Page 5 of Misconduct & Manipulation

Do or die.

I’m either gonna be my father’s ghost or a noble man.

Meeting Mike’s narrowed gaze, I swallow hard, sweat beading at my brow.

“I was cornered outside Dizzy’s by a bunch of masked men and taken to unknown location. They handcuffed me to a pipe and beat the fuck of me.”

“Primo—”

I shake my head.

When Mike discovered first Cassie was missing, he enlisted the help of a local drug lord that he sometimes worked for—a guy named Primo. I led them to the distillery, and I was the one who put the first bullet in my old man, but it was Primo’s guys that killed him, sending two bullets between his eyes.

“I know it wasn’t Primo.”

His shoulders go slack, and relief fills his eyes, but it’s fleeting as he silently makes the connection.

“The Scorpio Society,” he mutters.

“I stopped by your apartment tonight to tell you that you need to get Cassie out of here and far away from Stonewall, but I don’t know if that’s the endgame here anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

Trying to choose my words and make sense of all the runaway thoughts inside my head, I reach behind me and squeeze the back of my neck.

“They know the truth,” I start. “It doesn’t matter that we didn’t get the kill shot, in their eyes we had a hand in murdering one of their own and now we are public enemy number one. Or at least I am, but I don’t trust them not to finish what my father started with Cassie. She’s a liability to them. If she talks—”

“She won’t.”

“They don’t know that Robinson. All they know is that she can blow up all their secrets and they’re going to do whatever they can to stop her. Even if that includes using me to do their dirty work.”

He shakes his head.

“You?”

“They gave me a choice, I can either play by their rules and take my father’s place within the society or leave Stonewall.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. They can’t force you to leave. You’re the star pitcher of the Sinners—if you just upped and left it would raise too many flags.”

“Would it? Think about it man. They spin everything to fit their narrative. All they gotta say is that I was grieving the loss of my father. If they want to elaborate, they can have Coach tell them I started self-medicating. They can fucking do and say whatever the fuck they want. They own everything and everyone.”

Aside from his jaw ticking and his fist opening and closing, there is no response.

“The way I see it there is no choice here. If I oblige and do as they say, then we have a chance of protecting Cassie and my sister.”

“How do you figure?”

“Well, technically, I’ll be pledging to the society. They won’t induct me until I fulfill whatever requirements they have. I can only imagine what they’ll ask of me, but as long I got their chains around me, I’m your eyes and ears. I’m giving you my word, right here and now, that I will never hurt Cassie or that baby.”

“So let me get this straight, you’re suggesting you go in under the guise that you are pledging to take your father’s place in the Scorpio Society, but in actuality you’re a mole.”

“That’s right.”

“They’re going to kill you.”

“They’re going to kill me either way. They proved that much tonight when they shot at me.”

He crosses his arms against his chest.

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