Page 23

“Just drive the car,” I say, facing forward.
I feel Oliver’s eyes on me periodically as we make our way to the Pink Panther, but he doesn’t say anything. The parking lot is empty this early in the morning, and it’s in a shadier part of town, so it’s just us out here. I hope with everything I have no one is inside.
I hurry out of the car and around back. When I spot the black SUV, my stomach coils.
What if I’m too late?
I quicken my pace through the door and don’t slow down until the guard to the hallway I walked through last time catches my eye. I try to look as calm as possible as I walk up, but I don’t miss the way he subtly pulls his gun from his waistband and holds it at his side.
“I’m here to see Settimo,” I say, my tone flat.
“Is he expecting you?”
The way he says it sounds like he’s testing me to see if I’ll lie, and the suspicion in his tone is clear. Part of me wonders if theywereexpecting me.
I shake my head. “No, but it’s important. I need to see him now.”
He eyes me a moment and then slowly puts his gun away. He motions for me to lift my arms, and I do while he pats me down. He pulls out his phone and dials a number before bringing it to his ear.
“Colter is here to see Settimo,” he says.
A muffled response reaches my ears, but I can’t decipher it.
The guard hangs up the phone and steps to the side. I drop the relaxed composure and hurry past him down the hallway and then the concrete steps. I roll my neck when I make it to the door and take a few steadying breaths before pushing through.
I don’t see Settimo, but I do spot Abi. She’s wide eyed and curled into herself with her hands wrapped around her knees on the floor, but she doesn’t look harmed.
Lorenzo is standing off to the side, hands in his pockets and a calm look on his face like he isn’t at all surprised to see me. Only one of his soldiers is in the room, which seems a little odd to me.
“What a pleasant surprise,” he says, although we both know it’s bullshit.
“She isn’t the right girl, Lorenzo.” I clench my fists at my sides to keep myself from barreling toward him.
“Funny, she seems to think so too.”
“She’s telling the truth, then. I already looked into it, and—”
“Do you honestly believe I don’t know who informed the press about your fuckup? This is my job,cousin. I’m much better at this than you.”
“Then what is she doing here?” I shake my head and walk toward Abi. The soldier in the room steps in front of her with a hand on his holster, and I pause.
Lorenzo pulls his hands from his pockets and waves to his soldier to signal him to stand down. His hand slowly moves to his side and he takes a step to the left, giving me a view of Abi again. Her eyes are wide and pleading as she stares at me.
“We’re on the same team, Colter, correct?”
I turn my gaze back to Lorenzo. “Of course.”
“One would think it would be beneficial for teammates to be on the same page. It certainly doesn’t make sense tolieor keep secrets, does it?”
He sneers this time. That calm composure Lorenzo always sports breaks, and the anger underneath seeps through. I glance at Abi again to check for bruises but still see none.
What the fuck is he planning?
“What exactly is it you’re referring to, and what does it have to do with the girl?”
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know,” I say immediately. This time it isn’t a lie. Yesterday, I was certain Abi worked for the other campaign. Now I’m not so sure.