“If Dad was willing to go to such lengths as to have his own son manipulate a college girl to protect his company, then what if he pissed someone else off and they went after Bianca as retribution?” I asked, hating the idea when my dad had once been a champion of justice, someone my brothers and I had revered.
“He would’ve told us. He’d ensure the real person responsible for her death was handled—how could he not?”
“Unless he felt guilty?”
“I don’t believe it, but we need to talk to him about this no matter what.”
And how would our sister Izzy take the news? She was finally happy and had her life together. I didn’t want this to cause her to spiral.
I put Constantine on speakerphone so I could reread the last encrypted text exchange I’d had with Jesse before Maria had shown up last night.
Me: I need his name.
Jesse: You’ll get it. I promise. But don’t forget, others need justice, too.
Me: There won’t be anything left of him when I’m done.
Jesse: Which means I should’ve listened to my team, but it’s too late now.
Me: Thirteen years too late.
Jesse: Just hang tight. Please. I’ll be in touch tomorrow.
“Make sure Jesse’s at your apartment when we arrive this afternoon,” Constantine said, as if somehow knowing I was reading my texts. “I’ll get the information out of him, since he doesn’t seem to want to give it to you.”
“Jesse’s not someone you fuck with, trust me on that.”
“And neither am I,” Constantine was quick to respond, and I looked up to see the bedroom door opening.
“I have to go. See you soon.” I ended the call at the sight of Maria and set my phone on the table by the chair. “How much of that did you hear?” I’d only placed the call on speaker less than a minute ago, so hopefully not much. She didn’t need to know the dark details of what was about to go down.
“Not enough to make sense of anything.” She tugged at the hem of my white tee, which went to her midthighs, as she slowly walked my way. “How’d you sleep?”
“Better with you by my side.” I tipped my head toward her apartment next door. “Surprised no one broke down the door to check on you, though.”
“They know you’d never hurt me,” she softly said once within arm’s reach.
“Never.” I reached for her, forgetting for a moment I was supposed to become the man I was before moving to Charlotte. I’d soon need to tear apart New York until I found the answers I needed.
She sat on my lap and hooked an arm around the back of my neck while her legs dangled off to the side.
My gaze wandered appreciatively over her. From her nipples poking through my white cotton shirt to her shapely legs. I skirted a finger up her smooth thigh, and she nudged her knees apart at my touch.
God, I’d wanted her last night and nearly had given in to stroking my cock while she watched. But I knew I’d wind up pulling her into the shower with me. And I’d been too angry, too upset to be gentle with her.
“Thank you for last night. You helped me in a way I didn’t know I needed,” I shared, doing my best to maintain my control now.
“That’s what friends are for,” she murmured as I cupped her cheek with my other hand, and she leaned into my touch.
“Maria?”
“Yeah?” She pointed her big brown eyes at me. So innocent. So beautiful.
“If you ever show your tits to another ‘friend’ of yours,” I began while sliding my hand down the tender column of her throat to swirl my thumb over her nipple, “they won’t be able to see after that,” I announced in a calm voice, unable to prevent the words from leaving my mouth, because when it came to this woman, I knew there was no going back. No watching her date. Absolutely no sharing.
“Oh, is that so?” She leaned back, maintaining eye contact, then ran her short nails over the ridges of my abdominal wall.
“That’s so.” My hand on her tit quickly changed course, finding her ass, and I squeezed, probably a bit roughly. But she spread open her legs even farther at the touch, and a small whimper escaped her lips. With everything going on, it was insane for me to want to hook her panties to the side to get a good look at her pussy, wasn’t it?
I drew my mouth near hers, on the verge of kissing her despite the fact I’d told her in the parking lot last night she’d need to know my past first before our lips touched.
Seconds away from shifting her so she straddled me while I plunged my tongue inside her mouth, I was stopped by a knock at the door.