“He won’t see it that way.”
“He can’t find out. I’m a dead man walking if he does.”
Benito said nothing. In another world, he’d have convinced himself the voice at the end of the phone was expendable. That his conscience could take it. But these days, he wasn’t so sure. “He won’t find out unless you’re stupid. Lay low for a few weeks. Let some runs happen. Then I’ll hit a big one before we walk away.”
“That’s your plan? To walk away?”
Benito cringed.Fuck. He’d said too much. And worse, forgotten his contact had been banking on something more dramatic. After all, he’dseenBenito do it before—seen him pull off a coup that had landed Dante Pope in prison and propelled Benito to the top until Asa had played his winning hand.
Like magic, Gianna emerged from the meeting pod, still clutching her iPad like it was solid gold, but a small smile in place of her scowl. Outside, the sun came out, bathing the glass walled store in warm light. It softened the stark warning that blasted through Benito’s conscience, but he felt every jagged edge all the same.Get out while you still can. Or she’s dead anyway.
“I have to walk away,” he said. “But I’ll see you right first, and I’ll pay you double if you help me.”
Fury crackled down the phone line. His contact blew out a hot breath. “You said Asa was finished. It’s the only reason I risked my neck for you.”
“He is finished. You think other crews are gonna do business with him with the feds on his backandhis transport runs compromised? You don’t need me. It’s done.”
“It’s not done until he’s dead.”
“I never said I’d do that.”
“You—”
“No,” Benito snapped. “I made no promises. Remember who you are and who you’re fucking talking to. I’ll be in touch.”
He killed the call as Gianna drew closer. He tried for a smile, but it hurt. Adrenaline pumped in his veins, and his heart thundered against his ribs. Deception boiled his blood, and unbidden, Mickey clouded his thoughtsagain.
Benito shivered.You’re a lying fucking liar, Martell.
It was an accusation he’d faced many times, most of them justified, but never more so than as he’d driven away from Mickey’s cosy house, the taste of his deceit still bitter on his tongue. It didn’t matter that he’d done it to stop fresh panic clouding Mickey’s beautiful face. That even now, he still felt the shuddering anxiety jumping beneath Mickey’s warm skin. He’dlied, and there was no deliverance from that except telling the fucking truth.
I can’t.
“What’s wrong?”
Benito blinked. Gianna was practically on top of him. “What?”
“You’re doing that thing again,” she said. “You know, where you look like you’re going to be sick and die.”
“Nice. You know what? I’m gonna take you home to live with me. You’re all the motivation I need in the morning.”
Gianna rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so sensitive. It’s not my fault you’re weird sometimes.”
It really wasn’t. Benito fought to calm himself enough to school his features. Fuck knew what Gianna was seeing in his face right now. And whatever it was, she didn’t deserve it. “Sorry.”
She nodded slowly, dark eyes narrowed in thought. “Why do you have two phones?”
“I told you why. Because...” But the lie died in his throat. He couldn’t stomach it. “Because I have to work a job I don’t like for a while.”
“It’s not for Uber?”
“No. It’s something else.”
“It’s what Mum said, isn’t it? It’s the same thing you did in London when you got hurt.”
The scar on Benito’s ribs throbbed. He’d hidden it from Gianna for weeks. Then she’d taken the bus to Willen Lake to meet him and got caught in the rain. He’d given her his sweatshirt and she’d seen the gruesome wound.
She’d wept at the side of the lake, fresh rain merging with her hot tears. All the while Benito had remained a stagnant pit of nothing. Unfeeling. Cold.