“Ivy’s dad said he had no idea. His brother was tight-lipped about it all before he abandoned them, and now he’s dead. So is Cidney’s mom.”
Turning my head, I look over my shoulder at Cidney. She’s got her back to me as she makes us dinner. And that’s when I realize just how important Ivy is to her and how important she is to him. I didn’t even realize that both her parents were dead.
“When you find something out, let me know. I'll try to do some searching on my own, too.”
Thanking Bullet, I end the call, then shove my phone back in my pocket, turning around completely to face her. Cidney calls out my name, telling me that dinner is ready. The conversation with Bullet plays on repeat as I make my tacos, then continues to play on a loop as I sit down across from Cidney.
I need to start asking her some questions about her past and her family. I just hope it doesn’t piss her off too much, because I want to fuck her again in a few hours.
CIDNEY
Something is up. I don’t know if there's necessarily anything wrong, but there is definitely something up. I press my lips together and roll them a few times as I lean back in my chair. I can’t even eat. I am so damn nervous about what he’s got working inside his head.
When he dips his chin and tucks into his food, it’s as if I’m not even in the room, except I can’t eat because I can tell the conversation he just had was important, and he’s not telling me a damn thing.
When he takes his last bite, he finally lifts his eyes to meet mine. They flick down to his plate, then slowly lift to meet mine again. “Why aren’t you eating?” he asks.
It almost sounds accusatory, but I’m glad he asked because I’m going to find out just what the hell he’s thinking about that has his face wearing that expression. He leans back slightly, his eyes still focused on mine and nowhere else, when I start to speak.
“You’re thinking about something that you heard on the phone, and it’s bothering me because you seem distracted and maybe even upset?”
I pose it as a question, just so I don’t sound like I’m accusing him of anything or demanding anything from him. At least I hope that’s the way it comes out. He stares at me in silence, his face expressionless as he watches me, so I’m not sure how he’s taken what I’ve said. I wish I could shove all the words back down my throat and forget they ever came out.
“I’m not upset,” he begins slowly. “I wanted to ask you some questions, and I didn’t want to come off like a dick or piss you off.”
Oh god. He’s going to ask me if I had sex with Jeffrey. I just know it, and I don’t want to answer that. Because then I’d have to tell him that while I didn’t have sex with Jeffrey, I did everything else… mouths, fingers, all the things.
And that’s embarrassing, because I was so damn stupid to think that he actually liked me for me, when in reality, he was just using me. Using me to get to the Vicious Reapers for whatever it was he wanted from them.
When he realized I wasn’t in a position to help him, meaning I wasn’t really on the inside with the club, he tried to kill me because I knew more than I should about his group.
At least he thought I did. I don’t know what the hell I know. I have never figured it out. I’m not sure I ever will, either, and at this point, I don’t think I care. He almost killed someone I like, someone Ivy loves. I don’t think it matters why. I think it matters that he did it, and he needs to atone for that.
“There is a connection between the leader of Jeffery’s Front Mob Family and your mother.”
I blink as Goose’s words take me out of my thoughts and bring me back to reality, except I don’t understand them at all. I don’t get what he’s saying to me, as much as I want to. I can’t imagine my mother being with anyone involved with the Mob. Then again, I can’t imagine being involved, either… and yet…
“What is the connection?” I ask even though I’m fairly positive I know the answer.
“Seems they dated, but I don’t know any details. I thought maybe you could fill in some blanks. Is there anything your mom could have mentioned?”
My brows snap together as I think about those words. Shaking my head from side to side, I try to think of anything, but nothing comes to mind. All I know is that she was unhappy and didn’t give much of a shit about me.
“My mom and I didn’t talk about her past. She never mentioned ex-boyfriends. She never mentioned men at all. My father abandoned us when I was young, and she never even talked about him. We weren’t close.”
I’m not sure what I expect Goose to say or do, maybe wear a surprised expression when he hears my words, but he doesn’t. Instead, he nods once, then clears his throat and stands from the table. I watch him walk over to his backpack and take out an iPad.
“We’re going to do some digging, then,” he states. “Bullet found a connection, talked to your uncle, and he said they dated, but that’s all. No details. And that’s when shit started getting ugly between the Reapers and the Front Mob Family. About the time you were born, it all faded away, though we’ve continued to keep our distance from one another, until now.”
“Do you think…?”
The thought of Jeffery being related to me makes me feel physically nauseous, but I wait for Goose to respond before I become sick everywhere and lose my dinner. Thankfully, when he does, the news is good news.
“No, it doesn’t seem like you’re his kid. Plus, you look way too much like Ivy to be related to another family,” he murmurs. “But there is something aside from bruised egos after twenty-something years. Especially if it doesn’t even involve this Jeffrey guy.”
“I agree,” I say. “But I don’t know anything more than you do. In fact, you know more than me.”
“Let’s get searching, then. Come on,” Goose says, tilting his head to the side to motion toward the sofa.
