Page 126 of Jake's Angel
“It’s been happening. At least it was, until Avery ran away, and we put Russell in a safe house,” Pop answers. “We’ve cut Russell off to everyone who isn’t absolutely necessary for the running of the business and appointed his attorney as his liaison.”
“Well, gentlemen. Do we still need to have your religious gathering, or shall we all load up and head to Devil’s Canyon together and speak with the girls?”
Gabe gives Vincenzo an icy glare, promising revenge for his blatant disrespect, but he keeps his temper in check as he tells the room, “Get your shit. Pack for a couple nights. We ride in thirty. Hawk, Declan, bring the guns.” Then he slams the gavel.
“Jameson.” I call out. Pop hears me and waits beside me. When Jameson makes his way to us, I ask, “You still got that welder friend who keeps his mouth shut?”
“Yeah.” He crosses his arms. “What do you need?”
“A cage.”Jameson smiles a wicked grin. Pop slaps my shoulder and nods his approval. “I need it built ASAP and quietly in the basement. Think you can get him here and have it done by the time we get back?”
“Yep.” He’s already typing out a text on his phone.
“I knew I liked you,” Vincenzo says as he passes by.
Fucker.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
AVERY
Sadie calledme on the burner phone and said Thomas was ready to meet us. It wasn’t easy sneaking out of Jake’s house. I feel bad, but then it will save the morning after awkwardness.
And replace it the awkward questions—like what the hell are you doing in a stranger’s SUV?
“Why are we in Mr. Parisi’s car? If Mack or Jake find out, we will never be allowed to leave our bedrooms, let alone the house,” I ask quietly.
There are two men in the front. Neither has spoken a word to us other than to inform us Mr. Parisi will be joining us later in the evening.
“Calm down. Everything is going to be fine,” she says. “We couldn’t tell them we were going to see Thomas, but Vincenzo said he would have his men escort us as a means of protection. It’s not the club, but we didn’t go off on our own either.”
“You know your logic is shit, right? You’re fucking delusional if you think any of this is going to smooth things over for us,” I whisper-shout. “I love you, but you realize you are my clearlypsychotic best friend who has a death wish and you are taking me into the depths of hell with you.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Sadie says, not looking up from her iPad. “There.”
“What did you do?”
“I sent an email with our location and where we are headed to Hawk. He won’t be able to track me without Loretta or my cell phone.” She smiles. “I gave him a bone. Let’s see what he does with it.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Ew.” I cringe. “You don’t think Mr. Parisi will tell them he’s helping us?”
“I’m sure he will, but how and when, I don’t know. Vincenzo likes to fuck with people.” She shrugs. “It’s one of the reasons I like him.”
We pull into an underground parking structure. Signs along the ceiling readThe Oasis Resort. The driver takes us all the way to the bottom of the parking structure and parks near the elevators. Both men exit the vehicle and come to open both our doors. Sadie looks at me and smiles.
“Classy.”
I don’t say anything about it being the norm when you live with my grandmother. Even something as simple as opening our own door is beneath a West.
What about for a Mackenzie?
No. I can’t think about Jake like this.
One and done.
Liar.
One of the guards swipes a card and the elevator opens. Inside, he takes off his glasses and a red light scans his eyeball.