Page 50 of Burning Bridges

“He’s who I have been working for. He’s not dead but has been in hiding. Ever since the day of my mom’s funeral, he has been calling me with instructions. But I couldn’t betray you. He will kill me for telling you, but it’s him, and if what Kylo said tonight is true, the two of them are now working together to take over not only Palm Desert but here as well. They're after you and your brothers.”

“With everything Tony knows about the ins and outs of our businesses and the drug trade money the Kings have, they will be very powerful.”

“I know. Now you know why I’m petrified and why I have been so torn. I wanted to come to you so long ago, but Tony has always been there for me. Until tonight, I couldn’t believe he would do anything that would put me in any danger. But it turns out he would. He’s just as bad as my father. I’m so sorry, Leo. You should hate me.”

“Come here,” I say, opening my arms to her and letting her snuggle into my body, praying my love for her will be enough. How could I hate her when I know what she’s been up against. If anything, I hate myself for not stepping in sooner and saving her. I can’t tell her it’s going to be okay because it’s not. By choosing me, she is about to come head to head with her brother, someone who she thought would always back her up. But he made his own fate when he signed a deal with Kylo, and now he will pay the price.

I pull her back down under the covers and hold her. My girl is right where she was always supposed to be, and I will never let her go back to her family. She doesn’t know it yet, but she is already one of us, and I will protect her with my life.

Chapter 28

PIPER

Irolloverandopen my eyes, realizing I’m in Leo’s massive bed alone. After we talked last night, he wrapped his arms protectively around me and stroked my hair. I was asleep within seconds. I felt safe for the first time in weeks and slept right through the night. I have no idea what time it is now, but by the light coming through the curtains, I'm guessing it's mid-morning.

Before I go and hunt for Leo in this mammoth place, I need to check in with Axel. I pick up my phone, seeing it’s ten-thirty and dial his number.

“Hello,” he answers quickly. The amount of background noise indicates he’s at his gym training.

“Hey, sorry to bother you, I just wanted to check in on Hannah. How is she?”

“She’s at school,” he mutters, distracted by something.

“Yeah, I know, I just needed to hear you guys are okay over there. It’s silly.” But after the night I had, I need reassurance.

“Is everything okay?” he asks, sounding concerned.

“Not really. Axel, don’t overreact, but I’m going to be staying with the Riveras for a little while, just until everything settles down,” I say as calmly as I can. I don’t want to get into a fight with him over this, and I know what his opinion is on Leo already.

“Give me five,” he tells someone on his end of the phone. “What’s going on, Piper?” he demands, his voice low. “I know Leo put out a search for Kylo King this morning, saying anyone who finds him and brings him to him alive will get a million dollars.”

“Fuck,” I mutter, knowing what this means—war. And with me staying here, it’s obvious what side I've chosen. Tony really is going to kill me when he finds out. That is if he doesn’t already know.

“We have a meeting with the brothers at noon, but anything you can tell me before then would help us work out our position and how many men we need to contact.”

“I’ll let Leo fill you in.”

“Are you with him now?” he huffs, unimpressed.

This isn’t the conversation I want to be having with my ex-husband, but our relationship is different to other divorced couples, and I can’t keep it from him. “Yes. I know you warned me about him, but he has gone out of his way to make sure I’m safe, even knowing it will put him in a worse position.”

“Piper, I just want you to be happy. If Leo is the one who can give you a better future, I’m all for it. But he hasn’t proven himself to me yet, and if I were you, I would be very wary.”

“I am,” I tell him, knowing it’s too late for being wary. I trust Leo, and I know I’m safe with him. I have never been so sure of anything in my life.

“Axel, back to work,” a voice on the other end of the phone calls. It must be his trainer.

“I’ve got to go," he says. "Will you be at the meeting today?”

“Of course,” I answer, having no idea if Leo intended to tell me about it or not. But now I know I will be there. I want in on whatever this plan is.

“We can talk more about this then.” He hangs up, leaving me with more questions. What the hell happened while I was asleep?

I pad my way through the plush carpet of Leo’s bedroom, making my way into his walk-in closet in search of something I can throw on to go looking for him. The only clothes I have here is my dress from last night, and I’m not putting that back on. The thought that Kylo was probably the one who chose it for me makes me sick to my stomach.

Leo’s walk-in closet is all so neat and tidy, every item folded to perfection. I take the first black T-shirt in the pile of many and slip it on, followed by a pair of his boxer shorts. They swim on me, but I fold over the waistband a couple of times and that seems to help hold them up. I fix my hair in a ponytail, using my hands to brush it out and the band around my wrist to secure it. Then I wander down the hall in the direction of the kitchen, hoping to find him. After skipping dinner and now breakfast, I’m starving. I also want to know exactly what is going on before this meeting. When I’m just outside the kitchen, I hear their voices. It sounds like all three of them, so I hang back and try to listen in on what they’re talking about.

“I can’t believe you invited her to stay,” I hear Kobe’s voice first, obviously not impressed with his brother for having me in their space.

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