“Something’s going down with the Vanuccis,” Drake said in a grim tone. “I need you to call your informant in the Vanucci organization and see what he knows and have him put his ear to the ground and ask him why the fuck he isn’t reporting what the hell’s going on over there. The Luconis claim to have very time-sensitive information, news of an imminent threat, not to them, but one of us. They’ve asked me to meet with them tonight.”
Silas arched an eyebrow. “You think my guy’s turned on us?”
“That’s what I want you to find out, and if so, deal with him accordingly,” Drake said pointedly.
“You’re not going to this meeting alone,” Silas said in a flat, uncompromising tone.
Drake might call most of the shots in the business, but when it came to matters of security, Silas’s word was absolute.
“I’m not,” Drake, a resigned look on his face. “Maddox, Zander and Jax will accompany me. Evangeline has a doctor’s appointment she can’t miss followed by her Lamaze class. I need you to take her, Silas. It’s imperative she not have any upset. She will hardly suspect that I’m in any danger if you’re not with me.”
“So you’re going to lie to her?” Silas asked, blinking in surprise.
“No!” Drake barked. Then he rubbed his hand over his hair in a tired motion. “I’m simply not giving her the details and I’m damn sure not telling her we have an unverified, unspecified threat to us. She loves you and feels comfortable with you. If I can’t be with her for her doctor’s appointment and Lamaze class, then I want you with her. I know you’d never let any harm come to her.”
Silas curled his fist, his features growing tight with anger. A sense of helplessness swept over him, further enraging him. What the fuck was he supposed to do? He could never turn his back on Drake or Evangeline or any of his brothers, and yet he was expected to do so with Hayley?
“What’s the problem, man?” Maddox asked quietly.
Silas refused to look at any of them. “Hayley’s recital is tonight and I promised her I’d be there.”
A round of curses went up.
“I’ll take Evangeline,” Maddox said calmly, looking to Drake for confirmation.
Drake hesitated, a look of regret tightening his face. “Fuck. Underany other circumstances I wouldn’t hesitate to put you on Evangeline. Silashasto do it. Evangeline knows his role and as long as he’s with her and not me, it will never cross her mind that I’m meeting with the enemy I’m in bed with.”
“I won’t leave Hayley unprotected,” Silas said in a steely voice, his jaw clenched so tightly that his entire head was beginning to ache.
“Of course not,” Drake agreed. “I won’t leave someone important to you unprotected any more than you would. Okay, new plan. Maddox, you take Justice and Zander and cover Hayley. Make sure she never leaves your sight and you take her to the recital and back home immediately after. Stay with her until Silas returns. The rest will accompany me. The club manager will just have to cover Impulse for a few hours tonight. It’s more important that we be elsewhere.”
He hesitated and sent a look of genuine regret and apology in Silas’s direction. “I know what I’m asking and I’m sorry. I would never ask this of you if it weren’t absolutely necessary,” he said quietly.
Silas nodded, his jaw still clenched. What Drake was saying was that Evangeline came first. Before Hayley, Silas would have absolutely agreed. But now? Evangeline had to come first with Drake, yes. But not Silas. Nor any other man who had a woman of his own to protect. Evangeline wasnotmore than Hayley, and neither was she more important. He’d never felt more helpless in his life, and it infuriated him that he was in an untenable position.
After tonight, when they had more time and so much wasn’t riding on the safety of them all, Silas would have a long talk with Drake about Silas’s priorities going forward. For now, Silas had a phone call to make, one he dreaded making with all his heart. He owed it to Hayley to give her an explanation to her face, but there wasn’t time. He just hoped like hell she’d forgive him like she had so many times before, and that she would give him one more chance to prove to her that she was everything to him.
***
Hayley stood backstage, wishing she felt the excitement her fellow students displayed over their first recital. Shehadbeen excited. The thought of being onstage, sharing her music with hundreds of people hadn’t thrilled her as much as the idea of knowing Silas would be sitting in the front row, his eyes glowing with pride as he watched her perform.
But Silas wasn’t there—wouldn’t be there—since, once again, he was spending the evening with Evangeline. How could he have canceled on her at the very last moment when he’dpromisedher just earlier that afternoon thatnothingwould keep him away?
I wouldn’t miss it for the world, princess.
Tears stung her eyelids and she blinked furiously, determined that no one witness her pain and humiliation. He couldn’t make it.
And his big, important reason he wasn’t attending?Evangeline.She hated the jealous woman she was becoming but couldn’t find a way to stop it. Every time she discounted any possibility of Silas having some sort of relationship with Drake’s wife, something happened to make her realize she had been stupid to ever deny it.
She was such a fool. A gullible, trusting, naïve fool.
“Earth to Hayley.” Maddox’s deep, amused voice sounded beside her.
She turned, praying her eyes and expression didn’t betray her grief. “I’m sorry, Maddox. What were you saying?”
Maddox studied her closely. “Hey, are you okay? I was asking if you needed anything.”
She shrugged. “I’m fine. Really. Just nervous, I guess.”
