulled up on you as though they knew exactly who you were. How is that possible?”
“Someone told them,” Tee whispers.
And that right there is what confirms my theory all along. Someone gave up Tee in exchange for money, and I know exactly who it was. There are only five people who were close to Tee and two of them are standing here with her right now. There’s no way that Nell would ever go against her sister. No fucking way. That leaves three. The three I’ve always been skeptical about.
“No. No way. There’s no chance, Tee. Why would they?” Nell cries as she shakes her head in disbelief.
Tee looks at us with such sadness, my heart clenches. “Rule number four: Information is money.”
My girl has learned the hard way how true that statement is, but I’ll be fucking damned if those bastards see the light of day again. They betrayed me, my friend, my sister. For that, they’ll pay. I don’t forgive people, and I certainly don’t give second chances. Those bastards knew what they were doing when they sold information on Tee, and they’d do it again in a heartbeat.
I glance at Nell and see she’s still not believing those bastards could do it. That they’d betray us. She sees the very best in people. She’ll never see the bad, no matter what.
“Those fucking assholes. They were flush this week. I wondered why but thought they’d had a good few days picking pockets. But no, they fucking sold you out.”
Something I’ll be making sure never happens again. No one gets close anymore. Not one fucking person. It’s the three of us against the world.
“But, Portia,” Nell begins, her voice soft. I hate that she’s going to feel that betrayal deeply. “They wouldn’t. Markus and Paulie are family. Surely you know that?” she implores.
I don’t answer. I can’t. Those assholes have shattered everything she’s ever believed about them, and they’ve done it by hurting someone she loves.
The rest of the walk toward the apartment complex is quiet and filled with sorrow, both women thinking about those who have betrayed us. I, on the other hand, am dreaming up ways of killing the bastards. They deserve everything they’re going to get, and I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize they sold out the wrong person.
We say our goodbyes to Tee for tonight. We’ll be back tomorrow to ensure she’s safe. She’s in a secure apartment complex, and I’m relieved it’s high-end. The Gallo’s don’t fuck around when it comes to their men. This seems to be one of the buildings that house their single men. I feel a little bit better knowing they’ll be around if something happens.
“What happens now?” Nell asks once we’ve watched Tee walk into the building. “I know that look, Portia. You can’t be thinking of getting rid of them.”
“We’re going to talk to them,” I tell her. “That’s all. We’ll find out why they sold Tee out, and then we’ll go from there.” I’m not lying. I will be talking to them. I want answers, a fucking lot of them, but I also want blood. Their blood. “If you’d rather, I’ll leave you at the shelter with Miss Magda and I’ll go it alone.”
She looks away, and I know she’s battling with the decision of what to do. She’s not stupid. She knows it’s not just going to be a talk that I’ll have.
“Stay at the shelter, Nell. I’ll be back in the morning,” I promise her.
“I don’t want you to be alone,” she whispers. “You know the rules, Portia.”
I nod. “I do. That’s why I’m going to leave you with Miss Magda.” The woman watched Nell grow up. She will ensure she’s safe while in the shelter.
“Okay,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “Don’t apologize. It’s all going to be okay.”
I get her to the shelter, and she’s fourth in line. I know she’ll be safe here while I’m gone. I quickly say my goodbye and promise her I’ll be waiting for her in the morning. The look of sorrow on her face would make me stay on any other day, but I can’t. Not today. Not after finding out what Tee went through. I can’t allow them to get away with selling her out.
It’s been a while since I’ve been to the abandoned lot. We tend not to stick around here as it can be a bad spot. Especially as it’s a place where the drug addicts hunker down for the night. It’s why Paulie, Markus, and Ursula love it so much. They love getting high and off their faces any chance they can.
By the time I reach the abandoned lot, it’s the dead of night. Everyone’s asleep, and those who aren’t are so fucking high they’re soaring. It’s not difficult to find the three assholes I’m looking for. They’re in the midst of fucking. I have no problem with that. Hell, I’m happy for them. This life isn’t easy. You’re alone, and it gets really lonely. Having someone—or someones—you love helps ease that loneliness. If truth be told, I’m a little jealous of what they have going on.
I wait for them to finish, feeling more generous than I should. My rage is burning through my veins, flowing through me like an inferno. The three of them collapse onto their makeshift bed, exhausted and filthy. They haven’t been to the shelter in a long time and haven’t had a change of clothes either. When they were around Nell and I more, we’d always try and get clean clothes. Whether it was from stealing money and buying them in the thrift store, or stealing from stores, we’d always have clothes. But these three have stopped doing that altogether. I think their need for drugs has taken over their need for anything else.
I keep my footsteps light as I move toward their spot, making sure I blend in so that if anyone sees me, they won’t think twice.
“P.” Ursula smiles as she sees me standing over her. “Where are Nell and Tee?”
Christ. The fact that she’s even asking angers me further. “I don’t know. Some guys came yesterday and took Tee. Nell and I haven’t been able to find her.”
