Page 27 of Mates & Mercenaries

“I’m trusting you,” he warns me. “I want you to be able to use your link to Santorini to get back into his home so I can make this work. Iwillmake this work. I can’t have any more amateurs working for me, like the catering staff who got taken down in an instant. They fucked up bad. I have been so annoyed to learn that one of them was taken out by the girl.” I hate the way he talks about Skylar with disgust, but this is all great for the recording, so I keep my emotions locked away inside. “Although, maybe I don’t need to be so angry at them if they have created a rift. They might have done what I wanted anyway. They were just a different step in the right direction than I expected of them.”

“You can trust me. I will make sure that my link with Santorini remains strong and he turns to me and my pack when for security.”

“Excellent. What a way to fool him before stabbing him in the back.”

“Just what I was thinking, boss.”

It doesn’t quite hit me how crazy that was, and how scarily it could have gone south, until I’m passing Kyle in the hotel lobby once more. Somehow, I’m still alive, and somehow, I have the information that I need to take back with me. I make my way to Santorini’s house, so if Edmund’s goons follow me, it’ll just look like I’m doing what I promised their boss I would do.

* * *

Evan doesn’t looklike the same man I saw at the party a few weeks ago. He hurries me into the house, glancing around like he’s paranoid. I never thought about how much he might be worrying about his daughter and missing her too.

I bet this would change Skylar’s opinion about everything that has happened in her life. She seems to think that she’s more of an inconvenience in her father’s life. I think she’s under the impression that his life of crime comes first and that he doesn’t think of her very much at all. I have to let her know that isn’t the case.

“Which one are you?” Evan asks me. “Sorry, I just don’t remember, everything was so crazy that day.”

“Rex,” I remind him. “You had more dealings with Creed than me.”

“Where is Creed? Has something happened?”

I shake my head. “No, sir. Creed is with the other men at the safe house, looking out for Skylar. She is the top priority, so they are with her.”

“Good, good.” He presses a hand to his chest, clearly relieved. “I’m glad to hear that my daughter is fine. It’s been hard not knowing what’s going on with her. I also don’t like what’s going on here. In this city. I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”

“Yeah, well I am here because I have some answers for you.”

“You do?” His brows raise. “Do you know if it’s Griffin or Mason? Or is it an inside job? Because all of this has me wondering if my men are turning their backs on me.”

“It’s all here on this recording.” I hand it over to him. “But you don’t need to worry about the men around you. The threat comes from New York City. Edmund Hooper. He wants to spread his kingdom down into Chicago.”

“Hooper?” This is an obvious shock to Evan. “Why is he doing this to me? Why would he want to attack my daughter? How did you even find out about this?”

I have to shrug because, unfortunately, I don’t know all the details. “Creed is the one who used his contacts to find out what’s going on. I don’t know if the attack is personal, but I think it’s because he sees you as the biggest threat in the city. I know he plans to take out Mason and Griffin as well.”

The color drains from Evan’s cheeks. “So, how are we going to tackle this?”

I show him the pager. “Edmund has given me a job. He thinks I am on his side, ready to attack you at any given moment. I will know what’s going to happen and when, and then we can make sure that you are safe.”

“I can’t leave the whole fight to you.”

“Yes, you can. If you start bringing the other men into this, we might end up with a betrayal. The last thing I need is to have Edmund think he can’t trust me and then screw me over. That would put you and your daughter in jeopardy. You need to let us handle this.”

I don’t think Evan likes being unable to control yet another aspect of his work and life. Just like Creed. But these alphas need to learn to take a step back and allow others to shine when the time is right. And now is the time for everyone else to show how much they can fight.

“It will be fine,” I reassure him. “We have this under control. You will know if there is anything you need to be concerned with.”

Evan stands up and shakes my hand. He has the recording, and I hope that doesn’t make him take action on his own. I want him to leave this to us. I want to know that he trusts us, otherwise this could all go wrong.

There is no way we’re going to let anything happen to Skylar. Not after everything we have been through together. We will fight to the bitter end to keep her alive. Everyone else just needs to let us do what needs to be done.

I walk out of the house and head to the car. Just before I slide into the driver’s seat, I grab my cell phone and, much to my surprise, see a text from Creed. I thought he would be busy researching Hooper and his men with Sam to give us the upper hand on whatever might come next.

But this message isn’t anything to do with anyone from New York.

Creed:Where are you? Something has come up and we need you here at the warehouse now.

Oh God, what drama do we have to face now? I fire off a quick text back letting Creed know that I’m in Chicago and heading their way. I get the car going and speed off, wondering what the hell I might have to deal with when I get to the warehouse. I’m emotionally exhausted and don’t know if I have it in me to deal with more.

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