"I'll rephrase. Who's funding Aegean Holdings?"
The one with the swollen eye glances at his partner.
Ace shifts in his chair. "She asked you a question," he grunts.
Silence.
I take a step closer. "Here's what I think. I think Aegean Holdings is a shell. I think it was created to make a purchase look legitimate on paper. I think the survey company attached to this sale, this Pinnacle Land Services, doesn't exist either. There's no registration. No website. No record of them operating anywhere in Arizona."
I hold up the land survey.
"Someone forged this. And someone filed it with the county office knowing it would pass a surface check and fall apart under scrutiny." I look between them. "Which means either the Greeksbought Ranch 42 through the most incompetent legal structure I've ever seen, or they didn't buy it at all."
The one with the split lip swallows.
"So which is it?" I ask. "Did your people buy that ranch? Or is Carson still the owner, and this whole thing is theater?"
"We don't know about paperwork," he says. "We are told to go do a job. We go."
"You're told to go to a ranch in Arizona and guard a property your organization may or may not actually own, and you don't ask questions? After the shitshow that happened recently with Hunter, why are you still here? I think it’s clear you aren’t gonna win a war with the Sterlings."
He glances at Ace, then at Colten.
"We don't ask questions. This war ain’t about the Sterlings. But if you keep doing shit like this, it will become your problem again."
Jett laughs behind them. “Ain’t the Sterling’s problem? You’re creating an army next to their land. You tried to kill our leader. You had his son and his wife kidnapped. The war never ended, cunt. Cowboys don’t just give up. You’ve entered into a lifelong war.”
My eyes go wide. The realization settling over me. This isn’t just Gianna’s war. This was going to be a Sterling problem, always. And I’m right in the middle of it.
I glance at Ace. He's watching me. Not the men… me. And the look on his face is something I haven't seen before. Heat and pride and something darker underneath, a hunger that has nothing to do with the barn and everything to do with what I'm doing in it. He's turned on.
A shiver runs through me as I turn back to the men.
"What does Graves mean?" I ask. It’s a name that pops up when I search into the two companies. Different first names. ButGraves is the word that stuck out to me. Might be nothing. Could be everything.
Both of them tense. They say nothing. So I up the threat.
"I also know that someone in your organization killed Max Milano in Los Angeles three weeks ago. And I know the Milanos want the name of the man who pulled the trigger. They believe he's hiding here. In New Falls. And if Gianna doesn’t get him, she’s going to take you all down. Ranch and all."
The younger-looking one’s face drains of color.
"So you can either tell me who or what this Graves reference is and where the shooter is hiding, or I can leave this barn and make a phone call to a woman in LA who will send a very different kind of investigator. One who won't bother with questions."
"Graves isn’t a what. It’s a who." The man who’s gone gray says quietly. "His name is Thomas Graves. He was military. Special forces. He works for Nicos Kourakos directly. A fixer of sorts. He was brought on after we had to leave LA. He’s fucking up everything for us."
I arch my brow. Interesting. Even their own men aren’t happy with this. Probably why they’re talking.
I pull out my phone and type the name. I’ve never heard of this guy. But Gianna is going to want to know, and so is Hunter.
"And the shooter? The one who killed the Milano brother? Where is he?"
I need this because that is what Gianna wants. That is what keeps her happy and me out of any kind of crossfire.
He shakes his head. "Graves. He’s the one who did it. All I know is we’re here to train the new guys before we go back to LA.”
"How many men total are on the property right now?" I ask.
"It changes. twenty, probably."
