I texted Daisy a quick thank-you and then tossed my phone in the cup holder. I’d hoped the video would offer proof that T had assaulted Levi, but all it had done was make him look guiltier. At least, that’s how Ronan would see it. I knew in my bones that T had done something to Levi at the back of that store, but I was in the same position I’d been an hour ago.
With orders to kill a man who didn’t deserve it, but no way to prove it.
The ironic part was that Ronan wasn’t behaving any differently than me. I, too, was going on emotion and instinct when it came to protecting the man I loved.
As darkness fell, the store closed and all of the employees left. I was tempted to go knock on the employee entrance and force Levi to talk to me, but I knew it wouldn’t get me anywhere. Not while I was still struggling with how to proceed with everything. Since my car was now one of the only ones left in the parking lot, I moved it to the street where it wouldn’t stand out as much, but where I could still have a good view of anyone coming or going.
My phone rang and I saw Ronan’s second-in-command’s name come up on the screen.
“Hey, Memphis.”
“Hey. I need to see you.”
My gut tightened. This couldn’t be good.
“I’m on a job,” I said.
“I’m sending someone to cover for you.”
I wanted to tell him no…that I wanted to keep an eye on Levi myself, but I knew that wasn’t an option. “Who are you sending?”
“Dante.”
“Okay. I’ll head over to your place as soon as he gets here.”
I hung up and contemplated the turn of events. There was only one reason that I could think of that Memphis would want to talk to me.
It didn’t bode well for me…or Levi.
Headlights appeared in my rearview mirror about fifteen minutes later. I got out of my car and walked to the plain navy blue sedan. For all his flash off the job, Dante was the consummate professional on it. He lowered his window and brushed back the dark curls that had a tendency to fall in his face. We bumped fists.
“Memphis give you background info?” I asked.
“Yeah. Levi Deming, 24.” Dante motioned to a file folder sitting on the passenger seat. I wondered how much he really knew. Fear curdled through me as something occurred to me.
“Can you step out for a second?” I asked, since I didn’t want to have this conversation through a car window.
Dante did as I asked.
“How much do you really know?”
The other man studied me for a moment and then leaned back against his car, folding his arms.
“I know that whoever this guy is, he’s important enough that I had to leave my fiancé alone in bed on the one night we’ve had together in weeks,” he said coolly.
I ignored his comment and strode around to the car’s passenger side. I opened the door and grabbed the file folder and flipped through it, the light from the interior dome light enough to let me see the contents. It was just Levi’s arrest record and his picture. Nothing more. But that didn’t really mean anything. I tossed the folder back on the seat and shut the door before going back to the driver’s side.
I stepped close to Dante and said, “You and I have always gotten along, Dante. But you go near him,” – I motioned to the store – “and that won’t be the case anymore. Do you understand me?”
Threatening Dante wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done, but if my hunch was right and Ronan had lost faith in me, I needed to be sure Dante understood the stakes.
Dante’s jaw tightened for the briefest of moments, proof that he didn’t like the warning I’d issued, but then, to my surprise, he relaxed his posture.
“Look, Memphis just told me to sit on the guy until you get back. I don’t know what the fuck is going on or who this guy is to Memphis…to you.” Dante paused before saying, “I just want to get this done so I can get home to my man, so get out of here. He,” – he jerked his head towards the store – “is in good hands. I promise.”
I searched Dante’s eyes for any kind of lie, but didn’t see any sign of deception.
I nodded and forced myself to go to my car. The drive to Memphis’s house took about twenty minutes. I was greeted at the door by one of his lovers, young Tristan Barretti.
