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I reluctantly parted with my money. I’d get paid from my Walmart job in two days, but it meant I only had twenty-four dollars left until then.
Some days, I wondered if it was all worth it. And then immediately felt guilty. Lenny was worth everything. He was my family, and I’d do anything for him.
“You’re in room five.” The teenager slapped a key on the counter. “If you want your room cleaned, it’s twenty dollars extra.”
I took the key, suppressing a grimace when my fingers stuck to it. “That’s okay. We don’t need the room cleaned.”
Satisfied he’d done his job, the guy behind the counter sat back in his chair, attention immediately on his phone.
He’d have forgotten all about me the second I walked out.
There was also a security camera in the corner, but I’d turned away from it, using the cap to shield my face. Nobody would be able to identify me.
Lenny was still in the car when I got back, tracking my every movement.
I moved the car to a parking spot in front of our room, ignoring his pointed stare. “You’re not hiding something from me again, are you? We’re not running from Mom? And we’re definitely in this together, because that’s what you always tell me,right?”
“We’re not hiding from Mom.” I turned in my seat. “And we’redefinitelyin this together.”
But wedidhave to appear in court next week. I still had no lawyer, but for now, there were other problems to focus on. Like staying alive long enough to make it to court.
I had a job to go to tonight and would have to leave Lenny by himself. I hated doing it, but I had no choice.
I was already on thin ice with Gladius. Unnecessarily delaying a job would only crack that ice.
We carried our bags inside the room, ignoring the funky smell that seemed to come off the carpet. The curtains were heavy with dust, and the bathroom looked like it was built in the sixties.
I grimaced when I spotted the messy sheets on the bed. “You up for a trip to the laundromat?”
There was no way I’d sleep in the sheets after seeing the state of the rest of the room. I’d brought bleach with me, since this wasn’t the first time we’d had to stay at a cheap motel. At least I’d be sure the bathroom was clean.
Lenny looked around the room, then dropped his bag. “Sure. But we should probably spray the carpet before we leave.”
“I’ll have to buy carpet cleaner first.”
Lenny held out his hand. “Why don’t you do the laundromat, and I’ll run across the road and sort out the carpet?”
“You sure?”
Making grabby hands, he nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. Just need money. And enough to buy a bag of chips as well.”
I reluctantly parted with my last twenty dollars, watching my brother salute me and make his way to the supermarket opposite the motel.
My limbs felt heavy, and my eyes went glassy. But I had beds to strip and sheets to wash, and there was no time for self-pity.
As always, it was onward and upward. There was no other choice.
* * *
I would have preferred a less public place to do this, but since it was hard to gain access to my target, I’d chosen tonight’s event. It was easy enough to get employed as a waiter with the connections Gladius had.
The ambassador I was supposed to take out was currently standing on the other side of the room, chatting with a group of people.
One of the other waiters walked past me with narrowed eyes, whisper-hissing at me as he passed, “Don’t just stand there. Smile. And walk around. You still have a full tray of drinks.”
Tonight was a cocktail dinner with a presentation. I didn’t know how all these women in their heels were able to stand up for hours, but thankfully that wasn’t my problem. I was in comfortable running shoes.
I’d barely taken a step when I tripped, nearly dropping the drinks I’d been carrying. No running shoe could have prepared me for seeing Jude. He was only a few feet away, standing with his brothers.
