“What about a hundred and twenty-five million?” she says.
“Seems like my brother’s a better thief than I gave him credit for.” Quinn laughs a little. “Better shot, too.”
The jolts and jars start smoothing out at some point as I listen to them talk, and the ride becomes nothing more than a hum of engine noise beneath me. I can hear them vaguely, but they seem distant somehow, like they’re not with me. It doesn’t matter. I’m happy knowing they’re both alive, both breathing. Risked or not, we’ve won this small battle against the Yakuza, shown them we won’t be fucked with.
I snort lightly to myself, head relaxed against the material of the seat as we drive on. Of all the things I planned this year, this wasn’t it. This year was supposed to be about harmony and safety, finding a way to watch Quinn get married to Emily, be at peace with that and let Josh go. Instead, we’ve waged a war.I’vewaged war, dragging us, whether I like it or not, back into a life I’ve worked so hard to put aside.
It’s a fucking exhausting thought.
Regardless of the blood staining my hands.
I’m so damn tired of it all—tired of worrying about Quinn, tired of worrying about mother. And I’m still angry about father, too. That shit needs talking about. It does. Brawling like twelve-year-olds doesn’t get the words out that he needs to hear from me, doesn’t get them past my own lips. Or maybe it does. Maybe that’s all that needs to happen between us. He’s my brother after all. Cane blood. Loyalty until the end, proved by what’s just happened. I don’t know. I’m so goddamn tired.
My eyes try to open, to find some clarity, but they’re so heavy I can barely prise them apart. Gabby’s alive. That’s all I care about. It’s all so blurry now, confused again. My mind, the feeling beneath me as we drive on, the hum of the engine. It all seems to lull me towards sleep no matter how hard I try to think. Maybe that’s best for now. We’re all safe, aren’t we? No concerns anymore. I can just sleep, let go for a while and finally stop planning. Relax.
I listen for their voices again, wanting to hear them and remind myself what this has all been for. No more arguing. No more confusion or pain. We’ll be a team again, me and Quinn. Me and Gabby. Family. There’s a future out there. I can feel it.
My head rolls to the side, eyes trying to open again. It’ll be fine. Fine. It’ll all be fine. I’m just gonna lie here and think of Bora, think of her in the water, pristine skin on show for me to see. We’ll be at the docs soon, so he can fix this shit in my leg. That’s where we’re going, I assume.
I wanna go back there, to Bora. Wanna dream again and walk beaches hand in hand.
Fuck, I’m tired.
So tired.
“Nate?” There’s my name again from her lips. God, it sounds good coming from them. Never thought it would mean something to me, but it does. I’d die to make sure that voice carries on, even if I can’t hear it. She should make new versions of herself, have children and keep smiling forever. They’d run along beaches together while we strolled behind them, laughing. “Nate?” A thief. My little thief. Sent to screw my morals over. “Nate?” I better tell her I love her soon. Make sure she knows that. Too tired now, though. I’m just gonna sleep for a while. Check out for a bit. I’ll tell her later. “NATE?”
