Page 29 of What's Left of Us

“Constantine can’t answer questions about Porscha’s past,” Jensen says, eyeing me. “He knew her for a short amount of time and only that version of her. We need to look into who she was before that.”

“Before she was your mother,” Sterling agrees. “We already looked into that, but her hate seems to-”

He cuts himself off, seeming to realize for the first time that he’s talking aboutme.He was so focused on his train of thought, he nearly forgot that it all has to do with me.

I cross my arms, waiting for him to talk his way out of this one. He clears his throat, his cheeks doing that cute little blush that happens when he’s embarrassed, but it’s not the time for that right now. I clear my throat. “Do you need me here anymore?”

“Porscha is riled up enough from talking to you,” he says slowly, eyeing me. “She might give away more. We need an agent back in there.”

“Then walk me to the front,” I snap, glancing between the two men. There’s something unspoken between them, and after listening to my mother lose it I don’t have the energy to try and figure out what it is.

“I’ll do it, boss,” Jensen offers, glancing down at me. “I’m sure your husband is back by now.”

I don’t even care if he is. I’ll call him and wait in the parking lot if I have to, I just want to be away from this. “Sure. Whatever. Let’s go.”

“Hey, Jo-”

Holding up a hand, I glance back over my shoulder with a glare. “Don’t, Sterling. I don’t want the excuses. Do what you have to for your case I guess. Looks like you’re just as driven as your father was to get answers, no matter what you have to do.”

It’s obvious that I struck a nerve with my words but right now, I don’t care. Porscha’s voice rattling around in my head, and I need to be as far from this place as possible before I can try and make sense of this meeting. The guard nearby lets me pass as Jensen steps up to my side, flashing his badge, and we’requickly on our way out. I need to call Vinny but I need to get my bag and my phone first.

I should’ve waited for him. This was a mistake.

“You did good,” Jensen offers, but I don’t really believe him. I got her talking, but none of it made any sense. “We appreciate you doing that. I know it wasn’t easy-”

“Just do me a favor,” I interrupt, keeping my eyes forward as we walk. “Don’t ever expect me to do that again. I don’t need to see my mother to say goodbye. I did that a long time ago.”

Chapter 8

After spending far too long on the phone with Xeno last week, I should be up to date on everything that’s going on in his twisted little mind. He’s been calling me more and more, not just about things stewing with Alastair’s case, but about the family. I have no business in that life anymore, but he tries to drag me back almost more than our father recently.

Our last conversation plays in my head, and I worry for him.

“Things are changing,” he tells me as I stare at the front of the prison. “Papa is losing control of everything south of Melbourne. Our alliances with the other families are breaking apart.”

“How do you expect me to help?” I ask him, gripping the steering wheel. I should’ve just gone inside with Jo. “I’m not connected to anyone anymore. No one wants to hear from the disowned son of the Capo.”

“I don’t need you to have alliances, brother,” Xeno says like it’s obvious. “I need you to have my back.”

I shift in my seat. My brother isn’t my papa, and I don’t have the hate in my heart for him that I do for Massimo. “How?”

“I have to strengthen connections,” Xeno explains. “One of them, you may not like. It’s just business.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vinny!” Jo yells from downstairs. “If you don’t come down here already Emeric’s going to lose his damn mind.”

Shaking the memory away, I glance at the gun resting on the bathroom counter. It’s another thing I have because my brother wants me protected, but what is Xeno going to expect from me in the long run? I can’t think of much that I wouldn’t do for him, but he’s making me question what his plans are.

Downstairs I find Jo sitting on the couch, the phone resting flat on her hand. She’s nervous, picking at the cushion, and I sit down before her before grabbing her legs and draping them over my knees. All at once the tension in her body eases, and I slide the gun with the safety on onto the table before sitting back.

“Maybe we can have a party,” Jo says, messing with a throw pillow. “When we’re back.”

“Fourth of July, right?” Emeric asks sarcastically through the phone, and it’s nice to hear his voice. Jo spiraled at the beginning of the month when she texted our friends, and although we smoothed things over since her visit to the prison with her mother, it’s still weird filling them in. Life at the club in Colorado is so drastically different from life down here. I can’t wait to leave.

“Might be a little too soon,” she sighs, and I meet her gaze. “We’re waiting. Sterling doesn’t think they’ll need to bring me back to the women's prison again, but I will probably need to testify against my mom when court progresses.”

“That can take a long time,” I remind her. “We’ll be back in Colorado before you have to worry about that. And I’ll be there with you the whole way.”

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