Page 39 of Burning Bridges

“Someone is dropping Euphoria. What do you know about it?”

“Just the whispers I hear from people more well informed than you.” He snickers.

“You know that’s the drug that killed our mother, right? Not that you have bothered to bring it up with me, but you know she is dead, right, and that’s what killed her. I found her in the bathtub after she overdosed on it. It’s fucking lethal. It’s not a joke,” I snap, not able to take his arrogance any longer. He’s not here, and he should be.

“I’m not laughing,” he says with a hint of amusement in his voice and no apology. “Your boy got a visit from the cops. Looks like the Riveras are getting themselves in trouble with both sides of the law. Wouldn’t want to be in bed with them. Whoops, too late.”

I don’t take the bait, knowing that’s what Tony wants. Instead, I try to control my breathing and understand what the hell he is getting out of this. Isn’t he the one who wanted me distracting Leo? Is this his way of proving to me that he is winning this somehow? “What do the whispers say about the Kings?” I ask instead, even though I’m dying to know what he knows about the cops thinking the Riveras have any involvement in Euphoria. There is no way they do. I know that, but for the cops to be onto it, someone must be making it look like they're guilty of something. Maybe this is part of Tony’s plan. “Are the Kings the ones distributing it to the clubs?” I ask, needing to know something, any little scrap of information he is willing to throw my way. I know this is Leo’s fight against the drug that killed his mother, but it’s personal for me now as well, and after the hell it’s caused on our city's streets over the last two days, I truly see why he hates it so much. He must be furious the cops think he is the one doing it.

“Nothing they can share over the phone,” he says smugly. At this point, I feel like he is just teasing me. Our conversation never gets anywhere.

“If you want my help, you need to start talking. You know more than you’re telling me, and I want to know what is going on,” I demand. Things have to change, and it starts now with me sticking up for myself.

“All will be revealed soon, Sister.” He tuts like I’m being overly dramatic, but I don’t think I am. Not with what he is asking of me.

“When? When are you coming home?” I can feel my hand start to shake as I hold the phone with white-knuckle force. I can’t stand this, being kept in the dark about everything, things that will affect my life.

“Soon. How did it go with your latest task?” he asks, his tone turning more serious. It’s been less than a day since he gave it to me.

“I haven’t talked to Leo since the night of the fight,” I answer him honestly. It’s only been two days, and I’m not surprised now that I know what he’s had going on. I also did storm out of his place pretty damn quickly when he wouldn’t admit how he feels about me. Even though I know it’s how he feels, especially after his reaction.

“Why, because you’re trying to protect him?”

“No, because I have a family and a business to run,” I say defensively. “I have a life outside of your plans to take over the world.” I roll my eyes so I don’t say anything more. Is he fucking kidding me?

“Hope you’re not stalling because you’re falling for him. Maybe getting you to do this was a bad idea. I know you used to have a thing for him, but this is business, you understand that, right?”

What kind of a fool does my brother think I am? Of course I know what this is. Well, my brain does anyway; my body is confused because of how fucking amazing Leo makes me feel every time we're together. And there is also something more, something in his eyes that sends a signal right to my heart, causing it to beat a little faster.

“That was in high school, you can hardly hold it against me now. I’m only seeing him because you asked me to investigate him and his brothers. It’s just lucky he has a thing for me, made it easier to get in,” I say, trying to cover the reality I know is all too true. I pray Tony doesn’t hear it in my voice, because if he does, Leo and I are both in trouble.

“Don’t be so stupid. He’s playing you for a fool, not the other way around,” he yells down the phone. I hold the phone away from my ear in case he continues.

“You're wrong. I have this under control. Leo wants me. I have him wrapped around my little finger. You'll see when you come back.”

“They're tracking you. You’re not using him. If he is acting like he’s interested in you, it’s because he’s using you for his own gain. Guys like Leo don’t have silly crushes on girls like you. That's immature high school shit.”

I go quiet, not sure what to say back or why his words sting so much they actually hurt my chest. I know having crushes is teenage stuff, but this one has been around for that long. The two of us were in high school when it started, and Tony saying it’s not there cuts deeper than I would like to admit. Would Leo really use me the way I’m using him?

“I bet he and his brothers are bugging your phone, your car, probably the house as well. Anything that has been in arm's reach of him would be tapped. Have you even thought to check?”

“How do you know?” I stutter out, glancing around me, starting to feel paranoid. Is Tony watching me in this house right now?

“I don’t, but it’s what I would be doing if a girl like you suddenly fell in my lap. He’s clever, Sister. You need to be smarter.”

“If you think he's so smart, then why send me to do this job in the first place?” I spit out, getting madder by the second. Why is he being so nasty tonight? I know why. This is what he does when things don’t go his way. He’s probably had a bad day and is calling me looking for good news to make him feel better, except I can’t give him anything. So now he’s taking it out on me. I have been on the receiving end of Tony's bad moods more times than I can count. He’s an asshole at the best of times, but like this he makes me wish I was born into another family even more than I already did.

“You’re a good distraction. A pretty face. It’s all you have ever been. And while he is preoccupied with you, he’s not onto me, and for now, I need to stay hidden,” he snips, making sure he really sticks the dagger in and twists this time.

I knew I was being used to get information out of Leo, but finding out I was really just the slutty distraction stings. A lot. My own brother thinks I’m only good for one thing. “I need to go. Call me when you actually need something.” I disconnect the call this time, too angry to hear another word of what he has to say. I'm pissed with myself for being used yet again, furious with my brother for putting me in this shitty situation in the first place. I’m never going to escape this hell. It’s going to be played on repeat for the rest of my life, used by the men around me so they can get what they want.

The phone rings again, and I consider letting it go to voicemail. But I don’t. “What,” I snap, my tone icy.

“Don’t hang up on me, Sister. You’re walking a very fine line,” he says angrily then hangs up the phone.

Fucking Tony. Fucking men, for that matter, ruining every part of my life with their rules and control issues. I’m done with it. I’m not being used anymore. I don’t care if Hannah and I have to move out of this place and sell everything we own. I’m going to find us our own safe little place where the assholes of the world can’t find us.

I run down to the garage and open my car door, feeling around the interior for any sort of tracking device. I want to believe that Leo wouldn’t go this far to invade my privacy. Him watching me from afar I can handle, but cameras and voice recordings are so much worse. I feel icky at the thought. The truth is, I know he would do exactly what Tony was saying. I touch along the ceiling, but nothing seems out of place, then I go for the floor under the driver’s side. Bingo. I can feel a thin square shape under the carpet that shouldn’t be there. I find the edge of the carpet and pull it back enough that I can slip my hand under to grab it. It’s small, and if I wasn’t looking for it, there is no way I would have worked out it was there. I hate that Tony was right. I mean, I knew Leo didn’t trust me, but this is next-level invasive shit.

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