Ariana stared at me, her face a mix of fascination and disgust. “You guys take this big brother thing to a whole new level.”
She had no idea. And how dare she look at me with disgust when she’d been the one talking to Matt. “Dammit, Ari, you know I’m looking for him. This is my fuckin’ job on the line. Why didn’t you call and let me know he was there?”
She bristled at my tone, her lips pulling tight as she stared straight ahead. “I don’t have to tell you everything, Bones.”
“When your safety is at risk, you do,” I fired back, merging into traffic.
“I was in the casino, surrounded by security, and this was Matt. I lived with him for a year and he never touched me.”
She didn’t get it. “That asshole tried to kill you. You’ll never be safe around him. Never!”
“You think I don’t know that?” She leveled a glare at me. “You must think I’m really stupid, huh?”
“No. I don’t think you’re stupid at all. I think you try to see the best in people, but there’s not much good to see in that little prick.” Knowing I was once again screwing this up, I let out a breath and tried again. “I thought you were gonna die that night, Ari. You were… seizing. A little longer, and your organs would have started shutting down. I didn’t know you at the time, but I felt… responsible. Matt’s my problem, and I should have gotten rid of him long ago. There’s been reports of more of that shit on the street, and I know he’s dealing it.”
“How do you know?”
“The same way I saw him talking to you today. He shows up on the cameras, but never stays long enough for me to get to him. I’ll catch him sooner or later.”
She stared at me for a moment before asking, “What happens then?”
I shook my head. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want me to answer, Ari.”
She swallowed and looked away.
“What did he give you?” I asked.
“His new number. He said he got me an audition.”
With his number, I could trace him. But I needed to proceed with caution. I wanted Ariana to give it to me willingly. “What kind of audition?”
“Doesn’t matter. That was probably all more of his bullshit.”
“But you kept his number.” I’d seen her pocket it.
She nodded. “I’ve wanted to sing professionally for as long as I can remember. That’s why I came to Vegas… not to wait on drunk gamblers. All this time, I keep thinking that if I could only get an audition—just one chance—they’d love me. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m good, Bones. But nobody will ever hear me, because they won’t even let me in the door. I hired Matt, because he told me he was an agent, and that he knew some of the major players.”
“So, now he’s back and promising you an audition.”
Again, she nodded. “Said he wants to make it up to me.”
“Ari—”
She threw her hands up. “I know. I know. I’m not stupid, and I know he’s playing me. I just wanted to hold onto hope for a little bit longer.”
Before I could respond, my phone rang. I popped my bluetooth in my ear and answered my mom’s call.
“Franco,” she said, sounding frantic. “Thank God I reached you. David was at a party and it got busted. He was drinking, so they’re holding him and need someone to post bail. I hoped maybe you could pick him up, so you could talk some sense into him.”
My twenty-year-old little brother had recently lost his goddamn mind and was doing everything possible to fuck up his life. And since I was paying for his college, I planned to make sure that didn’t happen. I promised Ma I’d handle it and hung up.
“Is everything okay?” Ariana asked.
“Same ol’ bullshit, different day.”
Her eyebrows rose in question.
“My little brother got locked up for underage drinking. I gottta go pick him up from the cop shop, but I’ll take you back to the condo first.”
