Shattered Dreams (Boys of Bellerose, #3)(28)

That statement hurt my heart. Gray was too good for that world. Angel too.

I had literally no skills that could help either of them, but I had to hope that we could eventually come up with a plan that would give those born into these lives a chance for true freedom.

“What about Tom?” Rhett asked thoughtfully. “How does he play into all of this? And why bomb a Big Noise office with all of us there? There’s got to be more to this than just trying to kill Angelo and Billie.”

Angelo nodded like he was thinking the same thing.

“I have no clue,” Vee admitted with a helpless shrug. “I didn’t even know Tom’s name until Grayson told me what’d happened with the meeting and Florence’s estate.”

“Shit, that’s something else we need to deal with,” Jace muttered, running a hand over his hair. “Seems insignificant in the face of bombs and assassins, but for Flo…”

“I’ll look into it,” Gray rumbled. “For Flo. And because nothing would make me happier than wringing Tom Tucker’s slimy, little neck.”

That was a statement we could all get on board with. But Rhett’s question had struck an uneasy nerve inside me, too. He was right… there had to be more going on. I didn’t for a second believe it was just the easiest place to target Angelo and me. No, for some reason the Altissimos or the Wilsons wanted Bellerose dead.

But why?





twelve





RHETT


After Vee gave us her version of events, clueing us into this bloody mafia war brewing behind closed doors, the mood was sedated. Everyone needed to process and think it all over, and I was one hundred percent confident I could do my best thinking with Billie in my bed.

Frustratingly, Gray had apparently gone all in on my girl and called dibs on her for the night. Like he was a child. Who the fuck called dibs on another human? She wasn’t the last donut, for fuck’s sake, she was a person.

Okay fine, I was pissy because he’d gotten to her before me and my complaints about not being able to sleep without her fell on deaf ears.

Gray just flipped me off and locked his door. Then proceeded to give me a heavy dose of my own medicine.

“Remind me again why we need a drummer in Bellerose anyway?” I grumbled to Jace over coffee way earlier than either of us liked to be awake. The sleeping arrangements with six of us in a four-bedroom house weren’t ideal either, and Jace had been crashing on the sofa the past few nights.

Jace yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Do we? I reckon we’d be fine without. How do you wanna do it? Smother him with a pillow or…?”

“Good morning!” Billie sang, breezing into the kitchen with a flushed face and freshly fucked hair. “Oh yum, that smells good.” The groan she gave as she sniffed the recently brewed coffee was pure sex, and Jace choked on the sip he’d just taken.

I smirked, knowing all too well why he was shifting in his seat and avoiding eye contact. Jace, for all his bullshit protests, wanted Billie bad. Their little spat of hate-fucking had only made it worse for him, too.

Served him right for being a self-centered prick.

“Here,” I offered Billie, “take mine; I just made it.” Her grateful smile was enough to light up the darkest corner of hell, and I leaned in to accept her sweet kiss.

“Thanks, Zep, you’re my hero.”

Jace snorted, and I ignored him. “Anytime, Thorn.” Then I slipped my fingers into her messy hair and pulled her back down for a much spicier kiss, knowing it would tear Jace up inside. Sucker.

She gave another one of those sexy moans that got my dick instantly hard, then reluctantly peeled away. “Don’t tempt me,” she complained with a pout. “I need to shower and change, or I’ll be late for my session with Dr. Candace. You’re still okay to drive me, right?”

That’s right. Her psychiatrist appointment. I flicked a quick glance at Jace and was satisfied to see guilt written all over his face, then nodded to Billie. “Absolutely. I’ll join you in the shower to save time, if you want.”

Her answering laugh was pure, undiluted crack to me. “Nice try, Zep. We both know that’d make me late for my session. I’ll be ready in twenty minutes, okay?”

“Make that thirty,” Grayson countered, stalking into the kitchen and swooping Billie up. Her coffee went flying, the mug smashing on the floor, and Gray didn’t even bat an eyelid, just tossed my girl over his shoulder and disappeared back upstairs. Fucker.

I glared at the mess he’d left behind and sighed. “No, you’re fine!” I yelled after them. “I’ll clean this up, shall I?” The only response I got was the slamming of his bedroom door and a squeal from Billie. Lucky bastard.

“I’m just saying,” Jace drawled, sipping his still intact coffee mug, “A little murder between friends isn’t the worst. I’ll hold him down if you want to slit his throat.”

Tempting. Really fucking tempting. Except Jace and I both knew neither one of us could successfully hold Grayson down, even while properly motivated. Damn muscle-bound asshole.

“Whose throat are we slitting?” Angelo asked with a yawn, sliding into one of the seats at the table beside Jace. He’d ditched his cane, choosing to hobble around instead. “If it’s Grayson’s, count me in. What happened there?” He nodded to the mess on the floor, and I groaned. It wasn’t going to clean itself up.