Chapter 29: Sanchez Dog

For one stupid second, I think he’s reaching for a weapon. Instead, he pulls out a cigarette.

I blink.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

He places the cigarette between his lips then he lights it.

I watch the flame disappear as he takes a slow drag.

My irritation rises instantly.

Of all the things he could be doing right now, this has to be one of them.

He takes another puff then deliberately blows the smoke in my direction.

I step back coughing a bit.

My face twists.

"Are you fucking serious?"

He doesn’t even look sorry.

"The Don asked us to watch over you."

I stare at him.

"What?"

"You and your sister."

He takes another drag.

"For your protection."

I laugh and It’s not a nice laugh.

"Protection?"

He nods.

"The Don wants you protected."

I glance toward the black car, then at the second man standing beside him, then back at the idiot smoking in my face.

"Go tell your Don something for me."

He raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

"That we don’t need protection."

He takes another puff.

I step closer.

"And if he still thinks we do, he can take that concern and shove it down his throat."

His expression changes as the cigarette lowers slightly from his mouth.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me."

I point toward the car.

"Take your little security detail and leave."

He takes a step toward me, hs expression hardening.

"You should watch your mouth."

I don’t move.

"Or what?"

He takes another step.

"Or you might find out what we do to Luciano bitches like you."

My hand instinctively moves toward my weapon bt before either of us can do anything, the other man grabs him by the arm.

"Stop it Clark.....Boss wouldn’t like that."

The smoking man looks at him.

"Let go."

"No."

"SHe jus...."

"I heard her."

The other man tightens his grip.

"Boss wouldn’t like you touching her."

The smoking man stares at me for a few seconds.

Then he scoffs and pulls his arm free.

I roll my eyes.

"Yeah. Stay back, you fucking Sanchez dog."

His jaw clenches.

I turn before he can respond.

I’m done.

Absolutely done.

I walk back toward Olivia.

She’s standing beside the car with her arms folded.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

She looks past me at the two men.

"Are those..."

"Sanchez men."

Her eyebrows rise.

"Why are they here?"

"Apparently, Lysander thinks we need protection."

She looks at me.

"Protection?"

I open the passenger door for her.

"That’s what he says."

She gets inside as I walk around to the driver’s side.

Before getting in, I glance back. The two men are still standing there, the smoker has another cigarette between his lips.

He’s watching me with so much hatred in his eyes.

I glare at him and he smirks.

I flip him off.

Then I get into the car.

Olivia bursts out laughing.

I look at her.

"What?"

"You just flipped off a Sanchez soldier."

"He deserved it."

She shakes her head.

"You’re going to get yourself killed one day."

"Probably."

I start the engine.

"But at least I’ll die irritating someone."

She laughs again.

I pull away from the curb.

As we drive, I glance at her.

"Do you know what’s annoying?"

"What?"

"Wr don’t need Lysander protecting us."

"I know right?."

"We’ve managed to stay alive this long without him."

"I know."

"And now he’s sending men to follow us around like we’re helpless."

Olivia looks out the window.

"Maybe he’s just trying to help."

"Then he can help someone else."

She smiles.

I narrow my eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re smiling."

"No, I’m not."

"You are."

She turns toward me.

"I’m just wondering why you’re so angry about it."

"Because it’s annoying."

"Of course."

I glare at her and she laughs.

I focus on the road. But despite everything I tell myself, one thought keeps irritating me.

Why does Lysander care enough to send men after us? And why does the idea of him watching over us bother me so much?

I don’t have an answer and I don’t want one.

"Rissa, can you drop me at home?"

I glance at Olivia from the driver’s seat.

"You don’t want to stay with me no more?"

Her head snaps toward me, and she gives me a look that makes me want to laugh.

"No. Not that." She shakes her head quickly. "I need to start packing, you know? And I have a lot of stuff, so I want to start now. The earlier, the better."

I sigh.

I know she’s right.

The wedding is only two weeks away, and somehow, that number feels smaller every time we say it out loud.

I tighten my fingers around the steering wheel.

"Okay," I say.

"I’ll come stay with you."

She turns toward me.

"You hate it at the Don’s house. That’s why you fought so hard for your freedom to stay away from there remember?

"I know."

"And you haven’t voluntarily slept there in years."

"I know that too."

"Then why?"

I shrug.

"I just want to stay with you today. One night won’t hurt."

I look at her for a moment. There’s something in her expression that makes me stop teasing.

"Fine, I just want to stay with you." I say.

Her smile grows.

"Okay but you’re helping me pack tomorrow."

"Of course."

"And don’t complain when you see how much stuff I have."

"I’ll complain for sure,"

"You always complain."

"Because you have too much shit."

She laughs.

I glance into the rearview mirror to find the black SUV is still there.

Of course it is.

I roll my eyes.

"Those dogs are still following us."

Olivia looks behind us.

"Rissa."

"What?"

"Don’t call them dogs."

"Why?"

"What if they’ll hear you."

"They are in another whole car Oli. Even if they did hear me I don’t give a flying fuck,"

She laughs softly.

"You’re impossible."

"I’ve been told."

We continue driving. After a few minutes, Olivia reaches over and takes my hand from the gearshift.

I glance down at our intertwined fingers.

"You okay?" I ask.