Chapter 22
REGGIE
The house is eerily quiet when I get in.
I strip off my blood-stained clothes and shove them straight into the washing machine.
We got the second guy our warehouse torchman had contact with.
Except this one had fuck-all to tell us.
So we’re sticking with our original Arizona plan if Enzo and Drago can get us an in.
The smell in here is incredible.
When I look up, I find a plate of food waiting: steak with mushroom sauce, potatoes, and all the vegetables I actually like. Paired with a glass of wine.
I open the dishwasher and find her plate inside.
Shit.
Fuck.
I told her I’d be back for dinner.
The way she looked at me yesterday… I’m still kicking myself for saying all that shit.
I didn’t mean it.
I’m pushing her away to protect her.
Yet it seems I’m doing the opposite.
And right to my brother.
I know he took her out for drinks—he texted to say he’d look after her.
I don’t want this to cause a problem between me and him either.
I can feel myself getting more and more agitated.
If one more person tells me how important this alliance is, I might fucking punch them.
I get it.
I know we need the Kings.
But Bella’s right, she’s a person.
An important one.
A feisty, beautiful one.
She deserves better than what I’m giving her.
I tiptoe upstairs and quietly open her door.
She’s asleep. Peaceful.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
This, no doubt, has made everything worse than it already was.
Instead of sleeping, my head fucked, I head next door to Rowan’s.
“Alright, bro?” he greets, handing me a beer.
“Yeah. No. I don’t know,” I tell him.
We sit on the couch and he mutes the boxing match.
“Talk,” he says, taking a swig.
“Bella cooked me dinner, and I didn’t get home in time.”
He sighs. “You’re being an asshole to her, bro.”
He’s right. I know that.
“She seems to like you,” I say flatly.
“Yeah, we’re getting on well. Nothing’s happened though, we’re just friends.”
He says it like it’s the truth, but I know him well enough to hear what he’s not saying.
“Tomorrow’s a new day,” he says. “Maybe start with apologizing. Take her out.”
I shrug. “I don’t want her thinking I can give her more. We both know I don’t do that.”
Rowan stiffens. “You ever thought about changing that opinion? We’re nearly thirty. Look at the Quinns—wives, kids, actual happiness. Maybe we could have that.”
I blink at him. “Who are you, and what have you done with my twin?”
He shrugs. “It’s just a thought.”
“One you have?” I ask.
“Yeah, I guess. The agreements we’ve had at Inferno—they’ve been fun, sure. But maybe it’s time to grow up. After nearly dying, maybe my mindset is changing.”
He sets his bottle down. “Oh, I saw Lyla yesterday when I was with Bella. She’s still salty. We better avoid Inferno for a while.”
I crack my knuckles.
“What did she say?”
Fuck. This could make it all explode. Another woman causing problems when I’ve already pissed off my future wife.
And I’ve got no intentions of having anyone else, not while I’ve got Bella.
Not that I have her.
But I’m still engaged.
“Nothing interesting.”
“Good. She’ll get over it,” I say. “Plenty of other guys for her there.”
A beat of silence passes over us. I clear my throat.
“We’ve got another shipment of coke coming in tomorrow. You good to drive it with Drago to Luca in New York?”
Rowan nods. “Sure. Haven’t seen Luca in a while. Is he getting back involved with this side again?”
“I guess so. He and Frankie seem to split the business however it suits. Luca will be good to work with if we’re going after The Preacher though. Good that he’s back in the fold.”
“True. How bad is this going to be?” Rowan asks.
“Not a clue, Ro. But the more intel we gather, the bigger this organization looks. It’s bizarre; they’ve really got their members by the bollocks. They’d rather die than say a word.”
Rowan runs a hand through his curls. “Yeah. But if it was death or outing you, I’d choose death.”
I smile and punch him in the arm. “Don’t ya fuckin’ dare. I nearly lost you once, not again.”
Rowan chews his lip. “Got a gnarly scar though. Chicks love it.”
I chuckle.
He’s such a manwhore sometimes.
That’s why our Inferno agreements worked. The women there are the best in the business. All vetted by Enzo. Safe. Clean.
And it keeps Rowan from impregnating half of Pennsylvania.
“Sure they do,” I say. “You’ll have more if you keep getting in the ring with Conan.”
“Don’t start talking to me like a dad,” he snaps. “We never had one properly, I don’t need one now.”
Maybe I should lay off him.
I just worry.
He’s the only real family I have, the only one I’ve ever had.