Page 20 of Bad Attitude
Kurt gets a text back.
See you at 7. What was in P’s backpack?
While I’m at it, I type a reply to my brother, too.
Nice to hear from you, Asswipe. There are 30k crimes a day in this country. Just coz one hits the news in CA, you immediately assume it’s me?
I grin at myself and send it.
Kurt replies first.
Drills.
My grin turns into a chuckle. Clever bastard.
Then it fades as I sober. I just committed to seeing him tonight, when I was planning to drop around early, then leave.
Shit.
I almost type a reply, telling him my change of plans. But that’s not my style, not once I’ve said I’d do something.
Now I’ll have to see Firebla—Declan Haleagain. Exactly what I didn’t want. Exactly what Idowant, for all the wrong reasons.
Not only that, but it means I’ve got half the loot. Unless it wasn’t just Kawasaki that Kurt screwed over.
What did you give D?
I fully expect him to say half. But his response comes back like he was anticipating the question.
Drills.
Declan’s going to be pissed. The thought makes me catch my breath, imagining him angry. My nipples tighten, my stomach flips. Heat stirs, like it did last night. God, I want to see him when he’s angry. See some passion in those cold blue eyes.
Damn. Why did my thoughts go straight there?
But now that they have, I think about it more. Did Kurt even tell Declan the new location? Has he cut them loose? Maybe I won’t have to see him after all, and I’m torn on whether that’s good or not. But it’s not wise to screw with a gang like Briggs’s. I hope Kurt knows what he’s doing.
And I’m still pissed at him. He gotluckythat Pablo was killed. Otherwise, we’d all have artist’s impressions on the TV this morning.
A text comes in from my brother.
I was going to message you anyway, Snotnose. Dad’snot well. He had a heart attack last night—beforeyou didn’t hit the news, so don’t feel guilty. He’s in the hospital. Mom wants you to visit… if you will. I told her you will. You will, right?
How long has it been since I spoke to either of them? Christmas. Not the last one, but the one before.
And since I saw them? It takes me a while to remember. Too long.
I scroll up through my text history with my brother. Messages at birthdays, plus one or two more each year. Nothing more than that. I really am the black sheep.
Yes, I’ll come. Soon.
The message sends, and I’m committed now. I won’t go back on my word.
First, I have to see Kurt, and that’s not for hours. I can’t even go for a run, or see Lou. Not with a bag of stolen goods stuffed under my bed. And it’s not like I can take it with me.
I’m stuck in my apartment, nothing to do but watch TV and try, very hard, not to let my thoughts wander.
Shitty day.
