Page 53 of The Boss

With Willow she was a little of both. Her upbringing had provided her with a constant lifestyle, including basic lines of discipline she’d no doubt followed without question. As with most young people, as they entered adulthood, they became less cautious and more curious about the world around them.

My little dove was no different with one exception.

She was willing to die for her beliefs.

That had been easy to see.

What I hoped at this moment was that she was still a creature of habit to the point of needing to find answers. There was a beginning and an end in doing so, but the end wouldn’t surface for a long time if it ever did.

“You sure about this, boss?” Nico asked.

I’d left the restaurant like a bat out of hell, ignoring all speed limits. With Michael killed by an unknown driver, my instincts told me the Stalker was ceremoniously tracking down everyone who had any knowledge of my brother’s death.

Nico almost never used my first name even if I considered him a friend. That’s how I known something was very wrong when he’d come out on that deck. I was the one driving, still remaining cautious as I contemplated what Gregory had alluded to.

“I hope I am. If not, then no one is getting a day off until she’s found.”

“I still don’t know how she managed to escape the guards.”

As I made a turn onto a darkened street, I glanced in his direction. “Very good question and one I need an answer to.”

“I’ll find out.”

“Yeah, you will. Soon. If she’s not here, several heads will roll. Understood?”

Nico exhaled. “Understood.”

I pulled into the driveway. There was no other vehicle and no sign of life. Or was there? I headed back to the street, staring up at the bank of windows, all in varying sizes. Unless the waning sun was playing tricks on me, a light was on inside. It could have been left on by the forensics cleaners that had likely been sent to erase all evidence of violence.

Or…

The door was unlocked just as I’d hoped. There was a short set of stairs leading up to the kitchen. Once on the landing, I took a few seconds both listening to and observing the room. I hadn’t paidany attention when I’d visited before other than the basics of ensuring no one was hiding or carrying a weapon. Now I drank in every detail, including a glass with an amber liquid placed on the counter. There were no others, just the one.

I unbuttoned my jacket, also unfastening the snap from the shoulder holster. It was possible someone else had been inside after the murder. After grabbing a paper towel, I took the glass into my hand, taking a whiff. Watered-down whiskey. Kentucky whiskey if I knew my blended bourbons.

There was also a bottle on the counter. I could tell by the beads of water that until recently, it had been kept cold.

Someone was still here.

Taking any additional risks wasn’t something I was interested in doing. With my weapon now in both hands, I moved silently through the house, checking every room. The cleaners had been inside, although I’d say they were piss-poor at this job. There were still traces of blood, speckles of it on the hallway wall leading to the sunroom.

I shifted to the bedrooms, still angry as well as concerned about Willow. While she’d left of her own accord, that didn’t mean she hadn’t been followed and captured by someone else. Would a man kidnap his own sister?

Yeah, some men would in certain families. Hell, they’d also sell their mothers to human traffickers for a few dollars or a chance to gain more power.

A light was on at the end of one hallway, yet no sound was emitted. I remained cautious, approaching by crowding the wall. Not one sound was made as I entered the doorway of the bedroom, but Willow knew I’d arrived.

Honestly, I had a feeling she’d been expecting me. In her hand was a black velvet box, gold foil wrapping paper torn off and placed on the bed where she sat. She was facing the wall and away from me.

“Shane was here,” she said quietly. “He was here… My parents. Bastard. The fucking bastard.”

I remained quiet. When her clothes had been acquired only a day before, my men hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary, no sign of anyone entering the villa. However, they wouldn’t know for certain if Shane had made an appearance. Only my little dove would figure that out.

“You’re certain?” I finally asked.

“No doubt in my mind. He wanted to give me this gift. I knew something was off. I thought I remembered seeing a glass in the sink. It’s not something my father or mother drink. I mean that they drank.”

I walked closer, but I knew it was important I kept my distance.

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