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Pulling another cigarette out of my pocket, I light it and walk straight into church. Everyone’s already waiting for me, which seems to be the theme lately. I nod at everyone but can barely spare a glance at Cassius. I’m not even pissed at the guy, but I’m a stubborn fuck and hate being the first one to squash the shit.
Whatever.
I grab the ashtray in front of my dad and sit in my chair.
“Let’s get on with it.” Pascal adjusts his cut and sits up straight. “We took seventy-four girls from Tijuana. That’s our highest number yet, and I’m thinking that could be the highest. If that was his biggest operation and we took it down, well, he’s going to be hurting. We need to stay on top of this and figure out where he’s going next. We need to find out where he’s planning to hold his next recruits.”
“But we didn’t get Santiago.” My pops slams his fist against the table, making my ash fall into my lap. I mutter a curse as I brush my jeans off. “We saved the girls, but this hit was supposed to be the one to get that fucker. How did he know we were coming? He wasn’t even fucking there!” His fist slams onto the table again, and I stub the rest of my cigarette out in irritation.
“Someone slipped him the info. We got a rat?” West narrows his eyes as he looks at each of us. I almost reach across the table and punch him in the face. The possibility that it is any of us fucking fools sitting around this table is laughable. It’s more probable that my mother is coming back from the dead. Fat fucking chance. I also want to say it’s the same probability that one of us leaked any info, but that one isn’t as laughable. I know the men in this room like the back of my hand. I know the members of this club well, and none of them would even think of being a rat. If they were, they wouldn’t fucking be here.
“We need to talk to that girl.” Cassius says, and I instantly grow on edge. My nails dig into the meat of my palms and I dig them in further. My skin cracks as my voice grinds out, “You’renot doing anything.”
He scoffs. “Would someone tell bitch boy to get off the rag? Jesus, man, you’ve been on one since she got here. What’s your problem?”
I stand up and lean across the table. “My table is you,brother. You’re not doing a damn thing with or around Ivy.”
“Ivy.” He sneers. “The little bitch has got a name.”
I lay one into his eye before his sentence is even finished. My fist hits his already tender and bruised skin. He grunts but doesn’t move an inch.
“Cut it the fuck out, guys. I mean it.” My dad lashes out next to me, ripping me away from the table. I straighten up and adjust my cut. Staring down at Cassius, I say to my dad, “Tell him to back the fuck up, then. He’s been tryin’ to rile me up since last night.”
“He hasn’t.” Niles says from across the table. I look at him with narrowed eyes. “He hasn’t. Not at all. Your fucking agitated, Z. Figure your shit out.”
“Sit down, all of you.” My dad barks this time, his mallet slamming onto the table. “I’m done with all of your bitch fits. Figure it out on your own time.” I sit down quietly, feeling chastised. Pops turns towards me. “Aziel, I don’t know anything about this girl, but you do know we have to question her, right?”
“I know, I know.” I adjust my hat on my head and sigh. I just wish I could do it alone, and not with all these fuckers breathing over my shoulder.
“What’s the real deal with her? Something’s different about her.” West says from beside me.
I shrug. “I mean, you were kind of there with me. You guys were getting the girls out from that cellar and I was looking for Santiago when I stumbled upon her. She was crawling on the ground outside in the middle of an explosion. I don’t know, I haven’t been able to really question her. All I know is, she’s got a three-year-old girl with her that she says is hers, and she looks like a kid herself.”
“The kid is part Mexican, brother. You ever think she’s with them?” Pascal questions.
I shake my head, even though the thoughts have already ran through my own mind. “Can’t be. She seemed relieved when she left. Not only that, but her face is all bruised. Like someone was hurting her.”
“She could’ve been bruised from the blast, son.” My dad says, like I should know better.
I shake my head, viciously denying something that I don’t know is true. I feel it in my gut though, there’s no way she’s an accomplice of Santiago’s. My instincts told me to rescue her. “No. She was scared. She was a victim there, just like those other girls.”
“Then why wasn’t she in the cellar with them?” Cassius says, and I want to rip his esophagus out with my hand, but all he does is lift an eyebrow at me. He’s not trying to be malicious; he’s only questioning.
I would do the same.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head.
“Why wasn’t she wearing the same clothes?” Jex asks.
“I don’t know.” My head starts spinning.
“You don’t know a lot of things, son. Santiago is a lot more complex and calculated than you’re letting yourself believe. If she’s an accomplice of him, it might be as simple as you’re getting played. Don’t let your guard down around her.” My dad says seriously to me.
My head stops shaking as dread seeps into me.Have I been getting played?
“I haven’t let my guard down.” I say seriously. I look every single person sitting around the table in the eyes to let them know I’m serious. I’m not that fucking stupid, and for them to even think I might be is insulting.
“We need to question her.” Jex says.
