Kiss the Stars (Falling Stars #1)(109)

Apprehension flooded my system.

Blood thudding hard when I realized it was all tied.

Lana.

Nixon was responsible for Lana.

Sweat slicked my skin.

Awareness riding free.

Terror taking over.

I shoved my feet into my shoes while she continued talking.

“Apparently, they’ve had the girl followed, too. A warning that they were watching. Keeton went to Krane two days ago, Leif. Gave him the evidence he had that Nixon is the one who’s been guilty all along. When I found out what Braxton knew about your connection, I put a tail on Nixon. Nixon left for Georgia last night, Leif, coming after her, and one of Krane’s men flew there after him.”

Horror slicked beneath my skin.

“What?” I forced through the clotted disorder.

“I know you don’t believe me or trust me. I get it. I was a horrible mother. I know that I was. Since the day you were born. Selfish and stupid. And when I met Keeton . . . I thought I’d finally found a solution for who I was. For all the ways I’d failed you. Someone to take care of us. And he did in his own way.”

My teeth clenched, unable to process all of this.

She continued without stopping. “I know you think Keeton blamed you for skimming off that deal. Think he believed it was you. Thought we didn’t care.”

I ground my teeth in spite. Barely able to keep it together.

“He didn’t, Leif. He never condoned what happened, and he never would have gone after you. But once you were gone, he had to act like he was in line with Krane . . . for the sake of Petrus. For the sake of the family. For the sake of Braxton. He had to protect everyone who was involved. If we went after Nixon? You know there would have been more bloodshed. He had to make the choice.”

I could hear the weight of her swallow. “We decided it was best to let you think we were against you. Safer for you to stay far away from L.A. Until we had enough to take out Nixon without it putting the rest of the crew in danger. Believe me or not. It’s up to you. But it is the truth.”

A jagged breath ripped from my lungs.

This was what I’d wanted all along, wasn’t it? To see Nixon go down?

Burn at the motherfucking stake?

An end to the scourge that he was.

But the only thing I cared about right then was Mia.

Mia and Penny and Greyson.

Possession rushed. A protectiveness that blotted out everything but them.

“I sent Braxton to take up your side. His flight landed an hour ago. Go. Protect her.”

She ended the call without saying anything else.

Instantly, I dialed Mia.

My soul chanted it. Mia. Mia. Mia.

It went to voicemail.

I tried again with the same result.

Dread curled, blood drenched in violence, mind spiraling that direction.

I dialed Lyrik while I grabbed the gun I’d shoved into the nightstand drawer. Checking that it was loaded.

He answered on the first ring.

Like maybe he’d been waiting on me to call.

“Lyrik.”

Worry silently shouted back before he grunted out the words, “Where the fuck are you?”

“Mia’s not answering,” I said instead.

“Yeah, that’s because her prick of an ex-boyfriend showed here a couple hours ago and the guy who was supposed to be sticking by her side took off like a pussy.”

Shit. Fuck. I blinked, trying to see through the barrage of fear that impaled me.

“Things get too heavy for you?” he taunted.

Yeah, way too fucking heavy.

“Where are they? Need to know, right now.”

Thought he must have felt the violence that was skating from my tongue because he lowered his voice like he was trying to keep the conversation from the rest of the house. “What’s going on?”

“Nixon isn’t who you think he is.”

“Yeah, well I think he’s a piece of shit, so . . .”

“He was using the gallery as a cover, Lyrik. Running shit through the back. Lana was killed as a warning. Need to make sure Mia is safe. Think they’ve been sending a message this whole time.”

A message that was meant for Nixon but somehow had ended up as one for me.

My purpose.

My reason.

This goal.

“Fuck.” Something banged in the background. “Motherfucker.”

His voice dropped in contempt. “They left with him two hours ago, Leif. Got some bullshit message that they were taking the kids for ice cream. Knew it. Knew it way down deep that something was amiss. That fucker is dead.”

Sickness clawed. Fact she was with him. The kids. The kids.

The world spun for a beat.

I gritted my teeth. “Where? Where did they go?”

“I don’t know where they went. Fuck.” Could feel Lyrik coming apart, too.

“Dad.” Brendon’s distanced voice broke into our chaos.

“Not right now, Brendon.”

“Dad, listen. I know you’re upset about Aunt Mia leaving. I know where they’re at. Where Penny is. I have her on my locator on Snap.”

“Where?” I demanded.

Silence stretched on for too fucking long, and when Lyrik spoke again, the entire world dropped out from under me.

No footing.

“Not at an ice cream parlor.”