Dex and Gage do the same, slowly looking around for the threat. A black SUV comes roaring into my apartment parking lot, semi-automatic hanging out the window.
“Get down!” I yell, shoving Holden back at the entrance to my apartment, into the corner beside the main door. I know Dex and Gage can handle themselves; I don’t know about Holden.
Between the three of us, we empty our clips at the SUV while they return fire before squealing out of the parking lot.
“You guys good?” Dex asks once we’re in the clear.
I look back at Holden, who’s still huddled in the corner where I’m guarding him; he slowly nods.
“We’re good,” I answer, stepping back out.
“We need to get the fuck out of here,” Gage says, tucking his gunback into the holster.
None of us needed to say who that was. It has Jay written all over it, stepping up his efforts to get rid of us.
We just finished fillingLes in on what happened, along with Leo and Micah. We’re all waiting for her to fall apart. She doesn’t. I can see the real Les shining brightly in her eyes.
“He didn’t win,” she says from her spot on the loveseat between Holden and Gage. Leo is sitting on the couch with Micah, who’s shooting daggers into the side of my head. Dex and I took up the chairs. Ryder’s on his way back after Dex called and told him what happened. Only for Les will I sit in the same room as MicahandRyder.
“He didn’t, Pretty girl,” Gage agrees, squeezing her thigh. “Holden’s already got stuff running to track him down.” We already determined that the shootout was a warning. They could have killed us all, but we all walked away unscathed when we shouldn’t have.
“He can’t hide from me forever, Bright eyes.” He kisses her cheek and then disappears from the room.
Gage fills her in on the Viktor conspiracy. “Make sense,” she says. “He thought Jay would take me out of the running. Now he knows I’m back.”
“Why the fuck are you here?” Micah growls out at me like he’s been dying to ask.
“Micah,” Les warns.
“No,” Micah says. “You have no business being here. You here to fuck her over again? Is that it?”
“Micah,” Les barks, causing every head to whip in her direction. “This ismyhouse. I can have whoever I want here.”
“He might have been there for you, but he always has a motive,” Micah says, standing up from the couch. “Just like he did when you were eighteen. Taking advantage of…”
“Enough!” Les says, exploding from the loveseat. I see her spine stack up, the Queen finally making her appearance. I knew it was just a matter of time; she just needed to be poked until she came back. Too bad for Micah; he’s the one that poked her. “You don’t come in this house spewing your hateful bullshit. Zane was there with me, Micah. The whole goddamn time. Now sit your ass down, shut up, or get the fuck out. I’m not going to do this every time he steps into this house.”
They’re staring at each other, neither willing to back down. Micah finally flops back on the couch; Gage snickers behind his hand, earning a punch in the arm from Les. She’s fucking glorious when she’s pissed off, and the fact that she’s taking up for me makes it even better. Ryder picks that exact time to walk into the living room, and I know he can feel the tension. He sits beside Leo on the couch, looking around the room.
She sits back down. “We’re going to get this out of the way now that you’re all here.” She levels a look at Ryder and Micah. “Zane never took advantage of me. I chased him as much as he chased me. I don’t want to hear another word about it. I’m sick of it. He’s here, and he’s not going anywhere. We’ve worked past all that shit to move on. It’s time for you to do the same.” My heart swells at her admission that I’m not going anywhere. Does that mean she made up her mind where that concerned us?
Ryder holds his hands up. “I’m fine,Il mio sole.”
She looks at Micah until he nods. “Now,” she says, “I’m not hiding anymore.” She holds up a hand when all mouths open to argue. “I’m done hiding. We all stay close, none of us go out alone, and we go about our business.”
“Baby. That’s what we did last time,” Leo says gently.
“I had too much going on then. I wasn’t watching my back.Thatwas my mistake, and it won’t happen again.” She looks around, daring someone to argue. We all want to, but we know she needs this. “Now that we know where the money’s coming from, we can put pressure on Viktor. Ryder, have Ghost and Squid’s crews follow him everywhere. If they get too much heat, tell them to back off. Holden can keep searching. Dex, fill my guards in on what’sgoing on. Tell Mani we’re on high alert.” They all nod at her directions, then she sighs. “Gage, Leo, and Micah shut my businesses down.”
“What?” Micah asks in surprise.
“When they can’t get to me, they’ll go after the ones that work for me. I won’t risk them. Shut them down. Make sure they know they’ll still be paid.” I can see how much it hurts her to say that. Her father’s businesses are her pride and joy.
“Alright,” Micah agrees after a moment’s hesitation before leaving the room. Everyone starts filling out that she gave directions to; Ryder lingering behind.
He looks hard at me, then shakes his head, heading to Les. He kisses her on the lips and then disappears behind everyone else, leaving us alone.
I move beside her on the loveseat as soon as he’s gone. “You okay?” I ask.
