Page 26 of Splintered Security
“Heath was already pushing me to pay Aug’s‘debts,’ whether they were real or not. His most efficient threat was that he would make Mom pay if I didn’t. So I begged off moving with her and let her believe I was thriving in Pueblo.”
“His debts?” The chill in his voice communicates more than I can understand.
I bob my head, still not meeting his gaze. “August was dabbling in their shipments. Or so Heath claimed. The stabbing was a ‘warning’—” I use air quotes from the hand not holding my wine— “to the other members of the MC so they’d know better than to do the same.”
His palm on my knee goes rigid just as the rest of him turns frighteningly still. Ren’s voice is equally as terrifying when he asks, “Was he using?”
“I truly don’t know. He changed. But everyone changes. Not to mention the fact that we weren’t living at home where I’d pick up on the subtle or not-so-subtle differences. He was shorter in his calls and texts, but he was still my August.” I shrug. “Heath insists he was and made a point of putting that in my face. So I lost my brother and then had salt rubbed in the wound over and over until I acquiesced. Life was barely tolerable.”
“And how did he expect you to pay?” Ren’s words are as brittle as glass when he spits them out.
“I’ve said enough tonight. This is obviously bothering you, and I’m tapped out.”
A finger comes under my chin and tips my face to Ren’s. “Try again.”
Everything on him is rigid. His eyes blaze with anger, but when his hand slides to cup my jaw, it’s warm and tender.
“We’re getting this all out tonight. Not exactly the wedding night little girls dream of. It’s sure as fuck not the one I would expect if I’d ever given it any thought, but we’re not going into this partnership with secrets.”
I sigh and turn my face into his hand. Closing my eyes, I let the words flow even as the tears threaten to do the same. “He didn’t want money for those debts, he wanted favors from me. Favors I didn’t want to grant, but he took them anyway. Sometimes that was muling. Sometimes that was money exchanges. Occasionally it was sex.”
His sharp intake of breath has me rushing to get the rest out. “None of this I’m proud of, except that my mom wasn’t tortured. Physically at least. She was already tormented by losing August to a life of hardness and crime. She lost him again, but for good that time, in a knife fight. Well, she thinks it was a knife fight. She has no clue he was used as a lesson.”
Using all of my resolve, I open my eyes, and stare at my husband. “And I’ll never tell her. It won’t do any good, and I won’t hurt her any more. And, since you pushed, you should probably know that I’m sure Heath has video of me participating in or facilitating illegal activities. He can take me down along with anybody in the club at a whim.”
His eyes slam shut.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I protected myself and my family the best way I knew how. And I’d do it again. Am I proud of my actions? No. But I made a choice to do the best I could with a jacked situation.” My words come out as a whisper. “I told you I knew shit.” I let my chin drop to my chest and allow emotion to overcome me.
“Disappoint me? You think you disappointed me?”
I don’t respond. I want to, but my bluster is gone. I have no fire. I’m just me—the girl who goes along and doesn’t use her voice.
“Annika Gallo, look at me.”
My eyes snap up at that. I didn’t expect him to use his last name when referring to me. The ownership it offers is like a warm, soothing bubble bath. It’s not like Heath’s that came with control. The possession in Ren’s statement is comforting.
“Listen closely. I am not disappointed in you. I’m raging at a man who took what didn’t belong to him and blackmailed you in the process. I’m livid that I lost my best friend so Giltenhouse could manipulate and dominate weaker men. And I’m irate that you dealt with all of that and didn’t let me help you. Until today.” He takes a long pull on his Bourbon. “Today you became mine.”
It’s my turn to suck in a breath, held captive by Ren’s gaze.
“And I’m working to tamp down that anger in order not to scare you. You will never be in a situation again where you have to choose between your security or the safety of anyone you love. You will never again compromise your integrity to protect your family. There won’t be a threat against you that I don’t handle from here on out. Understood?” Ren drains his bourbon in one huge gulp.
I simply nod. There’s too much to unpack. Besides, his tone brooks no argument.
“And since we’re laying shit out there, I learned something this evening that I’m trying to piece together. Troy Smith was at the club Wednesday night.”
I jerk back in surprise. “What?”
“He met a man in the alley, chatted him up, and handed over a bag that came back into the building. DPD bomb squad said the duffel was full of explosives. Could he have known where you were? Any idea why Troy would want to eliminate you?”
“Troy doesn’t make decisions. Troy takes orders. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Heath has a tracker on my phone or whatever.” I gasp, the reality of what I said slamming into me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I didn’t think—” I scramble, but between the blanket and the sloshing wine, I don’t get anywhere.
“Settle, Anni. If there’s a tracker on your phone, it’s been more than forty-eight hours and you’ve been alone a couple of times with no interference, here, at the mall… I don’t think that’s it. Just in case, though, we’ll get a new one. First thing tomorrow, we’ll make that happen.”
“I knew they watched everything. I knew they were following me. Their constant presence was a perpetual reminder I was being watched and not to wander. It worked. For a long, long time, it worked. Until Wednesday, when I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“What happened Wednesday?”
