Page 133 of Coup De Grâce

FNG scoffed at him. “Obviously, I was only there because Cash told me to follow you!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed as Eva walked over. “It could be fun,” she chuckled.

“It could be hell on earth. You know there’s no getting out of it now,” I said, dragging her away as FNG and Thumper continued to argue. “Do you want me to get you an umbrella?”

“No,” she sighed, letting the rain fall over her face. “This is good.”

I tucked her into my side and held her close as the ceremony started. Looking around, I wasn’t surprised at all to see the guys arguing and the ladies laughing. Fox just had that effect on everyone. Yes, we got frustrated, but it was hard to be mad at the man with his childlike personality and slightly psychotic behavior.

“Would anyone like to say a few words?” the minister asked.

Everyone’s eyes swung to mine, waiting for me to step up and say something. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this, or that I could even find the words, but they were waiting on me, and Fox was only in that casket because of the job he agreed to go on for me.

I stared at the casket, trying to find the words, but instead, found only tears filling my eyes. “Uh…” I cleared my throat, pulling myself together. “They wouldn’t give Fox a flag because he was kicked out of the military, so I found a special flag just for him that I’m sure he would appreciate.”

I nodded to Eva, who pulled a yellow flag out of her purse and unfolded it with me, draping it over his casket. A large bag of Funyuns was in the center, but instead of Funyuns, it said Foxyuns.

“I don’t think any of us knew Fox quite as well as Anna.” I glanced at her, but she wouldn’t look up. Her head hung as she held her kids’ hands. “He was odd and annoying at times, but he was the very best of all of us. He’d give you anything you needed,do whatever had to be done. I don’t think a single one of us could say there was a selfish bone in Fox’s body.

“When we found out that Knight and I were related, Fox jumped in, happy as shit because we were all brothers. And he was right. Fox was my brother, and he always will be.”

There wasn’t a damn thing more I could say. Not when it felt like I was choking on my own grief. Hanging my head, I said a prayer that wherever Fox was, he was happy and eating shawarma and Funyuns.

And if he was lucky, some pickled pig’s feet.

41

FINALE

I satin the back of the town car, watching as the funeral proceeded. The yellow flag was a nice touch. It was a good gathering, plenty of mourners, but they were all crying.

I didn’t quite understand that, but that’s what happened at funerals.

“Are you ready?” The man in the front seat turned around, staring at me in annoyance. “We’ve been here for over an hour.”

“And you can wait another hour,” I bit out, irritated with the audacity of this man.

“We need to get on the road.”

“Not yet,” I snapped, turning back to the gravesite.

FNG turned at the last minute, his eyes narrowing on me as he waved excitedly, but made no move to come closer.

My lips twitched in amusement.

Reaching across the seat, I snatched the grocery bag, wincing as the pain in my chest intensified. I wasn’t really supposed to be sitting for this long, but that’s what happened when you were requested to go on a secret military operation.

I pulled out the bag of Funyuns and popped one in my mouth, grinning just as the door on the opposite side opened and a familiar pair of motorcycle boots stepped in.

Knight glowered at me, then eyed my chest like he was waiting for it to suddenly expand with blood. Slamming the door, he set a pair of boots on the seat between us. “I brought you a new pair.”

Beaming, I snatched them off the seat, toeing off the old pair. “I knew you loved me, man. You can’t get enough of me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Where are we going?”

“You’re not going anywhere,” the man up front snarled. “I told you to keep this quiet.”

My jaw dropped at his words. “You do know he’s The Kamau, don’t you? There’s no keeping anything from him.”

“You told your wife!”

“Well, yeah. Did you really expect me to leave her for months on end without telling her I was alive?”

“Yes!” he snapped.

“Oh. Oops.” Grinning, I held the bag out to him. “Funyun?”

The adventure continues…