“Lorenzo,” I bark, cutting my hard gaze to him. “I need you to reach out to the Coyotes. That fucking punk was one of theirs. Let them know they’re a member down, and if they don’t tell you what you want to know, I’ll wipe them completely off the map and gladly auction off their territory to the highest bidder.” I jab my pointer finger in his chest and give him a hard gaze as I pass. “Don’t accept any answer that isn’t the truth.”
I catch his nod in my periphery as I move on, turning back to lean over Ivan’s shoulder. “I want that clip of the moment the manager enters the room separated into its own little video. Then I want a second clip with a closeup of her face. Henry will be h—” I’m cut off by the chime of the elevator.
I leave Ivan to his fucking task and start up the hallway, already hearing the murmur of voices. Piper and her father are standing just inside the foyer area, speaking to each other with serious expressions.
I pause and clear my throat. “Madeline, could you get us a drink?” As she scurries toward the kitchen, I join my life and her father, placing a fucking possessive arm around her waist and drawing her into my side. “This conversation looks too serious for my liking.”
Henry’s eyes narrow. “She’s my daughter, and I worry about her.”
“I understand.” I nod once. “But she’s mine to protect. I can’t have a rogue agent doing rogue things in the name of protecting the most important thing in my world. We work together or not at fucking all. Got me?”
Piper places her hand on my chest, drawing my sharp gaze to hers, and it softens slightly. “I’ve made it clear, Dante. There is no me without you.”
“As much as I hate it,” Henry mumbles, smoothing his fingers across his mustache, “I have no choice but to accept it.”
“Then we’re on the same page,” I reply, motioning toward the sofa. “Have a seat and fill me in on the shooting.”
Agent Tate snorts but does as I ask. “Is it possible for me to tell you something you don’t already know?”
“Try me.” I shrug, doubting it very fucking seriously.
He opens his mouth to fill me in, but Madeline appears that second with a tray of drinks. I smirk when I see my usual glass of Glenfiddich along with two bottled waters. “Thank you, Madeline,” I say, lifting the waters and passing them to Piper and Henry before taking my glass. “Go tell Ivan to store the file on a flash drive and join us.”
After a sip from the water bottle, Henry begins sharing everything I already fucking know. The name of the shooter, his affiliation, no apparent motive. He also informs me that the security guard has been released with no charges, and the manager is terrified and begging for protection from the FBI.
“How hard have you pressed her?” I ask, taking another sip from my glass.
His eyes find mine and the look in my fucking eyes tells him all he needs to fucking know. “You think she’s a part of this.”
“She fucking knew he was coming for her.”
“Are you sure?” Piper asks, searching my face.
“Positive.”
“Fuck.” Henry sighs. “You can’t kill her, Dante.”
“I can do what the fuck I want.” I lean forward and slam my glass onto the coffee table. “But in this instance, I suspect outside forces put this into play, which is why I’m leaving it up to you to find out her part.”
“She’s already been questioned and deemed a believable witness.” Agent Tate shakes his head. “Unless I find something new, I’m no—”
“Here ya go,” Ivan says, striding into the room with the flash drive. Instead of handing it to Henry, my brother sticks it into the side of the TV and grabs the remote. “You already have the security footage, but this is Grizzly Armor footage. Clearer, sharper, better quality video all around.”
There are two files on the screen: All Footage and Close Up. Ivan selects the latter and tosses the remote back onto the coffee table, standing silently as we collectively watch the five seconds play on a loop. Each time, the manager bitch’s face is clear and decidedly incriminating as she eyes the shooter.
“Give it here,” Agent Tate says, holding out his hand. “I can press her with this, and it makes you look more cooperative for turning it over. I’m going to need to get a statement from you also, Ivan, since you’re the owner.” He cuts his eyes to mine. “If I can get a confession, she’s off limits.”
My lips purse as I consider his offer—because that’s all it is. I’m the fucking Boss around here. “I’ll allow her to live if you bring me a copy of the interrogation tape.”
Agent Tate’s mustache twitches, and he jabs a finger my way. “I don’t like this, and it won’t be the precedent for our future interactions, but I’ll bring you a copy.” His eyes flash to Piper before they come back to me. “Something bigger is going on here, and I want to know what it is.”
My gaze goes to Piper too, and because she means everything, I turn back to Agent Tate with a sharp nod. “Give me a few days to gather all the facts and we’ll schedule a meeting.”
He stands. “I’ll be in touch.”
Piper gets up to walk him to the elevator, and I keep my eyes on her gorgeous retreating form. Henry’s and my relationship was shattered before it ever got off the ground, but that’s all changed now due to the same reason it was broken in the first place. We both love Piper. With her safety as a shared goal, the lines become blurred, and the lengths Special
