Page 1 of Brutal Truths

Chapter 1

Aiden

“I’m listening.”

Trent sounds annoyed, as though my call is an inconvenience. Which is ironic, since he’d be pissed if I didn’t bother calling.

“Rico’s been busy. Looks like he pissed off some powerful men.” My gaze drifts back to the floor safe, its heavy door still open. This time, my eyes lock onto a brooch. Its ornate design is unmistakably familiar. I’ve seen it before. “I believe I have what you wanted me to find.”

“Good. I knew I could trust you.” A faint, low rumble hums beneath the silence. “Bring it to me.”

“Are you sure?” Reaching inside, I pick it up. The weight is heavy in my palm.

“Bring. It. To. Me.” With a harsh, demanding tone, he declares our conversation over by hanging up.

Trent has a secret.

The rhythmic drone of the tires lets me know he’s inside a moving vehicle. Not something most people would catch. But I’m not most people. I’m trained to hear things others don’t.

Where is he going? Or is he coming from somewhere?

“Bring it to him,” I grumble, glancing over at Bear. He’s watching me from his cozy spot just outside the gallery door. “I should bring you with me when I do.”

With a slight tilt of his head, he seems to agree.

“I would, but knowing Trent, he’d shoot you just because.”

I swear the dog’s eyes widen before he drops his head with a thud and a whimper.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen. You’ll get your chance to sniff him, though. I’ll work it out, so he thinks it was his suggestion.”

I start packing things up. As I reach for the brooch, my head snaps to the gallery wall where Sofia’s portrait hangs. The brooch she’s wearing mocks me. Its shamrock shape identical to the one on Trent’s ring. Same curves. Same delicate points.

Did Silas give it to her?

Trent’s ring’s an heirloom and has been in the Doyle family for generations. When things went south between Silas and Sofia, he would’ve demanded she give the brooch back. Assuming it was ever his to give.

Why didn’t he say anything earlier? Did he not notice it? I didn’t, so maybe he didn’t either. Or he did but just didn’t recognize it, which would rule him out as the one who gave it to her.

But if not him, then who did?

And why is it in Rico’s safe? Placed next to the diamond and emeralds like they belong together. A message. But what is it? And who is it for?

Silas? I doubt it, since he seemed uninterested.

Is it Trent? But how could Rico be so sure he’d find it? Does he know Trent well enough to trust he would? But how? And why?

What the hell kind of game is Rico playing with Trent?

The insistent buzzing in my pocket becomes too much of an annoyance. I remove my phone, letting it drop softly onto the bench, and ignore it for the time being. When I’m done, I’ll ring whoever it is back. I need to get out of here and put this in Trent’s hands. Watch his reaction; see what slips. Too many questions hang in the air, and each new discovery only adds to the list.

I go through the safe piece by piece, deliberate and methodical. Only the items I think will get me what I want from Trent go into the bag I’ll hand over. The rest is set aside for Isabel and Alma to go through with me later.

Using the camera I brought, I photograph every item before placing it inside the bag. No way am I putting them on my mobile, where they can fall into the wrong hands. When I have time, I’ll study everything closer, see if any of it can help piece this jacked-up puzzle together.

If Trent questions whether I brought him everything, he can fuck right off.

Absolutely not! I’m not handing it all over just to watch him destroy it. He’s getting more than he deserves.