CHAPTER NINE
Markie
"TURN AROUND; LOOK back inside," the attendant said.
When I did, she strapped a cable onto my back.
"Now face me."
She clipped another cable on my front.
"Put your hands on the rail." She pointed to the side.
I gripped the green railing, peeking over the side. Everything looked so different from up here, like miniature buildings, being swarmed by ants. I'd had my eye on the Ozone jump since I flew into Vegas, and now that Ariana was finally feeling well enough to come with me, I had to go through with it.
"I'm gonna do some checks now," the attendant said. Before I could respond, she shouted, "Lead's on?"
"Good!" someone inside shouted back.
"Back's on?"
"Good!"
"Clear!" Then to me, she said, "Now bring this hand to the left side."
She guided me through the movement until my arms were stretched from rail to rail with the platform and open air in front of me. The sight stole my breath away. Vegas, mountains, blue sky... it looked like a postcard.
"Hands at the end of the rails. Toes on the edge."
I scooted forward until I could see straight down. Eight hundred and twenty-nine feet of air, no parachute, no trampoline, just a bullseye on the ground.
"Here she comes! Three, two, one, go."
My feet refused to move.
The attendant gave me a little push to start me moving forward.
I could have resisted and changed my mind, but then I'd forfeit the money I'd paid and look like a big chicken. No way. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I had to take it. I leaned forward, stretched my arms out, and jumped.
It wasn't a free-fall--the ad called it a controlled decent--but with the wind in my face, my heart in my throat, and the ground rapidly approaching, it sure felt like a free-fall. As I approached the ground, the ropes slowed so I could get my feet back under me. I landed, and another attendant steadied me and removed the strap, directing me to where I needed to go to remove my borrowed jump suit.
It still felt like I was flying!
My cheeks burned from smiling so much as I searched the crowd of faces for Ariana. Instead of finding my sister, I ran into Angel. Gone was the SWAT uniform; he was back to wearing the suit that made him look absolutely delicious. I couldn't help but check him out as he held my arms, steadying us both. Something about him was different. Darker. Angry.
"Markie?" he asked, his eyes softening with recognition. He took in my jump suit and looked at the landing platform behind me. "What are you... Did you just jump?"
"Yes! Ohmigod it was so amazing. Have you ever done it?"
He seemed stunned for a moment, and then a smile ghosted his lips, taking him from dark and scary back to breath-catching. "No, I haven't."
"Angel?" Bones asked, stepping beside us. His gaze went from me to Angel's arms, still holding mine, before drifting back up to my face. "Hey Markie. How's your sister?"
Angel let go of me. I straightened and smiled at Bones.
"So much better, thanks to you guys. I don't even want to think about what would have happened had you not shown up that night." Turning, I scanned the crowd until I spotted her. Waving, I called her over to us.
By the time Ariana joined us, Ozone jump management was looking at me funny, like I might take off with their unstylish jump suit and shoes. Since Ariana had been basically out of it the one and only time she'd met them, I made introductions, and then ushered my sister and the guys into the prep room, leaving them to chat while I headed into the dressing room to change. When I returned, Bones was drilling her about Matt.
"Well if you find him, I'd really like to have a little chat with the douchebag," Ariana said, hand on her hip, attitude in full swing. "Rent's past due and he's supposed to pay half."
Making a mental note to help Ariana with the rent, I joined the group. My sister stopped talking, and we lingered in awkward silence waiting for someone to say good-bye. It was weird, but I didn't want to walk away from Angel again. Especially not after he and Bones had essentially saved my sister's life. Besides, he was hot...
"Can I take you guys to lunch?" I blurted out.
Angel and Bones shared a confused look, and then Angel asked, "You want to take us to lunch?"
Was that so weird? Suddenly uncertain, heat crept up my cheeks as I nodded. "I know it's not much of a thank-you for helping us, but it's the best I can think of right now. Besides, I think the adrenaline used during that jump consumed more calories than I've eaten all week. I'm starving."
