Page 126 of Hard Count
“Easy for you to say, you’re not facing a fucking mob of angry incels on Reddit and X. And on top of that a psycho fucking billionaire.”
“Fair enough. By the way, I won’t be on the flight. I need to take care of Jamal.”
Piper didn’t know what to say. Tank waited.
“Jamal.”
“Yeah. Jamal.”
“Tell him…” Piper paused.
“Tell him what?”
“Tell him… Tell him I said thank you.”
Tank looked at him. “For what?”
“For driving out in the Honda.”
Tank was quiet briefly.
Then he said, “I’ll tell him.”
The Suburban rolled through the terminal gate. At the jet, Tank got out first. He pulled Piper into one of the short, hard hugs guys like Tank Jefferson gave other guys, slapped the back of his head, smacked his ass and walked back to the terminal. “Don’t forget I love you, bro,” Tank said without looking back.
“Go. Put your things on the plane, I’m not carrying your shit,” Vivienne demanded as Piper watched Tank walk back to the terminal.
He went up the airstairs.
The Gulfstream was empty and large. The front cabin was spotless.
Angel Of The Morningby Juice Newton was playing over the plane’s speakers.
“Viv, what the fuck is this music?” Piper said as he walked down the aisle.
Piper noticed something sitting.
A Louis Vuitton duffle was on one of the seats. Piper walked down the aisle to the bedroom at the back. The bedroom door was closed.
He put his hand on the handle. He opened the door.
Chapter Forty-Five: Los Angeles
The room in the back of the plane was spacious for a private jet, a bed, a nightstand, and a closet. He dropped his bag on the floor.
The door behind him closed.
A hand hit the back of his shoulder, “Miss me, sexy?”
Noah was standing behind him in jeans and a gray sweater, holding a bouquet of flowers from Ralphs grocery store. Cheap and half-wilted. Paper wrap from the checkout. “Did you notice my playlist?”
“Fucking weirdo.” Piper stood in the doorway staring into Noah’s eyes.
Noah said, “Hi.”
“Hi.”
Piper put his arms around him and his face against Noah’s shoulder and stopped being able to breathe for a second. Noah held on to him tightly. The flowers were still in Noah’s hand, pinned between Piper’s back, and he could feel the paper, the stems, and he didn’t move to push them out of the way because he did not want to let go.
