Dante was still slouched on the bench inside the holding cell. His back leaned against the cold bars.
His shirt was wrinkled. Buttons undone at the top. Collar crooked.
His hair was a mess. Black strands stuck to his forehead from dried sweat.
He still reeked of tequila and the smell filled the small cell.
'At least the buzz is wearing off.' His head throbbed. Eyes felt heavy.
Then he heard the heels approaching closer.
Click. Click. Click.
The sound grew louder. He looked up slowly, so as not to get a spinny head.
By the time he looked up, Gina was already standing on the other side of the bars,with her arms were crossed over her chest.
Dante couldn't read her expression. She had no smile, no frown on her face... she was just staring at him blankly.
And there, behind her, stood Jake. His hands were still jammed in his pockets. He couldn't even look at Dante; his gaze remained fixed on the floor.
'Shit.' Dante's gut twisted. The mere sight of his little brother standing there, witnessing him in this state, made his stomach churn.
"Hey sis." Dante tried a grin. He sat up straighter. "Fancy seeing you here."
Gina's gaze did not falter. Instead, her brown eyes locked onto his.
"Mom is sick." The next words that came out of her mouth hit Dante hard.
It was a reality he already knew but chose to ignore. He couldn't bring himself to face her...not when she looked like she was on her last legs. He was a coward, and he knew it.
Instead of facing his problems, he ran toward anything that would drown out his guilt.
The grin faltered on Dante's face. His lips twitched down.
"She's been asking for you. Every day. 'Where's Dante? When is Dante coming?' And where are you?"
She gestured at the cell around him, her hand sweeping the air.
"And here you are... you're drunk. In a damn jail cell at 2 in the morning."
Dante opened his mouth. Words formed in his head. 'I can explain. It was just one night.'
"Don't." Her voice cracked for a split second. It was a tiny break. Then her voice was calm again. "Don't you dare make an excuse. Because I've heard them all."
The moment she dropped the line, an uncomfortable silence filled the space.
The already uncomfortable Jake was even more uncomfortable behind her. His feet scraped the floor. He glanced up once at his brother's cell room. Then his gaze fell back down.
Dante looked at the floor, where jagged scratches marked the concrete beneath him.
'What am I supposed to say?' He did not have an answer. Guilt built in his chest.
The silence stretched on, dragging out for what felt like hours.
Gina's hands were shaking. Not from fear...no, no, no. She was shaking from a rage she was barely holding back, her fingers digging deep into her own palms.
Jake finally stepped forward, moving to stand beside her. "Gina."
But she did not turn to him; instead, her eyes remained locked on Dante.
"Let's just get him out—."
"Why?"
She still did not look at Jake. Her voice rose a bit. "Give me one reason, Jake... why should I even get this f*cker out of this cell?"
Jake just put a hand on her shoulder. The touch felt like a light in the darkening tunnel of Gina's thoughts.
"Because Mom would want us to."
Those words hit Gina harder than they should have, causing her body to tense momentarily.
"Y-you told her?"
It wasn't only Dante who was shaken by the revelation; Gina was shaken too. Jake merely gave a lighthearted smile at her expression.
Gina's jaw tightened. Her teeth clenched. Fists formed at her sides.
For a moment, Dante thought she might actually leave him there. Part of him wished she would.
Then she turned to Robert. He had followed them down the hall. He stood a few feet back with his arms crossed.
"Bail him out."
Robert raised an eyebrow. His blonde hair caught the light. "You sure?"
"Just do it." Her words came out sharp.
Robert sighed and uncrossed his arms. He stepped over to his desk.
He picked up the paperwork, and a set of keys jingled as he grabbed them.
He quickly went about Dante's paperwork. His pen scratched across the forms.
After few seconds of him scribbling away on the patch, he picked up the heavy stamp and slammed it down. The release order was now official.
He walked to the cell. He slid the metal key into the lock and turned it.
The cell door swung open with a loud clang. Metal scraped metal.
Dante stepped out slowly. Legs still wobbly from the booze. He had to steady himself on the bars so as not to pass out on the floor.
Gina couldn't look at him as he tried to steady himself. She already had her back turned and was on her way out of the hallway.
Jake, too, soon followed her, with a downcast expression after seeing his elder brother.
But Robert wasn't going to leave him off the hook that easily; he blocked his path and stood tall while doing so...with his badge gleaming on his chest.
"This is the last time, Ace."
Dante lips curved up. "You always say that, Bobby."
Robert's eye twitched with a vein pulsing on his forehead. "Don't. Call. Me. Bobby."
He leaned closer. His voice dropped low so only Dante could hear. But to Dante, all he could smell was Robert's breath, which smelled like coffee.
"I mean it this time... Gina cried the whole way here. And Jake? He had to convince her not to leave you to rot. Your mother, Dante. She's dying, and you...you're out here acting like a goddamn teenager."
Dante's smile faded as the words sank in. But his response was merely a nod, with no other reply.
Then Robert, seeing that his words seemed to have pulled a string, stepped aside. He cleared the way for him.
Dante walked past him without a word. Feet dragged on the floor.
***
They walked out of the station in silence. Gina was ahead. With her heels still clicking fast. She pushed through the doors.
Jake walked beside Gina.
Dante walked behind them but said nothing. His jaw was tight. His muscles flexed. His eyes were tired...so tired they had already started to get red around the edges.
As he stepped out of the station, the night air hit Dante's face. Its cool wind blew on his face, sobering him even more.
'Free again.' He felt relief mixed with dread. But something felt off, and the hairs on his neck stood up, reinforcing that notion in his mind.
He quickly glanced over his shoulder in panic. He scanned the lot, but there was nothing there. It was just an empty parking lot.
A few patrol cars sat under the streetlights. A few more streetlights were buzzing overhead, their yellow glow casting shadows.
Still, he could not shake the feeling. Like someone was watching. Eyes on his back.
Every thing he did went unnoticed by Gina and Jake, as they were too deep in their own thoughts to notice their brother's panicked gaze and movements.
Gina stopped at her car. It was a black SUV.
She finally turned to Dante. Her face still cold. "Go home. Sober up. And visit Mom tomorrow."
It didn't come across to Dante as a request. It came across as an order, given the tone of her voice.
"Gina, I—"
"I don't want to hear it." She cut him off, with her hand raised. "Jake, get in."
Jake hesitated. He stood there for a second. Then he looked at Dante, and their eyes met.
For a second, Dante thought he might say something. Defend him. Make a joke. Anything. 'Come on, bro. Back me up.'
But Jake just shook his head. It was a slow shake, with his disappointment clear.
He walked to the passenger side of the SUV. "See you around, Dante."
He didn't call Dante his nicknames like "bro" or "Ace." He just called him Dante. It felt cold to Dante; for the first time since he had known his brother, Jake had used his real name...
Bang. Bang.
The car doors slammed shut.
The engine started with a low rumble. The headlights flashed on, and the car left him there, zooming off.
And Dante watched his siblings drive away. Taillights faded into the night.
***
He stood there for a long time, still processing what had transpired. And the night...Oh. Morning...wasn't helping either. It was quiet. Too quiet. No cars passed.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Causing Vibration against his thigh.
He pulled it out. The screen lit up his face.
And it was an unknown number with a text.
"Nice to see you're out, Ace. We should catch up soon."
S
Dante's blood ran cold. Chill down his spine. He looked around the parking lot again. Scanning every shadow.
But there was nothing....but he knew. They were watching. Somewhere out there.