Page 35 of Pretty Little Rocker

Frustration and concern for our Hellion made my voice shake. “I don’t know. She was at the warehouse tonight. Miguel said something about—” I broke off, not wanting to speak the name aloud.

The Vituccis owned this damn country. My father and brother liked to think they held power, and on some level, they did. People shit their pants when they had to face my father’s ire. But nothing compared to Ryan Vitucci and his family. They had a direct line into the States from Colombia, something they’d been building for decades that had continued uninterrupted by the Feds. If Vitucci wanted to expand from the East Coast to the West, it would start a war. One that would turn the streets red with blood, most likely that of the Pacific Coast Cartel.

“What?” Jamie demanded, leaning forward from the back seat. “What, Sparks?”

Before I could choke out the words, my phone rang. But it wasn’t my brother’s name that popped up. It was an unknown caller. Not even a number accompanied it. Gritting my teeth, I lifted the device to my ear. “Yeah?”

“Ignado Guerrero? Or should I call you Sparks Carver?” a voice I didn’t know greeted. It held a hint of an accent. Not Spanish or even Italian. It was slight, but I thought I caught something harsher, maybe Russian.

“Who is this?” I demanded, staring straight ahead.

“Let’s say that I am a new friend. I need a meeting with Sancho Guerrero.”

“Why the fuck would I do that?” Contacting my father would do nothing but put his attention on Hayat. My mind was already scrambling, trying to figure out how to keep her off Miguel’s radar. I popped my neck again, wondering how on guard my brother would be if he was worried about Vitucci. He wouldn’t expect me to sneak through the shadows and slit his throat.

How long would it take for him to bleed out? Licking my lips, I fought against the voice in my head telling me to do it. He’d never see me coming.

That was my old life, the silent killer my father had made me. I’d left it behind for Ky and Jamie. For Autumn’s Slumber. But for Hayat, I’d return to being the PCC’s assassin in a heartbeat. However, this time, I’d take out every single member of the cartel instead of their enemies.

I’d give up every goddamn thing I had to keep her safe.

“You’re invested in the safety of Havoc,” my new friend said casually, putting me on higher alert. “But so am I. If something were to happen to the hellion, that would make someone very precious to me cry. The world becomes a very unsafe place for anyone who makes tears spill from my sweet girl’s eyes.”

“Give me twenty-four hours,” I told him. I had no idea who this guy was, but something in his voice told me to trust him. It held a rasp, a hint of madness, that a part of me recognized. I felt it. For Hayat.

Not that I had much choice. It was either trust a stranger or risk Miguel and my father going after the girl who already owned a piece of my soul.

“You have twelve hours,” he countered.

“Twelve hours will get you a sit-down with Miguel Guerrero. Sancho will be a more difficult arrangement. Which you will know if you’re who I think you are.”

“And who do you think I am?”

“Ryan Vitucci,” I gritted out.

There was silence and then a grunt. “If that’s who you need me to be to make this easier for me to speak to Sancho, then I will be Ryan.”

Chapter Twenty

Hayat

We survived a nightmare. I didn’t remember much besides screaming, hands grabbing at my arms and legs as I was guided out of the warehouse, and the scent of blood everywhere.

Muggy summer air had never felt as good on my skin as it did when we were finally free of that terrible place.

It took me a minute to catch my breath. To calm my fear. Ali and Evan were right there. I could see them. Touch them. That was all that mattered.

Relief caused the adrenaline rushing through my veins to calm, and I would have fallen on my face if it weren’t for my rage. At Bentley for taking Evan and Ali to the warehouse. At Sixx, but I honestly understood why he’d gone there to fight the teacher who was sexually harassing his girlfriend. At Ali for not telling anyone what was going on, so all of this could have been avoided.

That anger kept me going until we were home, and then I tried to stay away from the others as much as possible. Abi and Sixx both needed a doctor. Sammy Reid made sure that one came to the house, while I attempted to stay in the kitchen. Making tea, soup, and quesadillas. Anything to stay busy.

To keep from calling my guys and dragging them into this nightmare.

Sammy promised to take care of everything. Eliminate the creeper teacher who had been terrorizing Ali at school for weeks. I shuddered at the thought. She and her brother were supposed to deal with the cartel so Sixx didn’t have to join the fight clubs they ran every week. Sammy wasn’t just a new friend. She was a Vitucci, whatever the fuck that meant. But Bentley was scared of her after what he’d read about her online. And Abi had told me Sammy was the one who had taken Vaughn from her.

She’d killed her eldest brother, but then she’d risked her own life to save all of us from a fight club?

It didn’t make sense, but then again, nothing about that night did.

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