The guys shared another look. Were they communicating telepathically, or doing play signs with their eyebrows? I couldn't tell, but I wanted to get to know Angel better and I wanted to eat. Now.
"We can go wherever you want," I added, sweetening the deal.
"Really?" Bones asked.
Now I had them. "As long as it's not a hundred dollars a plate, because this girl's on a budget."
Bones grinned. "Cajun."
Angel groaned.
"What's wrong with Cajun?" I asked.
"It's a dive." Angel complained. "Cheap, everything is fried, and I'm not even certain the fish is real."
"It's heaven. You know I wouldn't eat there if it wasn't," Bones replied. "And you keep promising you'll try it."
"Yeah, but every time you bring home a takeout bag, it smells like heartburn and diabetes."
Ariana's face scrunched up. "I don't really do fried food."
Bones faced her. "Angel's a hater. Don't listen to his lies. Not all of their food is fried." He listed off a few dishes, licking his lips between each.
I don't know if Ariana liked the sound of the dishes or not, but she was sure looking at Bones like she wanted to gobble him up. Maybe my sister could get over her loser ex after all. That was reason enough for us to go.
"I'm in," I said.
"Your opinion doesn't count," Ariana replied. "You lived in Africa eating God knows what and you just jumped from a fuckin' tower. You'll try anything."
I briefly considered reminding her that she'd almost died from crap drugs, which was way more dangerous than anything I'd tried, but bit my lip. My sister was finally calling Matt out on his assholery, and I didn't want to drive up any walls between me and her.
"And you should live a little and join us," I told her instead. "A few more calories in your diet wouldn't kill you."
Bones nodded. "Your sister's right. You weigh practically nothing. You could use a little meat on your bones."
"How do you know what I... oh, right, you carried me. Well, this is awkward." Ariana crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine, I'm in for whatever."
Bones grinned. "What do you say, Angel? You up for Cajun deliciousness?"
Angel started to shake his head, but then relented. "Yes, I'm in. Where the hell is this place?"
Angel led us to the decked out black Hummer I remembered from Ariana's hospital drive. I was planning on sitting in the back with my sister, but he opened the passenger's door and gestured for me to climb in as Bones and Ariana got into the back. Bones navigated the way to a dilapidated, red-brick, mixed-use building in a rough-looking neighborhood, and Angel parked his shiny black Hummer next to a rusty Ford truck that had to be older than I was.
"Here?" Angel asked, craning his neck around to check the place out. "Seriously?"
Bones stared at the front door of the restaurant like it was edible. "Oh, hell yeah," he said, unbuckling his seat belt.
Movement in front of the restaurant drew my attention. I looked up in time to watch a group of teens descend on an elderly man. One of the boys reached for the man's backpack. The man dodged and his cane wobbled under his weight. Fearing he would fall, I jumped out of the Hummer and hurried to help him.
While the man shielded his pack from the first teen, a second darted in, reaching into the man's pocket. The old man stumbled back and the boys laughed.
"Markie, wait!" Ariana shouted from the Hummer.
I ignored her and charged into the fray, positioning myself between the old man and his attackers. "What do you guys think you're doing?"
"Mind your own fuckin' business, bitch," one teen said, sliding a hand into his pocket. He was maybe fifteen. I wanted to smack him upside his head for talking to me like that.
"Watch your mouth," I countered.
"Or what? You'll spank me?" he sneered.
A couple of the kids snickered.
The little punk started to say something else, but before he got the first word out, his legs were swept from under him and he was lying on his stomach, face pressed against the ground with Bones on top of him. His friends took one look at Bones and stepped back.
"What the fuck, man?" the kid asked.
"We have rules in this city, you disrespectful little shit," Bones said, yanking the kid's arms up until he cried out. "We don't fuck with old people and we sure as hell don't threaten to draw on unarmed ladies. What sort of fuckin' coward does that?"
