39. Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I'm woken up first thing in the morning by my phone ringing, which seems to be the theme nowadays. I should turn it off before I go to sleep. Fuck morning people.

When I see it's Reginald, though, I answer it right away.

"I hope it's not too early," he says.

"No, it's fine."

"Great job yesterday."

I blink, then blink again.

"Yesterday?" I question, clearing my throat.

"The job. You did good." He sighs heavily. "It isn't easy to say that, for obvious reasons, but it needed to be done. You'll receive payment shortly."

The call ends, and I stare at my phone in shock.

Am I still sleeping?

Is he trying to say that Remi was killed already? Yesterday, when? Last night after Sev dropped me off? It's too early for this much thinking. Definitely too early for this info drop. Especially without coffee. So I get up and go to the kitchen to make some. After two cups, I realize what makes the most sense is to call Sev and ask him what's going on. So I do. But he doesn't answer. I send him a text, asking him to call me when he can. Then I wait. And wait and wait. He doesn't call. It annoys the fuck out of me. Why isn't he answering me? What is he doing? The guy is up my ass all the time, but now that I need something, he's just going to pretend I don't exist?

I call multiple times. Definitely too many. Though he's probably taking it as an admission of love. Or worse, a proposal. I give the guy an inch, and it's not that he takes a mile, he just acts like it's what I gave him in the first place. Everything is big with him. Every small thing I do, isn't small when it comes to him. Everything I do, to him, is important. It means something.

I mean something.

But that's crazy. The guy can't possibly have actual emotions. It's nothing but obsession.

Right?

I've seen a sad look on his face more than once. And from things I've said, no less. Maybe I've got him all wrong. Maybe he isn't fueled by his obsession, but instead his emotions. Maybe he can't control them, and everything is over the top. Maybe he doesn't mean any harm but doesn't understand boundaries.

No, he understands them all right. Told me they're his favorite thing to cross.

Maybe he cares so much that they don't matter? Is that psychopathy or just someone with emotional issues? Is there a difference? Fuck, I don't know! I'm not a damn doctor.

Am I making excuses for his crazy ass or seeing what's been in front of me the entire time?

Doesn't matter because I'm pissed at him right now. Of all the times for him to ignore me, now isn't the right time.

It's late afternoon when I get a call from Freddy.

"There's an emergency meeting today, bro. Don't know what's going on, but I was asked to call you."

"What time?" I ask. Of course I already know what it's about, but I have to act like I don't.

"In an hour."

"Wonder what kind of shit Remi is going to pull this time."

Freddy chuckles. "Don't even wanna know. See you later."

I end the call, hoping my acting was good enough. Seems no one knows he's dead yet. At least, no one outside of a few. Before jumping in the shower, I try Sev again. Still no answer.

"Fucker," I mutter.

After showering, I get dressed and leave right away because I realize I haven't eaten a thing today. I get into my truck and stop at a bakery and grab a bunch of random shit that I eat on the way to the meeting. Bad idea, because the moment I get there and see all the cars, my stomach is in knots. I have to act like I know nothing about Remington for the entirety of this meeting, which could be five minutes or five hours. And if there's anything I suck at, it's pretending.

I am not the kind of guy who is good at keeping secrets, lying, or faking. I'm pretty open with who I am and how I feel about shit. It's why people get mad that I'm rude all the time. Why Reese bitches I'm a grumpy fuck. I'm not going to pretend to be happy just to make other people happy. Fuck them. Reese doesn't chill the fuck out and be less annoying to appease me, so why should I do that for him?

Since I have no other option but to suck it up and go inside, I get out of my truck and fall in line with a group of others walking in.

"Any idea what this is about?" Rick asks.

"No fucking clue," I grunt.

That's the way to get through this. I'll just not speak. Or grunt. Say only a few words when talking. That's totally me. Should be good enough.

"Remi is probably doubling his efforts to catch the piano guy. You see he went on a rampage last night?" Those words ring through my head, and I stop when the rest of them do so Chris can finish his cigarette before we go inside. Normally I'd head in and not wait around with them, but... He went on a rampage?

I don't realize I say the words out loud until someone is explaining.

