Page 45 of Darkest Retribution

Thankfully, they both shut up, even if they send me resentful glares at the same time. I rub my face, unable to stop the anger that spreads through my chest like wildfire.

He was here. We almost had him, but he slipped away. Again.

“Did you see any vehicles? Or did they leave on foot?”

“No vehicles. But my guess is they had them parked nearby.”

Great. So they’re already long gone.

I turn away, surveying the parts of the house that are in view from here. It’s a mess. But I know there won’t be anything that could possibly lead David to my brother. First, because Blaze would never leave a paper trail. And second, because he didn’t even know where he was going until his plane touched down.

It may have been overkill, but I don’t care. When it comes to my family, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe.

“Next time, Dom,” Felix says with a grunt.

I turn, watching as he slowly moves to his feet. When Willow helps pull him up, I expect him to push her away, but instead he leans into her for a few seconds. Then something flickers across his face, and he removes her arm from his waist, settling his weight against the counter instead.

“I’ve been trying to find information on his sister.”

Willow nods. “I’ve heard about her. She’s crazy good.”

“In what way?” I ask.

She hesitates for a second, but when Felix gives her his signaturetalk, or I’ll fucking murder youlook, she continues. “She was the Albright’s best fixer and enforcer for years. Intimidating as hell. I’ve heard that she’s best at silent kills. You know, sneaking up on you, and you don’t even realize she’s there until you’re already half dead. That type of shit. But she’s good in a fight, too.”

“Any idea where she is now?”

Willow shakes her head. “I’ve been out of the loop since I left Chicago. And I never kept close tabs on any of the Albrights unless I had to. Had other stuff I was focused on.”

I nod, taking in the information. “You know her name?”

“No one does. She was raised out of the spotlight. Not sure why, since David wasn’t. Other than he’s an attention whore.”

“I need a name.”

“Well, no one knows it.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Willow,” Felix says, “if you’re hiding something, this is the time to come clean.”

“I don’t know her name! Trust me, if I did, I’d tell you. But I don’t think it’d help, anyway. She left Chicago before I did—just over a year ago.”

“And you know that how?” I can’t help the suspicion dripping from my voice. It really seems like Willow is picking and choosing what she shares with us.

“No,” Felix says, “that’s true. I was still in Chicago when her type of kill started dying off. Her father started using different enforcers, and things changed. I don’t know where she went or why she left, but I don’t think she’s in the business anymore.”

Willow’s face falls. “I wonder if they killed her.”

The three of us stand in silence, watching each other. From the little Felix has explained to me, it’s possible. If David’s sister started going against her family’s wishes, or maybe even betrayed them, she could be dead.

My phone goes off.

Jade:Saw you leave. Everything okay?

Dominic:Fine. Brother’s house got broken into.

“We should probably focus on other leads,” Felix says.

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