Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“Yeah?”
Gio once again paused but I didn’t push him. Strangely enough, I felt calmer just listening to him breathing on the other end of the line.
“You’ll come for a visit soon, right?”
The reminder that the majority of my family had decided to put down roots on the other side of the country had that nervous energy kicking up again. I wasn’t a fan of change. I was beyond happy for my brothers and their respective partners that they were starting new chapters in their lives, but admittedly, there was something inside of me that seemed to tear open just a bit more every time someone mentioned the move to Seattle.
Holes.
That was what Con called them. Those small, open wounds inside of you that you could fill with shit or pretend weren’t there but they never quite healed.
If he was right, my soul was pretty much Swiss cheese.
I sighed as I considered Gio’s request. I needed to let that physical distance become something more. I loved all of my brothers, but I wasn’t the settling down type. No way in hell did I want a ring on my finger and a nine-to-five job. There wouldn’t be any stints as my kid’s soccer coach or PTA meetings or mowing the lawn on Saturdays.
Hell, there wouldn’t be kids.
There wouldn’t be a lot of things.
I glanced again at the man across the expanse of pristinely kept lawn. My body went on high alert as he sat up straight. His focus was on a kid who appeared to be saying goodbye to his buddies.
The hunt was on.
“Yeah, Gio, I’ll come visit soon. Even if all that rain does mess up my hair.”
I could practically feel Gio’s smile through the phone. It wasn’t enough to dim that rage inside of me, though. Not much could. Not as I watched another young boy leave the park with no concept of the danger he was in.
I stood up and fell into step behind the man. Not surprisingly, he didn’t notice me. He was too focused on the kid ahead of him.
“Okay, I’ll see you soon. Bye, King.”
“Bye, Gio. See you in a bit,” I said softly before disconnecting the call.
It wasn’t until a few seconds later as our little trio left the park that a soft breeze picked up and sent a wave of scents my way.
Engine oil, cigarettes, and lemon.
It wouldn’t be the first time I’d smelled that particular combination of scents, but God willing, when I was done with the sick fuck ahead of me, it would be the last.
THE END