Page 85 of Never the Same

“The kid who threw the rave bought off the police and witnesses, as we suspected. I don’t think he asked his father to do it, since he seemed afraid for Constantine to talk to his dad, but who knows. He just said he didn’t want to get in trouble. Constantine’s still looking into any possible connection between the Putcheski family and who attacked you that night, especially since his father was in Italy at the time,” Ryder explained, his voice even-toned, a sharp contrast to how I was on the inside.

“Did anyone see the shooters?” I asked, trying like hell to get back to the mission and out of my own head.

“No. Vague descriptions, and it was dark with flashing lights down there.” Alex spoke up that time. “But, uh, one witness believes the man you were with was someone you were . . . well, uh, with.”

With? The word detonated in my head. I staggered back, nearly stepping on Ranger’s tail from the abrupt movement. My hand went to my sternum as I searched Hollis’s eyes for her reaction. She’d gone pale in shock.

“Well, he’s wrong,” she said a few moments later while recoiling, the blanket becoming a distant memory on the floor. “I wasn’t with anyone in that way.” She fisted her hand, tapping her mouth while staring at the floor.

You’re worried you cheated on some guy with me, aren’t you? I should have felt bad about that, but instead, I was dying on the inside for my own selfish reasons. That her heart may belong to someone else and that microscopic chance I’d stupidly thought I might have with her just blew the hell up.

But it was one terrified punk’s word. He could’ve easily made a mistake. How well could he see in a rave anyway? But try telling that to the weight in my chest.

“You don’t remember, though,” Alex reminded her, interrupting my spiral. “And you did tell Audrey you were going to Italy with someone.”

I was ready to lay him out for that. I dragged in a breath that scraped my lungs, trying to get back to mission-focused. But I was standing there in wet jeans, after showering with the subject of our operation, and I’d had my hand between her legs and my tongue in her mouth.

“Constantine showed the witnesses some other photos, too”—Ryder was next up to bat to interrupt my thoughts—“to see if we could get a hit on who may have betrayed you.”

“Who of?” she asked, her voice as fragile as my current state of mind.

“Pictures of your family. We discreetly took photos of everyone while we were at your parents’ place,” Ryder shared. “One witness recognized Gideon.” He held up his hand as if to say Hold up. “It’s because he beat Constantine to the punch, questioning the ravers yesterday. Gideon found out about it before Constantine did. Not a shocker given your family’s resources and power. But here’s the kicker.” He leaned his shoulder against the wall. “The college kid who saw you disappear also recognized the guy you were with when Gideon showed his own set of photos.”

“Gideon knows who I was with, then,” she whispered.

“I’m guessing Gideon didn’t name drop who that was during his questioning,” I muttered, and Ryder shook his head. “Any idea what he looks like?”

“Just a headshot was shown to him. Dark hair, gray eyes, and tan,” Alex said. “No real help.”

Dammit. “Any chance Gideon fed this kid a story he wanted relayed to us?”

“It’s worth considering. I could think of a few reasons why Gideon would do that,” Ryder responded, and I was about to breathe easier because I wanted this witness to be wrong, but his next words erased any chance of possible calm. “But Constantine can be intimidating when he wants answers. From what I hear, people don’t lie to him, not unless they have a death wish.”

I went quiet, unsure what to say next, when I overheard my phone ringing from down the hall in the gym.

“Expecting someone?” Alex asked.

Nope. I went and grabbed it, careful not to slip. It was my personal cell. Blocked number. “This is Reed,” I hesitantly answered.

“Gideon,” he responded, and my muscles banded tight at the sound of his voice, ready for a fight. “We need to talk.”

I placed him on speaker and returned to the others, holding out the phone. “We’re here and listening.”

“We need to speak in person,” Gideon said flatly. “Neutral territory. I heard you pulled in Falcon Falls, not just Constantine Costa, to help you out.”

Ryder set his hands on his hips, standing opposite me, eyes on the phone. “And?”

“We’ll meet at Carter’s hotel, the one he co-owns with that Irishman from The League. Switzerland doesn’t get more neutral than that.”

“Works for us,” Ryder agreed.

“Tomorrow,” Gideon demanded. “Reserve an entire floor.” The line went dead after that, and I lowered the phone to my side, checking on Hollis.

Her eyes were downcast and on Ranger pawing her leg, offering her emotional support that I might need myself.

Ryder muttered something about making calls, urging Alex away. But space wasn’t what I wanted. No, I needed them close because I was on the verge of losing it.

There was a chance Hollis may have been romantically involved with someone else, and I was assuming the worst and blowing things out of proportion. That was typical of my glass-half-empty self, but what if I was right?