“You’re allergic to honesty,” I shoot back, pointing toward his phone with a small, furious flick of my hand. “Let me guess, someone annoyed your uncle?”
The moment the word uncle leaves my mouth, the air goes tighter.
Lorenzo’s eyes flicker with a warning light behind them.
“Careful.” He steps into my space. “You’re not allowed to say certain names in this house.”
I hold my ground even as my pulse does something traitorous.
“Why?” I whisper, forcing the question out through my teeth. “Because secrets make you feel powerful?”
His gaze slides over my face like he’s reading my thoughts and finding them boring.
“No,” he answers, voice dropping. “Because secrets keep people alive.”
For a second, it looks like he wants to say more, but then it’s gone.
I’m about to open my mouth and say something when the front door beneath us opens.
I move closer to the railing and peer down as Rafe steps inside. He doesn’t glance up at me right away. He clocks Lorenzo first, then his gaze drifts, and he catches my gaze.
Lorenzo starts heading toward the stairs, and I trail him.
This seems important, and I want to know . . . curiosity killed the cat after all.
Rafe pauses beside the console table, dropping a slim folder onto it.
“Movement again.” Rafe rolls his shoulders. “And it’s not subtle.”
Lorenzo makes his way over to where he is, and I follow closely.
Rafe’s gaze flicks toward me, then his gaze finds Lorenzo again. “We need to talk.”
“Sounds good. Can’t wait to hear.” I cut in, pointing at myself dramatically. “I give great advice. It’s kind of my thing now.”
Rafe’s mouth tightens as if he’s choosing between lying and dying. Lorenzo decides for him.
“Go back upstairs,” Lorenzo orders. “Now.”
My spine stiffens. “No.”
Lorenzo’s eyes lift. The silence that follows is a blade. Each second that follows is more deadly than the last.
“You want to hear?” Lorenzo asks, voice almost gentle. He takes one step closer. “Fine. Here’s the part you get to hear.”
He turns slightly, angling his body so Rafe can still speak without appearing to speak to me.
Rafe clears his throat, voice lower. “One of our secondary routes got hit.”
Lorenzo continues to watch me even though I’m not part of the conversation. “And?” he asks.
Rafe flips the folder open, thumb pinning down a sheet as he speaks. “We traced Doyle back to a building on the outskirts of town.”
“We got eyes on it?”
“Yep.”
Lorenzo exhales slowly. “Good. I want to know everything before we attack. No surprises.”
