Page 109 of Risking it All

I opened the back door and Eric called out, “How’s your daughter, Noah? I heard she’s had a rough few months.”

My blood boiled and as I turned, Isaiah pushed me into the car. “Get in there and stay in there.”

“He brought up Macie.”

“We heard.” He shut the door.

I went to get out, but the door was locked. Fucking child safety locks. As I went to go through the driver’s side, Abby slipped inside to trap me in. “This one isn’t your fight.”

“Macie is my fight,” I bit out.

“You fought for her. You saved her. And many thank you and salutations for that, but we already told you, Eric’s not your problem anymore.”

I glanced out the window and Noah stood toe to toe with Eric. Isaiah shoulder to shoulder with Noah. Noah and Eric were talking, but their postures said they were a split second fromthrowing punches. Eric, though, was the one who looked away first and then walked.

They stood there watching as Eric got in his car. My skin crawled that he hadn’t left yet.

“Eric won’t be a problem for you anymore,” Abby said.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. He’s scared of us.”

“Eric’s scared of nothing.”

“Eric’s terrified of a loss of control. He can’t control the three of us, and now he can’t control you. Trust me, it’s over now.” As if Abby was a mind reader, Eric chose then to start his car and tear out of the parking lot.

“What did Noah say to him to make him back down?”

Abby flashed a smile that if I were on the street would have made me back up a mile. Damn, this woman was dangerous. “Magicians don’t reveal the secrets of their tricks, do they? Because what would be the fun in that?”

I looked over at Noah and Isaiah, who both still watched to make sure Eric kept going. “What do you have on Eric?”

“You caught us. We know that Eric is secretly a Real Housewives superfan and we’re threatening to tell the whole world. If we do, he’ll die of embarrassment.”

Her answer pissed me off. She noticed and tapped her fingers along the armrest. “Isaiah and Noah reminded Eric they have information and connections that scare even the hell out of him.”

“The FBI?” I asked. “And your dad?”

“Aw, Mozart’s a harmless kitten, and Eric’s not nearly as scared of the law as he should be.”

Mozart was a harmless kitten my ass, but I wasn’t running my mouth to his daughter. “What’s their connection?”

“That’s their story to tell, but let me put it to you this way. Isaiah, Noah, and I, we grew up on these streets same as you.You might look at the two of them and see civilized guys, but they are one step from returning to those teenage boys who were constantly fighting for their lives. You understand that fighting-for-survival instinct. It’s the one that has you crawling up my ass with questions. The three of us have your back. That’s all you need to know.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?” she countered.

“You said Noah and Isaiah are one step from uncivilized. What about you?”

She gave me a devilish wink. “I have never had a civilized bone in my body. I was raised by Mozart, remember?”

“You said he was a kitten.”

“So cute. Did you believe me?”

No, but I was smart enough to stay silent.

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