Page 25 of Faded Gray Lines

Of course.

It reminded me of the countless nights we’d lie on the grass, waiting to see one. She’dalways believed destiny was written in the stars and seeing one fall meant a big change was about to come.

We never saw one. I should’ve known the reason was because she was my shooting star. Her prediction had been right. Eventually change did come, and I never saw her again.

Until today.

I raised my beer in a toast toward the sky. “Bullshit. The only thing written in the stars is, ‘fuck you, Mateo.’” Tilting the bottle back, I drained half of it in one gulp.

Dios mío, I should’ve been able to let her go. I thought I had. Hell, she’d obviously had no problem doing it. She’d allowed Delgado to get close enough to almost end her life. Just the thought of them together made me want to go back and pick up that soap dispenser she’d thrown at me so I could bash his head in. If he wasn’t already dead, of course.

Shit, that posed another problem. I’d been so distracted by her I never asked any questions that mattered. This was exactly why any direct contact between us from now on had to involve Brody. I didn’t trust myself to be alone with her.

I’d just tossed my empty beer bottle on the side table when my jacket buzzed. I didn’t bother to see who it was. Other than the informant I called at the bar, only three people had the number to this phone. One had already threatened to break my legs if I disappeared with his sister again and the other was probably balls deep in his dumb as rocks bartender.

That only left one person.

I answered with a smirk. “Are you calling for an update, or did you just want to hear my voice?”

Val wasn’t in the mood for jokes. “Why the hell do I put up with your disrespect?”

“Because I’m loyal as hell, and you know it,” I said, grateful for the distraction.

He said nothing for a moment, and I allowed myself the small victory. They were few and far between with a man like Val.

“Update,” he demanded.

“Huh?”

He let out a frustrated growl. “Update, you drunk asshole.”

“There’s been a glitch.”

“What glitch?” he asked, his voice low. “My instructions weren’t complicated. Get Harcourt and his sister out of this shit, find out what the fuck Delgado was up to, and make it go away.”

I stared at the city below my feet. “She’s the problem.”

“Who?”

“Harcourt’s sister.”

Val sighed. “Keep your hands off her, Mateo. Wasn’t it you who reminded me that Leighton Harcourt isfamilia? We don’t fuckfamilia.”

The repetitive word made me wince. “Too late.”

He let out a string of curses. “You’ve been there less than twelve fucking hours. What the hell, Cortes? You couldn’t go a full twenty-four without sticking your dick into a lieutenant’s sister?”

I gripped the metal arm of the chair. “Thanks for your concern, but I’ve gone a full four years without sticking my dick in her.”

“Mateo, this shit is getting complicated. I hate complicated.”

“It’s not what you’re thinking. I had no clue my girl was Brody’s sister. Especially not the sister who’s causing all this shit.”

“How in the hell could you not know?” he demanded, cutting me off. “How many Leighton Harcourts have you fucked, Mateo?”

“None. When I met her, she told me her name was Star.”

There. I said it.