Empire rachel van dyken

We sat a foot apart the entire taxi ride back to the neighborhood, and when the car screeched to a stop, she jumped out and ran inside the house, slamming the door behind her.

Which left me on the doorstep after I paid the driver.

With no choice but to call the guys and see if they could make sense out of the mess I’d created.

“I’m a piece of shit,” I blurted the minute Tex answered with his gruff voice asking who I killed and if I needed cleanup.

Tex burst out laughing on the other end of the phone. “This may be my favorite conversation we’ve ever had. Please continue. Should I be recording this? Hold on, I’m putting you on speakerphone.”

“You son of a bitch! You said you were alone!”

“He’s the Cappo, he lies for a living,” came Chase’s amused voice. “So, you’re a piece of shit, and…?”

The phone crackled like they were playing hot potato with it, taking turns listening to my embarrassment.

Funny, the rage wasn’t even present in that moment.

I was too damn confused and irritated to feel even the slightest bit of anger, which, if I thought about it too long, made me feel even more unsettled.

Anger had always been available.

And now, it was out of reach.

Because of a stupid kiss.

And the words that had followed.

I groaned and slammed my hand against the cement stairs, my palm stung as little pieces of cement stuck to my skin. “I pulled a gun on her.”

“And?” Nixon asked.

“You too? Really?” I rolled my eyes and looked up to the sky hoping like hell Andi was enjoying the show. Grab popcorn, sweetheart, it’s about to get much worse. I could almost hear her laughter ringing in the air.

And for the first time in a while.

It didn’t make me want to commit suicide.

Progress?

Or maybe just insanity.

I’d take either. Both?

Over the confusion, I felt in the pit of my stomach as though I’d just marched into completely unfamiliar territory and lost the map that told me how to get back to the safe zone.

“Was she in trouble?” Chase asked.

“If those Alferos are giving you shit, we’ll take the next flight out. Son of a bitch, I knew it!” Tex started barking orders while I waited for someone more sane to interrupt him.