A frigid chill whips across my face, reminding me that I’m standing still. At least I have a direction to follow. That loosens the strain in my chest. I’m able to take my first decent breath in hours.
“Hey, cupcake?”
Ronnie pauses drawing a stick figure in the snow. “Yes, Daddy?”
“How would you like to visit Paisley and Brody? I need to have a chat with Uncle Dennis.”
Her lips twist. “What about Frannie?”
“She’ll be back soon enough.” Even if I have to haul her home over my shoulder, kicking and cursing.
“And then she’ll be my mommy?”
My momentum putters to a halt. “Did she tell you that too?”
“Yep,” Ronnie states with conviction.
Words fail me, much like my sanity where that woman is concerned.
We’re going to have a serious conversation. I just have to find her first.
Jax and I are following the two clowns down a dank warehouse corridor. Lights flicker to the sound of static and water dripping. It’s giving very low budget film vibes.
Rot burns in my nostrils. That might be my internal conflict staging a protest or unidentifiable sludge dripping off the walls. Whatever it is should redirect me to the straight and narrow. Unfortunately for me and my delayed conscience, I’m committed to seeing this through.
“I need to tell you something,” Jax murmurs softly to prevent an echo. His tone almost carries a note of concern.
“It’s a little late for confessions.” Especially when I’ve already plotted his demise.
“Frankie, this is serious. It might get messy. I don’t want you to get caught in the middle.”
A stale snort rips from me, bouncing off the concrete fortress. “Since when?”
“I’m a cop,” he blurts.
My boot catches a ghost hole and I stumble. “The fuck you just say?”
Jax winces as my voice carries, but the bozos we’re tailing don’t hear me. “I’ve been undercover since the start.”
A bomb explodes in my brain. I gape at him with my mouth hanging open, bound to catch flies and gangrene. But then his words repeat. Once more for good measure. This is too much.
I start to laugh. Loudly. The amusement just pours out of me. It quakes through my whole frame until I’m folded in half.
He gives me a firm shake. “Will you shush?”
“You shush!” I whack him across the stomach, grinning like a maniac when he doubles over. “That’s what you get for lying.”
“It’s the truth,” Jax rasps while straightening to boldly face me again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, but that would’ve compromised the case. Kinda defeats the purpose, Franks.”
My hands tighten on the bag strapped to my chest. It’s armed to the teeth. I never leave home without it. The daggers are about to come in handy.
“I’m gonna stab you in the dick,” I seethe.
Jax hunches forward slightly like that will protect him. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
“You deserve far worse.”
“That might be true, but my intentions are decent.”