Page 28 of Forever: The Companion

He probably should have, though.

“Were you even listening to me?”

“You want honesty?” Renzo asked.

Cree grunted under his breath, muttering, “Listen.”

“I am now.”

“An … old friend of Dare’s,” Cree said, “owns massive properties in Bali, one of which is a hugely popular resort for tourism on the island.”

“All right. What’s that got to do with this favor?”

“The guy has a son—sixteen years old.”

“And?” Renzo demanded.

Because he felt like he was missing something here. Or was that just him?

“The father … he called a couple days ago. Said his kid had gone missing. Except he hadn’t really gone missing; that’s just rich people bullshit for my kid is mixed up with the wrong people, and my money won’t get me out of the problem.”

Renzo’s brow furrowed.

Cree sounded … annoyed.

“You okay?”

“Fine, why?”

“Nothing, just—you sound pissed.”

“That my husband’s ex wants us to take his kid from a gang and train him as a League member? Oh, and Dare is willing to go ahead with it because he feels like he owes that fuck something. Yeah, that kind of pisses me off.”

Renzo blinked.

Five times.

Because that’s how long it took him to absorb everything Cree just told him. Oh, sure, he’d heard rumors about Dare and Cree. Things like the two men were more to each other than just members of the same organization. He’d once asked Alessio Sorrento—another League member—about it, seeing as how Cree and Dare had basically taken the guy in and raised him from the time he was ten, but Les never said one way or another.

“Uh—”

“Sorry, that was a bit more info than I meant to give,” Cree said thickly. “Just … the kid is sixteen, and not only is he wanted by the authorities there for some of the dealings he’s had with this gang … but now his father hasn’t had contact with him for over two weeks. He’s willing to pay a lot of money to have the kid protected and straightened out.”

“Straightened out, huh? That’s a nice way to say you’re going to break him on every level possible and make him wish he were dead.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t make the fucking rules.”

There was that attitude again.

“You’ve got the week to figure it out and we’ll help with the details,” Cree said, “but basically you’re going to have to put him on a plane. That’s the gist of it. Easy.”

“But is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Easy,” Ren clarified. “Is it easy?”

“No. It never is.”

Right.

“I have to get back to my wife,” Renzo said. “Call after one in the morning—this is supposed to be mine and Lucia’s time. At least if you call around that time, this won’t affect her.”

“Will do. And uh … thanks, Ren.”

“Yeah, but you all owe me.”

Cree made a disgruntled noise. “Dare does. Have him pay up.”

Oh, he certainly would.