“It was a couple weeks ago. I mean, we’re older now, and me being with Cin has been a bit hard on him. It was always the two of them, you know? Two orphans against the world. And then I met them and things … changed. I don’t think he ever loved her or anything, or was interested in her in that way, but he didn’t do well with things once we moved in and Cin got really busy with her business. Things were going to smooth out, I just knew it. But then …”
Lorenzo swallowed, and Kalinda hugged him to her chest. She didn’t want him hurting, and she knew Andrea, his mother, would be worried sick about Heath too. She hadn’t just adopted Cin into her life; she’d taken in Heath off the streets too and loved them both.
“Have you talked to your mom?”
He winced. “You know how she is, Kal.”
She was going to kill Zoey for getting some of the kids and shifters to call her by that atrocious nickname. But she did know how Andrea could be. She’d lose her shit, and then things wouldn’t be so easy. She’d have every parent in District 17 up in arms, posting flyers, going to news outlets, and trying everything she could to make as much noise as possible.
“But it might help.”
“He doesn’t want to be found. It’s all my fault I didn’t notice.”
“Okay, Lorenzo. Do you know where he is? Know anything?”
Lorenzo looked up at her, tears in his eyes, and his shoulders curled. “He sent me a text. That’s all.”
“Can I see it?”
“Dominic isn’t going to like it.”
“I don’t understand, Lorenzo. What is going on?”
Lorenzo dug in his pocket and pulled out his spell phone. After a few minutes of clicking, he turned it around so she could see the screen. It was only one short message, and then any return messages were denied.
I’m sorry, man. Things just got too hot, and I don’t want to do it anymore. I’ve been lying the whole time and I’m not who you think I am. If you’re ever on the other side of my gun, know it’s business, not personal.
No, Dominic was not going to be happy. No one threatened one of his, especially one important to Zoey. And leaving the Family after being accepted was not acceptable.
Of course, everything couldn’t go right. Shit was going to hit the fan. And when her phone lit up and it was Dominic instead of Zoey, Kalinda was sure she was about to deliver the death knell.
