“Why, Ren?” I snapped.

“Baby, I’m askin’ you, just do it.”

I lifted my head and looked down the street. Well down it, Darius’s son was now jogging and dribbling the ball.

Fuck.

Shit.

Fuck.

“I’ll come to your office,” I told Ren.

“See you soon, honey.”

“Later,” I replied, disconnected and started up my car

I gave one more look to the fast disappearing boy-man and one last look at the front door to Malia Clark’s house.

Then I drove to Ren’s office.

* * * * *

“Hey, Ally,” Dawn greeted me with such sugar-sweet fakeness, my teeth hurt.

“Hey, Dawn,” I replied, otherwise ignoring her.

Instead, I was taking in the fact that Ren’s offices were sah-weet. Lots of dark wood. Lots of glass art. Just like Ren, total class.

I kept walking toward the inner hall when Dawn called, “Ren likes guests to be announced.”

“Don’t worry. He knows I’m coming,” I told her as I disappeared in the hall.

I turned into the opened door to my right and the minute I entered Ren’s office I saw him coming my way, nearly at the door.

“Thought I heard you,” he murmured, making it to me.

“I’m here,” I noted the obvious.

He leaned in to give me a distracted touch on the lips then moved beyond me to close the door.

Oh man.

Here we go.

I took that moment to look around his office to see it was more of the same from outside. The difference being that his desk was a mess.

My man worked. That was obvious.

I liked that.

What was better was that Indy had told me that Lee allowed Dawn to come into his office and keep his desk tidy.

Clearly, Ren did not allow the same thing.

This almost made me smile, but I didn’t do it when I felt Ren’s hand at my back and I looked up to see he looked distracted but serious.

He led us around his desk, then, with a hand in my belly, he gently pushed me so I sat on the papers on the top. He sat in his chair, turned it my way and looked up at me.

“What I’m gonna tell you, Ally, you do not ever repeat.”

That was not a good start.

“Zano, you’re freaking me out,” I whispered.

“Good. Then you’ll take me seriously.”

Oh my God.

I braced, and it was good thing.

A very good thing.

“In my world, everybody knows everything they can know. You know it so you know how others operate. That way you can make educated guesses at their plays. You also know it so you know what’s important.” He paused and his eyes grew even more intense. “And what lines not to cross.”

“Oh God.” I was still whispering.

This wasn’t getting any better.

He went on.

“Seven years ago, Shirleen and Tucker had a falling out with one of their crew. A smartass, he had more confidence than brains. He also had a big mouth. When they got shot of him, he had big words to say pretty much everywhere about how he was gonna make them pay and take over their business. Fortunately, he didn’t share widely about exactly how he was gonna do that, and what I mean by that was his chosen tool at how to exact vengeance. Unfortunately for him, he was the kind of man who would carry through with his plans.

He stopped talking. I nodded, and he kept going.

“Tucker never did their wet work.”

My stomach roiled at these words used in conjunction with Darius. But I fought back any response, including keeping my expression blank.

“He’d order it, as would Shirleen, but neither of them would do it. Both of them could be cold-blooded. They had to be to get where they were and stay there. They did other things to inspire loyalty. But to make a point with this guy, Tucker stepped in.”

“Zano.” It came out as a soft plea.

“Liam Edward Clark is off-limits, baby.”

I closed my eyes.

Liam Edward.