20. Grey

20

GREY

B y the time Lexi and Mia finish filling me in on what happened at the church, my knee's bouncing from the adrenaline and rage coursing through me. Dom is a distraction I can't afford today, and even though I know he's purposely trying to fuck with my head, it's working. Which makes him a problem I intend to deal with sooner rather than later.

"He's not worth your time." Mia sits across from me in the back of the limo, her arms crossed. Her expression is full of disgust, but her gaze on my jittery leg is wary. I'm running out of patience with this fucker, and she knows it.

"He's not worth the oxygen he's using either," I point out.

She shakes her head. "No argument there."

"Not helpful," Lexi says from beside me.

She hasn't touched me since we got into the car. Her posture is stiff and distant. Dom rattled her.

"Sorry." Mia tilts her head at me. "Hey, what did my dad say to you earlier?"

I hesitate, very aware Elio can hear us. "He wanted to know how Ramsey's doing."

Mia's brows crinkle in confusion. "Yeah, he asked me that too. Weird that he came to you for another answer."

"I think he's just covering his bases." I slide my phone out of my pocket and type a text to her. "He's going to report back to the generals."

When I'm done, instead of sending it, I hold it up so she and Lexi can read it.

Charlie warned me there's something different about Lexi's wolf. My dad wants to use it for himself somehow.

Lexi looks at me questioningly. Mia's eyes widen, but I motion with my hand for her to keep talking. Up front, Elio ignores us, but I'm not taking the chance that he's still loyal to my father.

"Do you think they'll offer him Anthony's seat?" Mia asks, still talking about Ramsey.

Before I can answer, my phone buzzes with a text. I slide it out of my front jacket pocket and read the message. "It's from Dutch," I tell them. "He and Razor are taking Ramsey and Sylvia home then they'll meet us at Mia's to get ready for tonight."

Mia nods. "It's for the best that Ram isn't involved. He's a loose cannon right now."

We haven't even told him about our plans for tonight's party. He's been too drunk to comprehend much of anything, and I can't trust him with sensitive information when he's like this. "We'll deal with him after the party," I say, and Mia lets it go.

I glance at Lexi again. She's staring out the window, her brow furrowed in thought. I know she's trying to figure out what Charlie meant about her wolf. So far, Dutch hasn't uncovered anything about what my father's found out, and I can't help thinking everyone else knows something we don't.

"You okay?" I ask her.

Lexi snaps her head back to me. For a split second, fear ripples in her gaze. Then she blinks, and it smooths away. She reaches for my hand. "I'm fine. Why?"

My phone buzzes again. I look down and scan a message from Crow.

Party favors secured. All set for tonight.

"What is it?" Mia asks.

"Crow picked up our party supplies," I say, sliding the phone away and gathering my thoughts about tonight. Needing reassurance, I reach for Lexi, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her in close beside me. "Looks like we're a go."

Mia's eyes glitter. "Time to play offense."

I tap my free hand against my knee, impatient to get this done. After what Charlie told me earlier, I'm more determined than ever to challenge my father and put an end to this nightmare once and for all. After that, I'm going to figure out whatever secret Franco's kept so that Lexi can't ever be manipulated by him again.

Tonight, I choose a side once and for all.