Page 73 of Alonzo

She looks back at Jesse’s cottage. “He’s one of them, right?”

“Yeah. But I mean, generally. Before you came here and met him. Boston brothers. They’re a bunch of rich fucks who live up in the city. Own this famous building called the Bossy?”

“Maybe?” Tara says, shrugging her shoulders. “He looks familiar. But I wouldn’t know where to place his face if I was just passing him on the street. A celebrity, maybe?”

“Yeah. He’s… a little bit like that. You’ve probably seen him in tabloids. In fact, there was a big spread about him and my sister, Emma, in some magazine last month. Maybe you saw that?”

She laughs a little. “Yeah. Probably not.”

“It’s not important. The important thing you need to know about the Boston brothers is… well, they’re kinda dirty.”

She frowns at the Jesse cottage. “Dirty how?”

“You know. Like... mob shit.”

Tara makes a face. I can’t tell if her expression is one of surprise or disgust. “Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell is going on down here? Is everyone a freaking criminal?”

Ah. I think that’s disgust.

I touch her shoulder to illustrate my solidarity with her feelings on the matter. “Believe me, Tare. I’m just as disturbed about this as you are. He married my sister last month. I… I don’t know what to do about that. Nothing, I guess. It’s done. But if he’s into something, I need to know about it. I need to protect my sister. And if you were a PI then…”

“You want me to… investigate your brother-in-law?” And did she just get a little giddy when she said the word ‘investigate?’

She did.

“Yeah. Yeah. I need you to investigate him. I need to keep my eye on him. Follow him, ya know? But I have to work tomorrow. Do you think you could...”

“Sure. Yeah. That’s something I can do. God, it’s been a while. But I‘m totally sure I can do it.”

“Great. That’s great. I’m so relieved. Just…” I place my hand on her arm and give her a serious look of concern. Which is not fake. It’s one hundred percent genuine because I really do think this girl is the one. “Just be careful. He comes across kinda dopey and dumb, but he’s not.”

“They never are,” Tara agrees. “It’s always an act.”

“Yeah. He’s smarter than he looks. It’s probably best to not engage him, ya know?”

“Just follow him?”

“Yeah. Exactly. Stay out of sight.”

“I can do that.” Then she shrugs her shoulders all the way up to her ears, presses her hands together in front of her face, and lets out a little squeal. “I love investigating.”

I lean down and kiss her, enjoying the way her soft, full lips move against mine. The way she leans into me as she opens her mouth and lets me play with her tongue.

Yeah.

I could get used to this.

I hate lying to her. I really do.

But it’s for her own good.

She can’t ever learn the real truth about who and what I really am. And if she’s busy investigating Jesse then she won’t be investigating me.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - TARA

I glance over at the cottage next door, wondering where I should sleep tonight. Vann and Belinda have gone inside, so I hesitate when Lonnie walks towards his front door.

“Tara? Are you coming inside?”