Page 41 of Dima
“Yeah, but she loves him. I want to find a way to close this case, but I don’t want to sacrifice Bishop to do it. She would never forgive me for that.”
“I can see why you’re willing to risk everything for her. Honestly, you are in the best position right now. They have burned you, which means you get to decide who and what you fight for. You can go back in and fight beside the Durty Boyz until this war is over, or you can take the information you have and use it to bring both gangs to their knees.”
“But which one should I choose, Unc?”
“That’s a decision only you can make. If I tell you one thing, you’re going to do the opposite anyway.”
We both laughed. My track record wasn’t helping me right now.
“Dmitri, I know you will make the right choice, and when you do, go to this address. You will find everything you need there.”
He scribbled the address on the back of an envelope that had been sitting on his kitchen counter and handed it to me. I took it and stuffed it in my back pocket. I already knew what I would do when I left here, but I was happy to know my uncle had my back no matter what.
We walked back into the living room together. Now that the tension had eased, I could finally see his normally happy demeanor taking over.
“Maeve, thank you for keeping this knucklehead safe from himself.”
Atlas handed Maeve her bottle of water and sat down in his recliner. I sat on the sofa next to her. I grabbed her hand before letting them both rest in my lap.
“My pleasure. He is hardheaded, though. I know you had problems over the years.”
“You don’t have enough time for me to tell you about it all.”
“Wait a minute. I’m sitting right here.”
“I’m aware.”
They both laughed at me.
“No, but seriously, Nephew, I already know what you are going to do. All I ask is that you keep yourself and this pretty girl safe. And call me when you need me.”
“I will, Unc, I promise.”
“Alright. I’m going to catch a few hours of sleep before I have to go into the office. You guys make yourself at home or take whatever you need on your way out.”
I stood at the same time my uncle did and hugged him. We both knew this could possibly be our last moment together like this.
Once he went upstairs, Maeve and I left. I drove us straight to the address my uncle had given me because I’d made my decision and was ready to put this shit behind us. I was surprised when I pulled up to a storage facility.
I searched for the storage number that he’d written down and put in the combination. It was full of weapons and everything else I needed to make it to the other side of this war. It was funny how he knew which choice I would make before I even made it.
I packed as much as I could into two duffel bags and carried them back to my truck. Maeve was still waiting inside with her head resting against her window. My baby was so fucking tired of all this.
“Are you sure about this, babe?”
“I’m sure. We can leave when this war is over, but I don’t want to leave them like this. I started this, and it’s my responsibility to end it.”
“But how do you know my father will agree to your terms?”
“I believe Bishop is a good man. He’s known who I was this whole time and didn’t have me killed from the jump. That has to account for something.”
“Let’s hope it does.”
We drove from the storage facility to Bishop’s mansion. I didn’t know what to expect when I got there, but only time would tell.
“Where the fuck have you been with my daughter? Are you okay, baby girl?”
My father fumed as he looked between Dima and me. He looked me over like he hadn’t seen me in years, searching my face and whole body for marks. It had only been a couple of days.
