Chapter 10
RAFE
“What is it?” Remington asked. He sounded pissed that I’d called him, and I was in no shape to handle that.
“Andretti, one of them men from my not-so-secret game accused me of cheating and attacked me. He’s dead in an alley.”
“Where are you?”
“In the alley with him.” I glanced at the closet street sign and gave the address.
“Do you think he was the man we’re looking for?”
“I’m not sure. I accused him of working for Ivanov before I shot him, and he acted like he’d never heard of him.”
Remington was silent for a moment. “Do you think he was telling the truth?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. He did seem truly confused. He’s been losing heavily. I think he took too much coke and lost it.”
“Okay. Get out of there. I’ve got men on the way.”
“What if someone finds the body before they get here and calls the cops?”
“In that part of town? No one is going to touch him.”
He was right.
“Get moving. I don’t want you on the scene.”
“But I…” Fuck. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t tell him G was here with me without spilling everything.
“Are you okay?”
Shit, I hoped I didn’t sound as confused as I felt. “Yes.”
“Then go home. You did good. I’ll let you know what we learn.”
“Thanks.” I ended the call and met G’s gaze. “What the hell just happened here?”
He scowled at me. “You really want me to believe you didn’t know what this fucker was up to?”
I’d checked his background. He had a prostitution ring, but he wasn’t involved with children, and his employees weren’t trafficked.
Was I that much of a fucking idiot? Remington was going to kill me.
If I’d missed something so obvious, he’d never put me in charge of anything again.
“You really think he’s working for Ivanov? ”
“I do.”
“Do you have proof?”
G looked away. “No.”
“So he could have just been mad at me because you cheated him the other night?”
G shrugged. “Possibly, but I saved you, so I’ve already paid you back.”
He had, but I didn’t want to admit it. “You interrupted a conversation with a patron.”
“That was not a fucking conversation, and he was on enough cocaine to make his heart explode.”
“Ivanov’s men would never lose control like that. They’d know better.”
G sighed. “This isn’t the place to talk about it.”
“You don’t actually expect me to leave with you, do you? All I know right now is that Andretti’s been on my back about bringing you into the game for the last two days, then you showed up and started questioning him about Ivanov. What’s your role in all this?”
“Right now, my role is saving your ass.”
He shook his head. “Do you really think I’m that stupid? You’re not some opportunist who happened to be in this part of town when I was.”
“No. I followed you. Technically, I followed Andretti because he was following you.”
Had G really been trying to protect me? Why? “Tell me how you know Ivanov.”
“I don’t know him, but I want him dead like you do.”
Who the fuck was G, and how damn much trouble was I in? I was going to have to confess everything to Remington.
Xavier told you he was clear. You can trust him.
I needed time to think. “I’m going home. Don’t follow me anymore.”
I turned to walk away, but G grabbed my arm, spun me around, and shoved me against the wall of a building.
It was filthy, and I could barely smell G’s spicy scent over the dumpster next to me.
Not that I wanted to smell him or talk to him or even see him.
Unless… What if he could help me find Ivanov?
It didn’t matter. I couldn’t talk family business with a stranger. I should have sent him away the first time I saw him. I should have had more sense than to ever agree to his fucking plan.
My mind stopped spinning when G pulled out a gun and pressed it to my chest. “You’re going to stay right here and listen to me.”
“You think no one’s held a gun on me before? You think I’m scared of you?”
“I think you should be.”
“Tell me who the fuck you really are.”
“That’s not happening.” He stroked the side of my face, and I fucking shivered. I was mad as hell that he had me half-hard, but this was exactly the kind of danger I’d been craving. I’d been a good boy for far too long.
G held my gaze. “Don’t turn this into a fight. Come with me.”
“No. I’m going home like Remington told me to.”
“Fine. We’ll go to your house, but you’re not going anywhere alone.”
I scowled at him. “You’re not coming to my fucking house.”
“You shouldn’t be on your own. We can’t be sure why he came for you or that he was working alone.”
“Like you give a fuck what happens to me.”
“God help me, I think I do.”
Oh no. I did not feel a flutter in my chest. I was not interested in anything but hate-fucking this asshole. “I don’t need you.”
“You did a few minutes ago.”
“If you want to come with me, then you have to tell me who you are and what is going on.”
“Or I could wait around and tell whoever your family sends.”
I snarled at him. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“Not without you.”
I met his gaze and watched his eyes darken. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. “Are you going to shoot me or not?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Fuck off.” I pushed the gun away, and he laughed as he shoved it into his pants.
“I’m going to follow you wherever you go. “
Why did that sound so fun? “You really think I can’t lose you?”
“I’m not even sure you want to.”
I wasn’t either, and that pissed me off. Xavier said G wasn’t connected to Ivanov. He also told me to stay away from him, but since when did I listen? “Good luck, Grover.”