Ride or Die (Rejects Paradise 4)

“I know,” I groan. “Colton’s already given me the rundown of what he thinks about me walking back into that place, but will you just listen? I learned a few things, and I’m trying to work out if you already knew about it.”

Milo’s head whips back to mine. “What? What the fuck are you talking about? How the hell would I know anything about what goes on in a gang? I hardly know about the shit that’s going on in my own life.”

“You see, that’s kinda where the two connect.”

“Okay, you really are losing it. I can promise you that whatever it is, it’s not true, because the thought of having anything gang-related in my life scares the living shit out of me.”

“That’s what I thought,” I tell him. “But I have to be sure.”

He shakes his head, looking more than confused. “What’s going on, Ocean?”

I take a shaky breath, unsure what I’m about to do by telling him this. “When I went into Russo’s office on Saturday, Colton’s mom was in there … in a compromising position.” Milo’s eyes bug out of his head, but I continue with my explanation before he has the chance to start getting all Milo-y on me. “After she left, Russo explained that he had put all these people in my life to keep an eye on me ever since my dad died, and well, he was the reason behind Laurelle coming back to Bellevue Springs and you—”

“You think I’m one of those people?” he demands in outrage. “Holy fuck, Ocean. I can’t fucking believe you. Is that really what you think of me? Even if I didn't know you, I’d never align myself with people like that.”

“No, no, no,” I rush out. “Not you. Russo said that your dad was on his payroll, and well, I guess I’m just wondering if that means that you were maybe put into my life and just didn’t know it or … I don’t know. I guess I don’t really know your dad well enough to make any assumptions.”

Milo shakes his head, looking lost. “My dad? Are you sure?”

I nod, reaching out and squeezing his hand. “Yeah, I’m positive. There were a few others on that list, but your dad was the only one worth mentioning.”

“So, he’s a Wolf or just works for them? What? I don’t get it. My dad would never. He doesn’t even run in those circles. He’s a businessman, not a gangster.”

“I know, but Laurelle doesn’t exactly scream gang member either,” I tell him. “I don’t think they’re actual members, but I think that Russo would have gone out of his way to make their silence worthwhile. He has a big reach, maybe even bigger than Nic’s.”

Milo lets out a heavy sigh and glances back at me. “I just … I can’t wrap my head around this. I thought I knew everything there was to know about my father. I’ve always known that every now and then he’ll indulge in a dodgy deal, but this? This is too much. He wouldn't. He's better than that.”

I reach out and take Milo’s hand. “I’m sorry, Milo,” I whisper. “I hate that I was the one to tell you that, but maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Maybe he was just asked to keep an eye on me, and that’s it.”

Milo scoffs, scooting down into his seat, looking absolutely devastated that his father isn’t who he always thought him to be. “My father doesn’t get involved in little bullshit games like that,” he explains. “If Russo had contacted him, there would have to be a big payday in it for my father, and I can assure that he would have had more to do with it than just keeping an eye on you.”

“What are you saying?” I question, keeping my gaze locked on his.

“You know my father is on the board of BSA, right?”

“Yeah,” I say, nodding my head, remembering the conversation we’d had where he explained it all to me.

Milo sighs. “I think you’re right. I think I was put into your life.”

“Are you sure?”

Milo’s lips press into a tight line, and he squeezes my hand. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “On your first day at BSA, I wasn’t supposed to be on office duty. I'd already had my turn the month before, and I couldn’t work out why I had to do it again. I just shrugged it off, you know, it didn’t really matter, and it got me out of classes. But now I think that maybe that was my father’s doing. If he really is working for Russo, it’s possible that he had me put in the office to be the first person you met. It wouldn’t have been a long stretch to realize that we would have gotten along. He was always asking me about you, and when the rumor went around that we were dating, he was pushing it really hard.”