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I nodded. “I know, but if I tell you what I’m about to fucking tell you, you have to swear—likeswear—that you will not tell a soul.”
“I’m not swearing on anything.”
Frustration grew in my chest. “No, I don’t think you understand how important this is. I can’t fucking let the truth get out about who I am—and I think that’s the on the edge of happening right now.”
He blew out a sharp breath, setting his beer down with a heavy hand. “Fine. Tell me what you need to tell me, but I’m already keeping your secrets about your fucking feelings for Rachel.”
“Trevor Webb is my real name.”
“I thought Collin Adams was your real name.”
“It is, butTrevor Webbwas my first name.”
He gave me a funny look but nodded. “Okay, explain.”
“I was born in New York City—that was true—and Iwasconnected to the mob… but as a bastard child to Gifford Vitali. I rose pretty fucking fast in the ranks, but his legitimate son, Nick Vitali, felt threatened by me. We got into a pretty big feud. My father wrote me off, sent me packing, and put a hit on my head. I changed my name and ran like hell to the other side of the country… And here I am.” I felt sick to my stomach at the look on Gunner’s face. “I have afriendin high places in with the feds, and he helped me pull off the identity change. It was basically like witness protection, really… And uh, Trevor Webb died in a car accident in upstate New York ten years ago.”
“Holy shit…”
“Yeah, it’s a lot,” I admitted, my head starting to spin as Chaz’s voice echoed in my head, stating myrealname.
“And someone on the other end of that phone knows who you are.”
“I don’t know.”
“Yeah, you do.” Gunner took a deep breath. “You think they were trying to lure you out to the drop to whack you?”
“I don’t know,” I repeated myself. “It’s either that, or to just fucking toy with me. If her… If Rachel’s conniving partner is in on this… He’s got connections with the Vitalis in New York. It’spossiblehe might know.”
“This is fuckingbad.”
“Yeah, Viper might kill me,” I chuckled, running my fingers through my dark hair. “I don’t keep in contact with anyone from my old life. My mom passed long before I ever made it out. There was a hit on her made by Gifford’s wife.”
“Makes sense,” Gunner grunted. “Nothing like whacking a mistress.”
“I don’t know. I’ve blocked most of it out.”
“What the hell are you gonna do?” Gunner demanded, folding his arms over his chest. “Because you might be in one hell of a mess if they know who you are—and Viper needs to know so we can prepare for some high-level shit. We might even have to tell Charlie…”
“No way.”
“He could offer you protection,” Gunner reasoned, shrugging his shoulders. “And you might need it if word is getting out. You can’t just keep running.”
Darkness slipped into my brain as I came to realize the cold truth of my intentions. “I’m not going to run.”
“I don’t know what Viper will do, man,” Gunner let out a groan. “He’s gonna be pissed at you. Why the hell did you not just go move to some small little Midwest town and live a quiet life?”
I laughed. “Can you imaginemetrying to play nice, law-abiding civilian. It would’ve never lasted. And to be honest, I figured if they were looking,that’swhere they’d be at.”
“But they thought you died in a car accident.”
“Yeah, I thought so, but what are the odds of someone using that name? You think it’s common enough that it’s just some strange coincidence? Because I’m not naïve enough to think that—and I know you’re not either.”
Gunner nodded. “I know, I know. Maybe we should do more digging into Chaz’s associates? See if any of them are connected to the family of yours back in NYC? Maybe he’s got someone on the inside. It would make sense. Theyknowus. We were doing business with them.”
“Yeah, but they never saw my face.” And that was the truth. I always wore a half bandana when dealing with outsiders. To catch me without one, you’d have to be at the clubhouse or maybe just at the grocery store? Ihadlet my guard down the last few years, growing comfortable in my new life.
And maybe that had come back to bite me.
