“Sweetheart, he’s talking about your brother. I’m going to have him brought out to the parking lot. I’m also going to ask Prez to join us as we clear up some questions.”
The emotion that flashes over her face makes me step close and pull her into my arms. “You’re safe. I’ll be withyou the whole time, and if you don’t want to talk to him, give me the word and he disappears forever.”
As her hand twists in my T-shirt she groans. “No. I need to do this. But first I need to understand what this deed is about and why both him and the mob want it.”
I rub her back, as I keep her tucked close. “It was probably owed to them a long time ago. Your brother said your mom was dating a guy who gave it to her to hide.”
She pulls back, blood draining toward her toes as she stares at the painting.
“Oh my god. Roger. That guy washorrible. I meant the worst kind of person. My mom was upset about an argument they had when she wrecked and died.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure it must be hard to lose your mom like that.”
“It was.” She looks at the deed again. “Does this really belong to those men, then?”
“Lines are very blurry in this world.”
Ace raises his brows in question. He’d finish the job and her brother would never be a problem again, but I shake my head.
“Let’s go, baby. We’ll get this over with.”
When she nods, I lace my fingers between hers and speak to Ace. “Put him on a chair in the parking lot. Clear sightlines to the guard towers. Make sure they’re all manned.”
As he’s leaving, I text Prez and tell him the deal. He replies instantly. “OTW.”
There have been very few times in my life when I’ve had a knot of dread in my stomach. This is one of them.
Katie holds my fingers tight…really tight as we leave the garage and step out into the sunshine.
It’s a nice day.
For a murder.
Her small steps remind me to go slow as we walk toward the man who is already sitting in the chair in the middle of the gravel area. Her fingers tighten more and more.
“You’re safe, babe. See those towers. They’re armed and ready to protect you.”
Her eyes are bright with emotion when she looks up at me. “Oh, I know you can keep me safe. It’s not that.”
Whew.
I exhale. “Good. That’s my only job now.”
Her trust is a punch to the center of my chest.
We close the final distance approaching the man from behind.
“Why does Callum have a bandage on his ear?”
Okay, that exhale…I let it out too soon. “He made a bad decision.”
“Skull,” she gasps. “Did you?”
“Cut his ear off,” I lay out the truth.
For a second she looks horrified, then she pulls me to a stop. “Like his whole ear?”
“Yep.”
