This got their attention, especially Gray, who shifted forward in his seat with a muttered curse. All I could think about was the timing, though.
Nearly a decade. My father had been out there building an army of criminals for a decade.
Basically, since the fire that let him fake his own death. The same one that covered up my mom’s murder and killed my unborn baby. Or maybe even longer?
My father, back from the dead, was the enemy we suspected to be involved in much of the carnage littering our lives lately.
He’d been closer than we realized the entire time.
And now he had my Angel.
Fucking hell.
three
JACE
Billie was in shock. Her complexion had paled to a worrying shade of gray, and her hands trembled despite how tight she held onto Rhett’s fingers. But otherwise, she was handling this truth bomb of epic proportions admirably. Better than I feel like I would have, in her shoes.
Hell, even I was struggling to swallow the information. The Wilsons weren’t a family at all; they were a gang run byWilson. Billie’s dad wasn’t named Wilson; that would have surely sparked some kind of recognition from Billie, Angelo, or even me. His name was—is—Bruce Bellerose, but I guessed “Bruce” died in that fire nearly nine years ago. He couldn’t very well continue using a dead man’s name, so he must have created a new identity.
“The Wilsons were around before Billie’s parents died, though,” Grayson said, his concerned gaze on Billie. My Rose. His Prickles. She didn’t deserve this twist.
Vee shrugged. “I don’t have an answer for that; I just knowthat manis Wilson himself. He’s met with my parents on several occasions, and they introduced him as such.”
Billie made a choked sound like she was trying to laugh but couldn’t find the humor. “So he was planning thisbeforeeverything happened? Didn’t we suspect the hit on my mom came from the Wilsons? That she was cooking their books?”
Gray just frowned, then sighed. “I’ll do some digging. My associate will know more.”
Billie shook her head, her expression falling further. “And what will that cost you? Last time you did some digging, you came back covered in bruises, Gray. I don’t want or need you getting hurt just for my answers.”
“She’s got a good point,” I agreed, fighting the urge to touch Billie. To wrap her the fuck up, sheltered in my arms, as I stole her away from this damn life. “We don’t need to risk your safety, Gray. Not now.” I shook my head, giving him a pointed look.
He seemed to understand what I meant—that Billie was already holding on by a thread without adding the stress of injuries to the rest of us—and gave a nod.
“I’ll see what I can dig up,” Vee drawled, already typing on her phone. “I assume you all don’t care if I get hurt in the process.”
Billie jerked like she’d been slapped, squinting up at Vee in disbelief. “I care,” she insisted, her voice firm if hurt. “Just because you were using us, doesn’t meanweare shitty human beings. Like it or not, I considered you a friend, Vee; so yeah, I’ll be upset if you’re hurt.”
Vee’s hard expression softened, and she gave Billie a sad smile. “It might not seem like it right now, Billie, but Iamyour friend. I just show it a little differently.”
Billie sank back in her seat, looking exhausted, so I stood to usher Vee out of the room. “You need to leave,” I told Angelo’s wife quietly. “I know you want to help; I believe you when you say you care about her. But right now she needs to process.”
Vee scowled like she wanted to argue, but she was also smart enough to know when to push shit. Now was not one of those times. She shot another worried look over my shoulder at Billie, then sighed.
“Fine. But I’m leaving my people to ensure you’re all safe for now. Local law enforcement has already been paid off, so you have some time, but I wouldn’t hang around longer than necessary.” She paused in the doorway to look back at me. “Jace… be kind to her. She doesn’t need your head-fuckery right now.”
Irritation burned in my chest, and I sneered. “Like you’re one to talk.”
Not waiting for her reply, I shut the door firmly in her face, then grimaced when I saw the splintered frame and busted locks. We definitely couldn’t stay here. But that begged the question: Wheredidwe go?
Back in the living room, Rhett held Billie in his arms, his face buried in her hair as he rocked them both gently. Grayson had a broom out and was sweeping up glass from the marble floor, pausing only to give me a questioning look.
I shrugged, then tipped my head toward the bedrooms. He understood, silently following me along to the room that would have been mine for the week.
“We need somewhere else to go,” I told him, folding my arms over my chest. “This place is—”
“Obviously,” he muttered. “And we need to address the tour. Call Brenda; she’ll need to start working on a strategy to release us from the rest of the concerts now that we’ve lost Angelo.”
