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“I don’t think I can cut anything with that knife again.” George stomps on the pedal to open the trash can and drops the knife inside. “Are more of these guys going to come after me?”
“It’s hard to say. It depends on what they think you dug up.”
“Nothing.” George shakes her head. “I mean, not much. Just that Eli’s father was involved with a crime boss.”
“What?”
Antony sighs.
I rub my temple. This is too much.
George leans forward. There’s a hint of the old sparkle in her eyes. “There’s a photograph of his father with a man named Brutus August who, like, runs the Emerald Beach drug and skin trade—”
I sigh. “My uncle. My name is Claudia August.”
George shakes her head. “You can’t be. Brutus August killed Claudia along with her parents so he could take over the family. And besides, you’re Mackenzie. I knew you from junior high, remember?”
I toss my blonde hair over my shoulder. “The resemblance is uncanny, right? It’s just one of those weird coincidences. That’s why Eli hates me, because he’s been in love with Mackenzie since he was a kid and I’ve stolen her life.”
“He doesn’t hate you,” George says. “Trust me.”
I wave a hand, as if I don’t care, as if her words don’t make my pulse quicken and my heart flutter. “My father never let anyone see my face, he thought it would protect me, so no one in the underworld knows that I can pass for Mackenzie’s identical twin. It’s a long story and I promise to tell you everything as soon as we make sure you’re safe.”
The weight of my words fall heavy on George’s shoulders. She sags into her seat, her hands nervously tapping the table. “The corpse… the guy who attacked me looked terrified when he saw you. Is that why he tried to kill me? Because I’m your friend?”
Actually, that is weird. The guy seemed surprised to see me, but he recognized me. And he was here to get rid of George’s evidence that Brutus and Walter Hart had dealings.
I turn to Antony. He inclines his head. He’s figured it out, too.
Brutus sent that guy to threaten George.
And he showed him what I look like.
That means Brutus is still a threat. He’s still pulling strings. And if we don’t get to him soon he could hurt everyone I love, starting with George and probably moving on to...
...Eli.
“What would your mom say if you moved in with me for a while? If you’re in Malloy Manor, I can keep you safe.”
“She won’t like it.” George’s eyes spark with color. “Maybe… maybe I’ll tell her I have a boyfriend.”
“Or maybe you could just ask Isaac to be your boyfriend and make it a reality?” I grin. “It’s the least you could do, since you’ve been ignoring him so much he thinks you and Eli are an item. He’s not moving into the manor, though. Mackenzie Malloy draws the line at Metallica fans.”
George tries to smile, but it’s not happening.
“We’ve been friends for a couple of months and I already have you lying to your mother.”
George tries to crack a smile, but she clutches her stomach, and I realize she’s barely holding down the junk food we ate earlier. “Sorry. You develop a bit of a gallows humor about this sort of thing.”
“Is my mom in any danger?”
“I doubt it.” Antony hacks off a large slice of cake and shoves it into an organic, reusable lunchbag. “There’s an honor code, even among scoundrels like us. Brutus may intend to gut you and leave bits of you all over your house, but he won’t hurt your mother unless she gets in his way.”
Except we all know Brutus has no honor.
The ghost of his voice rasps in my ear. “Let me show you a man, baby girl…”
My fingers touch the knife in my sleeve.
