“No need,” he said, chuckling.

My phone lit up against my face and I looked down to see a text from Andrea. And when I opened it up, my body both reveled in it and grew fearful. I had Andrea’s address. A far cry from what I figured she would give me after our trip in Vegas. It had been a week since we had all gotten back, and we all had walked into a shit storm. Andrea was dealing with issues that fell to the wayside at the youth center while she was gone, and I walked right into the fire marshal telling me that the burning down of our mansion was ruled intentional.

Someone had burnt the property down on purpose.

My brothers and I had been so busy running around with my parents trying to figure shit out that I hadn’t had a chance to sit down and talk with Andrea since we had gotten back. I had her number, but I hadn’t been able to use it. Either Lucas was venting to me about what was going on or my father was calling me trying to come up with a plan or Junior was readily losing his mind or Drew was calling me for more details as they unfolded.

We got back from Vegas and walked into a minefield.

“I’ll see you at seven then, Andrea.”

“What do you like to eat?” she asked.

“Whatever you prepare will be just fine. Okay? Don’t go to so much trouble. We’ll be talking more than anything.”

“Are you sure about that?”

I drew in a deep breath as the memories of our weekend together made the veins in my groin throb.

“Very sure, unfortunately.”

Her giggle filled me with such a soothing delight.

“Well then, I’ll make sure it’s ready by the time you get there. See you at seven.”

“See you then, Andrea.”

A call from Colton came in just as I hung up the phone and I picked it up before the first ring even finished. He was exactly who I had been trying to get in contact with all damn week. Where the hell had he been? Why had he not been taking my phone calls?

“Colton, we need to talk,” I said as I answered the call.

“Sorry for the absence. Been dealing with some things in New York.”

“So, you have something,” I said.

“I have a lot of something. Can you meet me at Serpentine’s in about an hour?”

“Yeah. Of course. What’s going on?”

“I’ve got some information you’re going to want to know.”

“I’ll be there in an hour,” I said.

I immediately hung up the phone and texted Cash and my father. Then, I prepared myself for the meeting at hand. I didn’t think it was a good idea to bring Lucas to this meeting, especially since he and Colton didn’t get along well. I made my way to the bar a few minutes early, ensuring that I could get us a back booth where no one could hear us. I ordered myself a beer and sat back, waiting for everyone to show up.

And one by one, they trickled in.

“Hey there, Everett.”

“Cash. How are you, man? We missed you in Vegas.”

I got up and clapped my brother on the back before he sat down across from me.

“A whiskey sour, please,” he said to the waitress.

“Dad not with you?” I asked.

“He’s not too far behind. He’s making some last-minute adjustments with the insurance company while he’s got Flynn’s attention.”

Tags: Nicole Elliot Romance
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