“She just took up residence at a bar,” I tell Sam as I put the rest of my shit into my backpack. Picking my phone back up, I watch her as we walk out of the room. “It looks to me like she’s looking for an easy score.”
Four
Anthony
We load into my truck, but this time Sam does the driving since I can’t navigate and drive at the same time. Something still doesn’t feel right, but from what I’ve searched this should be straightforward. If Samuel wasn’t so twisted up about her I’d be pulling him out of this one, but as it stands we’re going to take care of this and then end it. I’m ready to get back to my woman and make her mine.
I’m watching the feed on my phone, and suddenly the phone starts buzzing.
“Shit. It’s my mom.” I contemplate hitting ‘Ignore,’ but I know that won’t do any good. I look over at Sam, and he nods, knowing the same thing. “Just keep straight at the light, then go up two blocks and it’s on the right. You can’t miss the Snake Eyes.”
“Got it,” Sam says. He’s cool and controlled, and it’s more like what I’m used to when we’re on a run.
I put the phone to my ear and smile. “Yo, Jeanette, what’s shakin’?”
“Don’t ‘Jeanette’ me, Anthony. Where are you?” She sounds pissed, and that’s not good.
“Well, Mom, if you must know, I’m in Vegas with Samuel and Mary. We decided to drive down for the weekend, you know, have a good time.” It’s mostly the truth, but I know with my mom, the truth is the safest bet. There’s a pause on her end of the phone, and I have a funny feeling. “Mom, is everything okay?”
“Your dad and I rode by your apartment and you weren’t there. And your landlord was kind enough to let us in. Mind telling me where all your shit is?”
Fuck. Not good. “I can explain.”
“When will you be back?” I can hear my dad mumbling something in the background, but I can’t make it out. ‘Shut up, Saint. I’m talking to my baby.”
Great, this is the last thing I need. I’m in the middle of catching a half a million dollar skip, getting married, and losing my virginity all in twenty-four hours. I don’t need my parents asking about my living situation.
“Tomorrow.”
My mom lets out a huff of frustration, but what can she really do besides wait? “When you get back, come straight over. And bring Mary with you. We need to talk.”
Fuck. They know.
“Sounds good, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Anthony.”
Goddamn it. I hang up the phone and lay my head back on the headrest. I don’t need this right now. I take a second, and I make my decision. I need to focus, and this isn’t my priority. Mary is. There’ll be time to make money later. I want to marry my woman now.
“Sam, I need to get back to Mary. I’m gonna have to call this one. I’m out.”
Samuel pulls into the Snake Eyes casino and parks off to the side. We can see the entrance from here, and he’s squeezing the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white.
“I’m sorry, Sam, but this is off. I haven’t had enough time to do some research on this skip. We’re going in blind, and I don’t like it. On top of that, I came here to get married, not chase a bounty. That’s enough for me, man. I’m going back to the room, I’m getting Mary, and I’m making her my wife. You coming?”
He looks over at me, and after a second he closes his eyes and shakes his head. Relief washes over me, but then I realize he’s not disappointed, he’s telling me no.
He turns off the truck, tossing me the keys. “Sorry, Tony. I’m staying.”
“What about walking Mary down the aisle?” I can’t believe he’d miss that for anything on this Earth.
He gets out of the truck and stands at the open door. He puts on his leather jacket, covering his weapons and winks at me. “Oh, I’ll be there. You guys don’t start without me.”
With that, he shuts the door and makes his way into the casino. I should probably be worried, but I’m not. No matter what happens, Samuel can handle himself, and if all else fails I’ve got every camera feed in Vegas at my fingertips and about ten trackers on his body. I can find him anywhere on the face of the Earth. I climb over into the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition.
Waiting just a few moments, I watch the feed on my phone as Samuel walks into the bar and heads straight for Nika. “Good luck, buddy,” I say out loud and crank the truck.
I turn around and head back to the Blue Diamond. I make one pit stop on the way back to the hotel. I’m thankful that nothing in Vegas closes. You can literally get anything you want twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.