Page 75 of End It All

"Going."

"I said no."

"You can either let me go or I can find a way to follow you."

"Blake, this is no time to joke." I went to grab Blake's chin but he slipped around me. The car unlocked and he slipped into the back seat. He easily climbed to the front and buckled up.

I patted my jacket before I groaned. He was shaking the keys at me tauntingly. "Blake, get out of the car."

The little bastard had the nerve to face forward. I grabbed the handle and it was locked.

"I don't have time for this," I warned. The back alley fuck had already ate up enough of my time. I checked my phone and groaned as Daiki's message came through with a location. I was right, it was a part of the Vitale's territory. I was even more sure that I didn't want Blake to go. Why the fuck would Daiki need to set up a meeting there? We had plenty of neutral ground he could have used. I had a feeling he was screwing with the Vitales for fun.

"Open the goddamn door. Now."

Blake's brow lifted as if telling me to give in because he wasn't changing his mind.

"You're not going."

It was dangerous.

Blake shrugged and fiddled with his lighter. He twisted it over the top of his fingers, flipping it between each one. He flicked it open, lit it, closed the thing, and started doing it all over again. It looked like a practiced move he'd mastered after years of messing with the thing.

I contemplated breaking the window but then I'd be the one suffering with a broken car window in the middle of New York winter. That was asking for frostbite.

"Fuck it! Fine."

I headed over to the driver side and he unlocked it the moment I reached for the handle. I took the keys from his hand. "When did you even take them?"

"When you swung at me earlier."

"Fuck, for real?" I started the car and stared at Blake. I hadn't felt shit. He had a gift if I, of all people, hadn't noticed he was robbing me. I stopped and reached for my inner coat pocket.

"Here." Blake held out my wallet, not an ounce of shame on his face. He was grinning from ear to ear as if he was proud of himself.

"Thieving ass." I snatched it back and shoved my wallet where it belonged. "You know I could report you to the cops for stealing," I joked.

"They'd arrest you before you even got to put in a report," he shot back.

I laughed because he wasn't wrong. I'd seen the inside of the police stations more times than I could recall. I pulled out of the garage, and Blake and I instantly fell into a comfortable silence. It never felt strained. It happened naturally whenever we were home together. Over the past couple of weeks, it had started to feel normal having Blake in my space.

The last thing I wanted was for him to be here, but I couldn't quite quell the piece of me that was ecstatic to have backup again. I was thinking a little too much into it, but fuck, it was nice not to have to run solo.

I wasn't allthat excited that Blake was with me, but he wasn't a delicate flower that I had to protect either from the big bad world. I glanced over at him as we pulled to a stop at the docks.

"Text Benito and ask if he had any vodka and fish today."

Blake pulled his phone out. "That's all?"

I nodded.

Blake did what I asked, his phone ringing in the next second. He glanced at me before answering and hitting the speaker.

"What are you doing at the docks, Blake? I don't recall asking you to go there."

"Sightseeing," Blake said.

I cocked a brow at him, shocked that he'd lie to his brother on my behalf. There wasn't a need but it struck something in me when he did. My fingers tightened around the steering wheel at the unfamiliar feeling.