Page 114 of Beyond Oblivion

My mouth went dry, and for a moment, all I could do was blink at him. “What does that mean?”

Thomas’s expression was unreadable. He wasn’t my brother-in-law in that moment. No, the man standing in front of me was Agent Maddox. “She didn’t know who she was working with, at least not at first. They used her to get to us. To hurt us through our family.”

“But you know who they are?”

He nodded.

I couldn’t process it. The pieces refused to fit together in my mind. It didn’t make sense. “Madison?” I managed, though the word barely made it past the lump in my throat.

Liis took over. “We’ve been investigating this group for years. They’re involved in a wide range of criminal activity and colluding with someone you may be familiar with. Benny Carlisi.”

I blinked. I knew who Benny was, but only via what Trenton had told me from what he’d learned from Travis. It was the way I’d connected Abby and Liis to the secret.

“Benny Carlisi is dead,” Thomas said. “And this group has a guarantee from the Carlisi family that a significant portion of his business will be exchanged for retaliation.”

“Who… who killed him?” I asked. “You?”

Liis folded her arms over her baby belly. “What you need to know is that Trent was mistaken for someone they’ve targeted for retaliation. They saw an opening with Madison when they caught her tailing you as often as they were. When she was taken to that facility, they used the opportunity to connect with her. She was an easy target—angry, desperate, and willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted. She had already done most of the legwork, gathering intel they needed, your schedules, frequented spots, vehicles, phone numbers, addresses. They manipulated her, kept her at arm’s length, and their plan was to exploit her without exposing themselves.”

“Why bring Madison with them?”

“To keep her close, keep her quiet, and for some groups, their word is a matter of honor. They’d clearly promised her something,” Thomas explained.

I swallowed. “You’re saying professional criminals came into my home and tried to kill me.”

Thomas hesitated, his jaw tightening before he spoke. “There’s more. We brought you here because we had confirmation that they’d sent more members to hit the shop. A drive-by. In retaliation for the men in your home being detained. We intercepted the intel before they could act on it.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Hazel,” I said, turning for the door to get my phone. “Beck and Sylvie!”

“Wait, Camille,” Thomas said, grabbing me by the arm.

“What about Dad?” I demanded, shrugging away from his grip.

“We’re on it. They’ve already been apprehended.”

“When is this over, Thomas?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. “At what point do they stop coming for us? Our family and friends?”

“We’re working on it,” Liis said. “We know this latest bust has forced them to back off and regroup. The good news is that Madison is back at the facility, in a secure wing, and she’ll be facing charges soon. Her parents are selling their home, so once she serves her time, she’ll be on the west coast, far, far away.”

“She is the least of our problems!” I said, immediately getting shushed by Thomas.

Liis held up her hands. “Camille… you have to trust us. We’re trusting you to encourage Trenton to still stay alert while keeping the details to yourself.”

I nodded, fighting the urge to lash out at them both. I looked up at the sky and the millions of stars blinking above us.

Thomas’s phone chirped. He looked down, and then to Liis. “It’s Val. She’s texted you several times.”

“Shit,” Liis said. “It’s in the bathroom, I think.”

She rushed into the adobe, leaving Thomas and me outside alone. My shivering must have become noticeable, because he took off his robe and put it around my shoulders. “We had to get you out of there. After everything you’ve been through, I couldn’t let you… I couldn’t let them…” He rubbed the back of his neck, then seemed to suddenly notice me again.

“Jesus, you’re freezing,” he said, rubbing my arms with his hands.

“We should just tell Trent,” I said.

“Tell me what?” Trenton asked from the open doorway.

I turned, and after seeing the look on his face and recognizing what it meant, I took a step back from Thomas’s hands.

---