A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(111)

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE


JESS


I . . .

. . . Bear.



I killed Bear.

It’d been Bear . . .



Bear!

It was Bear, and I’d killed him.

Time needed to stop.

I needed to stop feeling.

Right. Now.

Business.

Take care of my mom.

Trace—Trace!

I needed to find out what was happening with Trace, tell Trace, and then I’d deal.

I’d deal later.



“They got my uncle. They tried to kill Ashton.”

“What?” I was on the phone, but this time we were at Leo’s house. I was in his study while he was in the living room with my mom. I needed some time, and I wanted to check in with Trace. I also just wanted to hear his voice because that was the sappy-fool-in-love part of me now. I supposed I’d need to resign myself to this pattern. Something happening and me needing to feel connected to him so I felt more centered.

Also, I was worried. “The cops filled me in, said they had calls coming in from all over the city, that something was going down.”

“Stephano’s dead, and they tried to kill Ashton. Remmi called, said two guys tried to shoot her. We’re still taking inventory of what all they hit.”

His uncle? The head of the West family?

I didn’t even know how to process that. I frowned. “They tried to shoot your sister in Vegas?”

“Not Vegas. Apparently she’s here, staying with my father. She’s been there this whole time.”

“Your dad?”

“She said he wasn’t there. She has no idea where he was, but her security guards got off a couple shots. They got away, nothing substantial against them or who they were.”

A really horrible thought was coming to me. “Trace.” I felt sick, thinking about it.

“What?”

“You said there’s a leak. What if it was Bear?”

“I don’t see how it could’ve been unless he was working with someone else in my family. Bear’s connected to the old neighborhood, but the information leaked about our warehouses was all new information, info that he couldn’t know unless, again, he was getting that information from someone else on the inside.”

“You said information was leaked to law enforcement. He could’ve been the go-between.”

“He could’ve, but if he was, then we’re still looking for a second leak. I didn’t know Bear. Ashton didn’t. The leak is someone we know. That’s basically the only thing we do know.” He dropped his voice. “Are you okay? I’m worried about you.”

I drew in a breath; my insides were starting to shake. A little. “I am. I mean, I killed Bear. My mom is a wreck, and right now, I’m just focusing on her and doing what I need to do. Bear—I’ll process that later. My focus now is hoping that my mom doesn’t start drinking again.”

“How’s she handling it?”

“She hasn’t stopped sobbing. Leo steps away from her, and she breaks down all over again. She’s in his living room, wants all of us to sleep there together. She’s too scared to be without one of us around her.”

“How did Leo know to go to your house?”

“I put a call in. He said he heard it on the scanner.”

“That was fast.”

“He said he was already coming over.” I let out an unsteady breath. “What are you doing tonight?”

He was quiet at first, then lowered his voice. “Are you asking because you want to know? Or are you asking because . . . I don’t know. What are we doing here?”

I shook my head, leaning back and resting it against the back of my chair. “I don’t know, Trace. I just know that my mom is alive. I killed her childhood best friend, and you’re the first person I called as soon as I could. So whatever that means to you is what it means to me.”

He chuckled, softly. “I’m glad you called. It means something. I think we might be getting serious.”

I grinned, holding back a laugh because that felt inappropriate. “Don’t say things like that. A girl might get all kinds of ideas.”

“Maybe I want this particular girl to get those ideas.”

“Then maybe you should say more.”

He barked out a laugh. “I love you. I’m assuming since you’re at Leo’s house that I’d not be welcomed to come and slip into bed with you.”

I let out a quiet laugh, standing. “I do not want another reenactment like what just happened at my mom’s house, so no. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Hey, Trace.” I was heading for the door and turned the light off before I opened it.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for what happened to you guys tonight, but I’m glad that they didn’t try to shoot you.”

“They didn’t know—” He stopped, cursing swiftly.

“What?”

“They didn’t know where I was. No one knew. I slipped my guys because I wanted to see you, and I didn’t want to be bothered with the business. I didn’t want to bring my guards with me. No one knew where I was.”