Page 42 of All In

“That’s okay.” I smile. “It’s comforting, especially because I’m feeling seriously isolated at the moment.”

“Yeah, shit.” He sighs, rolling onto his side to face me. “I can see that.”

“Can you tell me what happened to get me kidnapped?” My teeth dig into my lower lip as I study his face, giving him a hopeful look.

“I feel like you really need to wait for Ranger.”

“Because he’s the boss? Will he be deciding my fate or something?”

“You’re not in danger,” Tanner says, giving me a duh, we just rescued you kind of look. “I think there are still some moving pieces, and he just needs to make sure we really got them all. That kinda thing.”

“So, someone will help me get back to Chicago?” I ask. “I have nothing. They kidnapped me with my purse. I had my phone, too, but when I woke up, it was gone.”

“Okay, let me send a text and warn them about that.” He hops up, grabs his phone from the table, and types away as he walks back. His phone lands on the end table, and he climbs back into the bed at my side. “I know you’re probably like, What the hell just happened to me? But you’re not a prisoner here.”

“Okay,” I reply. “I genuinely appreciate the save. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but no one is telling me anything, and it’s making me paranoid.”

“I get it.” He runs his thumb over my cheek without the scratch and pushes my hair behind my ear. “If I for sure knew I wouldn’t give you wrong information, then I’d tell you. But like I said, I was a late addition to this party. Up until three days ago, I was living in Vegas, working for Cas. That’s one of Annika’s alphas.”

My heart lights up at the word. “My sister lives in Vegas. She showed up in Chicago because some stuff went down with her roommate.” I shake my head. “I think. I don’t know, but do you know Lyra?”

“I don’t,” he says earnestly.

My stomach drops because I believe him.

“Okay, so Annika was my sister’s roommate, but her real name is Sparrow?” I ask, trying to put the information I learned from my kidnappers together.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “Lucien Andretti was after Annika. He thought your sister knew more than she did. They were trying to grab her, but they got you. There’s been a war going on between the Andrettis and the Cavanaughs, but don’t ask, because I don’t have all the details on that.”

I stare at him, staying quiet and willing him to say more.

“Listen, I would tell you if I knew.” He teases his thumb over my cheek. “I think you have a right to know after everything, but like I said, I’m only here because I need to find a new job. Cas doesn’t need me anymore, and my mom and sister rely on me to help out. That means I can’t fuck up. I need Ranger to hire me to work at Assurance Security. I’ve also got a side deal going on with Annika to annoy the fuck out of her brother, but that’s just a bonus.”

My eyes narrow.

I’m so tired of hearing about Annika or Sparrow or whatever her name is. She royally screwed up my life and put my sister in danger from that Andretti guy.

None of this is my mess, but it’s having long-lasting consequences on my future. I spent days being taunted by terrible men with all the things they would do to me if I didn’t talk.

“Oh, damn, the mean-mugging look is back.” He chuckles. “I get it. Your world twisted upside down.”

“Tell me about your family,” I say to change the subject. If I think too much about what went on the last few days, I’m afraid I’ll end up in a full-blown panic attack.

I’ve been told before that I have resting bitch face, but in reality, I’m bad at masking. Most of the time when someone thinks I’m angry, I’m actually battling with my anxiety.

“My little sister is about your age. She’s in college, going for a degree in psychology. My mom worked two jobs raising us, so I chip in where I can. She’s getting older, you know?”

“You didn’t grow up in a pack?” The longer I lie here, the more exhausted I realize I am.

“No, not even close,” he says a little bitterly. “It’s all good, though. The three of us are tight…” He goes on, telling me all about his family and what it was like growing up with a beta single mom.

I’m not sure exactly when it happens, but he lulls me to sleep before I even realize my eyelids are heavy.

Chapter Eleven

Ranger

Tanner has a death wish. He managed to redeem himself from spot number three in my basement with the assist earlier, but he’s earned himself an upgrade to number one.

---