My phone rang. It’s my regular phone and not the one I conduct Saint business with. Pulling it out of my pocket, I glance down at the screen but didn’t recognize the number. With Tiffany missing, I answer it anyway.
“Hello?”
There is a hesitation, but then the caller speaks. “Well hello, little brother. It’s been a minute.”
It has been years since I’ve heard that voice, but I’ll never forget it.
“Why the fuck are you on my phone, Marissa?”
Every time Tiffany has asked me about my sister, I get the same twinge in my chest. When I first left William Bone’s, I couldn’t contact my sister. None of us could reach out to our existing families. We were practically on the run.
It wasn’t until I was fifteen that enough time had passed and we had made enough money and connections that it was safe to reconnect to those we left behind. Only Kazimir and I had someone worth connecting with. Or so I thought.
When I first reached out to Marissa, she wanted nothing to do with me. I tried to tell her my theory about Walter, and she shot me down, told me to leave the past where it was. It wasn’t until I was about twenty that she came looking for me.
At the time I didn’t see the correlation, but later I realized it was by this time Walter had lost damn near everything. Nonetheless, I took my sister in. Took care of her and supplied her with anything she could ever want. At the time, Saint was making a name for himself in the underworld, but I was nowhere near who I am today.
I’d saved up nearly two million dollars to invest it into my first hotel purchase. It wasn’t nearly enough, but I was closer tothe main goal. Then one day, the money went missing. I had a guess who had taken it, but I didn’t want to believe she could steal from me.
When I confronted her, she lied and said that Mason had done it and was trying to set her up because she had shot down his advances. I didn’t even have to question my brother to know it was a lie.
He had already shown me a video of her trying to pressure him to fuck her, and he’d actually shot her down. I was pissed that she stole from me, but I was even more disgusted at how easily she’d lied on Mason. I had a thing about loyalty, and she had just proven she couldn’t be trusted. After getting my money back, I kicked her ass out of my apartment and went no contact with her.
Which brings me back to why the fuck is she calling me now.
Marissa chuckles. “Wow, you’re testy. I wonder does it have anything to do with the guns I put in your hotel maintenance closet.”
Icy dread seeps down my spine. “You’re working with the Horseman?”
Ghost’s gaze narrows. I shake my head, letting him know I can’t explain right now.
“You can consider us partners.”
“What do you want?” I seethe into the phone.
“Your attention, little brother.”
“My attention?” I let out a low chuckle. “You must have a fucking death wish. When I get my hands on you, I’m going to—”
“—Do nothing. Want to know how I know?” She pauses for a dramatic ass second. “Cause I have your pretty little wife.”
All the sound rushed from around me, and fear had me paralyzed. Marissa has my full attention.
Chapter Thirty-five
The Sister
Nico
The throbbing in my head intensifies. I swear it feels like my skull is split open.
Lazily, I open my eyes, but everything is blurry. There is something in my eye. I try to swipe my face, but my hands are tied. It’s then that I remember the wreck. The G-Wagon flipping through the air and landing upside down. Jake’s limp body not responding to my call. The pain in my leg registers again. I groan as I try to blink a few times to clear my vision.
“Look who’s finally waking up.” It’s that familiar voice again. It’s the same one that I heard when I was being carried from the wreck.
“Ezra?” My throat is dry, and my voice is weak.
Finally, my vision clears enough. Ezra leans down into my view. The clean pretty-boy looks are no more. He actually looks as if he hasn’t slept or bathed in a few days. His facial hair has grown out; his usually perfectly styled hair is messy and all over the place. There are heavy bags under his eyes, and all around his nose is bright red, like he has a cold or something.
