Page 13 of Between Steel and Secrets
“Okay.” I glance at Nova, who has a frown on her face.
“That feels … weird. Am I missing something?” Nova stares up at me.
“I think we’re both a bit behind on whatever it is that’s going on. I’m sure Luca will catch us up on the drive home.” I head inside the house and up to the second floor to grab my bag. I carry mine and Nova’s down to the car, packing our belongings into the trunk.
Luca is buckling Zeke into his car seat, and he shoots a look at Harper. “You’re sitting up front on the way home. You and I need to talk.”
“Oh. Okay.” Harper purses her lips but doesn’t say anything. Wordlessly, she climbs into the passenger side and shuts the door.
I’m grumbling under my breath. I hate sitting in the backseat. Being tall sucks, and there’s absolutely no legroom. “Can you scoot the seat a bit forward?” I ask Harper after I climb into the back.
Zeke sits between Nova and me in his car seat, and I’m grateful when Harper slides her seat a few inches forward.
I’m still a bit squished and I shift my legs, using the space in front of Zeke to stretch out. It’s not like he needs it.
The minute the doors are shut and we’re exiting the property, I can’t help but ask, “Do you plan on telling us why we’re leaving tonight?”
“Ask my wife,” Luca growls and glares at her.
Harper shakes her head. “I don’t know.” But I sense she’s not saying everything.
And as much as I don’t want to eavesdrop, it’s impossible not to hear their conversation.
“You went to the police station this afternoon, does that ring a bell?” Luca hits the steering wheel, and my eyes widen.
“Ooh shit.” What the hell was Harper thinking?
Luca continues speaking, as if my outburst meant nothing. “You forgot to mention that to me when you told me you stole something from Dante. That’s the bigger story, Harper!” his voice booms in the small confines of the vehicle, and I glance at Nova.
She shakes her head, clearly surprised to hear the news as well.
It turns out, she wasn’t in on whatever Harper had been planning to do.
“What’d she steal?” I ask, leaning forward, deciding that if I have to listen to the two of them fight, I might as well ask the tough questions.
Harper sighs and glances back at me as best she can, turning in her seat. “Dante had the same dragon that Zeke has at home, except its head was shredded. I assume it had belonged to Rylan.”
“You assumed wrong!” Luca snaps and he swerves for a moment on the road, putting both of his hands back on the wheel.
“Wait, was the dragon for Zeke?” She pauses and lets the idea simmer in her head. “It was a warning, wasn’t it?”
She’s figuring it out. I glance at Luca, letting him answer that one.
Luca’s jaw is tense and his knuckles are white on the steering wheel. “The man who threatened our son, our family, he’s dead.”
“Luca,” I say, urging him to be quiet. If Harper truly went to the police, then we can’t trust her. Confiding in her might get us both thrown in jail. We have to be more careful, keep her out of our business involvement.
“She should hear the truth.” Luca shifts in his seat.
“Are you sure you want to risk doing that? She could have a wire on her.”
Harper huffs and turns around, glaring at me. “Stay out of this, Ashton!”
“No!” I refuse to back down when she’s risking all of our lives. “You think you’re so noble, but you don’t know what we do, how we just helped dozens of girls being trafficked and sold by a dark and seedy organization.”
“You mean your father’s business.” Harper doesn’t sound convinced, and she folds her arms across her chest.
The girl has a bit of a defiant streak. She reminds me a bit of Nova, but my girlfriend is keeping her mouth shut, watching the arguing volley back and forth.
