She goes to speak, but I say. “Derek was at Lucky’s. He was the one who called the police,” I inform her. I’ve held onto this information. I didn’t want him to know that I knew. That would have given him time to think of a lie. When I mentioned he knew it was set on fire—that was his chance to confess. But instead, he told me he’d spoken to Mitch, and although I believed him, he wasn’t going to willingly tell me that he was the one who called the cops because then that would have put him at the scene of the crime, ratting himself out.
He throws his head back, sighing at the ceiling.
Her wide eyes look at him with disbelief. “What? Derek, did you do it? Did you set that fire?”
“No,” he growls.
“Then why …?”
“I went over there, okay? I wanted to apologize to you. I pulled up, and it was already on fire. I didn’t realize it until I walked inside. I smelled the smoke the moment I entered and called 911.” He looks at me. “I promise that’s the truth. I did not set that fire.”
A part of me wants to believe him. Another part tells me not to fall for it. He hasn’t proven himself to be loyal to her. He’s turned his back on her. Why would he care now?
She says nothing to his confession. Her mind trying to decide if she should believe him or not either.
I clear my throat, getting both of their attention, and I arch a brow at him. “Either you tell her or I do.” There’s more to this story.
“What?” She looks back at him.
He steps back from her, needing the space.
“What is it?” she demands, wanting to know what I’m talking about. Wondering just how many more secrets he’s been keeping from her.
“I’ve been talking to Mitch,” he admits.
“I know,” she states.
I push off the bar at the same time as his eyes narrow on her. “You knew?” we both ask in unison.
She steps to the side so she can see both of us before she speaks. “Yeah. When I saw him at Crown, he told me that you informed him Lucky’s wasn’t doing well.”
He reaches up, running his hands through his hair aggressively. “Alexa …”
“When I asked him what he was doing talking to you, he said it was none of my business.” She frowns. “I told him to stay away from you, and he just laughed.”
He drops his head and shakes it. “Jesus.”
“Wait?” She looks from him to me. “Are you mad at me?”
“Why didn’t you tell me this?” He demands.
Her brows rise at his tone. “You weren’t even speaking to me. Why the fuck would I come to you? Plus, I never see Mitch. I thought that he could be lying just to piss me off.”
“You told me you spent the night with him last night.” Derek fires at her.
“What?” I ask, blinking. “You spent the night with him last night?” My blood pressure rises instantly, and my need to burn something is strong. I’m going to need a bigger cross.
She rolls her eyes at me and snaps, “I was with you last night, you dumb ass!”
“But you—”
“I lied to you,” she interrupts her brother. “You were yelling at me and talking shit about Cross. I wasn’t going to tell you that I’ve been practically living with him and make the situation worse.”
“What?” He gasps. “You’re living with him? When were you going to tell me it’s this serious?”
I look over at Grave, and he arches a brow at me as if to ask the same thing. I told him I love her. What did he expect? “We’re getting off topic,” I interrupt their conversation. “Derek, tell her what you told me,” I growl, getting back on track.
He plops down onto the couch and looks up at her. “I never told him that Lucky’s was in trouble. I ran into him at the Airport, and he asked if I knew you were fucking Cross.” He shudders. “I told him I didn’t give a shit who you were fucking. He laughed it off and asked how Lucky’s was. I said I had quit.”
