Page 52 of Shattered Hearts

“He was involved with the Blacks. What do you think?”

“Clayton Black did dosomebusiness on the up and up.”

“Sure he did. So he could hide the shit. Politicians aren’t immune to double-dealing, in fact, they thrive on it. What I want to know is what he has against Zarah besides what Ash Black made her do.”

“Why do you say that?” I sip my coffee.

“He threatened you to stay away from her. Since when in the hell does he care whatyoudo? He had plans for Max, and those plans didn’t include him married off to a high-class hooker—”

I glare.

“—whether she was doing it voluntarily or not,” he adds so I don’t fly off the handle, “but you? You’ve gone your own way since you could walk, and Rourke hasn’t given a shit. Why does he care now?”

“I don’t know. It was obvious at Max’s award dinner he disliked her.”

Pop narrows his eyes. “It was? Did I miss something?”

“Just the way she acted—”

“The waysheacted.” Pop stands, throws his last hashbrown into his mouth, and dusts his fingers on his jeans. Baby wilts. No more food.

I lean forward, scenting what he’s getting at.

“He was polite. A creepy polite, his usual smarmy self, but he acted concerned,” Pop says.

“She’sthe one who freaked out.” I pick up where he stopped. “Zarah was scared of him.”

“Does she know him?”

“She said she didn’t. Maybe he reminded her of someone. Like a doctor at Quiet Meadows.”

“Maybe, or maybe she knows him from somewhere and he wants you to stop seeing her before she remembers.”

“That will never happen. He can blow up a hundred trucks and I’ll never give her up.”

Pop points at me. “You need to stop thinking with your little head and start thinking with your big one. You were almost killed. You and Zarah both. By the sounds of it, a minute sooner and you could have been seriously hurt. If someone wants you to stop seeing her, then maybe you should listen.”

“You can’t really mean that.” My mouth goes dry. I need Pop. We need to work together to figure out what the fuck is going on, and if he won’t support me, we’re back to that shitty question Stella threw in my face at the wine bar. If I had to choosebetween my family and Zarah, who would I choose? Pop and I are more like brothers than father and son. I don’t know what I would do if he didn’t approve of me seeing, and eventually, marrying, Zarah.

“Gage, you almost died. Right there in the park. Blown to bits. You don’t get that. I know this job isn’t the safest, hell, you think I don’t relive you almost bleeding out on that operating table the night that meth-head punk put a nice, shiny bullet in you? But this is the big leagues. We’re talking kidnapping, arms deals, sex trafficking, and murder. If it was illegal, it sounds like the Blacks were into it. Not everyone they did business with is behind bars. Even Zane used his prostitution service and he’s free as a bird.”

“What do you think I should do then? Break up with her?” My coffee roils greasily in my gut.

“No, but you need to stop acting so cavalier. Rourke threatened you, and you need to start listening. Maybe Ash Black doesn’t like seeing you and Zarah together. He’s a psychopath who’s still got connections, and don’t you dare believe for a second he doesn’t. If he wants you dead, I have no doubt he can make that happen. Even from the state pen.”

“But our jobs—”

“Our jobs have been two-bit penny-ante deals. You know that.”

“But we thought—”

“I know what we talked about, and someone who has a grudge could still be a consideration, but you have to look at the big picture.”

He’s right. I know he’s right, but— “Then what should we do?”

Pop sinks into his chair. “I don’t know. Talk to Troy What’s-His-Name. Those three girls used to be patients at QuietMeadows. Zarah was a patient there, too, and you think Willow pointed you in that direction. It’s as good a place as any.”

“Meredith Mesa called before you came in, and Troy’s back in town. They want to meet us later today.”

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