"Yeah, guy hit three different people last night," Rick explains. "Brutal too. Choked them out, like usual. Two of them, he took their heads clean off like the last guy. One had his eyeballs gouged out. Another had a ton of stab wounds that would've caused a shit ton of pain but not kill him. The guy is pissed. Remi better watch his back."

A few people chuckle, but all I can think about is Sev. What if something is wrong? What if he got caught? It can't just be a coincidence that we have an awkward night, and the guy goes off the rails. He killed three—no, four people last night. That's way more than usual. He's getting messy. He could have gotten caught. He could be in police custody right now!

Why do you care, Justin? You got what you wanted.

My ribs itch, right where his name is, and it pisses me right off.

I don't like Sev. He's nothing but a thorn in my side. A fucking knife in my side, to be more specific. Why the hell do I care what happens to him? I'm going to wait for my money and take off to California like I planned. Sev can go fuck himself.

My phone feels like an anvil in my pocket, so before I head inside with the rest of the guys, I pull it out and shoot Sev a text against my better judgment.

Me: You better fucking call me IMMEDIATELY!!

I step into the room, and I swear the smell of decaying flesh still lingers, even though the body is long gone. The smell never fucking goes away.

I sit in my usual seat, the table mostly full meaning everyone is almost here. The Bellancas are always the last to enter, so they haven't shown up yet. The guys around the table chat about what this could be about, but I don't talk to any of them. I stare at the text message thread with Sev, hoping the bastard texts me back.

Reginald walks in before I get a text, so I put my phone on the table in front of me, face down.

The room gets quiet as Reginald stands up front, looking as stoic as usual. Though, he does look more tired than usual too. Stone moves to stand in the corner of the room. Reginald clasps his hands together behind his back.

"Thank you all for coming today on such short notice." His voice is rough, but calm. I listen to his words, but I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience. I know what's going on, but my body feels weird. Like I'm floating. This is a lot to handle. "I know you all have lives outside of your duty with this family, so I appreciate your timeliness. Unfortunately, we are here under terrible circumstances. Today, I must deliver the news of my son's demise. He was found dead in his home yesterday afternoon."

The room erupts in gasps and whispers, until Reginald continues. The chatter quiets down.

"I know this is a shock to all, and I ask that you please give me some time to figure things out. Remington was my only son. As I have no brothers, there are no nephews or other family for this to pass down to. Because of that, I will be in charge until further notice. Please be patient with me and continue things as usual. Our meeting this week will be canceled, but I plan to reconvene the following week at the usual time." He looks around, spending a split second on everyone in the room. "I know what you're all thinking, and I ask that you please grant me time to speak on his death. It isn't something I wish to discuss at this time." He nods his head, then leaves the room. Stone follows right after him.

It's quiet for a few seconds as that all settles in. I glance around the room meeting shocked expressions. Wide eyes, slack jaws, furrowed brows. A few guys are teary eyed. Those must be his friends. When the chatter starts, the first thing everyone goes to is the piano man.

And then something hits me.

"Hey," I say to the guy next to me. I think his name is Sam. "Did he say it happened yesterday afternoon?"

"Uh, yeah. I think that's what he said." He nods, looking across the table. "Yesterday afternoon, right?"

Marcus, across from us, nods.

"But the piano man hit all the others late last night, early this morning," someone else says. I'm not paying attention to who is speaking now because my head is reeling.

"So maybe they aren't connected?" someone else asks.

They are. They have to be. Sev said he would do the job. But I didn't give him the info until we were together last night. How the hell did he know Remi was the guy to hit before I told him? There's no way he knew that unless he has bugs in my condo. Wouldn't put it past him, but also doesn't seem like him. He's more of a hands-on guy. Would hide in the closet before putting in cameras. I could be wrong. Everything I thought about Sev could be very wrong. Or maybe Remington was on his list already and he handled him while in the area? Maybe that was his plan all along, and it's one big fat coincidence? But why didn't he say that when I told him everything last night? Why act like it hadn't happened already?

I pick up my phone and send him another text.

Me: FUCKING CALL ME!!!!!

I jump to my feet, a few guys staring as I do.

"I gotta go. This is… a lot." I turn and hurry out of the room, feeling like I can't catch my breath.