Page 103 of Dirty Secrets

“She loves you, Reid. All she wanted was for you to stop being Josh’s friend, and just be hers instead. I will always put her first, so will Zavier. But you? You put her second to Josh every time. The fact that she couldn’t tell you about us is on you.”

“Why the fuck didn’tyoutell me?” he asked, his voice strained.

“I wanted to enjoy spending time with her before you ruined it,” I said honestly, motioning to Zavier, who was now a few feet away texting. “Rae talked to Lopez about seeing someone and didn’t tell him it was me. He handled it. He only found out about it being me because he’s a selfish prick and didn’t give a shit about her secret boyfriend and kissed her. She freaked out when I walked in and saw them.”

Reid’s fists clenched by his sides at the mental image, and when he grabbed my shirt to haul me to my feet, I let him. He glared at me in silence for a second, before shoving me away again, making me trip and land on my ass.

He knew he was in the wrong.

“Fuck you, Logan,” he bit out as he stalked towards his Challenger and climbed in, peeling out of the parking lot like his ass was on fire.

“Now what?” Zavier muttered as he offered me a hand up. I accepted it, getting to my feet and dusting my pants off.

“Now, we go home. I think you staying at the compound is a good idea. Their security is top notch. We don’t know who this prick is that’s after you, but I doubt that was the last of their attempts to get to you. I’m not leaving the house. Hopefully, Raven will talk to me when she gets sent home,” I said, just as Cruz’s car pulled up beside us. He rolled the window down, a grim look on his face.

“Is she okay?” he asked, and it made me feel better to know that so many people cared about Raven. We’d never had anyone care for us before.

“No,” I mumbled, pulling my keys from my pocket. “Any news on the attackers?”

“We’ve identified one of them. Still trying to figure out his connections though.”

“Who is he?”

“Giovanni Gallo. Thirty-seven years old, no spouse or children. Hate to say it, but whoever sent him must be a major player in the underground,” Cruz replied as he leaned his arm on the open window.

“What makes you say that?” Zavier frowned, limping towards the passenger seat.

Cruz was quiet for a moment, seeming to weigh up his words before answering. “Giovanni is from Italy. Small fish don’t just send people that far unless they’re a big deal. You’ve pissed off someone important.”

“You know people in Italy?” I asked Zavier dryly, and he shook his head.

“No. I swear. I spent years running from the Demons, then only did jobs through Ander.”

“Lavaro fucked you, bro,” Cruz muttered, sympathy in his tone. “He had to know who he was working with, and his vanishing act is convenient timing. He disappears, and within a few months thugs come after you? I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

I could tell Zavier wanted to defend Ander, but his argument died before it came out. Even he had to admit it looked bad.

“I’ll meet you at the house, okay?” I sighed, starting to walk towards my car, already trying to think of a way to make Raven forgive me when she got home.

I just had to prove to her that my feelings for her were genuine.

CHAPTER TWENTY

ZAVIER

“You good?” Cruz asked as he laid back on my bed while I shoved my things into bags. I knew he wasn’t referring to my emotions, he knew those were fried, but I wasn’t exactly hiding the fact that the bullet wound in my thigh was killing me.

“I’m fine.”

“You really don’t know who those assholes were?” he asked, not accusing, just seeming confused.

“No idea. Know much about bad guys from Italy?” I asked dryly, making him chuckle.

“Not really, but there’s a lot of criminal organizations that come from there. Crews, corrupt businessmen, motorcycle clubs, and even the mafia. Do you think Lavaro got caught up in MC business?”

“If he did, he never told me. You really can’t find him?”

He shook his head, sitting up to take one of my bags. “I’ve tried, man. He’s vanished. I hate to say it, because I really do like the guy, but I think he took off running from these guys and left you as the scapegoat. I’ve tried facial recognition, putting feelers out, and I’ve spent a shitload of time trying to manually find him on street cameras. If I can’t find him, then no one will.”

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