Page 120 of Broken

My jaw is so tense, it feels like I’m about to crack all my back teeth. He’s going around in circles and it’s pissing me off. This isn’t a simple case of making sure those assholes aren’t a danger to her.

This is an underlying gut feeling about Ray Dutton. One I don’t like. The prick was in her apartment building and didn’t go see the guy he should have been there for.

“I came here out of respect, Nero. Like I’m expected to. I won’t let something go down that I could have prevented. Even if it is nothing that will affect her. When I saw him there,” I clench my fist. “He recognized me.”

For the first time since I got here, Nero is troubled.

“Did you talk to him?”

“No, I was with Calli. I got her inside then went out to see if I could catch him.”

“Did you?”

He reads me without me having to say it. “What is it with this guy Nero?” I lean forward too. It’s confrontational. At this point, I don’t care. “You wanted to see me because of this guy too. You already said that. Whatcanyou tell me?”

Silence hangs heavily between us. Who the fuck cares if I overstepped? He’s going to tell me something I will not like.

“We’ve known one another a long time. Our association has never been understood by anyone else at the club. More than once, I’ve had to tell members to stand the fuck down when it comes to you.”

“If you think I care about that, you don’t know me.”

He lets out a very small, begrudging laugh at that. It fades and his face is serious again. “I will not divulge what I was looking into him for, but after we dug a little deeper, it brought something else up.”

“And you want me to look into that.” It’s not a question, but it is weird that he won’t tell me, yet needs more from me.

“No. I looked into this myself. I had to make sure I knew the truth before I talked to you.”

Now I’m confused. Wait… Dutton recognized me the other night. Is this something to do with me? What the fuck?

Nero watches me closely, then glances at his son. He is holding his juice cup with one hand and using a red plastic hammer to smash some toy soldiers with the other. A chip off the old block already.

Now I get it. He brought me here, with his kid in the room, because what he is going to tell me is going to end badly. Possibly for Nero. He needs to keep me in check and that kid will do it.

My opinion of him changes. Using his kid like this? That’s fucked up.

Until he tells me what he knows about Ray Dutton.

And it shatters my world.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Calli

It’s been days since I saw Garrett. I sent a couple of texts but got no response. I mean, I’m not stupid. He was shitting himself about how things have changed between us. If that last morning was anything to go by. It took all my strength not to let slip I’ve got feelings for him.

Despite warning myself where Garrett is concerned, I forgot to guard my heart.

Now he’s ghosting me. He may be busy at the shop. Or his phone broke. Or he got out while the getting was good.

The alternative is, he’s preparing in case I leave. Maybe he’s protecting himself. Assuming he feels the same way I do. I’m halfway convinced I’m delusional. His lack of response is loud and clear.

It felt like we were getting closer. Spending time together, sharing our private tragedies and supporting one another. Am I the biggest fool on the planet?

Working with Vaquero Advisers on the most important building design of my career is weighing on my mind. It’s taken days to get my head around them tracking me down to continue our working relationship.

It’s another nice day in the city. The temperature is high, and the sun is warm, but it’s nothing like how hot it can get in Texas. I stayed back to clean up the coffee shop so Ruby could head out to meet her brother and sister.

It’s time I laid out my problems. Now I’ve had a chance to think without added distractions.

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