I glare back at them, crossing my arms over my chest protectively.
“Jagger said he will keep her busy for a few days, buy us some time,” Reef assures me, but it doesn’t help.
“Why is she so interested in this case? It’s fucking cold as hell. I went missing twenty-one years ago. Who cares anymore?” I throw my hands up in the air as I stalk from the gym. Heading toward the kitchen, I shove open the swinging door and go right for the fridge. Taking out a pitcher of ice-cold water, I fill a glass and chug it down, slamming it on the marble counter when I’m done. This is bad, really fucking bad. I start to pace, not sure what else to do. Commissioner Sedwick can’t work out who I am. No one else can. The more people who know, the more real it is, and I don’t want that to be my reality. I’m not that girl they’re all searching for, I’m Sloane Stryker.
Reef’s hand, heavy and warm, settles on my shoulder, stopping me from moving any further into the room. I shift my gaze back to him. “He said this one is personal. Malachi has just worked out why. Your birth father was her older brother.”
I stare back at him in disbelief, my limbs feeling like they’re about to fall out from under me. “C… Commissioner Sedwick is my auntie?” I stutter out, trying to process his words.
“Looks that way, wildcat. I knew it had to be something, she’s been like a dog with a bone about this case since I started. She said it’s why she took the transfer to Ravens Hollow in the first place.”
I have a living relative. Would she help me if she knew who I was?
“What is it, trouble?” Onyx asks, and I realize he’s followed us into the kitchen as well.
“It’s nothing,” I mutter, but my mind is racing. It’s too much to process. I try to think back to the couple of times I interacted with her. She had no idea it was me. She gave me the impression that she would lock me up and throw away the key any chance she got, like she was so much better than I was. She has that high-and-mighty thing going on, and I was the scum of the earth. Just how I imagine my birth family to be, too fucking goodfor the likes of me. She’s nothing like me, and I can’t think of anything worse than her working out who I really am.
Reef’s hand moves down my side, settling at my waist he pulls me toward him. “We can see the cogs turning. What are you thinking?”
I turn my attention back to the two of them. “Why does she need to know where I am so badly? Because she wants to know her niece or is it something more sinister? You both know it was my father who was tangled up with the Morettis. What if she is working for them as well?”
“She’s as straight as they come,” Reef huffs, not agreeing with me.
“I would have said the same about you until you turned up at the safe house on the docks with a mafia boss and I caught Romeo sucking your cock. People only show you who they want you to see; we have no idea who she really is.” I glance at Onyx, wondering what he makes of all this.
He swallows hard, and I know he’s keeping something from me.
“Spit it out,” I demand.
“Jagger’s fucking her,” he snips like he really didn’t want to tell me.
I stare back at him, wondering how long he’s known that for. I had my suspicions after the day I went in for questioning but didn’t really think Jagger would go there. “Not so fucking straight then. Great.” I pull free of Reef’s grip on me and start to pace again, erratic energy coursing through me in a way I can’t stand. I need to get back home so I can deal with this mess. My eyes flick around the kitchen, feeling like the walls are starting to close in on me.
“He said he has her under control,” Onyx tries to assure me, but his words do nothing.
“I’m sure he thinks he does, but you know Jagger, he’s hardly the sharpest tool. One slip-up is all it’s going to take, and everyone will know who I am. Then I will have some fresh target on my back.” Panic courses through me at the thought. This just keeps getting worse, and there is nothing I can do from this fucking island.
Onyx moves in front of me, his glare narrowing as his hands come to my shoulders, his grip firm. “You need to have more faith in your brother, Sloane, that man has kept you safe a long damn time,” he growls, and I know I’ve just pissed him off.
I match his intensity, tilting my head up defiantly. Fuck him for sticking up for my brother. “He also lied to me my whole damn life and didn’t fucking deal with Syd when he had the chance, even though he told me he had,” I spit back, my temper getting the better of me. I know my fight is with Jagger, but Onyx is sticking up for him, so he cops it.
“Your brother would do anything to keep you safe, and he has, so don’t disrespect him. Trust him. So what if he’s in bed with the new commissioner? You shacked up with a detective. We all make it work for us, and having her a little more pliable isn’t dumb, it’s smart when we all know there are Moretti soldiers planted within her team. We let it get out of hand and it won’t be long until they have Ravens Hollow in their filthy grip again, even with all the hard work Alex and the others did.”
I glare back at him, knowing he’s right but not wanting to admit it. So instead, I storm away from him. From them both. They don’t get it, how badly I need to fix this myself. This is my family shit, and I want to be the one to make it right.
“Come back to training, I’ll teach you some grappling moves. Reef will help,” Onyx says as I reach for the door.
I glance back to them, my heart racing, adrenaline pumping so hard it’s making me feel crazy. Reef cocks his brow cheekily, and I can see he’s all in with the helping, his dirty mind clearly goingsomeplace else than self-defense when he thinks of grappling moves. I huff out a breath, knowing this is too important to walk away from just because I’m now in a terrible mood. I’m so sick of feeling trapped here, but I can’t run either. The best I can do is prepare for the war that I know is coming. “Romeo better be back in the next couple of days, otherwise I’m finding a way off this fucking island and I’m going to take care of this shitshow myself. Do you two understand me?”
Reef’s hands come to my shoulders. “He will be back as soon as he can, wildcat, but he’s gone to Italy. It’s not a quick trip, and who knows what he’s dealing with. Just relax and let us take care of you.” He kisses my forehead.
“I can’t relax. Syd wants me dead, Emilio wants me dead. The fucking commissioner is my auntie, and she’s hunting me down for her own reasons. I feel like a sitting duck stuck here on this island.”
“You’re safe here.” He kisses my lips, trying to placate me, but I can’t soften into him. I’m totally on edge.
“Get your ass back to the gym, Sloane,” Onyx grumbles.
I throw him a bitchy-as-fuck look but stalk away from them and back into the gym. Least I can take out my frustration on them.
