Page 48 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
“Do you think it’s going to be someone you defended?” Cody asked.
“I honestly don’t have a clue. Arek has always been good at making sure there are no witnesses. I was a little less efficient of late, but based on what the guy from last night said, the person seemed to know more than anyone should.”
“That brings us to our next piece of business, the Golden Dragons. Are we still pursuing the car racing avenue?”
Cody smiled wide. “I’m down for it, and I know that I can get Spike to give up the goods or at least create a drop somewhere other than the races if given a bit of time to work him. We get along better than the rest of those that pick up, and he will believe that I got sick of Tyson’s bullying. They all figured I’d go postal on his ass one day.”
“I don’t like this. I don’t want you getting involved with another gang. You just got out, just got your freedom restored.” Renee crossed her arms over her chest. “And you promised to stay out of all of this while I was pregnant, Arek, and here you are, ready to dive back into all this danger. I mean, look at Trev. That could’ve happened to you. He could’ve died.”
“Renee, I know you’re hoping that I will give this all up one day, but that’s not happening for a while, and like you said, Trev is in no shape to continue with the mission.”
“As for me, sis, you don’t get a vote. This is my life, I’m a grown-ass adult, and I want to do this for the right reasons for a change. I’ve spent years on the wrong side of the fight because I was forced to be, and this is an opportunity to make a difference.”
Renee pointed her finger at Cody, already looking very mother-like as she gave him her best glare. “You can also make a difference by going back to school. You could finish your degree and not put yourself in the middle of all this.”
“Do you really hate what we do that much, Renee?” Trev asked, the room going quiet as she turned to face him.
“Do I love the idea of Arek killing people even if they are assholes? No, not really, but that isn’t what really bothers me. The good Lord knows I’ve watched people die in the streets for far less.” She took a moment to look around the room. “Don’t you get it? It’s all of your safety that I have an issue with, and don’t tell me you have a better chance of getting run over by a car than getting killed on one of your so-called missions.” She waved her hands in the air. “I’m sorry if I want my soon-to-be husband and family to be safe.”
“Please don’t say it like that. These so-called missions help a lot of people. We stop the worst that is out there, everyone that joins does. Rapists, serial killers, drug and human traffickers.” Arek listed off all the offences that were on The Righteous hit list. “Renee there are those of us that hunt down people that steal and hurt children, can you tell me that you want them to stop?”
Renee bit her lip and sucked in a breath as her hands covered her belly. “No, but it doesn’t mean I’m not scared every time you walk out that door.”
“I don’t know how to make you feel better about that. We are no different than those that still serve and if anything, we are safer. But, this organization, it gave me my life back, Renee. You wouldn’t even recognize the person that came back from overseas if it wasn’t for The Righteous and Trev. You certainly wouldn’t have wanted to marry that person, let alone have a child with him.”
“Besides, sis, I still plan on finishing my education, but not right this moment,” Cody added. “I need to save money, and Trev mentioned that if I’m a good asset, they will pay for school. I can’t turn that down.”
“I don’t know,” Renee mumbled. “I just love all of you, and I feel useless and…” The tears flowed again and she scrubbed at her face like she was mad with her own reaction. “This is really not the best time to be asking me these questions. All I can picture is you all dead somewhere and my mothering over protectiveness is going haywire right now.”
Trev’s eyes flicked between the three people as they continued to debate their points. He grabbed his head as the back and forth continued and the dull ache in his head increased to a roar. Not that he didn’t love everyone in this room, but fuck, it was easier to make decisions when it was just him and Arek.
“Are you okay?” Cody asked, the room falling silent.
He lifted his head from his hands, taking in their concerned expressions, before leaning back in his chair. “I need to speak to my brother alone, please.”
Renee and Cody shared a look, and he thought they might argue, but after a nod, they made their way out of the office, closing him and Arek in together. “Would you like a drink?” He offered when the room remained silent.
“No.”
“What happened to the guy that said it’s five o’clock somewhere?” Trev tried to decipher the expression on his brother’s face, but he refused to look at him directly.
“I guess he fucked off to the same place as my brother who shared everything with me, or so I thought.”
“I intended to tell you Arek,” Trev said.
Arek turned his glare that could make a new recruit cry on him. He grabbed the back of the chair across from the desk, the leather complaining with the hard grip.
“Oh, really, and when were you planning on doing that? When we are old and grey? When we can barely remember our names, and our dicks don’t work anymore?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Trev closed his eyes, praying for patience.
“I’m not. It’s been years Trev, fucking years since her death and you never thought that mentioning you were going to be a father was important enough to share with me? That I’d want to know you suffered through that pain?”
“I couldn’t share, Arek.” Trev aimed for calm, but his nerves were fraying at a rapid pace.
“All you had to do was open your mouth and speak the words, like all the times you made me share the feelings and memories I didn’t want to share. How many times did you make me go through the details of Scooter’s death?” Arek pushed the chair, and it slammed into the desk as he fumed.
Trev stared into his brother’s eyes and couldn’t hold it back anymore. Standing faster than he should’ve, he slammed his hands down on the desk, and everything on it leaped into the air.