"Get off me!" The kid wriggled, but Bones didn't budge. "You're making a big mistake, man. You don't know who I work for."
"Doesn't matter." Bones released the kid's arms, grabbed his head, and angled it at Angel. "See that guy right there? My boss, he's a Mariani."
I couldn't see the kid's expression, but his body stilled. The other kids all stared at Angel with awe and respect. I followed their gaze to watch him arch an eyebrow at the scene while holding my sister back. The group of kids all dropped their gazes and took another step away from their friend.
"You feel me?" Bones asked.
"Yeah, man. Sorry. I didn't know." The kid's whole demeanor had changed, instantly.
"Now apologize to the lady," Bones said, tugging the kid's face up to see me.
"Sorry, ma'am. No disrespect meant. To any of you. Sorry. Sorry."
"I'm gonna take this, because you make piss-poor decisions and you don't deserve it." Bones shifted his weight, and I couldn't see what he took from the kid. "Now, get out of here before I roll you out like a rug for Mr. Mariani to walk on."
He released the kid and stood.
The entire group of teens pulled a vanishing act that would have landed them a show on any Vegas stage.
I looked from Angel to Bones, trying to figure out how I felt about what had just happened. It would probably be polite to thank Bones, but I wasn't one hundred percent thankful he'd ground some kid's face into the pavement for me.
Angel released Ariana and she ran to me, grabbing my hand. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Of course I'm okay. I just need a second to--"
"What were you thinking? That kid had a knife or a gun or something, and you just... You could be dead right now!" she shouted.
A knife? Or a gun? I let that sink in for a moment, remembering the kid's hand in his pocket. Is that what Bones took from him?
Ariana thanked Bones, that look of hunger--maybe even adoration--back in her eyes.
I stepped away from them to check on the old man. He wasn't hurt, but asked me for something to eat. This was something I could help with, so I asked my companions if he could join us for lunch.
The three of them looked at each other, then at the old man, then back at each other.
Desperate to remind them he was a human being, I added, "His name is--" Then realized I didn't know it. I nudged him and waited.
"Max," he replied, leaning against his cane to hold out his hand to Angel. Angel, whose suit probably cost more than first-class airfare back to Zambia, shifted his gaze to Max's outstretched hand. Time froze. I looked into Angel's eyes and saw a battle raging. I'd made a big mistake. Guys like Angel clearly didn't eat with guys like Max. What did Bones call Angel? A Mariani. What did that even mean? The kids seemed to know, and it spooked them.
Awkward tension mounted, and I needed to diffuse it. I grabbed Max's shoulders and braced, preparing to angle him in the opposite direction. We'd walk a few steps away, have a little chat, and then I'd go order him some takeout. Then he'd sit on the curb and eat, like some sort of abandoned animal, while we lounged in nice, comfy chairs.
Because that's the way the world works. And it sucks.
I shouldn't have expected more, but I wanted Angel to be different. Heck, he'd invited me to pizza when I didn't have a place to sit. He was a nice guy, just not nice enough to draw attention by sitting with a homeless man. I got it, but I was still disappointed. I tugged on Max's shoulder. Only I couldn't move him, because his hand was connected to Angel's.
"Nice to meet you, Max." Angel smiled at the man. It wasn't fake or forced, condescending or pitying. It was real and heartwarming. It made my eyes burn and my breath catch. "Please join us for lunch."
They broke apart, and before Angel could reconsider, I swooped in to link arms with Max. Angel held the door open and I helped Max into the restaurant with Ariana and Bones following. A smile tugged at my lips and I couldn't contain it. Max wouldn't have to eat on the curb, and that made my heart soar.
I pointed out a restroom sign to Max. "Would you like to go wash up?"
He started to nod, but lost his balance. I tightened my grip on his arm, wondering how he would make the walk on his own.
