Sebastian

“Is there a reason you’re just now putting your gun on?” Calder says once I cut the car engine, then tuck the compact holster behind my back to keep it hidden.

“I didn’t want to upset Talia. If she saw the gun, she’d definitely worry.” I nod toward the store. “Elijah said the owner’s name is Vincent Karras. On a first pass, his business seems to be legit.”

Calder opens his door. “Let’s find out.”

The store is cramped with various types of electronics and casings. It’s a hodge-podge of old and new parts, but somehow the man with curly gray hair sipping coffee at the counter has the parts and bits completely organized in trays and bins on the shelves in the small store.

“Good morning early risers. I’m Vinny. Let me know if you need my help,” he calls from his seat on an old-style metal stool.

I hone in on the small electronics section and walk over to stare at a box of casings like the one used to hold the circuit board and explosive compound inside the igniter. Looking up, I address the owner. “We’d like to know more about these.”

His stool scrapes the floor as he stands and walks over to us. “What would you like to know?”

I uncurl my fist and show him the device Talia found on her car. “We traced the path this batch of casings took from the manufacturer to their distributor, and then to your store.”

He gives me a wary look as he points to the box with only two casings left. “I have some extra in the back if you need them.”

I shake my head and pull the casing off the igniter to show him the serial number. “I just want to know who you sold this particular part to.”

He walks away, saying over his shoulder, “Eh, I’m not in the habit of giving out customer information. It’s bad for business.”

Calder walks over to the door and stands there while I follow the guy back to his small desk next to the wall.

The moment he steps behind the desk and I see his hands shaking, I’m right there standing across from him as he turns around. I set the device on his desk. “The person who built this used another one just like it to kill a family member.” Before he can refuse my request, I retrieve my gun from its holster and glance Calder’s way as I check the clip, then slide it back into place. “Family is pretty important, wouldn’t you say?”

He keeps a stoic expression and slowly nods.

Vinny clears his throat and zips his jacket all way up before quickly tapping on his computer keyboard. “Um, let me see if I can track that down for you.”

After I give him the number, he scans through a few screens, nervously glancing my way. “I’m sorry but the few people who purchased that part paid cash, so it’s not on record.”

He’s sweating and it’s air-conditioned in his shop.

I turn his screen too fast for him to stop me.

“Hey!” Vinny tries to pull the screen back, but I refuse to let go as I quickly scan for the part. Only one purchase this year, but it definitely stands out.

BB Discount, FREE.

“Which one of his crew bought it?” I bark.

“Banks,” he says, eyes wide.

I narrow my gaze, my jaw muscle tensing. “If you warn them I’m coming, I’ll be back.”

At his fast nod, I return my gun to its holder and nod to Calder. “Let’s go.”

The moment we pull into my old neighborhood, my phone rings, Mina’s number popping up on my Caller ID.

I answer on the first ring. “Is everything all right?”

“Everything is fine. I just wanted you to know that I’ve thought about what you said and I understand, Seb.”

“Mina—”

“It’s okay, I really do understand. Also, I’ve been overwhelmed with taking care of Josi while trying to coordinate everything for the funeral, so if you and Talia are still willing to watch her the night before the funeral and keep her until after it’s over, I would appreciate it so much.”

“We’ll be happy to do that for you. Can I call you back later?”

“Sure, no problem. We can talk later. Thanks, big brother. I owe you.”

When she hangs up, I look at Calder, my brows pulling together. “That was…unexpected.”

He shrugs. “None of us understand the road trip to forgiveness in a woman’s mind. Count your blessings yours was fairly short.”

Shaking my head at his answer, I turn onto Banks’s road and drive past his house to see how many of his guys might be home. When we round the corner to another street, Paulo leaves the house, whistling and tossing his car keys in the air. The engine of his suped-up muscle car rumbles to life just as I park on another street that’ll allow me access to the back side of their home.

We wait another twenty minutes, watching the house, before I grab my lock-picking kit, stun gun and supplies from the glove compartment. Calder goes around the front and rings the bell while I head to the back.

No one’s in the kitchen when I let myself in. Just as I tuck the kit away, a guy steps into the kitchen. He doesn’t even get a yelp out before I stun him, then quickly use plastic ties to bind his hands and feet. A cloth gag from the kitchen keeps him quiet.

Male voices rumble in the living room, and as I soundlessly make my way down the narrow hallway, I pause and stare at a picture. Pulling the frame off the wall, I hear Banks bellow in annoyance, “Why does Blackie keep sending people to talk for him?”

A young guy around fifteen, with spiked black hair and tattoos all over his neck, reaches the bottom of the stairs in the hallway when he sees me. I hold up the stun gun and say in a low, intimidating voice, “Go back upstairs and pretend you never saw me or be stunned and hog-tied. Your choice. Don’t warn him either.”

The punk-looking kid shakes his head and says, “Not my circus,” then turns and silently heads back up the stairs.

“It’s because the Blackie bastard’s too afraid to show up,” a short guy with buzzed hair says while standing beside Banks in a show of support of his leader.

“Sebastian wants a neutral meeting place.” Calder doesn’t let his gaze stray to me as I trade the stun gun for my lethal one and enter the room from the hallway.

Other than the guy standing next to Banks, two guys are in the room sitting on the couch with gaming joysticks in their hands.

“Too fucking bad,” Banks snarks at Calder. “If he wants a piece of me, he knows where to find me.”

“Yes, I do,” I say, right before I toss the picture in his direction.

When Banks captures the frame mid-air, I point my gun at his guys, who’d quickly jumped up from the couch the moment they heard my voice behind them. “I wouldn’t if I were you.”

“Calm down.” Holding the picture, Banks lifts his other hand toward his guys, letting them know not to make any aggressive moves. “What the hell are you doing invading my home?”

I nod to the picture he caught. “You’re going to pay for killing a Blake, Banks.” I shift my gaze to my cousin. “Does she look familiar?”

When Calder glances down at the image of Banks and the unicorn girl kissing in the photo, he quickly steps back and pulls his own gun. Training it on Banks, he speaks to the guys in his crew, “Stay put. Banks is the only one we’re interested in.”

“Did I mention my cousin’s a SEAL too?” I meet Banks’s defiant stare with a cold one. “You just fucked with the wrong family.”