Page 21 of Dangerous Love

My lips curled into half-moons. “Yeah. It’s getting easier. I’m thinking… either youth work, or hospitality. I mean, so I can work for Youth Legacy or Nutrify with you.”

Avery muted his show. The voices from the screen died as his grew clearer. “You really have to do what makes you happy. But don’t choose a career based on what we’re doing. There’s a lot out there other than Youth Legacy orBello A&G Italiano.”

Grace patted his leg. “Way to burst her bubble, muffin.” She hoisted herself out of the love seat and made her way over to the couch where I was seated. “What he means is we could brainstorm the stuff you like and see what matches. The reality is no matter what you choose, they’ll always be a place for you with us.”

Arms around her, I squeezed her tight. Grace has always been like a mother to me. Ever since I’d first met her three years ago. “Thank you, Gracey.”

Avery chuckled. “And in all honesty, you’d suck in the kitchen anyway. You can barely make toast.”

The pillow I tossed his way hit him in the belly. “I make the best toast, bro. They’re just the right shade of burnt.”

Since running into Riley at the Coffee Hub a week ago, everything was gradually falling into place. Even Evelyn couldn’t believe how well I was doing with all my exercises and positive self-talk. I got through most days without having any panic attacks, my anxiety drying out with each extra second I spent with Riley. Even if he was in some weird denial about our relationship.

“Has anyone heard from Riley? I haven’t been able to get a hold of him since yesterday.”

Avery tensed, and he and Grace exchanged a glance. She gave him a small smile, and like they shared an invisible connection, the lines on his forehead smoothed when she stared into his eyes.

“He’s busy with his brother.” Avery turned the volume up on the TV until it resonated over our voices.

“What’s wrong with Scotty?” April’s little boy was the cutest thing ever and watching Riley with his baby siblings was adorable.

The TV screen went black as Avery closed his eyes and swung towards me. “Sienna, we probably need to talk.”

“Okay?” I didn’t like the way my brother’s shoulders bunched as he rested his elbows on his knees.

Grace grabbed my hand. “He’s not talking about Scotty. He’s talking about Seth.”

Seth?Shock throat-punched me as Riley’s biological brother’s name was brought up. Shivers prickled my skin as visions of my time in Cooper’s gang flooded me. Seth was about six years older than me. He was one of the nice ones in that family. At least compared to Hal. Even compared to Trey who—in some really unhealthy way—had both groomed and protected me, all at the same time.

What stung was that I had no idea Riley was still talking to any of them. “Are you telling me that Riley is involved with the Cooper gang?”

Avery’s face hardened as he took a deep breath like he braced for some really bad news. “Yes.”

I narrowed my eyes, my head jerking between Grace and Avery. “Why?”

“Because he made a deal with his father in exchange for Hal’s word that he would leave us the fuck alone.”

My throat tightened as my brother’s words sunk in. A knot dropped to the pit of my stomach, and I brought my arm across my middle, wishing it’d stop the burning. “Riley agreed to stay in their evil circle to keep us out of it?” My voice broke when I uttered the last word.

Grace pulled me into a hug as she murmured against my ear. “Yes. And we didn’t want you to worry about it. Hal’s behaving. Thinking he has tabs on his son has him settled for now.”

My hand covered my mouth as tears formed behind my eyelids. “Hal is the worst man I’ve ever met. I saw what they did to Seth. I was there, remember?” I screamed behind my fingers. “They kept him in a room for weeks until they broke him. What if they do the same to Riley?”

Avery dashed in front of me until he was crouched by my side. “Sienna, that’s not gonna happen. We won’t let anything happen to Riley. Jarryd and I are all over it. You don’t worry about that.”

I wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt. “I want to know what else happened on that day. Why won’t anyone tell me?” Tears fell freely down my cheeks, my blood pumping hard through my veins. “Why did he agree? He wouldn’t have agreed to that without a good reason.”

Grace paled, her own breathing growing shallow. “Sweetie, it’s not something we want to relive either.” She sighed as she grabbed Avery’s hand. He laced his fingers through hers, before she continued. “Hal pushed a gun to my head until your brother agreed to work for him again.”

Pain pierced through my chest. “What?” I cried. “No!”

“Calm down, Shorty. I’m not working for Hal anymore.” He lifted himself on the couch and fell back onto the cushion. “But I would be if Jarryd and Riley hadn’t shown up at the last minute.”

Please God. Kill this man.My voice trembled as I asked the question I wasn’t sure I wanted an answer to. “What happened?”

“Riley and Trey had a standoff. Cooper and Jarryd one of their own, and right before everyone landed themselves a bullet to the brain, Riley made his father give his word about some family honour code in exchange for complete immunity for us all.”

A sob shook me. It froze the blood in my veins like I’d collapsed through an avalanche. Something didn’t add up. Or maybe it added up too well. “How do I come into this picture?” With the way Riley talked about my protection, there was more to this story. When neither of them spoke, I pleaded, my pitch increasing by a few decibels. “Avery?”

---