Page 83 of The Last Dance You Saved
The ranch had broken me open, taken the control I prided myself on and tossed it to the wind. I felt like the nineteen-year-old kid I’d once been, staring down my father’s disappointment. Not because his girlfriend was pregnant but because ofwhothe girlfriend was.
Dad had been clear—I’d let my family down.
And he hadn’t lived to see the worst of it. To see just how I’d left the door wide open. To see how I’d all but welcomed the monsters in simply by turning my back on them.
I wanted to send everyone I cared about to the other side of the planet while I unraveled what was happening here and ended it. And yet, letting Sadie and Fallon leave my sight to help Lauren with the dinner was enough to turn my palms sweaty. The desperate need to keep them close and send them away was a dichotomy I couldn’t fix.
Sadie’s pretty little speech about the people who loved me wanting me as safe as I wanted them had scored through me. The idea of her loving me, standing up for me, standing beside me, had seared through the grief and remorse and fury. And then she’d all but slayed me with the new dare she’d laid down.You stay, I stay.
I could make her leave. I could forcibly remove them all. I could say things that would hurt her enough to make her run, but then what would I do when this was over? I’d have cut off my nose to spite my face. Because one thing was certain—I wanted a future with the dark-haired vixen who’d stolen my heart.
Steele sent Parker after Sadie and Fallon, and it gave the tension knotting every vein a miniscule amount of relief. He’d keep them inside. He’d keep them covered. The best thing I could do for them right now was exactly what Sadie had told me to do—find who this was and end it.
“We need to overhaul the house alarms right now,” I told Steele. “What we have now sounds an alert at a couple of doors, and that’s it. None of the windows are wired, and there are no cameras.”
Steele nodded. “I know. But the kind of system you need takes coordination and time. I’ll do my best to get it here and installed by Monday or Tuesday. Until then, I’ve got an entire squad of bodies on their way. You really going to let Puzo’s men play a role here?”
I rubbed a hand over my head. “I’m not sure I have a choice.” Something dark and ugly curled inside me as I asked, “Do you believe him? About not having a part in any of this? About not ever having condoned anything illegal?”
With a carefully placed dig, Puzo had caused me to doubt what I’d been absolutely certain was true. An ugly trepidation curled through me, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I was missing something. Out of arrogance and pride, I might have made another colossal mistake.
“The evidence against Ike Puzo and his pals was ironclad, Rafe. Is it possible he was dealing drugs, running guns, and laundering money out of the club without Lorenzo knowing? Sure. Is it likely?” Steele hesitated before shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”
Noah stepped forward. “You know I grew up in Vegas, right?” We both gave him a curt nod. “The Puzo family has always played a huge role in that town, both the good and the bad sides of it. The urban legends that tell of what was done to people who went up against the Puzos, or even looked sideways at them, were gruesome enough we used them to scare each other as kids.” I barely kept myself from rolling my eyes at him, and he waved his hand. “I get it. You’ve heard it all too. But have you heard the mumblings about trouble in Puzoland?”
“What kind of trouble?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Like, not everyone in the family was happy when Old Man Puzo died and left his grandson in charge,” Noah said. “Do you know Ike’s twin sister? Theresa?”
I remembered her from my time in the club. She’d spent as much time there as her brother had. Dark-haired, athletic, and smart with a strong Italian nose, deep brows, and minimal curves. She’d flirted with me now and again, but I’d always steered clear, not only because I hadn’t wanted to mess with my boss’s family but because I’d heard rumors about the men she’d taken to her bed who’d gone missing.
That twinge returned, tightening my chest muscles and making it hard to breathe.
Barry walked in, leading the sheriff, and I had to leave the problem of Puzo behind. I spent the next few hours with him, reviewing what had happened since I’d arrived and trying not to react when he’d asked to speak to Sadie, Fallon, Lauren, and every single guest for verification.
It was nearing midnight by the time the house was quiet and Sheriff Wylee had left, taking Adam’s computer with him. He left a deputy patrolling with Noah and promised to have a small crew on hand at the wedding the next day, but his staff was limited, and they had their normal patrol to handle too.
I poured two glasses of bourbon and handed one to Steele. “I can’t seem to trust my gut, Jim. Tell me the truth. You think this is Adam, Puzo, or them working together?”
“I don’t know Adam. He’s an unknown to me. But whoever shot at you tonight either had really bad aim or missed on purpose.”
“You think it was a warning rather than an actual attempt on my life?”
“The chances of you dying from the rattler were slim also. You would have been able to call 911, and while the ranch is remote, it isn’t out of range of the help you would have needed.”
If it was Adam and he was issuing a warning to get the hell out of his life, he had to know this kind of challenge would only make me dig my heels in more, wouldn’t he? Or maybe this was just like him luring me out with his rook and his bishop while he slid behind to try to take my queen when we’d played chess. He’d hated when I’d seen his strategy and evaded and defended my position. We’d ended in as many stalemates as we had with either of us winning.
“You find out who his girlfriend is?” I asked Steele.
He shook his head. “No, and I asked Sheriff Wylee if anyone in town knew, and he seemed shocked to find out Adam was seeing anyone at all.”
I sat down, exhaustion finding its way into my bones. I’d been on alert for days now. Since Sadie Hatley had walked into my bar. And while I knew none of what was happening now was her fault, it had been the point at which my calm life had first spiraled out of my control. The adrenaline rush that had started my day, searching for Adam, and that returned during the shooting, had disappeared, leaving me numb. All I wanted to do was go upstairs, slide into bed with Sadie, and remind myself how to feel.
“I’m going to go check on the arrival time for our crew and dig some more into Adam’s accounts. You still don’t want me to track his Mercedes? His devices?”
Wylee had said they’d get a judge to issue a warrant, but it might take time. Would it matter if he did it or Steele? “See what you can find.”
Steele’s face all but lit up, and he strode out of the office without another word.
