Free Fire & Dark (The Night Horde SoCal Book 3) by Susan Fanetti Page B

there, though.” It had occurred to her that Jaime and the others could have served Hugo up to Raul.
     
    “Esposito said he took something. You know what?”
     
    “No. No clue. And Hugo wasn’t awake when I left. I’m sorry I dragged you into all this, but I swear I don’t know what the hell he’s fallen into here.” A little stream of worry trickled through her, wondering if he was safe at the hospital, if her grandmother was safe with him. But she also knew that those guys wouldn’t stir up trouble there. Too many people, too many cameras, too much security. Besides, Raul had let him go. They’d let him heal and then they’d come for him again. In the meantime, they knew he wouldn’t rat.
     
    “You said his dad was an Aztec—you don’t have the same dad?”
     
    “No. But mine wasn’t much better than his.” She decided that the trust he’d earned warranted some disclosure on her part. “Mine was an Assassin, too. It’s complicated—and anyway, they’re both dead. Our mother, too. Our grandma raised us from the time I was eleven and Hugo was six.”
     
    He cocked his head like he was understanding more of the picture. “That’s what Esposito meant when he said you were one of them—it wasn’t just a Hispanic thing.”
     
    “No. We’re family whether we want to be or not, and they like to keep the family close. They’ve been on Hugo to go in since he was fifteen.”
     
    “Why didn’t he? No offense, but he’s not coming off like a guy who’s strong enough to hold them off.”
     
    “He’s not. But Raul’s got a thing about our grandmother. She doesn’t want Hugo in, so Raul lays off him a little.”
     
    “What do you mean he’s got a thing? Like a crush?” His surprised puzzlement turned his face into a caricature.
     
    “God, no! Ugh! No—he’s, I don’t know, a little scared of her. She took care of him when he was a kid. My mom and dad and Hugo’s dad and Raul all grew up together. They were close. Like I said, it’s complicated.”
     
    Connor either wasn’t interested in the bizarre family soap opera that she’d just hinted at, or he wasn’t shocked by it, because he didn’t ask more about it. “Not scared enough to back off you all completely, though.”
     
    “It’s worse lately. The last couple of years. I stay out of Hugo’s shit, except when I’m cleaning it up, so I don’t know all he’s into. But he’s a taker. Like a fucking sponge. Maybe he decided to try to get over on Raul.”
     
    “That’d be pretty stupid.”
     
    “That’d be my brother.”
     
    She was done with her drink and wanted another. Connor had emptied his some time back; she stood and went to the sofa. “Want another?”
     
    “Sure, thanks.” He held up his empty glass. When her hand went around it, over his hand, he pulled back a little—not enough to take the glass back, just enough to pull on her slightly. “The Horde is in this, now. That scene tonight is gonna play out some way.”
     
    “I know. I’m sorry.”
     
    He shook his head, his eyes holding hers. “No need. We knew going in we could be beating a wasp nest. We’ll deal. Your brother’s safe while he’s in the hospital. They won’t make a scene there. But Raul’s sniffing at you now, too. You need to watch your back.”
     
    Now Pilar shook her head. “I know how he works. He’s not as interested in me as it looked. I’m just a puta to him. He was stirring you guys up. He saw you shielding me and knew going for me would get you aggressive. He was picking a fight with you.”
     
    She could see that Connor hadn’t run that probability. He sat back, his gears spinning, and let go of the glass. “Fuck. You’re right.”
     
    “I know. And I’m sorry. I didn’t know that would happen.”
     
    He gave her a wry smile. “I could use that refill.”
     
    “Yeah. Just a sec.”
     
    While she refreshed their drinks, Pilar let her brain run loose over the events of the past day. She’d spent most