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Lucius frowned at me. “He was paranoid about taking money into the States. He’d never have had an account here.”
I worried my bottom lip. “Who was he transferring money to, then?”
“There was no name attached?” Santino asked, looking about as surprised about the account as Lucius.
“There was, but it was a company. Hills View Berries. I thought it was an alias.”
Lucius got up, his movements sluggish, his face clenched. I sat on my hands to avoid ushering him back to bed. He was a grown man, after all.
He shuffled over to the table to get a water bottle. “Why would he transfer money to a berry farm?”
I wrung my hands, knowing there was one person who could follow the money and get answers. Lucius wouldn’t like the suggestion, but I forged on anyway. We didn’t have many options. “You need to ask him for help.”
Teeth clenched, Lucius sank into one of the rickety chairs. “He won’t give it.”
Not ready to give up, I leaned forward. “You don’t know that.”
“I know Gunner. Once he’s done with someone, he’s done.”
I knew he wouldn’t hear me out. And the last thing I’d do was go behind his back, betraying his trust again. I had to convince him to let Gunner help. Because one way or another, we had to find out why Maurizio would have made regular transfers to an account in the States.
26
LUCIUS
My ribs ached, and I was too hot in the small room. The urge to see my daughter was overwhelming. She was my little girl. She was a part of me as much as Everleigh.
I hadn’t seen her in over a year. I wondered if she still remembered me. “I need to pick up Sofie.”
Everleigh handed me more pills and water. “First, you need to rest. You’ll freak her out if you show up looking like this.”
I hadn’t told her about Sofie yet, but she didn’t seem surprised. “You know, don’t you?”
She gave me a tentative smile. “I met her when I was at the Locked Security offices. She’s gorgeous. And your spitting image.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I understand why you couldn’t have told me in Guyana. And we haven’t exactly had much time since you came back to the States.”
I didn’t deserve Everleigh. But I also wouldn’t let her go. I loved her. I’d fallen for her long before I was ready to admit it to myself.
“You’ll come with me?”
“Of course. Try to stop me.” She grinned. “I’m also ready for my Uno rematch.”
I chuckled. “Don’t play poker with her. She’s a hustler.”
But despite her skills at playing card games, Sofie shouldn’t have been able to beat Everleigh. I doubted there were many people who could beat her thanks to her affinity for numbers. “Did you let her win?”
“Maybe?”
With a chuckle, I lay down on the bed, hoping she would follow. For the first time since my life blew up, I felt hopeful. That I had a future. That I could give Sofie the life she deserved. And that I’d found someone to walk beside me.
Everleigh didn’t make me wait long, sliding under the scratchy sheets as soon as I was lying down. We were still dressed. It sounded like too much effort to get myself out of my clothes, and I guessed she didn’t feel comfortable without all her clothes on with Santino in the room.
The arrangement wasn’t ideal, but it would only be for one more night. For now, I needed to rest.
Everleigh took my hand, and I drifted off.
