Page 175 of The Reluctant Hero

That confirms they had me highlighting to keep an eye on me. But it adds to the fact that they’re still in the dark about what’s going on under the surface. They must have thought I knew more, and I was drawing out the reveal so I could use them. There was never any trust with them. They wanted to use me until I supposedly tipped my hand with the theft.

I could explain it all to them. Let them do their worst against the people who have me in their sights. But I would have to trust them for that. I’m not falling back into that mindset if I can help it. For all I know, this is another trick.

The people I’m giving information to all believe they’re innocent, but I have alotof doubts.

There’s no way I can verify Jake is being honest. Even if he took me to a hospital and showed me the guy who tore up my apartment, I wouldn’t know him.

Am I wavering on their association with Blake already? After everything I’ve gone through, my trust issues should be screaming at me. They aren’t. Neither is the warning system.

There’s also the fact that somewhere out there is an account with my name on it that has who knows how much money in it. It might be where Gabriel’s money went, too. They might already know about it. I could ask, but I can’t afford to do that. It isn’t just me in danger here, and I can’t forget that.

Whoever was being kept in those cages is counting on me to stop making mistakes. As much as I want to tell them and get victims out quickly, I can’t trust that’s what they’ll do. Would they even care? I would have assumed anyone would until recently.

When my mouth stays shut, Jake nods with a concerned frown. He brushes the hair away from my face in a delicate sweep. His eyes move over my neck. “How hurt are you, my imp? Any confusion? Blurred vision?”

Everyone focuses on me while I stare at the baton, willing it to magically appear in my hand. Gabriel’s hand squeezes my forearm again like he’s trying to get me to talk. My continued silence seems to be a prompt for everyone else to talk to me.

“Shade said that a car tried to hit you?” Mikael asks softly. He acts like he’s a cop questioning a fragile witness. I’m surprised he isn’t offering me a tissue and a hug.

That event feels like it happened a lifetime ago. Jesus, it’s Tuesday. How am I going to make it through this when I don’t expect to make it to Wednesday?

“What else?” Jake asks him with a scowl. His intensity is focused as he scrolls to start taking more notes. “What have I missed?”

Mikael is eager to share with him, and Cade solemnly pitches in. They’re watching me as if they’re waiting for me to add details or reasons behind it. All while looking like they kicked a puppy on accident and are stuck watching it struggle to stand back up. Assholes.

I squeeze my eyes shut to help block out the conversation they had with Tera and Shade. It doesn’t work well, but it does ease the throbbing headache that started at some point.

They told them about a virus that made me look like a thief. So, no money got moved. It shoots my hopes to find the account through that transaction in the foot. They go over my apartment getting trashed again with a pointed explanation of how it wasn’t Ace. My graceful trip down the stairs. But Shade didn’t bring up the properties, which I find interesting. It’s enough to keep my mouth firmly shut. Shade knows, and that’s all that matters.

Their faith in this group is concerning. I expected Shade to break in or make demands. Instead, he and Tera gave them proof of my innocence and Tera is telling me they’re innocent too.

I’ll have to thank Tera again. It’s so hard to imagine her being a genius at hacking and breaking and entering. She probably has some superpower, too. The world is not how I knew it months ago.Again.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them are at the house waiting to throw more info our way,” Cade finishes in exasperation.

That gets my attention like he used a cattle prod on me.

“Not Tera,” I protest with a demanding, angry rasp, surprising them. “Leave her out of it.”

“She’s pregnant, and we’ll start keeping her away as much as we can,” Jake agrees gently, squeezing the nape of my neck in reassurance.

“None of this makes sense,” Ace interrupts, totally focused on me. He hasn’t looked away once. It makes me sad because I didn’t get that when I needed it desperately. He can take it away whenever he wants. I’m not relying on it anymore.

“The escalation of events is too fast for what we’ve found,” Gabriel agrees. He shifts next to me as if he’s trying to get my attention.

“I think this goes deeper,” Jake says and scrolls to another app on his phone. “Blake and Fullerton are red herrings to cover something else. Well-funded but incompetent.”

More competent than them. They have no idea what’s really under the surface. If they aren’t acting.

“Manda?” Ace asks hesitantly.

This is the point where I would normally explode all over them. Or maybe that was thirty minutes ago? Either way, it isn’t happening now. All that rage is locked up tight. Assaulting Blakefelt way too good and I’m spent. Besides, they don’t get any more pieces of me, big or small.

They wanted to play mystery team. I’m not on it with them. I told them that in the beginning. They can use whatever mafia ties they’ve got and make their own mess. I have other plans.

The car slows, and my attention goes to the window as we pass a massive metal fence. I hurt too badly to turn and watch it close behind us. I’m stuck looking at a freshly cut lawn and then a massive house with a stupidly long driveway that makes my lips curl in disgust. It’s the type of place Blake always dreamed of living in.

A pristine white mansion with two levels sprawled across a green expanse. There are at least eight big pane windows on each floor with light curtains that cover without blocking out the light. There’s even a balcony on the second floor with lounge chairs waiting for occupation. Pillars everywhere. A rich scumbag’s dream taken right out of a magazine.

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