Page 15 of Sinister Intentions

We went back to silence while cruising around for a while, and I got increasingly irritated. The black Mercedes followed, keeping the same distance.

We needed to get back to the city so I could get the pup to see a vet.

I looked down at the little ball of fur in my hand. My mother would’ve loved it.

Its button eyes looked up at me, then it started licking my wrist.

My chest tightened. Fuck me.

How could I not protect this helpless creature? I usually avoided anyone and anything apart from my siblings for that exact reason—because I became over-committed if I cared too much.

But how could I not? At least, nothing was standing in my way.

Especially not my father.

If only I could’ve done that in the past. The stray cat…my mother. If only I could’ve protected her all those years ago—shielded her from my father’s manipulative mind games and his cruelty that ultimately drove her to take her own life. A familiar rage bubbled up deep in my gut, molten and caustic.

One day, I would make that cold-hearted bastard pay for all the suffering he caused her.

And that day would be soon.

For now, I focused on the tiny heartbeat fluttering beneath my fingers and whispered a promise.

“I’ve got you, Picco. I’ll keep you safe.”

My phone rang and pulled me out of my entirely too-sappy thoughts. I looked at the caller ID, then immediately took the call while keeping the limousine behind us under surveillance. “Hey, Hawk.”

Matt’s eyes snapped to me for a split second before he focused back on the road and driving.

“Just wanted to give you a quick update. Goofy and Peaches are all settled and ready to finish the forensic investigation and start implementing the changes we talked about.” Noah Hawthorne, boss of Raptor Security, was not wasting time with pleasantries.

I nodded. “Great, I’ll see the guys tomorrow morning then.”

“I might come to the city in a couple of days,” Hawk said.

I’d never actually met the guy or worked with an outside company like Raptor Security. But Hawk was Gabe’s former boss. Well, he had been his boss during the time Gabe worked as a gun for hire, and before he went back to Italy and his family to take back his rightful place as the head of the Falcone family.

Gabe was the only one I told about my IT troubles, and when I did, he immediately arranged things with Hawk. Apparently, Raptor Security had some super geeks on their payroll, and Hawk assured me confidentiality was a given. Also, the results of their initial assessment were what put Jemma on my radar and got us right where we were.

“I couldn’t plant the logger,” I said.

Matt’s head snapped to me, his eyes round, and his raised brows showing his surprise. “Logger?” he mouthed.

I shook my head. “Let’s talk tomorrow,” I said to Hawk and ended the call.

“Logger? You tried to plant a logger on Craig Donnelly?”

I watched the black car through the side mirror. “Let’s go to the helipad and face whatever asshole is following us there.”

Matt kept casting glances at me but did as I said.

I pulled my weapon out of my ankle holster and checked it while balancing the little pup on my lap.

Once we arrived at the helipad, the black Mercedes hung back, then disappeared.

“They’re gone,” Matt said.

I nodded. Was this just Donnelly’s way to make sure we were leaving?

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