Page 68 of Beautiful Scars

Could be about the warehouse deal. But that feels too fresh—no one outside our immediate circle knows yet. Wolf's contact testing us maybe? No—too risky, too much money on the line for them to fuck with us.

My thoughts turn to Sunny. Few people know I've been seeing her after her shifts. Jade. Benny. The security guards at Sirens. But they have no reason to threaten me. Unless...

Unless someone else found out. Someone who thinks they're protecting her. Or someone who wants to use her against us. Or…

I take a photo of the note before carefully folding it into a bag from my glove compartment. The paper feels expensive under my fingers. High-quality. The kind used in professional offices, not cheap copy shops.

Back in my car, I sit for a moment, letting scenarios play out. Could be about the safe house cleanout. Maybe there are things buried in those boxes that are supposed to stay buried. Maybe I found something I wasn't supposed to. Or this could be about splitting me, Levi and Colt up, right when we should be the most solid. Or maybe we aren't the only ones who found Sunny.

Too many possibilities. Too many enemies. And someone bold enough to walk right up to my car before the sun was even set.

I start the engine, watching my mirrors. No tail as I pull out of the lot.

I drum my fingers on my steering wheel, debating. The note sits heavy in my pocket, its message burning in my mind. "Actions Have Consequences."

My phone feels like lead as I pick it up. Colt's number stares back at me. Three weeks of avoiding his calls, and now I'm the one reaching out. Fuck.

The line rings twice before his voice bursts through, way too cheerful. "Z! Man, I was starting to think you'd fallen off the face of the earth!"

"Hey." I clear my throat, already regretting this. "Got a minute?"

"For you? I've got all day. Hold on—" There's shuffling, a door closing. "Okay, I'm alone. What's up?"

I grip the steering wheel tighter. "Something happened at the warehouse viewing. I need you and Levi to be aware."

"Warehouse viewing? The one Wolf set up?" Papers rustle in the background. "Thought that was just routine."

"It was. Until I found a note on my car after." I describe the message, the paper quality, the timing. Keep my voice neutral, just facts.

"Shit." Colt's enthusiasm dims slightly. "You think it's about the expansion? Someone trying to muscle in?"

"Could be. Could be nothing." I watch a stray cat slink past my car. "I wanted you both in the loop though."

"Want us to head back? We can—"

"No." I cut him off. "Not yet. Give me some time to figure out what we're dealing with first."

"But—"

"If we mobilize everyone now, we'll show our hand. Better to keep it quiet until we know more."

Colt sighs, and I can picture him running his hands through his blonde hair, messing it up like he always does when he's thinking. "You talked to Levi yet?"

"You're first call."

"He's gonna be pissed you waited."

"I don't care." The words come out sharper than intended.

"Z..." Colt's voice softens. "You know he's beating himself up about everything. The whole Sunny situation—"

"Don't." My knuckles go white on the wheel. "This isn't about that."

"You sure? Because—"

"It's about business. That's all." I force my grip to relax. "Keep your eyes open on your end, yeah? And tell Levi. I'm not up for that yet."

"Fine." Colt doesn't bother hiding his disappointment. "But Z? We miss you, man. Both of us."

---