Page 68 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
Trev stood quietly by the gravesite. His eyes fixed on another tombstone in a long line he’d paid his respects to—his black wraparounds hiding the dark circles from lack of sleep. The funeral took longer than he expected to get arranged, but he had made sure it was beautiful. The short time he’d known Ray, it was easy to see that he, much like his name, had a sunny personality that was easy to like.
Stunning teal and yellow flowers lined the lid of the glittering black casket as the minister spoke. It was fitting that it was drizzling. It felt like the only tears left to shed was that of God himself.
Trev looked over at Simone as Cody stood with his arm wrapped around the young girl’s shoulders. Arek mirrored his position with Renee tucked under his arm, as Sally held J.J.’s hand, and of course, J.J. held the small stuffed tiger Arek had given him. Trev sucked in a deep breath as he folded his hands over the long black coat he was wearing.
Simone hadn’t spoken to anyone since the night her brother and last living relative had died. She’d screamed for Cody to get out of her room and slammed the door in his face. The look on Cody’s face had been pure agony as he sagged against the door and wouldn’t leave.
It was the first time in a very long time that Trev didn’t know what to do to solve the problem. There was no one for him to immediately kill, no amount of money would make this better, and he wasn’t great with warm and sentimental expressions of comfort.
Cody pulled away from his touch more than once since that night. He was barely eating and had taken to sleeping in a spare bedroom. No matter how many times he tried, Cody pushed him away and even now refused to make eye contact. It was easy to see Cody blamed not only himself but also him for Ray’s death. The shiny perfect world had slipped through his fingers and felt like an illusion, something that had been but a glimmer of happiness to dangle before his eyes like a carrot, and then just as quickly, it was stripped away.
The limo ride to the house was quiet. He watched the cemetery disappear into the distance and contemplated his next move. Whatever it was, he would end this. It was on him to at the very least settle the score.
Everyone slowly shuffled into the kitchen, but he made his way to the office and closed the door. Pouring himself a scotch, he wandered over to the window and view that at one time seemed so peaceful. Now, as he looked out over the lush green with the ocean in the distance, he felt more isolated than he ever had before he’d met Cody.
Trev put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the small empty baggy he’d been carrying around with him since he found it on Cody the night Ray died. He stared at the symbol on the front and cursed himself for not checking into this spider symbol sooner. He’d seen it before. Arek had sent him a picture of this, but it seemed inconsequential at the time of the arcade shooting. Something to be analyzed at a later date, now guilt gnawed at the back of his gut.
Would knowing who this belongs to have saved Ray? Would it have made a difference in anything they’d done? He didn’t have the answer to that, but he was determined to find out.
“Come in,” he called out as a knock sounded at his door. He stuffed the baggie back into his pants as Cody and Arek walked in and closed the door.
“What’s the plan?” Arek asked.
“There is no plan.” Trev turned to face the two men.
“What do you mean there is no plan? You always have a plan.” Arek opened his arms, disbelief evident on his face.
Placing the glass to his lips, he swallowed back the rest of his drink before wandering over to his desk. “Correction, there is no plan that includes the two of you. You can show yourselves out.” Trev dismissed them, but they remained standing in the middle of his office like fucking annoying garden gnomes.
“What?” he asked, his anger simmering just a hair.
“What exactly does that mean?” Cody piped up and crossed his arms over his chest.
“It means exactly what it means. The two of you will no longer be involved in any plans going forward. Now please see yourselves out. I have work to do.”
Arek, as was his nature, did the complete opposite and walked closer, parking himself in the chair across from Trev.
“See, that is the part I don’t get. Why are we not involved? If anyone should be involved, it is us.” Arek pointed to himself and then pointed his thumb over his shoulder to indicate Cody.
Trev ran his hand through his hair and sat back in his chair to glance between the two men he cared most for in this world. “Because this makes the most sense.”
“Can you stop being a lawyer for a moment and just straight up tell us what the hell is going on?” Cody snapped.
Trev’s heated glare found Cody. “What’s going on is that we just left the gravesite of a man that was the last living relative for a young girl living under this roof. That means you will effectively be taking over a parenting role—one that cannot afford you dying.”
He turned his hard stare on Arek. “You are about to be a father and already have an adorable four-year-old out there that looks up to you as a father. Hence neither of you are in a position that can afford you to be hurt or worse. I, on the other hand, do not have any such ties to anyone. I will finish this so life can go on, and you can both do as you please, here or elsewhere. As soon as this mission is finished, I will be letting The Righteous know we will no longer be taking any jobs,” he said, and Arek’s mouth fell open. “Now, both of you, please see yourselves out.”
“Trev, you can’t be serious?” Arek’s jaw was twitching as his quick temper poked its head from the sand.
“Arek, I’m not arguing with you about this. The decision has been made.” Arek shot up out of the chair like his ass had a spring under it.
“You can’t do this,” Arek growled. “I won’t let you.”
Cody grabbed Arek’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. Arek swore a streak that would make a trucker blush but stomped out the door, slamming it in his wake, the paintings all hopping and twisting sideways.
Great something else to fix.
“Why are you doing this,” Cody asked, his voice much softer than a moment ago.
