Harper and I shared a look before he was driving forward again, taking us off gym property.
I turned to look at Riley, who was lying down in the back seat so he wouldn’t be seen from outside.
“Is… someone chasin’ you?” I asked.
“Not chasing. Watching,” he answered. “He told me not to talk to you.”
I swallowed. “Who?” I asked, but I already knew.
“That weird little man who came to see you a while ago.”
“Leon,” I whispered.
“Yeah, that bitch.”
Harper tensed beside me, and my hand smoothed over his knee, but he remained silent.
Once we were further from the gym, Riley slowly sat up, bright green eyes scanning the windows.
“I shouldn’t be here, but I couldn’t… couldn’t just leave and not talk to you like he told me to. I didn’t want to leave at all, Benny. I really didn’t. I love the gym and I love working with you… but he offered me so much money, and my abuela is sick. She can’t work and it’s just her and me and I need the money. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Ri. Just breathe.”
He took in a deep breath.
“What exactly did he say?”
“He came to our apartment yesterday. He said if I don’t come to work anymore, and if I don’t ever contact you again, he’d give me the money. He said he has eyes everywhere, and he’d know if I did.”
It wasn’t going to end. Not ever. We’d suspected it was Leon behind the clients dropping off and Georgio quitting. Now we knew for sure. What would he take next?
“It’s… it’s okay, Ri. Take the money. Take care of your abuela.”
“I’m so sorry.” His eyes glassed over.
“It’s really fine. We’ll be okay.”
He nodded. “I really did love working for you.”
“You were great at it, and I know you’ll be great wherever you work next.”
Harper pulled the car into a quiet street, and with a wet sniff, Riley climbed out and waved goodbye.
I appreciated him risking everything to explain to me why he hadn’t shown up to work, but I hoped doing so wouldn’t get him in any trouble. Riley was a good person, and so was Georgio. I couldn’t expect them to turn down a life-changing amount of money out of loyalty.
Harper was still silent as he drove us to our next location, and I knew right away where we were.
Nightshade Cellars.
The strange man in the wine store paid us no attention as we went down to the basement and Harper put in the code for the door. Down the stairs. Past the usual doorman, who took our electronics but allowed Harper to keep the bag he’d brought with him from the car, after he’d looked through it. And then we were in the room we’d met in. Right back at the beginning.
“Strip,” he told me.
I stripped.
“Kneel.”
I knelt.
