Page 11 of Tarnished Hands

“No, not her.” I shake my head.

“So, care to tell me more?”

He pulls into the parking lot, finds a spot, and then kills the engine.

“Not really.” I get out of the car, end the discussion, and walk into the bar. I see Lydia straight away. She’s sitting at the bar in a short white dress, waiting for us, and she has two friends with her.

“I told her to bring friends,” Tony says, his hand landing on my shoulder and giving me a brief squeeze. “Let’s have some fun.”

This does not sound like fun. This shit sounds like fucking hell. But I don’t get to see my brother all that often, so I walk over with him.

Lydia leans in to hug my brother and kiss his cheek.

“Happy Birthday,” Lydia says with a big smile, and her friends echo it from behind her. “Tony asked me to invite a few friends.”

“I see.” I nod and hold up a hand to get the bartender’s attention. He strolls over, and I order a whiskey neat for myself and one for my brother. But he shakes his head. I forgot he plans to drive.

Guess I’m having two, then.

“Smile,” Tony says, completely tuned out to my pissy mood, which is a good thing, I suppose. The last thing I want to do is bring him down.

“Two drinks, and I’m out,” I tell him as the bartender sets both glasses down in front of me.

“Drink up, big brother. The total is five, and then we can leave.”

“I don’t like that plan.”

“Ezra?” I hear my name and turn to see Lucas. I don’t see him often, except when it comes to removing the bodies left in the cars, when he happily skips in and takes care of them. “Thought it was you. What are you doing in my bar?”

I look around, confused. “This place is yours?” I ask, and he nods.

Lucas has this air about him. I don’t know him well enough to say for sure what it is. It could be his cockiness, or maybe a self-awareness that he always knows what he’s talking about or doing. And he’s deadly. I know he would shoot you and smile while pulling the trigger. He’s that type of man.

“It’s his birthday,” my brother says. Lucas’ gaze moves to him, then to the women at the bar before coming back to me.

“Last I heard, you were fucking Piper. Has that changed?” he asks.

“Who’s Piper?” Tony questions.

“She’s an annoying shit,” Lucas answers.

I tense at his words. I know they’re family, at least I think they are. That’s what the stories say, anyway.

“Oh, interesting,” Lucas says, eyeing me closer and gauging my reaction. He winks before walking into a back room and closing the door.

“Who is Piper?” my brother asks again, and I don’t even hear Lydia’s response. I’m too busy wondering what Lucas found interesting.

Chapter Seven

PIPER

Lucas opens his mouth, and my stomach tightens in irritation. Here it comes—the usual arrogant garbage. His smug smirk stretches wider, and my fingers twitch, already itching to reach for my gun. Maybe I should shoot him again. He can be such a fucking asshole. Luckily for him, Keir asked me not to. Plus, I like his wife way more than I like him, and that’s saying a lot, considering he and I are related.

“Lucas,” Joey warns.

“What?” Lucas answers, still smirking.

“Payment. Come on, stop fucking around.” If it isn’t Joey or me collecting payments, Lucas does it. Not very often, but sometimes it happens. It pays to be protected here.

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