Page 115 of Beni

“Oh.”

“Hey there.”

Beni glanced up from his phone to see his reflection staring back at him just over August’s shoulder. Bene, that was. In his hand, his twin carried a weekend duffle bag just big enough to hold a change of clothes, but not much else.

“Um.” August glanced back at Beni, clearly confused. “I didn’t know someone was inside, or I wouldn’t have just opened the door.”

“Oh, I’m heading out. Have a plane to catch, and all. There’s some ribs in the fridge, though, just heat ‘em up, and they’ll be good to go.”

August nodded. “Sure, thanks.”

“No worries.”

Bene stepped aside to let her pass, and she shot Beni a quick look over her shoulder before disappearing further into the apartment. He stayed in the doorway, waiting until he couldn’t hear August’s footsteps before he spoke.

“Thanks,” he said.

Did he need to say more?

Shit wasn’t perfect.

Bene had this thing.

They would figure it out.

“Yeah, no problem,” Bene muttered, rubbing at the back of his neck with his palm. “You know she DVR’d that whole medical drama series? It filled the memory. I ended up binge watching it last night when nothing else was on. It’s not so bad.”

Beni chuckled. “Yeah, I know … figured I would leave it so she could watch it again. You know, if she came back around.”

“That’s Ma’s favorite show.”

“I know.”

“She’s going to love her.”

Beni nodded. “Yeah, I hope so.”

The silence stretched on between the two before Bene broke it first with, “I gotta head out, but I found that info you wanted on the gang … passed it along to Tommaso, and he’ll fill you in. Cory knows, too.”

“Was it what I thought?”

“Pretty fucking close.”

Damn.

That was going to be rough news to deliver to the Capo.

“Be safe,” Bene murmured, stepping past his twin.

“You, too.”

Bene laughed darkly as he headed down the hall. “That is the last thing on my mind. It’s full of too much other shit for me to be worried about that.”

Yeah.

Beni knew all about that.

Or, it felt that way.