Page 41 of Alexei

“But I never got caught. Big difference.”

“Asshole,” she cursed her brother.

“Illegal underage drinking,” her brother retorted dryly. “Breaking and entering. Those were some serious offenses, Rora.”

“I did my community service. All four of us did.” I couldn’t picture Agent Ashford breaking a law. “For the whole goddamn summer. We paid our dues. And don’t turn this on me. Are you or are you not doing shit with the Morrellis and Santos?”

“Aurora, there are many shades of gray in the world.”

“Don’t fucking start with shades of gray and criminals. You are either a criminal or you are not. There is no in-between.”

If Agent Ashford didn’t believe in shades of gray, I’d be tar black evil in her book. I could already see it. Agent Ashford and I would workgreattogether. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to lock me up.

“Yes, there is.” Her brother protested. “There is always another criminal to take the spot of another who is even worse. So you opt for the lesser evil.” She snorted so loud, we could hear it from our spot. “I'll never apologize for keeping us safe. Our family, Rora.”

In a different world and under different circumstances, I suspected I could see eye-to-eye with Byron Ashford.

“Not a single day goes by where I don’t worry about something happening to you,” her brother growled. “Why do you think your brothers and I build all this shit? Not for our father. So we can keep you and each other safe.”

“But-”

“Rora, if you are looking for me to say I’m sorry for dealing with them, you’ll wait a long time.” Bianca and Bella gasped softly. “I’ll deal with the criminals as easily as kill them. Nico Morrelli is a lot better than his father, so I opted to deal with him. The same is true with Raphael. And as long as they don’t threaten you or our family, I’ll deal with them. And you will too.”

“Do you even hear yourself, Byron?” Agent Ashford’s voice shook, though it wasn’t from fear. I knew her brother would never hurt her, but I still had to fight the urge to go beat him so he’d stop upsetting her. “Dealing with them will bring trouble to our doorstep,” she continued. “Did you see what just happened? Psychotic, I tell you. Dad dealt with them and look what-” Her voice broke and it was a fucking stab straight to my heart. “Why do you think all that fucking shit happened? He made deals with the wrong devil. At our cost. At Kingston’s cost.”

“I’m not him, Rora. And you know that. He did it for his own benefit. His own advancement. I’m doing it for us. Because I’ll be damned if I let another sibling get taken. And you know our mother’s connection to the Kingpins keeps our one foot in that world.”

My eyes shot to Nico, wondering if he knew. The surprise across his expression told me he didn’t know, and that was a rarity. Raphael’s and Vasili’s expressions told me they didn't know it either.

“How in the fuck didn’t we know that the Ashfords had connection to the Kingpins of the Syndicate?” Vasili hissed under his breath. Yes, that was a crucial piece of information that I didn’t share with him. However, it had no relevance here.

“Sis, do you trust me?”

A heavy sigh followed.

“I do, Byron.” The pain in her voice gutted me. “I just don’t know if I can live with myself if something bad happens again.”

“I’ve got this,” he assured her. “I’ll keep us safe, from everyone. And Father’s enemies can go fuck themselves.”

Her soft chuckle traveled over the breeze. Byron Ashford would be busy for as long as his father was alive because that bastard dealt with shady motherfuckers.

“If people only knew what a foul mouth you have, Brother,” she mused.

This time he chuckled right along with her.

“Okay, Miss FBI. Tell me what the deal is with you working with the Nikolaev men.”

Silence stretched. Three seconds and then an exhale.

“It’s confidential.”

“You are in the field, aren’t you?”

“No.” Even without seeing her, I could hear the hesitancy in her voice.

“Liar.”

“You keep us safe your way. I’ll do it mine,” she argued, sounding too defensive.