Indebted - Piper Stone Page 0,86

stake here. Isn’t that becoming more obvious?”

“Why don’t you ask yourself why that might be? Why don’t you take the time to talk to your brother? Maybe he has some insight.”

I laughed as I gazed up and down, studying him like a hawk. He had aged significantly over the last three years. Maybe we both had. “And I suppose that’s why you gave him my phone number.”

He was certainly keeping more secrets than he wanted to admit.

“Whether you believe it or not, I care about you. I want you to find happiness.”

“So I’ve heard before. Make certain that Alessandra is protected. She will not be taken into custody. That will never happen.”

As the chirp of his phone sounded in the room, I turned away, uncertain what I wanted to tell him about the threats or if I wanted to say a damn thing. Whatever Luis was trying to tell me likely cost him his life.

Was there anyone I could actually trust? More important, where was this game actually going? Jefferson was right. The various details were nagging at me; however, I was a part of whatever scheme was ongoing. While the neat package would help me assume that Bobby Rivers was simply vengeful, perhaps for something Luis had done, I knew that wasn’t the case. Luis had been used because of his direct connections with me.

“Jefferson Williams,” he barked into the phone. “You have to be kidding me.” After a few seconds, he lifted his gaze, his eyes open wide. “When?” He leaned over his desk, planting his hand on the surface. “Jesus Christ. How much time?” Whatever information he’d received had rattled him. “I completely understand and I appreciate you letting me know.”

He said nothing for a full thirty seconds after ending the call. When he finally looked up, his breathing was labored.

“What is it?” I finally asked.

“That was Stephen Cantor. You need to listen to me very carefully. Stephen anticipates that Judge Taylor’s ruling is going to be revoked within the next twenty-four hours. They will come for Alessandra even if a new trial is required.”

“Fuck. They will not take her away from me. They will not!”

“You may not have a choice, Gabriel.” He moved around the desk, his face pensive. “Whoever is threatening you isn’t Bobby Rivers.”

“How the hell would you know that?” I growled, my blood pressure increasing.

“Because Bobby Rivers was murdered sometime last night.”

Chapter Sixteen

Gabriel

Murdered.

While Jefferson had insisted that we talk, trying desperately to keep me from leaving his office, I’d shoved him away, determined to get back to my home. Everything was unraveling, including my mind, nothing making any sense.

Kito had assured me that they’d only had a discussion with Bobby, leaving him very much alive, but I doubted that their stories would be believed. What I did know is that no one was going to take Alessandra away from me. She needed to remember what happened that night. That would indicate who else was involved.

I had heard that Kito had gained almost nothing from Bobby except that he seemed agitated, nervous that they would be seen talking together. Who the hell was the person behind this entire situation? The only person who made any sense was Jefferson. Hell, he’d gone away on an unexpected trip, telling me only that a family situation had to be dealt with. I snarled, realizing that he knew everything about my business, with one exception. While he’d been hired to handle my legal issues, he’d never had anything to do with my finances. He’d need an inside person to glean the kind of information that would prove to be damaging.

My gut churned at the thought.

I floored the accelerator, ignoring the speed limit. I’d already put into motion arrangements to take her out of the city, at least for a little while. At this point, she was still considered under my guardianship.

What the hell was going on? Had Bobby been eliminated, his use no longer necessary? A loose end. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

None of the pieces fit together.

My only other source of information was Aiden. His message was loud and clear. Forces were moving in to try to destroy me. I was beyond being furious, but the one thing I would concentrate on now was keeping Alessandra safe.

As I rolled into the driveway, a foreboding sense became overwhelming. The entire situation was coming to a head. My blood pressure continued to rise and when I noticed a sleek black SUV pulled just in front of the main door, my entire