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“What do you need?” Brandon asked, hisshoulders sinking.
“Names, Bran. Let’s start with who the fuck‘they’ are.”
****
Fitzgerald Mansion, Three Hours Later
He thought he’d feel better. When Sawyertold him they found the rat and wanted to bring Dane in on theextraction, he’d been ecstatic. The thought of makingsomeone—anyone—pay, felt like a way out. A path out of the hole inhis chest.
Too bad it didn’t work.
No matter how much blood I spill, Dad isn’tcoming home.
Dane kicked at the gravel beneath his feetand fell back onto one of the carved wooden benches along the path,staring out over the Fitzgerald Mansion’s immaculate gardens. Hedidn’t usually get to sit here these days. Gia would have him orSawyer standing by the koi pond while she posed for pictures,unconvincingly pretending she was comfortable and “living her bestlife.”God, I hate that woman. The fact that she shared thesame genetic code as Zara had to be some cosmic curse.
Thinking of Zara, Dane finally smiled. Hepulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the messages.Nothing from her. Yet. Probably still asleep.
“Checking your fucking messages? Wondersnever cease,” Sawyer said from behind him. Dane turned, watchingSawyer’s unhurried approach.
“Just worried about the schedule thisweek.”
“Sure.” Sawyer wore a tight, forced smile,and when he sat down, he kept a peculiar amount of distance betweenthem. Dane lifted an inquisitive brow and didn’t say anything, buthe didn’t need to ask. Sawyer was shit about keeping anything fromhim. And sure enough, ten seconds later: “I’m sorry Brandon turnedout to be a gutless piece of shit.” Sawyer reached into his jacketand drew out a pack of Camels. “Here. I owe you one.” He handedDane a cigarette. “But at least he told us what we needed to know.And now he has to deal with Fitzgerald.”
Adam was likely to have even less mercy thanDane, but knowing Brandon’s fate didn’t warm Dane’s heart. “Can’tresurrect the dead.”
Sawyer lit the cigarette and held hislighter out. “Doesn’t mean Brandon shouldn’t pay. He dug his grave,and now we gotta deal with the bed he shit on. No matter how uglyit gets.”
Dane’s spine went rigid. “You’re doing thatthing where you dance around the point.”
Sawyer’s smile vanished, and his light-grayeyes focused on the pond without giving the impression of seeingit. “How long we been working together?”
“Six years? Seven?” Dane shrugged. “Why?Getting nostalgic? ‘Cause if you bring up retirement—”
“Oh, fuck that. I’m trying to be...” Heexhaled. “Fuck. I don’t know. We don’t talk about serious shitmuch.”Sawyer’s frown lines deepened.”Look, when youtold me about, you know, last night? I was fucking thrilled foryou. I know what that meant to you. What she means to you. Buthere’s the thing. The honest-to-God truth because if anybody knowsit, it’s me—”
“You’re rambling.”
“Fine. She isn’t gonna stick around, Dane.”Sawyer sounded so damn earnest. Dane sighed, ready to blow Sawyer’sMother Hen routine off, but Sawyer held up a hand. “Not because shedoesn’t want to. Not because she’s a bitch. But because she’s notgonna have a choice. So maybe, uh, I don’t know. Maybe youshouldn’t expect too much from her. That’s all I’m saying.”
Dane twisted the cigarette between hisfingers, his jaw clenching to keep from saying the first words thatcame to mind. When he’d talked to Sawyer that morning, he was allchuckles and sunshine about it. Now, the tune changed, and it madezero fucking sense.Unless...“She isn’t Hannah.”
Sawyer snarled, ripping his barely smokedcigarette from his lips and tossing it onto the ground. “You’reright! Because Hannahchosesomeone else. Shechosemoney over me, and it’s a good thing she did in the end. It let mesee where I stood. But Zara? It ain’t a choice, Dane. Adam can’tafford to fuck around with the Russians and De Lucca. So how thehell do you think he will make peace with them?”
Dane dropped the cigarette into his pocket.Nicotine wasn’t gonna do shit to burn the bile out of his throat.“What have you heard?”
“That he’s already in talks to arrange amarriage between Zara and one of De Lucca’s boys. When I got herethis morning, I stopped by the kitchens for a coffee, and that’sall they were talking about.”
No fucking way Adam does that withouttalking to Zara.Gia was the Fitzgerald to barter with. Theknown sum. The one people recognized and knew. And after all thebullshit with Ben, would Adam really toss either twin into amarriage of alliances?
Zara wouldn’t stand for it. He tried andfailed to picture Zara accepting her father’s edict. She was thequiet one, sure, but she’d stood up for herself to go to schooloutside the approved list. She surely wouldn’t fight back lessabout her entire fucking future, would she?And if she did standfor it, she would never have fucked me.And if… No.Stop.
Dane licked the back of his teeth, his gazenot sharp enough to be a glare. Rumors were always flying about thetwins and their fuck toys. Sawyer usually knew better than tobelieve them. But he couldn’t blame Sawyer. Not after Saw spent awhole goddamn year climbing out of the bottle that losing Hannahspun him into.
“Until it’s coming from Vince or Adamhimself, I’d take it with a grain of salt.”
Sawyer sniffed, his hands fastening to hiships. “Hey, man. You’re a grown-ass human. When shit hits the fan,I’ll even keep the ‘I told you so’ to myself.”
Dane rolled his eyes. “How generous.” With afrown, he looked toward the garden’s exit. There was still a day ortwo before Zara went back to school. She’d tell him if there waseven a hint of truth to any of that bullshit.But it wasn’ttrue. It couldn’t be.
