AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Dead.”
His single-worded answer rebounds through the space like the sound of a gunshot echoing, and I can’t help the shudder that runs the length of my spine as he continues, his gaze fixated on his steepled fingers resting on the desk between us.
“The dispute with the scum who neededRavishto remain open…well, it escalated to the point where I wasn’t able to leave the safety of the club without a threat on my life. And Renzo was caught in the crosshairs when they couldn’t get to me.”
“Fuck! I’m so sorry, Burton.”
“Don’t be sorry for me.” He snaps his eyes to mine. “Be sorry for Sara. A single mom before their son even arrived into the world. Be sorry for Lorenzo’s kid, growing up without his father. She named him Ren, you know.”
He smiles sadly. “He’d have fucking loved that shit.”
With a heavy sigh, he rises from his seat and silently fixes drinks for us both at the small liquor cabinet by the wall.
As he hands me my tumbler, his serious eyes find mine. “I’ve ensured that they have both been taken care of financially. Nice house, all the best schools for Ren, more money than they could spend in a million lifetimes…”
He drops back into his seat. “The only way Sara agreed to take the money was if I was removed entirely from their lives. And I’vealwayskept to the terms.”
He exhales a deep sigh. “Until now.”
I can’t keep my question from spilling out. “Why now?”
“Because Sara vanished last week, and foul play is suspected in her disappearance.”
Shit!
“There’s a very real possibility that Ren is in danger, too.”
He nods at his cell sitting on the desk. “That was Joseph Fratelli, the lead detective on the case and a personal friend of mine. He thinks the only place Ren will be safe ishere. With me. But to do that means breaking my promise to his mother, and—”
The door of the office slams open, cutting Vaughn off to admit a disheveled Grayson Hunter.
His hair is longer than usual and falling into his eyes. His clothes are crinkled, and the pink polo shirt he’s wearing has a dried-in blob of what looks like ketchup smack in the middle of it.
He looks nothing like his typical, well-presented self, but it’s the wild look in his eyes that makes me scared for him. And for the twins.
“I’m here. What’s so important that I needed to delay my trip?”
CHAPTER29
ALEX
Vaughn standsto fix Grayson a drink as he sits on the chair beside mine, his eyes fixed firmly on his clenched fists.
My forehead creases as I canfeelthe pain rolling off my friend in waves. It’s soul deep, and my stomach churns at the thought of what he must be going through.
“I hear Gracie has been discharged. That’s great.” The forced chirpiness in my tone hurts even my own ears. “How are you doing, Gray? How’s Parker holding up?”
He exhales heavily before accepting Vaughn’s offered tumbler containing a more than generous measure of Macallan.
“We’re alive. Is that to be considered a triumph or something?”
I exchange a worried look with Vaughn, who takes it upon himself to steer the conversation where we need it to go.
“I know it’s only been a month, but have you given thought to Talia’s parents' request?”
Hector and Eleanor Rivera were desperately wanting to take the twins to live with them, if only until Gray managed to pull himself together from what Vaughn had been able to discern.
He whips his flashing green gaze toward Vaughn. “Not fucking happening. Our kids won’t be another trophy for their collection.”
