Page 89 of Lovely Venom

She’s got me now. I’ll make this right.

Griffin cups my shoulder with bruising strength. “Whoever she belongs to, they’re using her to put a bullet in you.”

“Wait. Why me?” I look around the room. “I didn’t kill Berisha.”

“Classic mistaken identity,” Shane says, looking guilty. “Whoever briefed Noel after he took over said it was you. Not me.”

“Or showed a picture and asked around,” Rhys says, looking from me to Shane. “You two look a lot alike.”

The laugh that escapes me is dark and amused.

“I’m not clearing that up.” I settle back into my chair. “I’m not turning some high-strung girl with a gun on my little brother who’s going to be a father.”

Griffin watches me carefully. “We don’t want anyone with a gun going after any of us.”

“She’s already targeted me. I’m the best situated to handle her now that I know exactly who she is and why she wants me dead.” I grin. “I’ll take care of it.”

Rhys is still watching me. But he’s quiet, which is never a good sign. He knows something else.

“How?” Griffin asks me. “Are you going to kill her?”

“Hell no.” My blood heats at just the idea of hurting her. “I’ll bring her to my tunnel and make her tell me everything about the brotherhood. Then we go after Noel.”

They’re a fucking nuisance. They stole weapons fromus, even though we got them back and killed their couriers. Berisha stormed Lennox’s club and roughed her up, but Shane killed him.

Then they put a hit onme. But I have their secret weapon, who just happens to be obsessed with my cock.Andour little game.

Shane lowers his head, and after making a tight fist, he says, “There’s one other thing, Connor. Rhys told me where Noel lives. We snagged a cleaning lady and paid her to keep her ears open for shit they don’t put in texts. She informed us that Noel told Raina he plans to marry her to secure his place askyre.”

My legs lose their feeling, and I can’t breathe. “Why? If he knows she’s not Berisha’s daughter?”

Rhys utters the words before Shane gets a chance to. “Someone is telling lies over there. To Tahiri. To her. Somone promised her a place in their world. A princess fairy tale. Tempted her with a shiny crown.”

I meet his gaze, unflinching. “She’s not like that. She doesn’t care about a crown.”

“But she has nothing else,” Shane says.

“She has me.” My words shock the shit out of everyone.

Before anyone can tell me I’m insane, Shane rakes a hand through his dark auburn hair. “That sucks for you because the minute someone gets their hands on her DNA and finds out she’s not Berisha’s daughter, Tahiri will most likely murder her.”

“We need to contain this before it blows up. I’ve heard enough.” Griffin turns to Trace. “Find her. Bring her to the tunnel for interrogation.Iwant to talk to her.”

Trace doesn’t hesitate. “Done. Rhys, let’s go.”

They leave, and I curse under my breath, worried about what Griffin will do to her. She hasn’t hurt me, except for drugging me. But I stupidly think it’s becauseshe likes how I fuck her. Now, I’m worried she’s reckless and unhinged if she were desperate enough to believe the Albanians.

Griffin showing up, the king, the don, the boss, might set her off. She’s got skills and tricks he’s not prepared for.

“I need a fucking smoke,” I grumble and jog outside the trailer to catch up with Rhys.

Neither Griffin nor Shane follow me outside. They hang back to talk about something in the trailer. Something they don’t need me for.

Or they’re talkingaboutme.

The Albanians are fucking with Raina, and my brothers are fucking with me.

Outside, Trace heads to his Mercedes. His wide shoulders and his lethal grace make me glad he’s on our side. Cousin or not.