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14

Sage

Asagroup,wemoved fast to keep up with Brandon. Shep had been beaten badly, although it didn’t slow him down. Reluctant to leave his side, Cameron appeared relieved to be reunited with her man. Ahitman. I wasn’t sure what to think of that or how he looked like he wanted to murder both Brandon and Cameron’s brother.

If Brandon’s injured arm hurt, he didn’t let it show. He and Shep checked the underground garage the way SWAT teams did in movies, and it again made me wonder who my neighbor really was.Computer geek, my ass. Oddly, I found I didn’t care. In a city where police were crooked and the justice system corrupt, sometimes we had to take matters into our own hands.

Finding the parking lot empty, Brandon called us through.

He came to me. “The silver pickup over there is mine. I’ll be with you soon.” Then he glanced at Shep. Those two had shit to sort out.

I nodded and headed for the Dodge at the far end of the parking lot. Cameron and her brother remained a short distance from Shep.

Brandon pressed a button on a set of keys, and a black sedan’s lights flashed. He tossed the keys to Shep, who caught them midair.

Shep squared up to Brandon with his feet planted wide and huge arms folded across his chest. From where I waited by the truck, I couldn’t make out Shep’s angry words, but his body language said enough. The two men were of similar build, and both looked dangerous. If Shep wanted to fight this out here and now, I suspected it would be brutal.

In contrast, Brandon held a much different stance. He shoved his pistol into the back of his cargo pants and raised his palms in a placating gesture. I doubted any excuse was going to cut it with the hitman. Brandon glanced my way while he spoke, then dragged a hand through his hair. It was the first time he’d looked rattled since arriving at the club.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the men parted ways without violence. Shep looked no happier than when their discussion had begun, but he turned his back on Brandon and headed for the car.

Brandon came toward me, holding his injured arm close to his chest.

“Everything all right between you two?”

“If I’m still breathing in a month, I’d say we’re good.” He unlocked the doors.

That Brandon was more nervous about apologizing to Shep than he was about taking on a club full of mobsters meant the hitman must be one scary guy. I wondered if Brandon regretted screwing him over for me.

Sirens wailed in the distance. We had to move. I rolled my eyes when Brandon insisted on driving even though he was hurt.

On the dark city streets, heavy traffic slowed our progress but also concealed our escape. We were just another car stuck in traffic.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“For now? A hotel.” Brandon checked the rearview mirror. “I need to take care of some things quickly. And it’s not safe for either of us to go home right now. Some of Dante’s men escaped. When one of them tells him you were involved, he’ll come for you.”

“He’ll come for you, too.” I reminded him.

“True.” He glanced at me briefly. “I’m afraid we’re in this together.”

Together.He was right, and I didn’t like it one bit. What we’d gone through tonight was intense, the near-death experience somehow solidifying a connection between us. Combined with thepretendlap dance that made my lady parts tingle whenever I thought about it, my head was all over the place. Watching Brandon go all badass hot guy at the club hadn’t helped, either. I must be losing my mind if that turned me on.

“You probably didn’t hear my conversation with Shep,” Brandon said, interrupting my thoughts, “but he killed Franky Russo in the basement.”

“The boss is dead?”

“Yeah. It also means the deal I brokered is nullified. Dante might still think he has a claim on you.”

When my body went rigid, Brandon added, “He doesn’t, Sage. I won’t let him.”

I nodded, unconvinced I was free from Dante just because Brandon said so.

“Besides, Dante has bigger things to worry about. He’s the new boss of the Mob.”

“He is?” How had I forgotten Dante was heir to the Wolf Street Mafia throne?

“Yeah. And he’s got a hell of a task ahead of him. What we did tonight has crippled his organization. It’ll take some regrouping before they’re a strong, united front again.” He glanced my way. “It doesn’t mean you and I are safe, though. I can’t predict what Dante will do next.”