She shrugs. “They seem to think so.”
I notice the guy’s faces are scratched out on some of them except mine. “Why isn’t my face scratched out?” I ask, looking at Les and me in a stare-off by the docks when she gave me the file on the shitty foster parents.
“That’s what I want to know,” Ryder says, leaning back againstthe table behind her again. “Seems pretty fucking suspicious, don’t you think?”
“You think I did this?” I ask incredulously. “Why the hell would I bring you the same thing if I’m the one doing it?”
“To save your own ass,” Les adds.
“You may not like me, Les.” I point to the pictures. “But I wouldn’t do something like this.”
“There’s more of them. More,” she waves her hand around, “personal.”
It takes me a second to catch up to what she’s saying, and I can feel my blood boiling. “Someone has naked pictures of you?” I grind out. I’ll kill this motherfucker for that alone.
“Yeah. Several,” Les says. “Of me and some of the guys.”
Someone not only has naked pictures of her, but they also have pictures of her in the middle of sexual acts. What the fuck?
“What are you going to do?” I ask, already knowing that answer. You won’t live after doing something like this to her.
“That’s none of your concern, Zane. Holden is on it, and we’ve been careful. That’s all you need to know.”
“It is my concern.” I tap my finger on the folder on her desk. “Someone wants me involved.”
She’s already shaking her head before I finish that sentence. “That’s beside the point. You know what we do isn’t legal; you don’t need to be involved.”
“I can help you.”
“I think it’s time for you to go,” Ryder says, standing up to his full height. Even I have to admit I know why Les uses him as her security; the fucker is huge.
I look at Les, and she won’t even look me in the eye. I know she feels something for me; I just need to get her to admit it. I’ll never force her into anything, but I can slowly push her into accepting it.
I stand up and lay her folders on top of the other ones. “If you need me, you know how to reach me.”
“I won’t,” she replies. I feel like she’s answering an entirely different question. Like she will never need me, and she will never admit what we had was real.
I jerk a nod. “The offer still stands.”
I return Ryder’s death glare one more time before letting myself out of her office. I hear him whisper something to her and the telltale sign of them kissing.
This isn’t over, Alessa Poletti.
Chapter 49
Leo
Alessa avoided me all damn day after what she told me on the patio. I tried to chase her down, but she disappeared from sight. Hearing her story fucking gutted me; I didn’t even give a shit about her being the Black Demon. It isn’t what I expected to come out of her mouth, but I just need to know she’s okay.
We’re on our way to The Games, and I’m riding with Dex, just like the first time. The only difference this time is Holden is with us. Alessa, Ryder, and Gage took off on their bikes before us, making me think about the first time I came to The Games. Everything started that night.
“Where’s your head at?” Dex rumbles, and I realize that’s different too. He actually talks to me now.
“Alessa,” I answer honestly.
“What happened today?” Holden asks quietly from the backseat.
“She told me the truth.” I run my fingers through my hair. “About everything.”
