Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Eagle finally breaks the silence, his voice unsteady. “There’s nothing to tell, Raven. It’s just…trivial brother stuff.”
“And I’m not part of it?” I snap back, my heart pounding. “You’re not even trying to come up with a better lie.”
“Raven…” Hawk begins, his gaze softening.
For a moment, I see a trace of regret in his eyes before he retreats behind his usual façade of authority. “It’s not that we want to exclude you. It’s just…”
“Just what?” The question hangs heavy in the air as I fix each of them with a piercing stare.
Falcon sighs and sinks into a chair, running his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. But you can’t be a part of this. You’re better off not knowing.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” I plunk my ass into the kitchen table chair opposite Falcon. “Start talking or I’m going to Dad.”
“Fuck.” Eagle runs his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
My youngest brother is trembling.
He was my baby when we were little. I was his protector. I took care of him while Robbie and the other two boys were out roughhousing.
He’s distraught. And I want to help.
Desperately.
“Listen, it’s not that we don’t trust you.” Falcon begins, his voice filled with regret. “It’s just that this situation is dangerous.”
“And we’re trying to protect you.” Hawk adds.
“Protect me?” I narrow my eyes at them. “I don’t need protection.”
“But you do, Ray!” Hawk says, frustration oozing out of him. “Whether you want it or not!”
Silence except for the rustle of leaves against the kitchen window.
“All right,” I finally say, my own anger ebbing away in the face of their distress. “If you don’t want me to help because you think it’s too dangerous, then fine. But at least tell me what’s going on.”
My brothers look at each other. Finally, Falcon speaks. “We need to go outside.”
“Fine by me.” I rise and head out the French doors leading to our wraparound redwood deck. In the distance is the pool house.
My brothers follow me out in silence. Falcon steps in front of all of us, hands shoved in his pockets. He looks at Hawk and Eagle, a long look that seems to hold silent communication. They nod back.
“Okay,” Falcon begins. “I won’t sugarcoat it. We’re in deep shit.”
I frown at him, but I don’t say anything. They’re struggling with this, so I’ll let them talk at their own pace.
“This has something to do with the time you spent in prison, doesn’t it?” I say to Falcon. “I heard that much yesterday. Hawk said you did time for a crime you didn’t commit.”
He flinches slightly, his eyes drifting from my face over to the horizon. The tension in his shoulders seems to grow even tighter. “Yes,” he admits quietly.
“Well, what is it?” I demand.
Eagle starts pacing, biting on the skin around his thumb. It’s a habit he developed as a kid when he was nervous or scared or unsure. Seeing him resume such a childhood behavior now unsettles me more than Falcon’s admission.
“I always knew you didn’t kill that cop,” I say. “We all knew it. But you went behind bars anyway. Who the hell were you protecting, Falcon?”
But as Eagle’s eyes brim with tears, I realize I already know the answer.
“Oh, E…” I say.
But Falcon’s phone interrupts us.
8
VINNIE
“Hey, Vinnie,” Falcon says into the phone.
“Hey, got your text. What do you need?”
“Can you come over to my place?”
“Now?”
“Yeah. It’s important.”
“Is Savannah okay?”
“She’s fine. I have a lot to tell her. And you.”
“Your text said you needed my help.”
“I do.” His sigh whooshes into my ear. “I need help with…”
“With what?”
“Just come over. I don’t want to say anything more over the phone.”
“Yeah, sure. Of course. Whatever you need.” I end the call and leave the library quickly, my heart racing.
It’s not enough that I have to off some guy. Now I’m getting involved in whatever my brother-in-law is tangled in.
And I don’t have a good feeling about it.
In fact, I recall a conversation I had with Falcon when I first returned.
“Did Diego Vega work for your family?” Falcon asks me.
“He did at the time I left,” I say.
“If you talk to your father,” he says, “you’ll probably find out that Diego Vega disappeared about eight years ago. Into thin air. Along with a truckload full of merchandise.”
Savannah’s eyes go wide. “Falcon?”
“There’s a lot more to my story than a young rookie cop getting accidentally killed,” Falcon admits.
“Oh my God,” she says.
Savannah’s mouth is agape, and she’s looking at Falcon.
Just what the hell kind of man is my sister involved with?
“Before I go any further,” he says, “I need to talk to my brothers.”
Fuck.
Diego Vega.
There’s a blast from my past, though I didn’t say anything to Falcon at the time.
Whatever Falcon needs, though, I’ll help if I can. I owe my sister that much.
The drive takes a couple hours, and I leave Fred and Elmo at home. I arrive, pull into the gravel driveway, and walk to the door.