Groaning, I run my hands over my face. “This what we do now, Seth? We talk in riddles?”
He frowns. “Bro. I know you’re not stupid.”
“What?” I repeat, getting irritated.
“Let me lay some shit out for you,” he says. “This morning I came here and looked over everything transmitted from your wire last night.” He points to the silver chain around my neck. “And there was some good shit, man. The best we’ve gotten so far. Eveline Westerly? She’s fucking scum.”
My stomach twists.
“And then I had to fucking delete half of it because you can’t keep your dick in your pants.”
Every muscle in my body freezes, embarrassment surging through my insides, because how could I be so stupid?
Seth runs his hand over his mouth and down his short beard. “So after I ran through all the situations in my head, I decided there’s no chance Galen will see that and not think you’re in too deep. So I wiped it. For you. To cover your fuckup.”
I breathe deeply, trying to stem the nausea that’s brewing in my gut. “Listen, Seth…”
He shakes his head. “I need you to tell me, honestly, that you know what you’re doing.”
My brows shoot to my hairline and a wall of defense slams down inside of me, because regardless of whether I’m fucking Eveline or not, I damn sure don’t need him questioning my abilities. “You saying I’m not doing my job, Seth?”
“I’m saying that you fucking the daughter of Farrell Westerly on top of a pile of dirty money isn’t exactly making me have confidence you know what the hell you’re doing, yeah.”
I clear my throat, my mind racing on how to fix this. “When have you ever known me to hold back on a case?” I ask.
“Never, but—”
I hold up a hand, cutting him off. “Right, never. And now suddenly, you think I’m losing it within a few weeks? Give me some fucking credit, dude.”
“You’re putting both of us on the line with this shit. You know how much trouble I’d be in if they knew I wiped evidence?”
“I didn’t ask you to do that,” I reply carefully. “She’s involved, clearly, as you can see. And we got the information we needed, did we not? We have coercion and money laundering cases stacking up quicker than we can blink.”
Seth purses his lips. “We both know that’s not the goal here. It’s not enough. We want the supplier.”
I move forward, placing my hand on his shoulder and meeting his eyes. “She’s our in, Seth. It’s her who can get us the information. And if I have to fuck her so she trusts me, then that’s what I’ll do.”
He’s quiet, and with every second he is, guilt spreads through my chest, layer upon layer until it’s heavy and thick.
Finally, he cracks a grin. “You’re a heartless bastard, man.”
I shrug, forcing a weak smile.
That wasn’t why I fucked her. But I’m not lying now. At the end of the day, Eveline is the enemy.
Not my friend.
Not my lover.
Not my anything.
16
NICHOLAS
There’s an abandoned warehouse in the middle of Kinland. At least, to the wandering eye, it seems as though it’s abandoned. Being here now, it’s clear that isn’t the case.
Liam, Zeke, and Farrell are all here, along with a few other lower-level associates that I’ve seen in passing but haven’t gotten to know yet. One of them isn’t even in our files, and I make a note to try and find out more about him later. But right now, it doesn’t matter.
What matters are the crates of weapons staring me in the face and making my heart beat out of my chest.
Holy shit.
It’s dark out here, the stars and the beam of the headlights from our cars the only source of light and Zeke grins, popping open the back of the SUV. “Come on, boys, it’s not gonna move itself.”
I lean in toward Liam. “We’re in the gun business now?”
He side-eyes me but doesn’t respond. Clearly, he still isn’t over the other week.
“We need to check ’em, Skip?” he asks, lifting up the top of one of the long wooden crates and peering inside.
Farrell laughs, perching against the bumper of his car, puffing on a Black & Mild. “They’re good.”
Zeke smiles. “Let’s load ’em up.”
I glance around, the burner phone in my pocket sending anxiety racing through me. My guys know we’re here tonight, but we were under the assumption this was going to be a drug pickup. Not guns. We passed on the info to the local PD, hoping a quick bust would ruffle some feathers, maybe get some mouths to talk without letting them know they’ve got the DEA’s attention. But with every second the PD doesn’t show, my anxiety winds tighter.
A phone pings and Farrell drags his cell out, a cloud of smoke swirling around him while he looks down at whatever’s on the screen. His face changes, and his head snaps up, his eyes bouncing from one guy to the next.
My stomach twists.
“Hurry up,” he snaps. “We’ve got company. Ten minutes out.”
My heart stalls, dropping to the ground. Is there… does he have a connection in the PD?
Of fucking course he does.
I grip one of the crates, my muscles burning as I carry it to the back of the SUV and load it in the trunk, my eyes scanning the area every few seconds, willing the cops to appear. The guns are heavy as fuck and clunky as hell, but it gives me something to do besides focus on the fact that somehow Farrell knows people are on their way.
“Company?” I ask, swiping my hand through my hair.
Farrell walks over to me, resting a hand on my shoulder, his eyes penetrating as they stare directly into mine. “You and those questions.” He puffs on his cigar before letting the smoke blow in my face. “Just like my ma, yeah? Always so many fucking questions.”
Blood races through my veins, my fingers twitching as I debate whether I need to pull my gun. I swallow, shrugging my shoulders. “Just trying to be the best at what I do, Skip.”
“Hmm.” His grip tightens. “Knowledge is power and all that?”
“Exactly.” I grin.
He brings the Black & Mild up to his mouth again and grins around it, his teeth chomping into the filtered tip. “Good man. Now shut the fuck up and load my shit.” Spinning away from me, he gestures toward his car. “Zeke, let’s go. Now.”
My muscles are frozen in place, my heart slamming against my ribs.
Jesus Christ.
Zeke looks back toward us, one leg already in the driver’s side of Farrell’s car. “If you fucks get pulled in, I’ll kill you myself.”
His eyes meet mine and hold for just a second too long. I jerk my chin, hoping it gives him a sense of safety, one that I definitely don’t feel. Because the truth is, while I wish I could guarantee Zeke’s safety, I can’t. Not when I can’t even guarantee my own.
I watch as red taillights disappear into the distance, going over a hill until they disappear entirely.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Liam yells. “Get over here and help. For the love of God, it’s like you’ve got no sense in your fuckin’ head.”