I whirled on Kreed, my hands falling away from Jesse’s face. “You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t do this to him.”
Kreed just shrugged, completely unapologetic. His expression remained flat, emotionless. “I needed information about Rusty. He had answers I required. He’s lucky we didn’t do significantly worse. Besides, he’s still walking upright and breathing on his own.”
I couldn’t believe it, and yet, I could. I knew what Kreed was capable of, knew the lengths he would go to save me. “Did you torture him? Kreed, did you actually?”
He didn’t even blink at the accusation. “I asked pointed questions. He provided useful answers. That’s how interrogation works, little raven.”
Jesse gave a short, humorless laugh and immediately winced, pressing a hand to his ribs. “Your boyfriend’s got a really interesting definition of diplomacy and information gathering.”
“I think we need to skip the pleasantries and move straight to why he’s been following you, little raven.”
I spun back to face Jesse, guilt and concern warring in my chest. “Are you okay? Does it hurt badly? Do you need medical attention?”
“I’ll survive,” he said dismissively, waving off my concern even as his movements suggested significant pain. His gaze kept flicking past me toward Kreed, wariness obvious. “Don’t worry about me and my face. It’s my father you need to be seriously concerned about right now.”
My blood went cold. “You’ve seen Rusty? Recently?”
He nodded once. “Unfortunately, yeah. Just yesterday morning. Ididn’t know what he was planning, Bubbles. I swear I had no idea what he was really doing behind the Crew’s back.”
Kreed made a rough sound deep in his throat, somewhere between disbelief and warning, a growl.
I shot him what I hoped was a sufficient warning look before refocusing on Jesse. “We were both lied to and manipulated. Rusty was incredibly careful about compartmentalizing information. And I don’t expect you to pick sides between your father and me. Just...please be careful around him. He’s dangerous.” There was nothing more desperate than a cornered rat, and that desperation made him unpredictable, wild, and sloppy. We wanted him scrambling, running scared.
Jesse’s expression twisted with regret, maybe, or guilt, or fear. “He isn’t the only one in your immediate circle who’s been keeping secrets.” His eyes cut deliberately toward Kreed, the implication obvious.
I froze.No. No, he wasn’t going there.He couldn’t be suggesting what I thought he was.
There was absolutely no way Kreed was involved with Rusty’s trafficking. None. Zero. I would have known. I would have felt it. Sensed something off.
Kreed’s body tensed beside me but not from guilt. I knew him well enough to recognize the difference. This was cold, controlled fury.
“Carson’s been talking to my dad,” Jesse said finally, breaking the terrible silence.
The air left my lungs in one violent, involuntary rush. “When?”
“I overheard a call yesterday morning,” Jesse explained. “Dad thought no one else was in the shop yet. It was early, probably six thirty or seven, before we officially opened for business.”
I pressed a hand to my temple as if I could physically push away the headache building behind my eyes. “Of course, he has been talking to him,” I muttered bitterly. “Because apparently betrayal is the hot new trend everyone’s participating in this season.”
Kreed’s jaw ticked once, twice. “We need to know exactly what the hell you heard. Details, Jesse.”
Shadows passed over Jesse’s eyes. “Carson’s giving updates on Kaylor. What’s she doing. Where she is staying. Her schedule.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Kreed’s fingers raked through his hair.
“I wish I were. And this time, Pops plans on cleaning up this mess. He’s going to kill you, Bubbles.”
This was a surprise. I guessed as much. I’d escaped too many times, and I was a liability, a threat to everything he worked for. I had every intention of destroying him. Kreed and I were aligned where Rusty was concerned.
“Not if I get to him first,” Kreed hissed.
Jesse’s gaze volleyed back and forth between Kreed and me. “Then you’d better move fast. Really fast. It’s already in motion, and I think Carson’s going to be a key player in whatever goes down.”
My best friend. My childhood companion. The boy who’d mourned my parents with me, who’d held me while I cried, who I’d trusted with everything, who loved me.
I shook my head. “It didn’t make sense. Carson wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t. There had to be an explanation. Carson wouldn’t want me dead. He’s my best friend.”
“Wasyour best friend,” Jesse corrected.