"Here, I'll take him," Angel said, appearing on the other side of Max. He put a hand on Max's back and another under his arm. Then he leaned in, dirtying the front of his nice suit against Max's filthy shirt.
It was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen.
Bones headed for the restroom ahead of Angel and Max. A waitress showed me and Ariana to a circular corner while I tried to come to grips with everything that had happened. Angel was a good guy for helping Max, but the way those kids had looked at him...
As soon as the waitress was out of earshot, I asked Ariana, "What's a Mariani?"
Her eyes widened.
"What?" I asked.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"Bones called Angel a Mariani."
She paled. "Are you serious right now?"
"Yes."
"Marianis are one of the families." She glanced back toward the bathroom and lowered her voice. "No, they are the family, as in the family that runs Vegas. They're rich, powerful, and dangerous. Everyone's afraid of them. No, everyone wants to be them... or be with them." She laughed, shaking her head. "I can't believe you're on a date with a Mariani and you invited a bum."
"A date?" I asked. "I'm not on a date. I'm buying a meal for the men who saved your life."
Ariana snorted. "So, you're telling me you have no interest whatsoever in Angel? Right. He's smokin' hot, Markie. You'd have to be dead not to be into him. Of course, Bones is hotter. My god, did you see how fast he took that guy down? His arms are bigger than my thighs."
"That guy was just a kid," I pointed out.
"A kid who would have seriously hurt you had Bones not been there. This isn't Africa, Markie. People here are dangerous. They won't hesitate to fuck you up."
My sister clearly didn't know much about Africa. Still, her words made me wonder, again, what had happened to her during the time we'd lost contact. She wouldn't tell me, though, despite how many times I'd asked. Just like she wouldn't tell me anything about Matt the loser.
The guys rejoined us. Angel helped Max settle into his chair and then scooted in beside me while Bones sat beside Ariana. We ordered lunch and broke into conversation. Turns out Max was a Navy veteran, and between bites he entertained us with stories about his time as an engineman, and his worldwide travels afterward. He'd spent his midlife trekking across every continent except Antarctica, which he informed us was too damn cold for his old bones. We spent more than two hours in that little dive, and by the time we finished up, Max's stomach was full and his eyelids were heavy.
Angel excused himself to make a call and I reached for the bill.
Bones beat me to it. He plucked it off the table and tugged his wallet out of his pocket. While he was busy, I reached over and snatched the bill out of his hands. His jaw dropped as he looked from his empty hand to the bill in mine. Then he snapped his jaw closed and scowled at me.
"I don't care how big and scary you are, I said I'm buying you guys lunch." I hopped out of the booth and hurried off to the counter before he could stop me.
Angel was in the corner on the phone, but the way his eyes danced with laughter told me he'd seen the exchange. I settled up the bill, Angel joined us, and we all headed outside.
"Well? What did you guys think of the food?" Bones asked, still looking at me sideways after our little confrontation.
Clearly I'd ruffled some feathers and needed to make amends. "Super tasty. Good pick," I said truthfully. "Thank you for the recommendation."
"Yeah, it was all right," Angel replied.
Bones shoved him.
Even Ariana had no complaints.
A cab pulled into the parking lot and Angel smiled down at Max. "Looks like your ride's here."
I felt my eyebrows creep up my forehead. "His ride? Where's he going?"
Angel opened the back door of the cab. "A bed so he can get a good night's sleep."
My brain struggled to keep up. "You booked him a motel room?"
Angel nodded and helped Max into the cab.
My throat constricted, and I couldn't speak. We waved good-bye to Max and then climbed into the Hummer.
"You okay?" Angel asked, opening the passenger's door for me.
I smiled and nodded, lying without words. No, I wasn't okay. My life was complicated, and I couldn't get attached to anyone. Yet Angel made me wish things were different. I was completely wrecked at the kindness and generosity he'd had shown Max.
This Mariani was dangerous, the kind of dangerous that made my stomach flutter and my eyes burn.