𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝐁 | 𝐉𝐁 + 𝐀𝐆

"𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤."

❝a hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one.❞

— heraclitus

˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚

KADE casually whipped his car into a parking spot of the restaurant parking lot while the sound of Spicy by Ty Dolla $ign blasting through his speakers came to an end as soon as he took his key out of the ignition and let out a deep breath while running his fingers through his hair.

After a few seconds of getting lost in his thoughts, Kade finally decided to slip himself out of his car into the cool air where he watched his breath turn into a puff of smoke before him as while slipping his hands into the pocket of his black peacoat and heading to the front door.

Once he slipped inside the warmer atmosphere, he licked his lips and walked up to the hostess who gave him a warm smile and uncrossed her arms from across her chest. "Welcome to Vicky's Lounge, table for one?"

"Actually--"

"Over here, Montgomery."

Kade gulped at the sudden sound of the familiar deep voice which only made him plaster a closed mouth smile onto his lips as he and the hostess met each other's gaze once again as she grabbed a menu from underneath the podium and motioned with her head for him to follow her.

Once the two were further into the restaurant, the hostess sat Kade down with the all too familiar man and left him with his menu before heading back to her work station while Kade slowly slid into the wooden chair across from him and eyed him for a moment.

"Good morning, Montgomery."

"Sheriff..."

"I told you, call me Mack when I'm off-duty." Mack murmured out before reaching across the table and grabbing his glass of water and taking a few sips while Kade nodded slowly and slouched himself further in his seat.

"Right...c-can you tell me why I'm here? I kinda--"

"Relax, Montgomery...what we say here stays here. Clear?"

Kade swallowed hard.

"Yeah..."

"Can I get you guys anything?"

Kade shook his head at the waiter that approached the table and then nodded before heading off to another table which made Mack clear his throat and move his shoulders a bit and lean his body onto the wooden table to speak a bit low.

"Listen...a few friends of mine at the Precinct told me about Dante's case."

"And?"

"They said the best they can do is ten...maybe twenty."

Kade creased his eyebrows.

"Are you fucking serious?"

"I know, I'm just as pissed as you are."

"No, I'm beyond that...this guy needs to be gone for good. I mean, what the hell do they expect to happen? Dante gets arrested and what? They expect Cleo to go on with her life like nothing happened and then, oh yeah, ten years from now, Dante's back and he's back harassing and assaulting her until he gets what he wants?"

"Kade...I understand your frustration, this is my daughter we're talking about."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

Mack exhaled a deep breath.

"I think it's time we pay Dante a visit, don't you think?"

Kade raised an eyebrow and watched a couple of people walk by their table which made him pause for a moment and purse his lips before mocking Mack's actions and leaning himself against the wooden surface of the table.