Carter Reed 2 (Carter Reed #2)(18)

He looked over too, a slight frown marring his face. “No, actually. This building belonged to a great aunt. I inherited it from her. How’d you know that?”

I shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

I was still in hiding. If Carter was willing to let me stay here, he didn’t think The Bartel family knew of this place.

“You okay?” Theresa had migrated closer. She asked so Noah wouldn’t hear.

I nodded, my head moving up and down in a jerky motion. This really was like last year, except it wasn’t by my hands. I wasn’t hiding because of what I had done, but because of Carter. Last time, I had pulled him in. This time, I was the one being pulled.

Gene had called for a meeting at one of the warehouses the Mauricio family used for storage. Cole was back at his place, waiting. The initiation was set to happen in twenty-four hours. No matter what went down, Cole would take his place as the head of the Mauricio family. It’d been years since there had been one, but it was set to go. All the elders had been talked with. Their concerns were answered and managed. It was going to happen. But when Gene called for this meeting, I knew he wouldn’t be bringing good news.

Too many loose ends right now. I wanted Cole back in so I could tend to the others. Emma had a sister and a man trying to get a hold of her. I’d sent my best to find answers, and I’d thought this last phone call would be him, not Gene.

Now Noah and Theresa were here in the city. That was another loose end I wanted tied up. Even though Emma had been quiet, I knew Theresa was someone she worried about. I’d kept surveillance on her over the last year, listened to her calls. She never met with any press or anyone in the government. Only Noah knew she was being watched. He understood the concern and had agreed, but I knew he was growing tired of the secret. It was one of the reasons he wanted her to move in with him. He wanted to protect her from me, shield her as much as he could, but she was fighting him.

When he’d first told me of their argument, I wanted to laugh. He looked distraught, but dumbstruck. He was in love. I understood. Hell, I grinned to myself now. I hadn’t given Emma a chance to think about it. I told her she had to move in, but I’d been worried that after everything was done she would want to get her own place. She hadn’t. She seemed content to remain with me, which I was continuously thankful for. But now this long-lost sister was a future concern of mine. Who was she? What was the real story? They’d found Emma because of me. It wasn’t a stretch to consider that they might be trying to use her to get to me, or that they were working for the government somehow…

“He’s here.”

I’d brought Michael with me, and his voice now alerted me to the headlights coming toward us. When the car drew to a halt and Gene got out, I nodded. Michael opened our door and led the way. Another guard came behind me, but when Gene motioned that he wanted privacy, I stopped both of them and kept going.

After another ten feet, my mentor came to a stop and scanned the warehouses around us with a wary eye. He stroked his jaw before he said, “I don’t like this feeling.”

I knew what he meant. “Until they make a move, we have to be cautious,” I said. The Bartels could strike again—against anyone, at any moment. We were all playing the waiting game.

“And Cole?”

“What about him?”

“You’ve pushed for his place to be reinstated. If he makes the first move—”

I narrowed my eyes. “Which he can. They killed two of his friends. He has the right.” And the power. That’s what everyone was reluctant to give up. They’d enjoyed having their power, but now it was mostly Cole’s. His decisions—unless overthrown by a majority vote—would be the fate of the Mauricio family now.

“I know. We get it. We do, but everyone’s nervous.”

This was why he’d called. “We’ve been talking this over for weeks,” I told him. “It’s time.” Too much more time and our family might be dead. “You’re moving too slow. Decisions have to be made in an instant. This is the right move.”

“He’s been gone for too long.”

“He’s been learning in those years.”

“I don’t like it. No one does.”

It was done. “The time to complain is over.”

Gene shook his head. “They sent me to appeal to you one last time. Stop this, Carter. If anyone should lead, it should be you.”

“No.” I’m out. “My job is done. Cole will take over tomorrow.”

“You’re the go-between. No one trusts him. They trust you.”

“I’m out, Gene.” My voice rose. This wasn’t a point of discussion. “Everyone knows this.”

“And if they attack you?”

“Well...” My voice lowered, and I’m sure my eyes grew cold. “Then things will change. But unless that happens, I’m out. For her.”

He nodded. “I know, I know.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “People are antsy, that’s all. They’re concerned. What if he’s a bad leader? What if he makes the wrong decisions and gets all of us killed? We all have family—”

“No one understands the value of family more than Cole.” Did I need to remind him? “His father was one week. His mother the next. Each of his three brothers. Then his eldest sister. His two little sisters. One after another, Gene. It would do the elders good to remember that their own brother was murdered.”