“Pleased to meet you…”
“But that would mean…” Shit. “You’re Phoenix’s stepsister.”
“Ah yes, the redheaded stepchild the family doesn’t like to talk about. Yes, that would be me. Now can we please hurry before I pass out? I’m really close and as much as I’m enjoying being naked in your backseat, we have to go.”
“Phoenix isn’t going to like this.”
“Phoenix can go to hell. I’m saving his sorry ass!” Emiliana yelled.
With a curse, I got out of the car and grabbed the bloody clothes. I put them in the trunk with her ID and then pulled out a blanket so she could wrap herself in it.
I hopped back in the SUV and made a beeline for my house, dialing Uncle Tony on the way.
“Where the hell are you?” he yelled.
“Lake Michigan. She didn’t make it. I did what I had to do.”
“Any ID on her?”
“Nope, but she did say something about someone wanting to kill her. Any ideas?”
Tony sighed. “How am I supposed to know? This business is delicate. Did you burn the clothes?”
“On my way to do just that. She’s sinking so fast, I doubt they’ll find her. I’ll let you know if I have trouble cleaning up.”
“All right, Nixon.”
“Bye.”
I hung up the phone and slammed the steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
“Thanks.” Her voice was getting weaker. I really needed to pull the bullet out of her foot. Well, first things first. We had another person to hide. But first, I was going to find out what she knew. Apparently, I was a bastard. Great. Add that fun fact to my list of damning qualities.
If the father I’d hated my entire life wasn’t my real father, then that begged the question, who was? Because right now… it also meant… I wasn’t the boss.
I never had been. I’d just been allowed to play the part—why?
Chapter Twenty-six
Chase
“Nixon needs us.” I grabbed Trace’s shoulder bag and pushed her toward the car. “Like, right now.”
His text had seemed frantic. Some of the words were even misspelled.
We drove in silence out of the school lot. We hadn’t spoken that much since the kiss or since our encounter at headquarters. Damn, I just wish I knew what she was thinking.
I reached across the console and grabbed her hand.
She squeezed back and didn’t let go.
Not when we drove into Nixon’s driveway.
And not even when we walked to his door.
She was trying.
And I loved her even more for it.
“Honey, I’m home!” I announced when we walked in the door. Nixon was covered in blood and drinking straight-up scotch. What the hell?
Next to him were some bloody clothes, a purse, and—my eyes fell to a girl. A nearly naked girl lying on the floor. She was bandaged up.
“Who the hell is this?” I pointed at her.
She turned to face me, her eyes wide with horror. In an instant she had pulled Nixon’s gun from the table and pointed it at my face.
I already had my gun pointed at her.
Nixon smirked.
Trace released my hand and stepped away.
“Chase, meet Emiliana De—”
“I know who the bitch is!” I yelled.
“Chase.” She smirked. “Just relax, you need to let the past be the past.” Her chestnut hair hung in waves over her bandaged but otherwise naked back. I had to look away before I did something else stupid.
Memories came flooding back to me. Shit. It had been so long ago. I didn’t think I’d ever see her again—no one did.
“No.” I laughed bitterly, bringing my gun back up to aim it at her. “What I need is to put a bullet through your head.”
Nixon burst into laughter. “Chase, sit down, have a drink. You too, Trace. Let’s drink to our misfortune.” He looked wasted already.
“Have you lost your mind?” I stood in front of Trace, blocking her from seeing both of the insane people in the room. “She’s Phoenix’s stepsister, and why in the hell is she nearly naked?”
“I know.” Nixon winced as he took another sip of scotch. “Tell me, Chase. How was your sixteenth birthday party in Vegas?”
“Son of a bitch.” I shook the gun in the air. “Seriously, Mil? You told him?”
She grinned. “Let it go, Chase. It was one time, and I didn’t even tell anyone…”
“Until now,” I grumbled, setting the gun on the table. In a moment of pure stupidity I had slept with Phoenix’s sister. I blamed Vegas. I didn’t know at the time, but she was fourteen. Meaning it was like two kids going at it. Everything that could go wrong went totally, and I mean totally, wrong. It was so damn embarrassing that I made her promise not to tell anyone. Which had worked out just fine until her mom found out and sent her to reform school shortly after.