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"Get up. Walk to the safe room now."
Oh shit. Oh no. Mag was like a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse, and I'd be terrified if he talked to me that way.
Gavin rose slowly, looking back and forth between Magnum and Jameel. He was wearing loose jeans and a dark green hoodie. His hair was a little longer and he had some scruff on his face, making him look more like a smaller version of Magnum than I'd ever realized.
Gavin walked down the hallway toward the back of the house like he knew exactly where this safe room was. Mag was directly behind him. I dried my hands and followed too.
"You stay here." Mag didn't look at me when he gave his command.
"I want to come. I have a right to know what's going on," I said to the back of his head.
Finally, he turned to me and lowered his voice. "It's not gonna be pretty."
"I want the good, the bad, the ugly. I want it all." It was true. I was tired of hiding from ugly things. I didn't want to be protected anymore. I wanted to be involved and help in making decisions on how to handle the mess we'd created.
Mag's lips pressed together, and he looked me up and down. The hardness in his eyes softened. "Fine."
Chapter 31 Fine As Hell
Wren
Magnum turned, and I followed him into a small room at the back of the house. A square table and four metal folding chairs filled up most of the space. A monitoring pad similar to the one Talon had installed at the bakery hung near the door.
Black walls and the lack of windows made it dark in the room except for a row of fluorescent lights across the ceiling. Why did Sylvie need a safe room? I knew they had floods and hurricanes in Louisiana, but this room seemed like more than that. Mag took care of Sylvie's security just like he'd taken care of me at the bakery.
Mag pulled out the chair on the right for me. Gavin seemed fidgety as he walked around the table to the other side. He bounced on his toes and tugged up his belt, which was hanging very low, and it dropped down again off his skinny hips.
Mag paced in the small space between the chairs and the door. He rubbed his chin and dragged his fingers through his beard that was growing back. The beard that was between my legs only hours ago. I cleared my throat, and Mag's fingers clenched into a fist.
"You got any weapons on you?" Mag asked Gavin as he stood behind the chair, waiting with one hand on his hip, close to his gun.
"Am I being interrogated?" Gavin stopped moving and glared at Magnum.
"I got some questions for you, and the first one is regarding your weapons." Mag's tone was impatient with an undercurrent of weariness.
"Doyouhave any weapons?" Gavin lifted his chin smugly. "Oh, nevermind. Your shirt's so tight, I can see your piece." Gavin's punkish veneer broke for a brief second, and he seemed to be fighting a smile. Mag smirked. They'd clearly played games like this before.
Mag walked around the table and patted Gavin down from behind. He found nothing but a small pocket knife that he took before coming back to sit next to me.
"Why is Wren here?" Gavin asked. His gaze moved to my hands that were folded on the table. "Where'd you get that ring?"
My throat clogged up, and I wasn't sure what to say. Mag answered for me. "First off, know this. You are my brother, and I love you unconditionally. That means I will continue to love you no matter what happens."
Gavin stopped fidgeting and stared at Mag. "You love me?"
"I do and always have, so let that be on the table between us before we start." Mag kept his gaze and his entire body focused fully on Gavin.
"Start what?"
"I'm gonna ask you some questions regarding Kenny Zhao."
"I don't know nothin' about him." Gavin shook his head and looked sideways at Magnum. His knee bounced and his brow furrowed. Even I could tell he was clearly lying.
"This is how it's gonna go down. You'll tell the truth. If you're lying, I'll know. Then I'll answer your questions, and you will know I'm telling the truth because that's what I do. You good with that?"
"What if I don't feel like talking?" He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Then you'll spend an indefinite amount of time in this room, and Sylvie will make your beignets. Got it?"
