TWENTY
Anthea
It waspast eleven when Lucan left my room and I could finally get out my hidden phone, but I knew Ezra would still be up. My brother was somehow both night owl and early bird, alert whenever he needed to be—which, to be fair, he needed to be a lot when overseeing the Nobles’ domain. I wasn’t sure how much he managed to sleep these days.
I started music playing at a moderate volume on my regular phone to cover my voice in case there were any listening devices in the room and dialed Ezra’s number. As I expected, he picked up after just a couple of rings.
“What is it?” he asked without preamble. “Is it done?”
I sank down on the floor with my back to the side of the bed. “I think I know who’s responsible, but it’s not what we thought. It doesn’t seem as if the Hell Kickers are directly involved.”
My brother let out a scoffing sound. “Not involved? They stormed my operation in Brooklyn just a couple of days ago. Killed nearly every man in there.”
“I know,” I said, my chest tightening. “But that was them retaliating—harshly—because they thinkyoubetrayed them. And after everything I’ve seen here, I’m convinced that Marcel and his sons—and all the higher Hell Kickers men—believe you really did instigate the shootout during the deal meetup.”
“That’s ridiculous.Weknow we didn’t, so obviously—”
“I think it was a third party.” My heart hitched slightly at cutting my brother off, especially when he was clearly not in a good mood, but I had to fill him in properly. “The evidence shows that a shooter who wasn’t with either group fired on the meetup from a nearby location. The goal was presumably to make both you and the Rosanos believe the other had turned against you while stealing the money and the goods for themselves.”
Ezra paused. “You’re sure of this?”
“I haven’t completely confirmed it, but I’m as close to sure as I can get without having witnessed it. It’s the only thing that remotely fits what I’ve found here. And I know who the third party was, as well.”
“Then why haven’t you dealt with them?” my brother demanded.
I inhaled slowly to steady my nerves. He was upset, but hewasmy brother. He’d trusted me to carry out this mission. I didn’t have to be nervous of him the way I’d been with Dad.
“Because I believe the person who orchestrated the supposed double-cross is more closely connected to the Hell Kickers than to the Nobles,” I said. “That the attack was mainly aimed at them, so I should loop the Rosanos in on the situation so they can decide how to best proceed. They know the players better than I could possibly work out while I’m here.”
Ezra let out a rough guffaw. “I don’t want you telling them anything. They could be elbow-deep in this shit. They know the players so well, it’s personal, but they’re completely innocent?”
“Yes. I have good reason to think that the person behind the plot is Marcel’s ex-wife.”
“What?” Ezra said, not hiding his shock.
“It all adds up,” I said quickly. “She was always vying to become part of the business side of his life when they were married, and he continuously put her off. Then he shoved her aside for someone new. I found out that she spread lies about me the last time I was here—I don’t know if you remember that I came home early that last summer? It was because of her. And I saw her talking with one of the lower-level Hell Kickers who’s pretended to have nothing to do with the deal but just happens to be an excellent marksman with a grudge against his superiors.”
“Anthea…” My brother let out a huff of breath. “You’re obviously very invested in this theory. But let’s be reasonable about this. You’re telling me that a woman with no experience in our kind of work managed to screw over two major bosses? That’s ridiculous.”
“I know what I’ve seen,” I broke in. “It’s hardly impossible. Look at me.”
“You’re a rare case. And you haven’t toppled any gang bosses, only taken down a decrepit old man—and it took you five years to do that. I understand you might like the idea of a woman getting the better of higher powers, but you can’t let that color your judgment.”
“I’mnot.” My heart was sinking fast. I’d known he might be skeptical, but I hadn’t expected him to reject my report that quickly and completely. And his dismissal of my solution for Clyde stung more than I’d been prepared for.
Hell, it’d taken me five years partly because I’d had to wait for dear old Dad to kick the bucket before I could even start laying the groundwork. I’d taken particular time and care, staying under the domain of that asshole, so thatEzradidn’t experience any disruption in his business affairs. Where was the gratitude for or even recognition of my sacrifice?
“Say nothing to the Rosanos about your silly theory,” my brother went on, his voice cold. “Get your head on straight the way I know it can be and figure out who’sreallybehind this mess. And soon, because I’m gearing up for a counterattack here, and I’d rather you weren’t caught in the crossfire.”
He didn’t say I wouldn’t be, though. He didn’t say he’d make sure to get me out before his retaliation put me in danger. My throat tightened, my jaw clenching.
How could I make him understand that I knew what I was talking about?
“Ezra, you have to—” I started, forgetting caution in that moment and speaking just a little louder than before—and of course at that exact moment, the door whipped open behind me.
I jerked around, hanging up the call and flicking the phone under the bed. It was too late. Darius stormed inside, his eyes narrowing, his brothers right behind him.
“Ezra?” he repeated. “You were just talking to your brother? Your backstabbing brother who supposedly kicked you out of the house because he had no use for you?”