Page 35 of Faded Gray Lines

“No. Yes. No. I don’t know, Matty.” She frowned, moving out of my hold and crossing her arms over her chest. “I didn’t really see the person’s face. I don’t think so. I mean, why would the DEA try to run me off the road?” She glanced up at me with those sad brown eyes full of questions.

She had no idea what she’d done withholding this information. We were used to being on the DEA’s radar, but this was another level of ruthlessness. The one week that Val gave me just shortened.

“Damn it, why didn’t you just go to Brody?” I roared. “He could’ve protected you.Wecould’ve protected you.”

She shook her head. “Not from this. You don’t understand what’s at stake. I had to do it this way.”

“By selling him out because you were too scared to face a self-defense charge?”

The frightened look morphed into a half-smirk. “It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with the fact I have family in politics and law. I know firsthand not everything is fair and just,Mateo. Look at what happened to you.”

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I wound a hand through her tangled hair, jerking her against me. “You don’t get to talk about what happened to me,” I ground out through clenched teeth. “You have no idea what I went through.”

I wanted her fear. I wanted her to feel every moment of hell I went through while I prayed she was safe and would wait for me while I rotted behind bars. But it wasn’t fear on her face as she gazed up at me. It was something far more disturbing.

A challenge.

“No, Matty,” she whispered. “You have no idea whatIwent through.”

“What do you mean?” I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, but I asked anyway.

She took a deep breath, as if she were about to put me out of my misery. However, at the last minute, she puffed out her cheeks and exhaled, dropping her chin to her chest and slowly rolling her neck until she faced me again. This time the liquid honey-brown in her eyes had hardened and the armor she wore as a shield returned.

“Nothing,” she said finally. “It’s nothing.”

“Star—I mean, Leighton, come on. Obviously, it’s not—”

That was as far as I got before headlights flashed below the window then quickly extinguished. Glancing outside, I noticed a dark colored sedan sitting out front that I knew wasn’t there before.

Remembering she’d been followed, I grabbed her wrist. “Come on.”

She stumbled after me. “Where are we going?”

“Out the back.”

“The fire escape?”

“Unless you prefer to walk out the front door where we’re being watched. Personally, being run off the road once would be enough for me, but if that’s your thing, be my guest.”

Pulling Leighton behind me, we climbed out the window and down the fire escape outside of Brody’s apartment. Luckily, since I was always cautious about being seen, the Tahoe was parked out back. Flinging open the driver’s side door, I pushed her inside, quickly climbing in after her. Just as I turned the ignition, I saw her pull her phone out of her pocket.

“What the hell are you doing?” I yelled, knocking it out of her hand. “You can’t call anyone. You said the DEA is blackmailing you. You don’t know who you’re dealing with, Star, and you don’t know what you’re doing.”

She flattened her lips and swiped the floorboard for the phone. “I don’t need you.”

I suppressed a groan while weaving in and out of traffic. “Stop being so fucking stubborn. This isn’t just about you anymore.”

“I can handle this on my own,” she argued, attempting to dial again.

Fucking hell, it’s like arguing with a brick wall.

Reaching over the console, I took the phone out of her hand and tossed it in the backseat.

“We have to tell Brody!”

I didn’t have time for this shit.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called him. As soon as his voice mail picked up, I rushed through my message. “Hey, it’s me. Your apartment has been compromised, so you need to stay at a safehouse or RVC tonight. Don’t worry about your sister. She’s safe and with me.”