Cartel? This sounds like it goes well beyond the Manzia family.
“Ruiz, you fucked up,” Brian says.
I take a step back. Ruiz? Why is my brother talking to Ruiz?
“No, they didn’t take out the target. Your men are all dead.”
The target? They said they were after Duke. My brother was in on this? Then why the hell did he ask me to keep them safe? Maybe because he knew Delaney would insist her brother was protected too.
My stomach lurches as I realize my brother knew Duke was coming to this house because I told him. I walk back to the front of the house before my brother notices I’m there.
I must have misunderstood. There’s no way my brother would turn dirty. But if he did, he’s the one who had Duke taken away in an ambulance. Shit, I need to find Duke now.
I run to Brian’s car. Sure enough, he left the keys in the ignition. I’ve chastised him more times than I can count for doing that, but right now, I’m thankful.
As I pull down the driveway, he spots me. “Hey! You can’t take my car.”
I roll down the window. “Something came up, sorry!”
At the first stoplight I come to, I grab my phone and punch in the name of the hospital Brian had told Ozzie. I follow the phone’s directions, breaking a few speeding laws and pull right up to the emergency room. I jump out and run inside. Ozzie is in the waiting room.
“Is he here?” I ask.
Ozzie frowns. “Who?”
“Duke.”
Ozzie nods. “Yes, we followed the ambulance, and they took him right back. He’s in surgery.”
I collapse into a chair.
“What’s going on?” Ozzie asks.
I glance around. “Where’s Delaney?”
Ozzie nods toward the front desk where she’s sitting. “Filling out paperwork.” He looks me up and down. “What’s going on?”
I close my eyes, not sure how to say the words. “I overheard my brother on the phone. He was talking to Ruiz, and it sounded like he might have tipped those men off about Duke’s being there.”
Ozzie’s brows shoot up. “You think your brother is working with the other side?”
I shrug. “I don’t know for sure. But what I overheard shook me.”
“Want to talk about it?”
I glance around at the crowded waiting room. “I do, but not here. And not in front of Delaney. It will have to wait.”
He nods. Delaney walks back, her eyes red rimmed and glassy. “They said the surgery could take hours.”
I push all my thoughts of my brother aside so I can be here for this woman. She takes the empty seat next to me.
Ozzie stands up. “I’m going to check in with Reed.”
I nod, letting him know I’ll stay here with her.
Delaney meets my gaze. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. I’ve been feeling that way a lot these last few days.”
I want to reach out and touch her, especially when she’s hurting. But I force myself not to. “It’s been a crazy few days,” I say.
