Page 51 of Burning Bridges

“You were the one who convinced me to tell her how I felt about her. And you saw that psycho last night. I’m not letting her out of my sight. Especially now that we have this.” He's talking to his brothers about me and his feelings for me. It’s the last thing I expected to walk into. It kind of makes my heart happy to know this guy who is supposed to be some heartless killer is so sweet on me he has talked to his brothers about it.

“Yeah, but can she be trusted?” asks Jett, his voice full of genuine concern, and in the past, he would have been right, but last night changed everything for me. I could finally see what has been in front of me this entire time. Leo, he was never out to get me. Not really.

“Yes,” he says without hesitation. He finally trusts me. My heart does its own little happy dance. It’s about time. And he should. Last night I told him more about me than anyone else knows. I also admitted to him everything I know. There is nothing hidden between us anymore. I have heard all I need to.

I walk through the room and find them all standing in the kitchen. Jett and Kobe are sweaty messes, their shirts wet, Jett with a green smoothie in his hand. Kobe offers me a small smile and a tilt of the head in acknowledgment.

“Hi,” I say awkwardly, wearing Leo’s oversized clothes. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Leo comes around the counter, pulling me into his chest and kissing my forehead. I look up at him, surprised by his sudden show of affection in front of his brothers. “It’s okay, you must be starving. I was about to come and check on you. What can I get you for breakfast? We have an hour before we have to meet the others.”

“Meet the others?” I ask. I half thought I would have to fight my way into this meeting, but it looks like he has me included already.

“Your dinner last night has caused a few issues," Jett snips. "We've called a meeting with the Stones and Harpers to makes sure we're all on the same page.” He makes it sound like somehow I caused this problem.

I glare at him, showing him the same respect he has for me. “Oh? What problems?”

Leo rubs his hands up and down my arms. “Don’t worry about it right now, Princess. Come and have something to eat first, then we can talk it all over.”

“You have to stop calling me that,” I tell him.

“Nah, it suits you too much.”

I roll my eyes at him, knowing I’m stuck with it whether I like it or not.

Kobe throws him a look.

“Don’t you two need showers?” Leo snips at them, getting annoyed with the looks they keep giving him. It’s like the three of them have some secret code I’m not privy to. And maybe that’s for the best. I don’t even think I want to know what that look means.

“I was just leaving. Whatever is going on here is too weird for me anyway, I've seen enough,” says Kobe on his way by.

Jett drops his empty glass in the sink and walks past us, his eyes tracking over me in an I’m-watching-you kind of way. But I don’t give a shit what his brothers think. As long as Leo trusts me now, I know we will be okay. Because for the first time in my life, I have someone who is truly on my side.

Just like the last time I stayed the night, Leo makes me a plate of food, some fresh fruit with a croissant and a coffee. I sit at the kitchen counter watching him fuss over me, feeling like I have woken up in some sort of twilight zone. For one, because no one ever fusses over me, but also because this is a side to Leo I didn't think was possible. Then I remember what he said last night about his mother and realize he has probably been taking care of his brothers just like this for most of his life.

“Here you are,” he says, placing it all in front of me with a smile that makes him look like he is actually happy for once.

“Thank you,” I say, matching his happiness.

“Why are you looking at me like I've grown horns or something?”

“I don’t know. This is all just a lot to get used to.” I motion to the plate in front of me.

“Well, you better, because this is your life from now on. I’m going to take care of you, Piper.”

“Thank you,” I say, trying not to cry. No one has ever wanted to take care of me like this before. I get a pinch of guilt knowing I have betrayed Tony, but he screwed me over first sending me to that dinner last night. He should have known that would be a deal breaker for me.

“Eat up,” Leo says, watching me.

I pop a juicy strawberry in my mouth and chew, my stomach grumbling with hunger, but my mind is consumed by the need for information. I tear apart the flaky croissant, shoving a corner into my mouth as I ask, “Are things really as bad as Jett made them out to be?”

Leo’s face darkens, confirming my worst fears. “Yes, but it’s not your fault. Kylo started this weeks ago, and now that we know it’s him, we've been able to get the word out to all our men. He’s also made his demands clear since his performance last night.”

I stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “What does he want?”

Leo reluctantly slides his phone across the table, revealing a horrifying image of a building in flames. My heart drops to my stomach as I recognize the shops on either side of the building. “Antonio's?” I gasp.

Leo nods, flicking to another image, and I feel like I might be sick as I recognize the charred remains of my salon. “My salon,” I cry, clutching my chest, feeling like I have been shot. I loved that salon, I put my heart and soul into making it what it is today. It’s got me through so much and been my constant over the years when everything else turned to shit. Tears blur my eyes and I try to blink them away.

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