“No buts, handsome. And no take backs. You trust me. That’s enough. I’ll be over tonight? Ten o’clock?”
Another sigh. “Ten o’clock. Oh, and Nico?” I hum in acknowledgment. “Bring my pajama pants back. They’re my favorites.”
I chuckle as I hang up the phone. I have no intention of giving those pants back. I see why they’re his favorites. They’re hella comfortable. Sorry to Declan, he’ll have to buy a new pair.
CHAPTER 18
DECLAN
My palms sweat as I sit in front of Dad’s desk. I rub them on my slacks, but it does nothing to calm my frayed nerves.
Jadon is dead. The blackmailing has stopped. So why do I still feel on edge? My lizard brain is telling me that I’m missing something.
But what could be missing? It’s been over a week since I got the last letter. Initially, there were at least two a week. I got the latest one right after I fired him, then nothing. Jadon and his family must have been killed only a day or two after he was let go.
Instead of feeling relieved that the extortion attempts have stopped, I feel on alert that the other shoe hasn’t dropped yet.
Clearing my throat, I ask, “Did you ask the chief of police about Jadon and his family? I swear I’m not the one that killed them. You know I wouldn’t hurt a child.”
“I know, Deck,” Dad replies quickly. “You told me it wasn’t you, and I believe ya.” I look at him, my expression probably one of shock. For the past few years, since that I’vebeen running my own casino, Dad and Carter have second guessed and questioned every decision I’ve made and anything I told them. Hearing he believes me when it comes to murders is a shock.
Dad gives me a sardonic smile. “I raised you and your brother not to kill kids. They ain’t got nothin’ to do with the sins of the adults in your lives. That kid wasn’t old enough to even know what was going on, let alone be guilty of the crimes of his father. You might not always listen to me, but I know you listened to that.”
I incline my head. Jadon’s son was the same age I was when my mother was killed. I was in the life, so I knew shit like that was possible, but Jadon and his family weren’t. His son had no clue what could have happened to him because of his father’s wicked ways.
My hand goes to the scar along my ribs, rubbing it for comfort. My heart rate calms down and I’m able to think a little past the pain.
Dad crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s going on, son? You okay?”
I try to paste a smile on my face, but other than when I’m with Nico, they don’t happen often.
Why the fuck is it so easy for me to smile when Nico is around? It’s so effortless, even when I want to keep that wall up. Nico just about bulldozed it, especially with him not telling Carter about us. He didn’t even tell Kai like I thought he would. No, that fucker found out on his own.
Even that endears me to him, because I’ve been around both Kai and Carter in the days since Kai saw me and Nico kissing. Carter hasn’t given any indication he knows anything. He’s simply been treating me like I’m about to screw something up.
It’s not as hard as I thought it would be to let Nico in, which fucking scares me to death. Besides Hendrix, he’s theonly one that hasn’t let my shitty attitude bother him. They both let my anger and irritation flow off their backs like water off a duck.
I’m in fucking trouble.
“D? What’s wrong?” Dad asks, leaning forward in his chair. “If there’s anything?—”
I hold up my hand. “I’m good, Dad, I swear it. Why you think something is going on with me?”
“I’m your dad. I know shit.”
I bark a laugh. “I’m okay.”
He studies me for a while, his eyes roaming my face. “You have any idea who may have wanted Jadon dead?”
“None. He was stealing from me. If it were someone in our family or the St. Clairs I would have offed them, but I remembered you told me before that we have to handle affiliated and unaffiliated differently.” Pride blooms across Dad’s face, making my chest feel tight. He rarely looks at me like that because I don’t really do a lot of shit that would make him proud.
Clearing the lump in my throat, I say, “I roughed him up, and he threatened to sue, but I planned to pay him off if I got a court summons. I wasn’t going to kill him. No one in our family would have either. They know I would have taken their heads off for making shit hot.”
Dad nods, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair. “That’s good thinking.” He peers into my eyes, his face showing regret. “Listen, I’m sorry I was so hard on you growing up.”
I jolt in my chair, ticking up an eyebrow. “Where’s that coming from?”
He places his arms on his desk. “I’ve been thinking how over the past few years, I’ve been telling youwhatto do, nothowto do it. After your Ma was killed, I was so focused onkeeping us together, keeping us strong. I also had to train Carter, so I feel like I didn’t have a lot to give you.”
