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This would also make Dani and Tess vulnerable.
God, how my very soul crumbles to bits at the thought of Tess’s little family being at risk because of me.
No. That cannot fucking happen.
The sound of my own shallow breathing is the only noise inside the car as I wrestle the demons offering nothing but terrible choices.
On the other side of the windshield, the man smoking his crack pipe slides down the decrepit wall until he’s sprawled on the cracked concrete.
A tear leaks out of my eye. No matter how I grasp for another option I come up empty.
I have to buy some time. Conner would never voluntarily walk away. He wouldn’t allow me to fight the wolves on my own.
There is no other option.
To save my sister, to protect themall, right now I need to break his heart.
I’ll need to break mine too.
Chapter19
Conner
There’s the usual Saturday night swarm at the Back Door and I don’t bother trying to find a blank space in the parking lot. My truck gets left down the street at Benny’s Pizza, which I know won’t be a problem because I have a standing order to send a stack of pies over to the club once a week and every time I sign for a huge tip.
To look at the traffic and the people and the noisy mayhem of Saturday night street cruising, nothing appears to be out of order. The scene looks like many other nights I’m out here at this end of the city, keeping Haven company and steeling some office quickies until I get to bring her home and wear her out in the bedroom.
But she hasn’t answered me in hours.
After getting no response to my last four texts I tried calling. Straight to voicemail. I dialed the club and Fiona answered. There was a fluttery, oddly nervous quaver in her voice as she said that Haven was locked in her office and couldn’t be disturbed.
Not to be conceited, but Haven isalwayseager to be disturbed by me.
Maybe this brief brush off shouldn’t be throwing up all kinds of red flags. After all, the girl is weighed down by responsibilities. It’s not off the wall to think she might actually be busy.
But I haven’t been able to squash the sense that something is wrong. As I stand in front of the Back Door, watching the neon lights crackle above the open doors while the music of the club competes with the music of the street, I can’t put a name to my uneasiness.
But I do remember the last time I felt this way.
It was the night of Micah’s final MMA fight. In the tense moments before I walked into a dark building and was met with a squad of maniacs who intended to murder my cousin, this same prickle of dread brushed the back of my neck.
Whirling around on instinct, there’s nothing to see but a line of souped-up low riders blasting music behind dark tinted windows. Across the street, two women get into a shoving match until a third woman comes between them and breaks up the fray.
A horn bleats nearby as a rusty pickup squeezes past a pair of leather clad tough guys idling beside their parked bikes and smoking weed. One of the bikers barks out a hoarse ‘Fuck off!’ and brandishes both middle fingers.
Chaotic, but nothing out of the ordinary.
In a quick scan of the rest of the frenzied scene, someone does catch my eye.
The first time I saw him was when he showed up in my driveway to pick up Haven. At a later date she explained he has worked for her father for many years. His name is Vito and he never says much. He’s got the grouchy, no bullshit vibe nailed down. I wasn’t told much about what kind of work he’s done for the family boss but I would expect some of it involved blood and a gun.
Vito stands just to the left of the club entrance and our eyes meet. His terse nod is about as friendly as he gets. There’s not a doubt in my mind he’s packing iron as he keeps a wary eye on who is coming and going. I tip my own head in acknowledgement on the way into the club.
The place is pulsing. The music blasting tonight is some migraine-inducing techno mix. Three dancers gyrate up on the stage and there’s not an inch of space at the bar.
Andrei is the first familiar face I see on the inside. He stands at attention midway between the stage and the open hallway that leads to the rest rooms, the dancers’ lounge and Haven’s office. Down that hall is also a storage closet where I’ve had my dick sucked more than once.
A hand touches my back and I turn, expecting to find my girl, but it’s Fiona staring up at me. The usual playful sparkle in her green eyes is missing right now, her expression more intense than usual.
