Page 111 of Silent Vendetta (Vendetta Duet)

“Can’t talk, brother. Need to…dispose of something.”

“What the hell, Grayson?!”

“See you at Alexander’s,” he said. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

My brother disconnected the call.

Leaving me reeling, not only that my brother was far more dangerous than I’d imagined, but also that another person was corroborating this reality that I felt in my bones was true.

That it was Uncle Alexander all along.

He was the one threatening Luna. He was the one who sent her those letters. He was the one who ordered the hit on her father. And twenty years ago, he was the one who set everything in play that led to my father’s murder. Uncle Alexander had been responsible for it all and never showed an ounce of remorse. I needed to hurry. When I was done with Stanley, things with my uncle were about to get ugly.

I tucked the gun, still warm from my grip, into the soft lining of my hoodie pocket and reached for the weapon I reserved for special occasions, its cool, sleek form reassuring in my grip.

CHAPTER51

Luna

“Alexander,” I said with raised brows.

“I told you to stand down,” the security guard on Hunter’s front porch snapped at him.

So that was the arguing I’d heard. I almost didn’t answer the door—Hunter would be livid if he found out I did—but the knocking had been persistent, so I looked through the security hole and saw it was Alexander.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

His eyes, so much like Hunter’s, stared back at me, but the skin around them had deeper lines. He had the same strong jaw, the dark hair, too, though his was streaked with a few gray strands.

The vulnerability of seeing Alexander in casual wear was refreshing. Gone was the stern businessman I’d always seen—now wearing a gray T-shirt and black shorts.

“I didn’t mean to bother you.” Hunter’s uncle looked sheepishly at the guard, then back at me. He extended a bouquet of white and purple flowers set in a crystal vase, the soft petals contrasting with the roughness of his hands.

“I came to give you my condolences, but perhaps I should come back another time.”

I took the flowers from him, their fresh aroma hitting my nostrils.

“Don’t be silly.” I stepped back and motioned with my hand for him to come inside.

“He can’t come in, ma’am,” the security guard said.

“He’s not a threat,” I said.

“I’ve known you for ten years, Red.” Alexander raised his palms in surrender. “But I don’t want to cause any problems.”

“Mr. Lockwood said no one in or out.”

“He’s family,” I reasoned. One I hoped to be a part of.

“I’m sorry, but the answer is no,” Red, the security guard, said.

The finality of his tone settled on my ribs. I should have felt grateful for the protection, but right now, it felt stifling. I was grieving, alone, and I wanted to talk to the guy who’d gone out of his way to bring me flowers.

The man who was like a father to Hunter.

If Hunter and I were going to be together forever, I wanted his family to like me, and that meant giving them a chance to get to know me.

I tried to wipe the disappointment off my face and gave a slight smile.

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