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"I'd rather stand." I hold his eyes, showing him that I'm not scared of whatever it is he has to say to me. Right now, I don't give a shit what he does, so long as he can get K out of this mess.
"As you wish." He leans forward, resting his elbows on the edge of his desk and watching me as I pace back and forth. "There's a lot you don't know."
No fucking shit.
"The Jaggers... there's a history that goes back a long way. It's complicated, it's corrupt, and whether we like it or not, we're connected to some very dangerous men."
My lips part, but I can't figure out what I even want to say to that.
"One of the reasons I didn't fight to get you all out of the Heights sooner—when I should have—was for fear of dragging you into all this. Charlie had walked away, but I didn't have a choice. He always thought I was destined for all the incredible things our father handed down to me, but he didn't know the truth. He had no idea what the 'business' was, and that I never wanted anything to do with it."
"So why do you have anything to do with it?"
He chuckles, but there's no humor in it. "I didn't have a choice. My name, the fact that I was the oldest. Since the day I was born, it was expected of me to step into my father's shoes when the time came."
"I don't get how this ties to Kenny."
"I work for a lot of dangerous people, Conner. I know things—I'm trusted with things—that should never see the light of day and—"
"Warren knows them."
"Some of them. Him knowing about what Cole did is a drop in the ocean compared to what else he's unearthed. If it were to be exposed, none of us would live long enough to even appreciate the hellfire that would be coming our way."
My mouth opens and closes like a fucking fish as I stare at him.
"How'd he find out?"
"Honestly, Son, I don’t know. I'm better than that. I cover my tracks too well to allow a piece of shit like him to find it. But he knows enough to know I can't risk it. I can't risk all your lives because of one jumped-up asshole who thinks he can play us."
"What's his deal? He can't just be so obsessed with Kenny that he's willing to do all this."
"He's got his own secrets too, Conner."
"Secrets that you know, I assume."
He doesn't confirm my suspicions, but he doesn't need to.
"So these people you work for, are they some kind of cult or gang or something?"
"That doesn't matter right now."
"You said that you had to take over because you were first born and all that bullshit. Does that mean Ace—"
"It means nothing right now, Conner. What I've told you needs to stay in this room. Once this is all over, I'll talk to the three of you about our heritage and where you really come from. Because the reality is, you're all far from the Heights boys you think you are. But right now, that little cocksucker and your girl need to be our priority."
"Tell me this is coming to an end soon. I can't sit back and watch him hurt her much longer."
"Sit back?" he asks, one brow lifting. "Where were you tonight, Conner?"
I blow out a breath as we stare at each other. "Clearly you already know."
"I've got men all over the Heights, watching them. I know every single time you set even a foot on Heights soil, Son."
"Great."
"I've let it go, for now. But you need to know that people's lives are a
t risk every single time you feel the need to go to her. And I'm not just talking about mine and yours, I'm talking about your brothers, Sarah, Remi, Hadley, everyone. This might sound like some action thriller movie, but I can assure you it's not. The threat is very, very real, and these people will not spare a second thought at putting a bullet through all our heads."
