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My phone buzzed, and I was expecting that text.
I got something else instead.
Avery: Keeping you updated. Your cousin and his guest left an hour after you did. I put a tracker on his car. Here’s the link for his coordinates.
I checked it, and Marco was at Katya. What the hell?
I was standing, reaching for my clothes, when my phone buzzed again.
Trace: You awake? We need to talk.
Me: Give me two minutes.
Trace: Dress to leave. I’ll be in the garage waiting.
I hurried to dress. When I was done, Molly was awake, watching me. The sheet was tucked over her chest, under her arms.
“Hi.”
She looked rested. There were shadows under her eyes, but overall, she looked better than the night before. “I have to go.”
She nodded, solemn. “I figured.”
“I think Jess is still here.”
She nodded, again. The bags under her eyes looked more pronounced. “I want to talk to Pialto and Sophie.”
I frowned.
She was reading my expression, and she sat up, keeping the sheet tucked under her arms. “I won’t leave. I won’t do anything else, but they’re my family. That’s nonnegotiable. If you don’t let me talk to them, I’ll sneak out myself, and don’t think I won’t be able to. I have crazy cat burglar skills, except breaking out, not in.”
My gut tightened. “Wait for me to come back or arrange something. Please.”
“What if Jess takes me?”
“I’d prefer you waited for me. Montell tends to run toward bullets when she hears them. I’d like for you to run away from the gunfire.”
“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”
I gave her a nod, still studying her because . . . I didn’t know why.
Because I didn’t want to leave her. Because I thought she would find a way to get in trouble the second I left. Because . . . I liked being around her.
Goddamn. My gut was tightening all over again, but I left without a goodbye.
Elijah was at the kitchen door when I came through. He had a fully cleaned gun ready for me. I took it as I walked past, heading into the garage. Our other men were there, and all moved into their places.
Trace’s men were in his car. Elijah would get into a following SUV this time.
I’d ride with Trace. All of this was already worked out.
I grunted in greeting to Pajn and Demetri, Trace’s men, and I slipped into the back seat. Demetri shut my door, then climbed into the front next to Pajn.
“What’s going on?”
Trace let out a long sigh, showing me his phone.
I read the message.
Unknown Number: This is Nicolai Worthing. We were informed this morning that members of the Walden Family shot and killed three of my men. Upon inspection, we saw the aggressors were my men. I’m reaching out for a meet. This is an act of good faith. I did not send my men to kill Ashton and his guest. I have not broken the ceasefire. Will you accept my invitation?
The next text was the location and details.
“He’s going to make himself vulnerable to us.”
Trace took his phone back, putting it away. “I believe that’s the point.”
“Also a nice incriminating text to any authority reading your messages.”
“Yes, he’s letting whatever authorities watching us know that he was not behind his men coming for you.”
“Marco is fucking your sister.”
“What?” Trace’s head whipped to mine.
“After everything that happened, I forgot to tell you. He brought her to our compound.”
He shifted so he was turned more toward me. “The compound that even I don’t know where it is? The one that you have mixed emotions about. You hate, but you use anyways. That place?”
I shot him a grin, ignoring the latter part. “He reassures me that she doesn’t, either, but we both know your sister. She probably set a building on fire behind her.”
He shifted back, sitting beside me. His tone was resigned. “Destruction does tend to follow her wherever she goes.” I could almost hear him grinding his teeth. “They’re actually sleeping together?”
“I asked if he was fucking her”—I ignored his swift intake of air—“and he said yes.”
“Shit.”
“And they’re at Katya right now.”
“How do you know?”
“Avery put a tracker on Marco.”
Trace growled. “I don’t know which I’m more frustrated about, your cousin or that my sister is at our nightclub after we’ve told her to stay away.”
I grunted. “I think the latter. Remmi’s more likely to destroy Marco, so I’m not too worked up about the two of them. Though, I’m wondering if I should ask the details how that started or if I don’t actually need to know. I know I don’t want to know. I told him to stop sleeping with her.”
“He’s your blood, so I’m not expecting that to happen.”
I smirked. It was true.
Trace rubbed at his forehead. “She’s been a mess since our dad’s death. She was never close to Uncle Steph, but she was clinging to hope that our dad would someday actually be a dad. To her credit, he was somewhat loving to her.”
