Page 73 of Billionaire’s Heartbreak

“That's fine,” Squirrel said quickly. “I'll manage.” He lowered his gaze, and for the first time, I noticed the dark shadows beneath his eyes. I'd always thought he was somewhere in his twenties. Now, I wasn't so sure.

“How's Boss?”

“He's breathing.” I kept my voice flat and controlled. That was all Squirrel needed to know, and all I was willing to give him.

Silence settled over the car again, heavier this time. I inhaled slowly and forced myself to focus. This wasn't the time to fall apart.

“Tell me something. How many people are still on our side?”

Squirrel hesitated, a small shift in his shoulders before he finally answered. “I’m not sure.”

Something inside me snapped. “How can you not be sure? Dannie trusted you. You were one of his closest⁠—”

“June.” Kai's voice was low but firm. “Let him finish.”

I swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Squirrel cleared his throat. “There were about thirty. People we knew were loyal. For sure.” He paused. “Today, only about half showed up.”

My stomach dropped. “Only half?”

He nodded. “The rest… I couldn't reach them. They either turned, or something happened to them.”

“I'd go with the first one.” Kai's answer was so calm it almost made it worse.

“Kai.” My voice carried a warning, but he didn't respond. Deep down, I was afraid he was right.

If Dannie had lost his people, what were we even fighting for? The triad wasn't the buildings, the money, the businesses or the power. It was the people. The brotherhood. And if the people were gone, there wasn't much left to take back.

Except I couldn't believe it. Not yet. I'd seen Dannie with them. I'd seen the way he treated them. He gave them his time, knowledge, money and resources. He helped them when they had nowhere else to turn. They weren't simply men who worked for him. They were his family.

“They could be hiding,” I said quickly. “Like Squirrel was.”

“Maybe.” His answer was cautious.

“Maybe,” Kai echoed, but there was no belief in his voice.

“They must have heard the rumours,” I continued. “That Dannie is sick. Or dying. Or already dead. Whatever lies Roger and Laura have been spreading.”

Squirrel nodded slowly. “They would have.”

“Then it makes sense.” I held onto the thought because I needed it to be true. “If they believe their boss is gone, of course they'd disappear. Hide. Protect themselves until they know what's really happening.”

Squirrel was quiet for a moment before nodding. “That… makes sense.”

It was a small victory, fragile but necessary. I needed something to hold onto. “Is there a way to reach them?”

“To bring them back?” Squirrel shook his head. “Not without Dannie.”

I hesitated before forcing the question out. “Do you think…” My heart was beating too fast, too loudly. “Do you think I could do it?”

Neither of them answered immediately. Squirrel turned slightly in his seat, while Kai remained quiet beside me. I could feel his attention shift toward me without looking at him.

“No one really knows you,” Squirrel said carefully.

“That’s true.” I nodded once, then again. “But that can change.”

The words felt strange coming out of my mouth. Too big. Too dangerous. And yet, somehow, they felt right.