Lester Harbor, a few days later
“How is Julian?” I asked, watching Vera remove her shoes in our apartment foyer. She returned from visiting Julian and Sapphire at their home.
“Physically, he’s recovering,” she said, glancing up at me. “Mentally and emotionally, it’s hard to tell because Jules keepsto himself. He said he’s getting professional help. Any word from the police about Saira?”
“I’ve talked to a few friends on the matter,” I answered. “Julian’s written statement confessing everything he knows about Saira’s activities should be sufficient for a judge to issue a warrant to search her home.”
“Julian doesn’t want any more trouble, Scotty.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m your family, aren’t I?”
“You are,” Vera affirmed, tilting her head as her hands touched my hips. “I like that.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Saira away from your brother. She may be Damian’s mother, but she’s a rabid dog.” I lowered my voice as my fingers slipped to her collar, easing open the top three buttons. The fabric gave way, teasing me with a glimpse of her cleavage.
“Scotty, the man who helped Jessie... You mentioned he wasn’t the same person who…”
“No,” I groaned, looking up at the ceiling. I hoped to avoid the conversation.
“Tell me,” Vera demanded. “I won’t judge you. I love you.”
“I hired someone to find the people who hurt you. He and his team tracked down the man who helped Holly abduct you.”
Vera’s dark eyes searched mine. “You said you were responsible for his death. Did you ask them to kill him?”
“No,” I answered. “I wanted them to push him for answers, but he shut his mouth.”
“So, they killed him?”
I nodded.
“What kind of people did you hire?” she ran her hands through her hair.
“People you don’t fuck with,” I muttered. “What I went through when I was young taught me that mercy has no place with the wicked.”
“Will you tell me what happened to you? About your scar?” she asked.
I bowed my head, let out a slow sigh, then met her eyes. She deserved the truth. “You’ll need a strong stomach for this. Are you ready?”
Vera nodded, clasping my hands in hers. “I need to know the truth about you.”
I tightened my grip, drew in a breath, and lifted my shoulders. “All right. I’ll tell you what made me the man I am today.”
THE EAGLE’S SCARS
Vera
“Here. Sit down and have a drink.” Alistair handed me a shot glass as I rested on our leather sofa.
“What’s this?” I examined the liquid in the glass.
“It’s calledJägermeister,a digestif to help ease digestion. You’ll need it.”
I sniffed the glass, downed the shot, and let the fire burn down my throat. Alistair followed suit. “Woo. It’s strong stuff,” I remarked, feeling the heat travel to my gut.
“Jägermeister isa German name for the term ‘master hunter’ or ‘master of the hunt.’ It’s an appropriate drink for us both.” Alistair smiled grimly. “My parents sent me to a church-based summer camp a few months after I turned twelve,” he began. “It was a private camp to help kids with challenges, including ADHD.”
I touched Alistair’s left shoulder while inhaling his addictively musky scent. He looked like an angel with his light-brown curls, emphasized by his widened green eyes. Aninnocent boy’s soul stared at me, something I had never seen in him.Look deeper, you’ll find him, my heart whispered.
