Page 52 of Word to the Wise

“Why? He said he’s not close with his family, so it’s not like any of this will fall back on him.”

Sage watches me for a moment, quietly thinking something over.

“You know about his sister?” I guess.

Sage leans back. “I do.”

“And you think that’s why Mason wouldn’t want me to look into them? Because she killed herself, and he’s clearly still working through that?”

He nods, but I can tell there’s more.

The silence is overwhelming. From down the hall, the buzz of tattoo needles fills the space, but in this room, staring at my brother, all I can think about is the weight of what he’s not saying.

When Mason first moved in with Sage, I remember him saying they had a good time partying together. They got along at the shop and had similar interests. But their friendship never extended to anything more than going out and drinking, so I can’t imagine what Sage might know that would bother him as much as this apparently does.

“What do you know that you aren’t telling me?”And do I want to hear it?

I’ve been living with Mason for just under two months, and we’ve yet to set an end date for this arrangement. I’ve become an unofficial roommate. We’re falling into a pattern. One that’s easy to be comfortable in. And it’s terrifying because I’ve let myself feel safe before and had the rug ripped out from under me.

My brother clearly knows something—something that leaves him surprised to find out I’m looking into Mason’s family. Which means Mason’s keeping much bigger secrets than his sister’s cause of death.

Leaning forward, I grip the couch cushion and face off with my brother. “Sage?”

His focus snaps back to me. His eyes flick in my direction. He’s been my protector since I was born, so I think he doesn’t want to hurt me. But I need to hear it.

“How much do you know about what happened after Mason’s sister died, Reed?”

That isn’t what I was expecting him to ask. “A little. I know their dad closed the hotel for a month and tried to keep it quiet. He put out a statement that she’d been struggling with pills since she hurt her back in a car accident and that she was showing signs of depression. But that’s about it. She killed herself. Most families wouldn’t want to talk about that. Especially publicly.”

Especially when the Zane family owns a quarter of the most powerful businesses in Las Vegas.

Sage nods, and he’s zoning out again.

“Why?”

He clears his throat. “Have you come across anything about Sienna’s boyfriend?”

Boyfriend?

None of the articles I’ve read mentioned him. As far as I could tell, she was single.

I shake my head.

“Gabe Prince.”

“What about him?”

“He died not too long after she did.” Sage’s stare moves to the hallway, and I look to see if someone is coming, but they aren’t.

“That’s terrible. Was it suicide as well?”

“No.” Something about the look in his eyes gives me a sinking feeling.

“What happened then?”

Sage stands up and walks over to the couch, sitting next to me. He plants a hand on my leg, and I wish it wasn’t because he senses what’s brewing.

“Are you and Mason a thing?”