“You sure about that? I can see some grays slipping through.” She peered at his hair
He patted his head.
“Don’t worry,” she said, hugging him. “I hear silver foxes are the hottest thing right now.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not eager to start a new relationship.”
She squeezed him tightly, hearing the hurt he’d never show anyone else. “I never liked that bitch.”
He chuckled. “You want me to take care of the dickhead? One shot is all it will take.”
She stiffened and pulled back. “Don’t, Freddy. Don’t even joke about it. Please, just leave Connor alone.”
“You want me to take you back? You want to me to explain it all to him?”
She shook her head. “No. He made it clear he no longer wants me. Even before you came, he’d let me go. And I know he won’t come after me.”
“You don’t need him.”
Somehow, she wasn’t so sure.
“I do have another problem though.” She swallowed as she moved back to her seat. “I witnessed a murder and I think I could have a hitman after me.”
“Yeah, that reminds me. I need to call Vince and ream him out. What was his fucking hitman thinking to take that shot when you were close by?”
“What? You know who this Vince is?” She gaped at him.
“Of course. How do you think I found you?”
“I don’t understand.” How were the two things connected?
“That idiot who was shot blackmailed the wrong person.”
“Right. I guessed he pissed someone off since he ended up with a hole in his head.”
“Since when did you become a smart ass?” he grumbled.
“Sometime in the last few months. Being on the run will do that to a girl.”
Freddy shook his head and sighed. “Anyway, that idiot who got himself killed decided a few weeks ago to start blackmailing Vince’s sister, who lives in Waco. So, Vince sent one of his boys down to take care of him. He took a few photos of this guy and sent them back to Vince. To his surprise, there you were in one of them.”
She had been? The photos must have been taken in the club because she spent as little time as possible in Trevor’s company. “Wait, how did Vince’s guy know it was Trevor who was the blackmailer?”
“Ah, well, even though Vince agreed to let his sister move here to live her own life, he never completely left her unprotected. One of his guy’s was waiting outside of the club to follow her home one night and saw that little ass leave a note on her car. When Vince saw you in one of the photos, he called me. I sent a few photos of you to people I trusted so they could keep an eye out for you. Couldn’t tell just anyone or it might have gotten into the wrong hands. Didn’t want someone going after you to get revenge on me. I sent Carson and Louie out ahead of me while I set things up so I could leave the city. They confirmed you were definitely here and that you were involved with some guy. They put trackers on his car and yours and kept watch on you until I could get there. And still, you nearly got shot by one of Vince’s idiot men.” He frowned over at Carson, as though that was his fault.
“Freddy, who’s Vince?”
“Oh, thought you knew. Vincent Dragos. He runs the mob in Dallas. Gonna have words to say to him at our next AGM.”
She had to role her eyes at the idea of all the mob leaders meeting up for an annual general meeting. Sometimes her brother was an idiot.
“So this all came about because Trevor chose to blackmail the wrong person?”
“Yeah, dumbass didn’t even realize who Elise was.”
“Elise? Elise is Vince’s sister?”
“Yeah. How else do you think a painter can drive around in a brand-new Lexus? Her art is never going to sell. It’s really shit.”