Conor and me, between you…and me. I get that, but I want to be peaceful for the sake of the kids. They’ll grow out of their obsession with each other. Kane will move on to other things, but in the meantime, we just have to ride out this awkward wave together.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” It pained me to say that. I dusted off some imaginary fluff on my arm. “Thanks for being an adult about this.”
“You’re welcome, Charlotte.” He said that so smoothly, and my eyes narrowed. Was that the tone he used on the ladies? Ew.
“You can leave now, Reid,” I told him curtly.
He chuckled and took a step toward me, towering over me. When had he gotten so tall? I looked up at him, my lips flinching in amusement. He really had nothing on Conor when it came to intimidation. Then again, I couldn’t look at him in that way because of our history together. This guy was my high school boyfriend. He’d been clumsy and awkward and quick, and our intimate life had been so cringy.
“I also wanted to say,” he said quietly now with a serious look, “that you should really move along from Locke.”
My lips fell flat. “Excuse me?”
“He’s really pissing me off lately, and I have no choice but to throw some punches. I don’t want you in the line of fire.”
My back straightened. I crossed my arms, glaring. “I just look over the books at the firm, Reid. I don’t know what the hell you’re referring to.”
But I did know what he was referring to, and he knew it too. He laughed lightly, his eyes lit up with amusement. “Then you tell him to keep his dirty fingers out of my very legal car shop. That was the deal. We promised to keep the peace and to help each other out. This shit blurs the lines, don’t you think?”
I didn’t respond.
With that, he whistled at Kane. “Come on, buddy, let’s hit the road.”
Kane and Penny hugged it out before departing like they were never going to see each other again. Kane even held out his hand to her as Reid grabbed him by the other hand and tugged him along to the very expensive sportscar parked down the street.
Proceeds of crime. I thought bitterly.
Not like I should be talking.
I hid people’s dirty money for a living.
Ugh.
“Remember,” Penny hollered, “you’re the white unicorn, and I’m the pink! Don’t mess with my house, or I’ll burn yours down!”
Oh, my God.
Parents passed by exchanging shocked glances, and I wanted to hide under my car and never come out.
“Goddammit, Penny,” I growled, playfully pushing her in the direction of the car. “Be normal.”
On the drive home, I tried my best to listen to Penny’s day. I really did, and usually I was all ears, but this time it was Reid’s words swirling around my brain. He had never been on Locke’s radar. Not that I knew of, anyway. Why the hell was Locke getting involved in Reid’s “legal” business.
What did that even mean?
The chop shop was history. Had been since Conor went away, much to Jem’s dismay. Plus, Locke had a surplus of “legal” businesses around, and though he never told me what shit he dabbled in on the side, the exponential growth was out of this world.
Locke wasn’t short on money.
Chop shopping seemed of such little importance to him.
But, knowing Locke, he could be bored. He might have directed his crosshairs on Reid and declared war just to watch Reid’s businesses burn down in flames. Then he’d have Reid arrested for having an illegal operation and slowly pick apart his world until there was nothing left but charred rubble.
The thought saddened me.
I thought of Kane’s life being destroyed. He’d always appeared like such a melancholy boy when he didn’t think anyone was looking. He needed stability and a father figure.
Didn’t Locke care that Reid kept to himself and was keeping the peace? More so than that, Reid’s old man had helped Locke out a few years ago. There was a truce there, a sort of partnership if you wanted to call it that.
It didn’t make sense.
I’d have to go to the office and sort this shit out face to face. I needed to see Locke’s eyes when he answered my questions. Sometimes he let things slip in them. I was beginning to learn his expressions. It only took me eight years.
“It’s not your business,” Billy muttered, appearing on the seat next to me. “If they wanna kill