Page 41 of Hollywood

“Smart as hell.”

“Damn straight.” She didn’t give herself enough credit, but she was still young, soon enough she would believe in herself the way I did. “Why did they want my address?”

He nodded, wincing while I cleaned up the split in his lip and the broken skin on his eyebrow. “They said to give you a message—give back what you took.” He groaned. “What did you take?”

“Something they probably took from someone else. We’ve been looking into their operation and you’re not the only victim, Win. These fuckers have run this scam dozens, if not hundreds of times.” I pulled out my phone and texted Diesel and Slate what I’d just learned. It was enough money to hurt but it shouldn’t hurt enough for them to strike us back twice. That was good news, it meant they were low on funds which was how we could beat those fuckers.

If those dumb fucks though they could threaten my woman and beat up my best friendandget their shit back, they had another think coming. Fuck that. These assholes were in deeper than they even knew.

“How’s Winter holding up? I tried to keep the worry from my voice.”

“But you’re a terrible fucking liar and she knew you were scared shitless.”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “That. So, how is she?”

“She’s worried about you but she’s strong, trying to put on a good face so that everyone doesn’t worry about her.” It was damned admirable, but I didn’t want her to be strong, I wanted her to lean on me dammit.

“She’s had to do that too much.”

“The house is clear,” Gio said, interrupting our conversation. “They fucked this place up good. Sorry, man.”

Winston nodded. “It’s just stuff. Thanks for rushing over to save me.”

“Any friend of Hollywood is a friend of ours and he says you’re family.” Maverick shrugged. “What else can we do?”

“You can’t stay here,” I told Winston before he could answer Maverick. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Where can I go? It’s not like they won’t track me wherever I go.”

“But the minute we don’t give them what they want, they’ll be desperate, and they’ll come back.” I didn’t want to think what they would do to him when they grew more desperate.

“I’m not leaving, Hollywood.”

“The fuck you’re not. Winston, they will come back. That’s a guarantee.”

He shook his head. “I can’t run scared and hide out at your clubhouse. I have to live my life no matter what.”

“And if it means Winter loses you, that’s okay too as long as you live your life? That’s really fucking selfish of you.”

“You don’t know anything, Hollywood. You don’t understand. I- I didn’t want you to know.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I figured. But Winter told me how you basically shut down after Kristen died and you left her to fend for herself. She’s still pissed about it and let me tell you, her lifewon’t be good if you die while she’s still pissed at you.” I knew that feeling and it never fucking went away.

“I know but that’s a chance I’m willing to take. Once they see that nothing they do to me will get me to give her up, they’ll back off.”

“Or they’ll kill you and wait until your funeral to come after her. Did you ever think of that?”

“Christ, Hollywood!”

“That’s cold, man.” Gio mumbled under his breath.

“Yeah, but it’s true. I need you to understand Winston, these fuckers aren’t rational. There’s nothing you can do to get them to act what you think is normal. They don’t like to be told no, and they don’t give a fuck who gets hurt in the process. Are you hearing me, man?”

“I hear you, but Winter—” he began.

“No, don’t use her as an excuse to check out.”

Maverick laid his hand on my shoulder. “Winston, I get it, you want to do whatever you can, to make sure your daughter is safe. Commendable, but this isn’t a one or the other type of situation. You can keep her safe without getting your ass beat. Or worse.”

---