As details were arranged for the night’s battle, Jim knew he had to get back into game-head. This numbed-out, floaty-ass routine had to end, and not just because they were going to engage with the enemy. The thing was, up until now, he’d assumed that “fallen angel” meant perpetual life, but that was clearly not the case—and if he lost Eddie and Adrian before he learned more of the basics, he was fucked.

About ten minutes later, he and the boys headed back down in the building’s elevator and out of the Commodore. The truck had been left no more than a block away, and the short walk through the cool air helped.

“First stop, Hannaford supermarket,” Adrian said as he got behind the wheel again.

Jim and Eddie stuffed themselves into the cab and Jim shut the door. “I’ll want to go let Dog out if we’re going to be gone all night.”

“And I left my bike at your place anyway.” Adrian checked the side-view mirror and pulled out of the parking space.

As they went along, Jim thought about the two guys he was riding with and wondered about the kind of tricks they had up their sleeves—aside from evidently being able to choose when and by whom they were seen. And being able to get through locks and door chains—which he’d seen not only at Devina’s warehouse, but Vin’s duplex—

Something dawned on him.

Jim looked around Eddie’s thick chest at Adrian. “That night the three of us went out together…Thursday night. Why did you point Devina out to me like you wanted me to fuck her?”

Adrian stopped at a red light and glanced over…only to resume looking out the front windshield in silence.

“Why, Adrian.” Less question, more growl this time.

The guy’s broad palm went around the steering wheel in a slow circle. “I told you. I didn’t want to work with you.”

Jim frowned. “You didn’t goddamn know me.”

“And I didn’t want to work with you and I didn’t like you and I’m an asshole.” He held one finger up, the conversational signal for hold your horses. “But I did apologize. Remember?”

Jim leaned back against the seat. “You set me up. You practically gave me to her.”

“I didn’t follow her out into that parking lot. I didn’t fuck her—”

“I wouldn’t have seen her but for you!”

“What the hell are you talking about? There’s no way in hell you would have missed the likes of—”

“Shut up. Both of you.” Eddie uncrossed his arms like he was prepared to break things up with force if he had to. “Water under the bridge. Let it go, Jim.”