I take a breath. Because inside, my brain is running at full speed, and every answer it's producing is bad.
I know exactly why the Greeks are buying ranches. Land means territory. Territory means a foothold. A staging ground for pushing product, laundering money, building an army far enough from LA that nobody's watching. And I know exactly which ranch they'd target, the one that's already struggling, already bitter, already looking for powerful friends.
"Do you know which one they've bought into?"
It won't be the Sterlings. Nobody's stupid enough to approach Hunter. It won't be the Lawsons—they're an extension of the Sterlings. That leaves one other big player.
Ranch 42.
"I don't know. Some fucking ranch with numbers, Harper. I honestly was too busy staring at the loaded guns her brothers had to really take in the details."
I bite back a laugh. This really isn't funny. I’ve only met one of Gianna’s brothers, Dom. And he was intimidating as hell. Ican only imagine the other, Fabio, is the same. Hudson is way in over his head, and that is the problem with the men in this city. They think power is in boardrooms and share prices, and in whose name the building is.
"I can help, Hudson. I know which ranch it will be. I can do some digging. What does she want to know?"
He runs a hand over his face. "You think I'm going to send you back to New Falls so you can come up with a shit report again that this time might get me killed?"
My heart races. But I hold my ground.
"Last time, I was getting my footing. I've been away for nearly six years. I've made some new contacts. I can help. I won't get you killed, Hudson. And Gianna—I think she likes me."
He scoffs. "Yeah, she starts that way with everyone, Harper. Don't fall for her trap."
I arch a brow.
"Send me back. Let me get the information that Gianna needs. If it helps stop the war brewing on our streets here, isn't that a good thing?" I say.
He drops into his chair and stares at the ceiling.
"I couldn't give a shit about their business. I just need to make surethisbusiness gets signed over to me as soon as possible. If Dad finds out I'm dealing with the fucking mafia, he won't do it. He will rip this away from me, Harper. Do you understand the weight of this?"
"So, more secrets?" I whisper.
"Yes. More fucking secrets. Because if you did your job right the first time instead of flitting around your hometown for weeks, we might not be in this mess."
I stand up. The chair flies back behind me.
"I did my job. At that specific time, there was no damn story, Hudson. The last time it was about a woman in Red Creek whowas murdered. This time, you want me to investigate ranch business, which I can do easily."
I lie. There was a huge story. I hid it. I buried it so deep it should've stayed dead. But apparently, the Greeks are now unraveling what I tried to destroy, and the threads are pulling loose faster than I can patch them.
"You don't go into places like New Falls and just find a story. It is not LA there. Loyalty is everything. They protect their families with their lives. They don't want us there. So, we have to do this the right way. You have to trust me."
I thought I wanted out of the small town life, but the contacts back there are coming in useful.
His eyes snap to mine.
"Trust you?"
"Yes. As your employee and as a friend." I keep my voice steady. Because I need to be the one who does this. No one else.
I need to give Gianna the story that only implicates the Greeks. Not Ace. Not his family. Not anyone else in that town.
And I have one source who can help me. The woman I befriended when I was last in New Falls—the wife of Hunter Sterling. Lola might be the only person who can give me what I need while keeping Ace safe and away from me.
He's back to second in the championship. He needs to focus on that and on keeping his family safe. Not on me showing up and blowing a hole through everything. Because if I see him, I won’t ever want to leave again. And now, I have to, to protect him from this all blowing back on him.
"I'll let you have this if you agree to my next ask."
