Page 17 of Brutal Truths

“Are you interested?” I take another sharp corner, this time even faster.

“Fuck, Aiden. Are you trying to kill us?” Silas grumbles after slamming into the door. “Even that arsehole thinks you’re crazy and wants to get around us.”

I ease off just enough to let the truck riding my bumper pass before the next curve. Once it’s cleared, I press down on the gas again.

“I want to get there before something else comes up and your father takes off again.”

A smirk plays on my lips as I take another corner a little faster, catching the back wheels on the gravel along the shoulder and sending us into a brief fishtail.

Cort falls back into his seat, answering the question I asked before. “No. I’m pretty sure I don’t have that kind of money. Plus, I’m married.”

Silas lets out a mocking laugh. “As are ninety percent of the men who frequent the club. Myself included.”

Never understood why men think that’s acceptable. Why stay married if you’re not happy?

“Maybe if you give us the right answers, I’ll let you play.” He turns to look at Cort, his eyes hard, his meaning clear. “But if you don’t, you’ll get the answer you were looking for when you asked that question. So, unless you want this place to haunt your dreams, I strongly suggest against testing the fuck around and find out theory.”

Braking as I turn onto the long driveway, I catch Cort’s eyes in the side mirror. He doesn’t look good. Not that he did to begin with, but he’s back to looking like he did when Silas first brought him to my house.

We both know he’s not leaving this place without learning the truth about what happens to those who dare to cross the Doyle family. He may walk out of here alive, but he won’t be the same man.

Silas whistles when the guard station comes into view. “Interesting. Guess my father doesn’t want the wrong person showing up today. Let me do the talking.”

A group of armed men greet us, surrounding my Jaguar, weapons trained on Silas and me. Ignoring their menacing faces, I roll down my window, feigning unconcern. This isn’t the first time I’ve had a weapon pointed at me, and it won’t be the last.

What they don’t realize is that I have men on them too.

Even Silas doesn’t know that. My earlier comment to Pauly wasn’t just information. It was a signal. Be ready.

The reckless driving wasn’t done just to be an arsehole. It was a distraction. Something to keep both men with me focused on me instead of the vehicle that slipped in behind us after we passed Oxford.

It worked.

The coded buzz against my leg confirms it. Everyone is in position.

Marty, Ryan, and Teddy are positioned on the far side of the complex. I hate relying on her guards, but we need the manpower. Lane dropped them off shortly after he passed us.

Just because I’ve never been on this side doesn’t mean I don’t know the layout. I’ve done my research.

The place has one hell of a security system. It’s locked down, but not everywhere. Some areas are deliberately left without cameras. Trent’s way of keeping certain transactions off the record. His clients pay well for that kind of discretion.

The lack of security cameras benefits more than just the sick fucks here. It works for us too.

Human guards are only as good as the man behind the weapon. And men like us know how to move without being seen, blending in so as not to draw attention. And later, when all hell breaks loose, there won’t be cameras around to capture our faces.

The trio is hidden in the tree line, each with a perfect view, prepared to take a shot when the time is right. That’s how we work, how we’ve always worked, and what our text exchange before we left London was all about.

Trent may be expecting us, but I have no idea what brought him here. That bothers me. Especially with the shit that went down last night while he had me doing his dirty work. For all I know, he had a hand in Isabel and Alma’s abductions. The men who took them worked for him at one time. That alone raises a huge red flag.

Then there’s the brooch. The sealed envelope. Too many loose threads.

My gut tells me it’s all tied together. I just don’t have proof yet. Soon though, and then I’ll be done playing his games.

The man aiming his gun bends to look inside the car. He starts to say something, then freezes when he spots Silas next to me. He wasn’t expecting him.

Guess Trent didn’t bother relaying the message that we were coming. That will work in our favor. Silas can pull rank as the warlord. These men fear him as much as they fear his father.

“Orders are that no one is allowed in.” A nervous swallow tells me he understands how dangerous it is saying that to the man next to me.