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Finally, he gives up with a resigned grunt. “Don’t do this. I know you’re angry right now, but you don’t truly want to push us away. Not when you’re about to meet your family again.”
“They aren’t my family. They gave me up. I thought all of you were the family I chose, but I can’t have a family that keeps secrets from me. It’s not how a healthy relationship is built,” I spit out, anger building the more I think about it. And I’m not really sure what can turn it around.
Cole catches my eye in the background, a blank expression replacing the normal happy mask he wears. He’s staring off, and a strange desire to know what he’s thinking pulls at me. I refocus on Jasper in time for him to say, “I promise the first moment we’re truly alone, we can talk more. Don’t push us out. Not right now. There’s too much going on for me to have to fight through your walls again. Because I’ll never walk away from you, Little Bird. Of that you can be sure.”
He gives me a kiss on the cheek, and walks down the stairs, joining Vander at the bottom. Smart man, knowing to give me my space. I don’t change my mind easily, but I’ll think about what he said before fully dismissing it. How did things get so fucked up this fast?
“Cole,” I call out. He turns toward me right away and closes the distance. “You lied to me,” I continue, not giving him a chance to say anything when he’s right in front of me.
“I did,” he admits, but doesn’t say anything else.
“Why?” I question, suddenly wanting a reason to forgive him. Fucking Jasper getting in my head about this. Vander is too deep in his hole, and Jasper made a good point about there being a difference, but is there hope for Cole? Or will he jump in the hole with Vander?
“Because I didn’t want you to know,” he finally answers. There’s a detached coldness to him, my first glimpse at who he usually keeps hidden. Nope. He deserves my ire.
“I need a new phone,” I announce.
He immediately pulls one from his back pocket. “I set this up for you while you were… busy.”
Snatching it from his hand, I turn for Grayson again, who is already holding out my gun for me to grab. There’s a sympathetic pull to the corners of both his lips and eyes. At least I’m not the only one who sees how fucked up they’re acting. Before I can pull the gun away, he places his hand over mine, sandwiching it in place.
He leans forward, and whispers in my ear. “I know we don’t have time to talk about this right now, but can you really blame them for wanting to keep this a secret? Once you know who your stalker is, it will take away some of your fun. And they won’t want to ruin that. Not with how much you light up when talking to him.”
“So you think my stalker is one of them too?” I question.
“I can’t really say, but it would make sense,” he answers with a faraway gaze like he’s thinking about the possibility. He releases my hands, and I tuck my gun in the waistband of my pants, pulling my shirt over it. Who knows if I’ll be searched when we show up to the Mafia’s lair, but I’m not going in there unarmed.
As I’m stepping through the doorway, a voice stops me. “Hey, Luv. You might want to wear this.” I turn around to find Cole holding up my leather jacket. As I reluctantly turn around, he holds it open so I can easily slip my arms in, his charming smile back in place. I grit my teeth, but hide it with a well practiced smile, letting him help me with the jacket. I don’t want the goons to see any strife between us.
Letting him get away with helping me with my jacket doesn’t mean I forgive him though. If I don’t stand my ground, then I’ll come off as someone who can be walked all over when they make a mistake. And this backbone doesn’t bend over backward for someone who chose to lie to her. Period.
The made men climb into the front of the limo, and Vander reaches the back door before anyone else, he holds it open as Grayson smoothly climbs in. There’s a suave confidence about him, screaming of a life of having doors held open for him. His privilege is showing, although I’m sure I won’t come off much different.
When I go by him, Vander doesn’t try to reach for me, which is a surprise. But he does give me a longing gaze, and a small smile of approval when he spots the gun tucked into my waistband as my shirt and jacket lift when I climb into the limo.
After we’re all in, we pull out of the hanger and I find the New York City skyline looming ahead in the distance. Buildings towering so high in the sky, the tops of a few of them seem like they just disappear in the low hanging clouds. The night sky is struggling to show through the clouds, not a single star is showing. The gloomy clouds seem ominous with the city lights illuminating them. Which seems to be right on track with how things are going.
Not much could turn this night around, in fact, I only see it getting even worse. It’s silent as we drive to wherever the Don expects us to meet him. There isn’t even music playing. I can’t say I don’t appreciate the silence though. I can’t stand to hear any more excuses.
Grayson places his palm on my thigh, giving it a squeeze to show his affection. He flips it over, offering to hold my hand, and when I move mine to place it on top of his, I’m reminded of the phone I’m still grasping. I lay it on the thigh opposite of Grayson and thread my fingers through his. The simple reaction is like a balm to the open wounds of my soul. Something I never thought was possible but is always a risk when you’re in a relationship.
Who knew Grayson would be the one who brought me comfort in life? Hell, I never saw him as the one who I could trust the most either. But right now, that’s who he is. His thumb rubs back and forth, allowing me to get lost in the motion while I glance between it and the phone on my other thigh.
As if I willed it into existence, simply from paying it attention, it vibrates. Only someone with a stalker watching them through a phone could accomplish. Lord knows millions of women have stared at their phones at least once in their lifetime wishing their crush would text them, to no avail.
Glancing up, I search each of the men seated across from me to see if they are holding their phone, but there isn’t a single one in sight. Vander is leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him, his head bent down. Cole is staring out the window, watching the scenery as we drive by, and Jasper is watching me, a small frown playing at his full lips. All of them are too damn gorgeous in their melancholy state.
Not a single one of them hold a phone, and they didn’t even move when my gaze turned to them as if they were hiding it before I could see. How much longer will I have to question things? To wonder exactly who is betraying me by keeping secrets and why? Because if it wasn’t one of them who texted me, then they had to tell Ravenmaster. There’s no way he’s this good.
My restraint from glancing at the notification grows weaker as it lights up with a reminder of the waiting message. It’s making me question my sanity not knowing who Ravenmaster is at this point. Him being a mystery was fun at first, but now that I know three of my men know who it is and aren’t saying anything… it sucks all of the fun out of it.
The motherfucker doesn’t like to be ignored though, and takes the decision away from me. He unlocks the phone and displays the message.
Ravenmaster: Don’t blame them for their secrets. If one of them told you, they would have been killed. Including Vander telling you about your past. As mad as you are right now, I know deep down you don’t want to lose any of them.
Out of anything he could have said, I didn’t expect him to be defending all of them. I merely want to be left alone to process things until we have a chance to work it out. Is that too much to ask for? I’ve had way too much thrown at me in a few minutes. Now I’m fixing to face a whole new shit storm I couldn’t prepare for. And the one person I’d normally ask what we’re walking into, is someone I’m pissed at.
I’m not used to experiencing many emotions outside of anger and boredom. It’s no wonder when something like this comes up, it’s what I revert to.
