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I just hoped she kept her head down and stayed safe in the meantime.

While packing the equipment I’d need to track McKenzie, a new email pinged on my screen.

It was from Shep.Shit. The hitman was after the McKenzie guy, too, only he was offering me one hundred and fifty grand to do a catch and hold—not kill. Much more than Franky’s contract. This was unexpected and made little sense. The only thing I could conclude was Shep didn’t want Franky getting his hands on McKenzie. Except what would Shep want with a no-good drug runner? Maybe he wanted to kill McKenzie himself and knew I could get to him faster than the other hitmen and bounty hunters.

Franky would be pissed if he learned Shep had gone behind his back. I wondered what that intel would be worth to the Mob boss.

No. I couldn’t do that to a brother. And besides, if Shep discovered I’d ratted on him, he’d try to kill me.

But I could accept Shep coming after me. I couldn’t accept Sage working in that club a moment longer. My mind kept returning to Janie and what she’d gone through. Every night Sage worked at Vixens put her at risk of the same fate. I hadn’t been able to help Janie. I’d do anything to get Sage out of there.

Fuck it.

Shep was the most lethal person I knew. If the hitman came for me, I’d do my best to handle him. And if Franky was stupid enough to start a war with Shep, he might as well invest in a cemetery for all the plots he’d need. My Team Zulu brother might even enjoy the opportunity for a little target practice. He had no loyalty to the Mob. They were just his paycheck.

Time to make another call to Franky.