Page 69 of Dirty Legacy

I stop and grip the side of the car. “Was anyone there?”

“I don’t think so. But the whole building’s a wreck.”

“I’m coming.” I hang up and look back at Deck grimly. “They hit the boxing club.”

“Motherfuckers.” He pulls his gun and turns, gesturing for his men. “Should we kill them?”

I grit my teeth. We could race after Lorcan, but he’s probably gone already. “No, they need us at the gym. Get in the cars, we’re going.”

Deck curses, but he obeys. I pause a moment, looking out at the husks of ruined cars and the splotch of brown blood on the ground, and wonder why Lorcan came here alone.

21

ANGIE

Connor gives me plenty of space that night. When he does come home, it’s only to shower and get changed. He drags the smell of soot and ashes after him. I want to ask if he’s okay, but I hide out in the massive closet instead, not ready to face him.

I keep going over my life since the accident. Everything I’ve done since then feels wrong, like he tainted it. What did I achieve on my own? Was any of it real?

Connor’s power and influence goes so much deeper than I ever could’ve known.

Rowan talked me down after the conversation. I felt bad losing my mind in front of a teenager though and put on a brave face for her. In all this, I shouldn’t lose sight that she’s still around because of me, that no matter what Connor did in the years after, I really did save Rowan’s life.

That was me. The one thing I can truly be proud of.

I find a simple black gift box waiting on the bed when Connor’s gone. There’s a bow and a note. I keep my promises.

Inside is my phone and a charger.

I power it on immediately. I didn’t expect to have such a visceral reaction but it’s like I’m instantly relieved of some invisible pressure. I hated not having it. Which is sad, honestly, like I can’t be apart from it for long. Messages start to populate as I scroll social media, trying to bury my brain in short form video, until I notice one of the recent emails.

It’s from Brad.

I’m tempted to delete it, but I can’t help myself. I open it, dumbfounded, blood draining from my face. I cross my legs under me and hunch forward, going through it again and again, horror sinking into my guts.

Dear Angie, hey babe, look I really hate to do this but we gotta talk. I’ve been thinking about some of those pictures you sent me, and how I hear you got some new husband now, and I was thinking. You probably don’t want me to livestream all those nasty pics of you, right? Especially not the ones where ure shoving that huge dildo in your pussy? I love those, u look so hot. I bet the stream will be WILD when we show it, lol.

So for real, let’s meet and talk about this. We can come to an agreement, right? Like you give me five thousand dollars and I delete everything?

K let me know.

Ps Lavender says sup bitch!

Oh, fuck.

This can’t be real. Brad can’t be this stupid and vindictive.

But then again, I’m pretty sure he is.

My heart’s slamming in my chest as I call him. The number rings a few times before it clicks and he picks up. “Angie! Hey! I was just thinking about you.”

“Brad, what the fuck?” I hiss, looking around to make sure nobody’s listening, but I’m alone. “I read that email. Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Calm down, Angie, it’s not a big deal. Aren’t you married to your boss? Isn’t that guy rich as hell?”

“How do you even know that?!”

“Your mom made a big stink when she got dragged from her apartment. Everyone heard about it.” There’s noise in the background on his end. A woman’s voice but I can’t make out the words. “Lavender says she knows a guy in the building and he told her all about it. Damn, Angie, you moved on fast. I’m honestly hurt.”