Page 3 of The Truths We Seek

Our stories might be different, but I understand that darkness. The feeling of a tainted soul. The thought that you’ll never be good enough, questioning your worth, smiling, despite the fact that inside, you’re falling apart.

Something in that, in her words, in her eyes in the many pictures in here… something in all of that feels like a jigsaw piece connecting with an empty space in my soul.

I sound like a fucking crazy person, even if it is just inside my own head.

“But I’ll keep my dick in my pants and I’ll watch out for her. Does Rory know yet?”

“Does Rory know what?” I look up as the door to my office opens again as the man in question enters the room. Hunter turns and gives him the file he has in his hand.

“This,” Hunter says as Rory takes the papers and moves to lean against the wall.

“Who is she?” Rory asks, and I find myself repeating the conversation with Tommy again. I watch him as he reads her files and I know the minute he reads the line I did, the one that made me connect with her.

‘I’ve never thought of myself as a monster, but I continue to find myself surrounded by them. So maybe I am a monster, just one who doesn’t see it. Maybe I deserve this life, the punishments I receive, because I am a monster too. Except I’m the worst kind, because I don’t even see it.’

“When does she arrive?” he asks, looking me dead in the eye.

“Tomorrow,” I tell him and he nods.

“Dario has been dealt with for now, but we need to keep an eye on him. I’ll watch for her tomorrow. Did Tommy say how she’s coming into town?”

“Not yet.”

“Let me know and I’ll be there to make sure she isn’t followed.” He pushes off the wall, drops the papers onto my desk, and leaves.

And just like that, I already know that this girl might be coming to us as a favor, but she’s going to be so much more than that.

So much more.

CHAPTER TWO

MEYER

NOW

The fake laugh falls from my lips at the senator’s terrible joke and never have I ever been more thankful for my phone ringing. “Excuse me a second, gentlemen.”

I pull my phone from my pocket, stepping away from the group, my eyes scanning the room for Quinn. I can’t see her, but then, I don’t see the other two either.

Hunter probably has her pinned against a wall somewhere.

I laugh at the errant thought as I answer the phone. “Two seconds,” I say as I head out the back of the hall into the crisp air of the evening, the noise of the room disappearing in an instant. “Hello?”

“Hello, is this Mr. Marino?”

A shiver runs down my spine and I stand a little taller. “Speaking, who is this?”

“Mr. Marino, my name is Shelley, I’m a nurse here at Shorefront Emergency room. We have you listed as the next of kin for Mr. Tommy Miller. He’s being taken into surgery now and we need to go through some details with you.”

Wait, what? Shock makes me freeze for half a second before anger and confusion settle inside of me, writhing like two snakes at war. “What do you mean, surgery?”

“I’m sorry, I thought you were contacted. Mr. Miller was shot this evening, he’s in critical condition and has just gone down to surgery. As this is a private facility, we wanted to contact you immediately.”

“He was shot?” Someone needs to give me more fucking details.

Shit, Quinn. I need to get her and get to Tommy like, now.

“Yes, sir, do you have a minute—”

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