Page 92 of Twisted Trust
“I…” Blood pours steadily from his nose and a large slice in his lip. “My drugs are tainted. So many shipments are making people sick and the law is watching me like a hawk. I’m losing millions since you closed the casino, and I know this looks like I would send someone to force you to open our routes back up, but I would never. I can’t locate where the tampering is happening because we’re spread out all over Vegas right now. And after the attack at your hotel and now this, I’m being set up. Levi. Please. This isn’t me. These aren’t my men.”
“Then who the fuck are they working for?” Levi snarls. “And why the fuck should I believe you?”
“Because I saved her,” Naz says, glancing past him to me. “And if I were against you, would I have given her back?”
As Levi breathes heavily and clenches his fists, a buzzing near my feet draws my attention. The assassin’s phone is buzzing with a message. Crouching slowly, I rummage through his discarded shirt until I locate it and a single message pops up on the screen.
‘Is it done?’
My heart drops like a stone. “Levi.”
“What?” He turns to me slowly, keeping one eye on Naz while I hold up the phone.
“Look at this?”
He grunts and takes the phone from me, glaring down at the screen.
“The number, look at the number the text is from. It’s the same number George told me to call about the money!”
33
LEVI
“Is he in there?”
A cold wind drags through my coat, chasing away any lingering warmth I gained on the car ride over. The past few days have been a whirlwind with learning about Antony’s possible involvement, my father’s funeral, the attempt on Maeve’s life, and the trip back to Las Vegas to face down the first chance I’ve had at getting real answers in months.
“Yes.” Naz stops beside me and claps his hands together for warmth. “Tell me, how does the desert get so cold?”
“The same way it gets too hot. Did you know you could drown out there?”
Naz’s eyes widen. “Is that what you want to do to George?”
I roll my shoulders. “Maybe. Depends how forthcoming he is with his answers.”
“We make him talk, we go home happy.” Naz puffs out his cheeks. “Or we kill him and go home happy.”
“According to Maeve, this is where he wants to meet her.”
“How is she doing?” Naz pulls his gun from his holster and checks it while a couple of his men around are doing the same.
“Recovering. Seeing her sent Scott into tears because he’s scared she’ll not come back the next time. She’s resilient, but I feel like I keep letting her down. Twice now, I’ve told her I’ll protect her and she’s gotten hurt. It’s a wonder she hasn’t left me.”
“Ah, she loves you, my friend. She won’t leave.”
Loves me?
I want to hear those words from her after everything we’ve been through. I want to know that I’m forgiven and she still holds a place for me in her heart, but I can’t bring myself to ask.
“You doubt me?” Naz sniffles and tightens the belt holding his coat closed. “Trust me, the way she wasn’t afraid of you when you were beating me? She trusts you. I saw the love in her eyes. You don’t need to fear her leaving you.”
There’s no answer I can give right now so I focus on my weapon and lead the way into the motel parking lot where George demanded Maeve meet him for the money. So much of these past few months have been shrouded in mystery, a mystery that stems back five fucking years.
I’m tired of being in the dark, and George is going to show me the light even if I have to beat it out of him. He also presents the perfect opportunity to work out this quiet, bubbling anger-tainted grief buried deep inside me.
Naz takes the lead through the parking lot. I scan every car with my eyes, peering into every dark crack and crevice in case George decided to lie in wait for Maeve. Luckily, there’s no sign of him until we reach the room number he gave to Maeve. Naz knocks lightly on the door and there’s scuffling from inside, then the clatter of a can falling over followed by a soft curse. The lock slides back and the door opens, bringing us face to face with George.
There’s a beat of confusion when he looks at Naz, but it melts into instant recognition when he locks eyes with me. Georgeattempts to slam the door in our faces but Naz blocks it with his hand and I shove my way inside as George then bolts deeper into the motel room.
