“As in the serial killer, the Black Demon?” Mateo asks with a tilt of his head.
“One in the same,” Gage says, jumping down from the counter. He stabs his finger at the mask picture. “That’s what’s going on here.”
Evander leans back in his chair. “You trust us with that information?”
“The way I see it, you will find out one way or the other. It’s better coming from me,” she shrugs. “Call me crazy, but I trust you.”
Evander nods. “That means a lot given our past. If we didn’t trust you, we wouldn’t be here. You’ve been more than generous with your protection, and we’ll help in any way we can.”
“So, back to the original question,” Ryder says, “Why does he have it? There is no way he put it together that this is you.”
“He knows something about those masks,” I say, pulling the folder toward me, and rifling through it, an idea forming in my head. I pull out what I had a feeling was in there, sliding it to her. “Those are the transactions when Micah got them. All he would have to do is run the prototype through a recognition program until he got a hit.”
“This had to have been before Holden started covering your tracks,” Dex throws in. “He’s been following you for a while. I bet good fucking money there are more pictures and a lot of them.”
“Who the hell stalks the head of the Italian mafia?” Gage asks in confusion.
“Someone who has nothing left to lose,” I say, coming to the realization. “I’ll keep digging.” Something is telling me this guy has nothing left. There is no other reason you would risk going after someone like Les.
“Thank you, Holden,” Les says with a smile. “I have something else.”
She walks from the kitchen before returning with another folder and handing it to Leo. He opens it with confusion before his eyes widen in surprise. “You’re giving me creative rights to the new restaurant?”
She shakes her head with a smile. “I’m giving youtherestaurant.”
The rest of us knew about this; she wanted to make sure we were cool with it. She said Leo had expressed that he felt useless because the rest of us had duties.
“I can’t take this,” Leo says, shoving the folder back at her.
“You will be doing me a favor.” She takes the folder from him and lays it on the island, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I have enough on my plate. I’ve had Holden look up your work, and I trust you to make this place a success. It’s yours, Leo.”
“My name is the only one on that, though.”
“I know. I don’t need it. I want you to feel like you have a place here.”
He finally wraps his arms around her waist. “Are you sure, Baby?”
“I am.” She pecks his lips. “Surer than I’ve ever been.” I feel she’s talking about more than the restaurant.
He sinks into another kiss, making Micah groan like he’s going to puke. Leo flips him off behind Les’ back but doesn’t stop.
“Finally, some balls,” Ryder chuckles, earning a glare from Micah.
She pulls back with a smile. “I have something for you too,” she says, looking at me. Ryder grins at that, sliding off his stool before striding toward the garage door.
I frown. “For me?” What could she have for me? She gave me everything by getting me out of that hellhole.
She walks over, grabs my hand, and pulls me off mine. “Yep,” she replies, pulling me to the front of the house, everyone else following closely behind us. She opens the front door and steps out on the porch, waiting for something.
An identical to Les’ BMW M8 pulls in front of the house, except this one’s a convertible. Ryder gets out of the driver’s seat and tosses the keys at me, and I catch them one-handed, even more confused. This is my dream car.
“It’s yours, Holden,” Les explains, pulling me down the steps.
“I don’t know how to drive,” I say miserably. I know the basics from when I had my learner's permit and my dad taught me, but that was years ago.
Ryder walks up to my other side. “We’re going to teach you.”
Les snorts. “Ryder is. I’m a shit driver.”
