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Brick’s mouth twitched, his chest flaring with rapid breathing.

His father shrugged, acting as if seeing his son getting threatened was normal. It probably was. “Your family and mine, we don’t get along so well. Spilling blood will break whatever semblance of a truce that we have. My son says he’s innocent, and we all know you aren’t about to try and get the cops involved to investigate. So ... my advice? Walk the fuck out of here, and forget about whatever your lady friend told you.”

Twisting on a heel, I stormed for the exit. Only then did I notice the bar patrons were all standing, their hands resting on their weapons. It was a cold reminder that I was in Deep Shots’ territory; as notorious as we were, any one of them would happily pull their triggers in respect for Frock and his gang.

Keeping my hand by my gun, I walked the slow march out, then up to the street. The sun felt refreshing on my skin after being soaked in the ash below.

I’ll tear his fucking throat out.

“Kain!” Hawthorne’s hand clasped my shoulder from behind. Spinning, I broke his contact and backed up. Costello was beside him, they both watched me as if I was some rabid animal. “Calm down, Kain.”

“How can I calm down? That asshole down there is lying! He went after her!”

Thorne started to move forward, but Costello beat him. Rounding on me, my scarred brother ignored whatever fury was boiling in my eyes. One strong shove and he had me backed against Hawthorne’s car. “Listen to me,” he whispered. “Don’t youdaredo anything rash. Understand?”

Faced with the jagged cut that marred his face, I hesitated. Costello would always be a cold reminder of what could happen if you tried to take a serious situation into your own hands.

Ever so slightly, I relaxed. His pale irises warmed. Deliberately, he let me go and backed up. “It’s obvious that Brick is lying. His father is right, though. We can’t do anything about what happened. Unless you want to go to war?”

My chuckle was sour. “Might be fun.”

Hawthorne sighed, his keys tossing up and down in his fingers. “Kain, don’t be stupider than usual. Let’s just go tell Dad what we learned. He might have a solution.”

“He’ll just tell us to keep everyone on lockdown until he’s sure they won’t try anything again.”

“Then let that happen.” Costello climbed into his own car, the door wide open as he talked to us. “You want her to be safe. Let her be safe with us.”

As I settled into the car, I ran the situation through my head. I was positive that Brick had been posing as a waiter at our party. But why he’d targeted Sammy after the raid, I had no damn clue.

After all of this, I didn’t feel an inch closer to an answer.

- CHAPTER THIRTEEN -

SAMMY

The rosebushes blocked out most of the sky. Lifting my arm, I spread my fingers, pretending to grab one of the pink flowers. The world around me cascaded with birdsong, and the air smelled divine.

No one would have guessed how miserable I was.

I have to get out of this place.I’d already tried once; right after the morning meeting about my mystery attacker, I’d kicked the front door open and looked for an escape.

It was very dramatic, and I like to think I looked like a badass. But then I’d ended up wandering around like a lost puppy. The cars parked on the large, round driveway were all locked. Everything in the garage was no better.

Flustered, I’d stomped back into the front yard, ignoring how everyone was watching me through the windows. Their stares burned on my neck, reminding me that of course I was being watched.

Kain had come to the front doors, standing on the landing. “Sammy,” he’d called to me. “Come inside, let me talk to you.”

Holding my head high, I’d walked on stiff legs around the side of the house. My ears rang with my name on his tongue. There were a million things I wanted to say to him, many of them not meant for children to hear.

Let him simmer,I told myself. If I couldn’t control my escape, then I’d control what I could. I didn’t have to speak to any of them. Especially not Kain.

I’d thought he was on my side. That had been my mistake.

Afterward, I’d heard three of the cars rev up. Even lying in the backyard, I could tell they were driving east off the property. The metallic clang of the front gate slamming shut made my heart skip.

Since then, I’d been lying in my shaded part of the garden for a couple of hours. How was I going to get out of here? I needed to see my mother, and what was going to happen to my business? My appointments? Everything was turning to shit.

The scent of hay broke through the fragrance of roses. A shadow blocked out the sun, making me blink and look up. With a giant smile on her round face, Matilda looked down on me. “Hey, stranger, what are you doing back here?” she asked.