Page 68 of Revival

"Is that who came to visit you?"

"Yeah. Juan Carlos has a lot of connections. If he wants to find you, he will. Somehow, he found me. It was the scariest moment of my life. I could hear his voice saying so many horrible things, and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't scream or move. He reminded me, once again, how lucky I am, because not everyone's life is spared. He said this was supposed to be a warning shot because he wants the three-quarters of a million dollars we stole from him. My coma just prolonged the inevitable. Juan Carlos also put a hit out on Marco, but after I was shot, he ran. No one has seen him since."

"The feds have the guys that shot you. They confessed to being hired by Juan Carlos. Shouldn't this all be over soon?"

"Those idiots are as good as dead. And, once again, Juan Carlos will get away with this."

"Why not give him the money back? I'll help you with anything you need."

Bailey shakes her head. "It wouldn't matter. People who know as much as I do, don't get to leave. Not alive anyway. And I can't ask anything more of you. You're my best friend, and I put you in danger."

"We're still in danger. Juan Carlos found the woman I'm dating. We believe he drugged her and ransacked her R.V. He stole her phone and laptop."

"He did it himself? That means he's getting desperate to find his money. I'm so sorry, Rome. Did he hurt her at all?"

"No… or, not that she can remember." I sit on the end of Bailey's bed. "Why did you go on a date with me?"

"To sound totally naive, I didn't realize it was a date until you kissed me. You asked if I wanted to go to dinner and see a movie. Marco has been my only boyfriend since I was sixteen. I thought it was just as friends. That's why I wanted to go to dinner. I planned to explain what I could and let you know I was leaving."

"For months, I blamed myself for everything. I thought they came to rob my prize money. I haven't picked up a tattoo gun in over four months. I gave the shop to Kevin. I have nightmares that won't stop. The guilt I felt about moving on while you were in a coma almost killed me. There were nights I wished it was me instead of you lying in this bed. I almost pushed away one of the most incredible women I have ever met. All because I was the unlucky chump you used in your scheme."

Bailey sits up and reaches out for me. "Rome, it wasn't like that. I swear to you. You are my best friend. I need your help." Her voice cracks with desperation.

"I don't think I can be that person for you anymore. I need some time." I kiss Bailey's forehead before heading to the exit.

"Rome," she says softly. "Do you have the number of the agents you talked to?"

I pull Agent Pierce's card from my wallet, placing it on the table next to her bed.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything."

The door closes with a loud click behind me. Without saying a word to anyone, I leave. Climbing in my truck, I sit there, numb, lost, and alone. When I saw Andrea's revival list this morning, my heart cracked, but after talking with Bailey for the last hour, my heart has been shattered into a million tiny pieces.

Putting the truck into drive, I don't know where I'm going. I haven't processed everything Bailey told me, and I'm not ready to handle knowing who Andrea had her one-night-stand with.

An hour later, I find myself sitting at the bar across from my old shop with the only three amigos I know I can trust, Jim, Jack, and Jose.

"One more Triple J round!" I shout to the bartender. He brings me the three shots, and I throw them back, one after the other. I stare out the window at the neon sign across the street.

Roman Empire Tattoo

Bailey's lies took that from me. It was her lies and her past which caused me to lose everything. I trusted her with my life, and now I have nothing.

What is trust anyway? I trusted Andrea, and look what fucking happened? I don't know when she could have had a one-night stand. She wouldn't have picked someone up on the side of the road, would she?

"Another round!" I yell.

"This is your last one, Rome. I'm calling an Uber to take you home."

"Whatever, man. Just bring me the shots."

"You're gonna feel like shit when you sober up, man."

"I feel like shit sober, and I feel like shit drunk." I take the shots as fast as the bartender puts them in front of me. "It doesn't make a goddamn bit of difference to me."

I rest my face in my hands, defeated.

Chapter Twenty-Six