Miles Away (Carrion #1)(87)

Landon did as he was told, unsure if he’d be able to keep his brother out of trouble. When Miles was hell-bent on doing something, he did it. He didn’t give a damn what anybody thought of him but Letty.

“Miles!” Landon called behind him, but Miles didn’t answer as he disappeared through the double doors of the nightclub.

“God damn it!” Landon shouted as he followed Miles into the club.

Ruin Rizzolli was sitting on a bar stool at the far end of the establishment, yelling into his phone as he held a drink he was nursing in his left hand. Miles stalked him down under the flashing lights of the dance floor. Drawing his arm back, Miles sent his fist crashing into the back of Ruin’s head, sending his drink and his phone crashing to the floor.

“Stupid motherf*cker!” Miles spat through gritted teeth. “Your son is missing and all you can do is give his mother a hard time! She’s gone through enough! What kind of man doesn’t take care of his own kid?”

“I don’t know what the f*ck you’re talkin’ about! Get your hands off of me!”

“Don’t worry, *. You ain’t man enough to go hunt down your kid’s kidnapper, but I sure as f*ck am!”

“It ain’t no Carrion hoods that kidnapped G!”

“No shit, Sherlock!” Miles spat. “Man the f*ck up! And the next time Letty calls you, speak in a civilized tone or we’re gonna have a problem. You hear? Chicken shit!”

Miles let go of Ruin’s shirt as he turned to walk away. Seeing Landon, Miles nodded and charged for the double doors of the club with Ruin’s eyes following him every second of the way.

Picking his phone up off of the floor, Ruin said to Letty, “Your boy’s about to walk into a world of hurt.” Before Letty could respond, Ruin ended the call.

As Miles climbed back in the car with Landon right on his heels, Letty didn’t say a word. She simply placed her hand atop Miles’s own and gave him a knowing look. Letty had heard the entire conversation. As her lips curled up into a faint smile, Letty had a look of gratitude on her face. A moment later, Miles slammed his foot on the gas pedal as they careened down the street, turning towards the river.

“Where are we going?” Landon asked from the backseat.

“Mom’s storage unit. I need to grab a few things…” Miles said plainly.

Landon had a confused look upon his face. “Nobody has the key. It was lost years ago.”

“Seventeen years ago,” Miles said cryptically.

“I guess. Dad’s been trying to get in that storage unit for years…” Landon said as he watched his brother’s eyes closely through the rearview mirror.

“And he hasn’t?” Miles asked.

“A couple of his guys got busted when they were trying to break in a few years back.”

Miles brought Corina to a full stop outside of the Carrion River Storage Facility.

“Miles, you’re not listening to me…” Landon insisted. “You can’t get in without a key!”

Miles looked in the rearview mirror as he cut the engine of the car. Holding up a single silver key, Miles asked, “You mean this key?”

Landon looked at his brother as if he had just sprouted a second head.

“You had it? All this time?” Landon asked in shock.

“Well, no…” Letty admitted. “I did.”

“You did?” Landon asked as he looked at Letty skeptically.

Miles explained, “Mom gave me the key the night she passed. She told me to keep it safe. I told Letty to keep it in her jewelry box and not to tell anyone.”

Letty nodded. “I had actually forgotten all about it until Miles asked for it back Friday night.”

Landon scoffed in mild amusement. “So what’s inside?”

“You’ll see,” Miles said.

“So you’re going to a storage facility to root for something you don’t know is actually there when Letty’s kid and Dad are missing? Dude…” Landon complained.

“Damn, you’re persistent, kid! I’m going to the storage unit because Mom has stuff in there that I have to get before we can even think of taking on the boys in Brooklyn.”

“Like what?”

“For one, a box of Dad’s old guns, some cash, plenty of ammo, a couple of bulletproof vests, a set of keys…”

“What are those keys for?”

“It’s not important right now. What is important, is getting the guns and the money. I have to take care of one other thing, then we’re going to get G. You’re gonna have to trust me, kid. I have Letty’s best interest at heart. You need to keep your mouth shut about all of this.”

“Miles, you’re the only one who bothers listening to me!” Landon said with a laugh.

Letty patted Miles’s hand. “It’s all right, Miles. You can trust Landon.”

Looking at Letty with a serious gaze, Miles replied, “I do. Just need to be careful. No matter what happens, don’t cave. Don’t talk. I have a plan. Even when it looks like all hell has broken out and there is no hope, just know, I have a plan.”

“There’s always hope, Miles,” Letty said with a reassuring look on her face.

“You remember that,” Miles said cryptically.