Filed To Story: Secret Shifters Next Door Series PDF Free
Miles nodded. “I called them as soon as I got off the phone with your nephew. Steff is finishing up a call and Tate and Blayne should be here any second.”
Before anyone could say anything, Blayne strode into the room. He looked much healthier than when I’d last seen him. His face had filled out and he looked much less pale and tired. The look in his eyes was absolute fire, though. He was not happy that we were here.
He pointed at Dad as he walked in. “What’s he doing here?”
Miles held a hand up. “Easy, Blayne. He wanted a meeting with us.”
“What the fuck could he have to say that we want to hear?” Blayne asked, his voice growing in volume.
“What the hell, guys?” From behind us, a new voice emerged. It must have been Blayne’s other friend Steff. “Getting a little loud, aren’t we?”
Dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have something I need to report to you all. Some intel my informants and family associates have brought to my attention.”
Blayne was seething as he stood behind Miles. “I don’t want anything from your
business getting near my boys or my company, Gio. Whatever your lackeys told you, you can keep it to yourself.”
Tate and Jared walked in while Blayne went on his tirade. Their expressions told me they weren’t totally surprised by Blayne’s reaction. They shut the door behind them and took seats on the other side of the room without uttering a word.
After Blayne’s outburst, Dad merely looked at him with a blank expression. He didn’t seem at all perturbed by Blayne’s words. “Maybe you’d change your mind about that if you knew
unmarked cars have been tailing you and your families for the last week.”
All five men in the room went taut with tension. Glances bounced around the room, and entire conversations were had without saying a word. This was news to them. They’d had no idea, and that worried them.
“What do you mean?” Miles asked. “We’ve had our own teams watching us. They haven’t noticed anything.”
Dad smiled sadly. “I’ve heard your teams are good, but…uh…they aren’t used to looking for the same things my boys are. You’re being watched.”
“How did your guys know to even look?” Tate asked.
Dad shrugged. “A new group of young guns have been talking about trying to horn in on my business in the area. My brothers had some people on the lookout for them in case they decided to move in, so they were on high alert. The only weird thing was that they weren’t staking out any of my businesses or my family—they were hanging around you guys and your families. I’m here to warn you, and find out just what the hell is going on here. This is
my town. Whatever happens here is my business.”
Blayne opened his mouth, but Miles put a hand on his chest to silence him before he could speak. Tate, Steff, Miles, and Blayne all shared another look. Finally, Tate gave a nod and the others seemed to agree, even Blayne.
“All right,” Tate said. “You already know what we are from your dealings with Blayne’s brother, right? That’s what we’ve heard.”
Dad nodded. “I do. All I know is that you all are different…um…creatures, though. Am I right?”
Tate nodded and gestured to Jared. “Jared and I are dragons. Blayne’s a panther, like his brother. Steff over there is a bear, and Miles is a wolf. We’re a pack. There’s a very powerful businessman named Antonio Lowry who has a vendetta against
us. He’s not going to stop until we and all of our kind are dead. His militia—who from all reports are highly trained—will be coming for us sooner rather than later.”
My father stiffened and cocked his head as though he hadn’t heard correctly. “Did you say
Antonio Lowry?
The Antonio Lowry?”
Tate nodded. “Yeah. Big-time billionaire. Have you heard of him?”
Dad chuffed a humorless laugh. “Heard of him? I know him.”
Everyone, including me, turned to look at my dad in surprise. Miles sat forward. “You know this guy? Personally? Explain.”
I wasn’t used to having people command my father, but if he was irritated with Miles, he didn’t show it. Instead, he crossed his arms and said, “Known him for a long time. You see, way back in the day, late eighties or early nineties, Antonio was an up-and-comer. Now he’s got all these companies, corporations, and businesses that are on the up-and-up. But the seed money he used to get to where he is now? Wasn’t clean money. He was into some shady shit. Tried to push into my territory once. We made sure he knew he needed to go on down the road.
“I’m glad he did, because not long after he became…more ruthless. Lots of rumors came out of the Wisconsin and Illinois areas he was in. Typical gangland shit. Enemies with their brains blown out, families killed in car bombs. Worst was when I heard about one of his lieutenants killing a rival’s five-year-old daughter to send a message. Antonio is a sadistic piece of shit. He’s only increased his power since turning
mainstream. I can’t even imagine the amount of money he must have spent in bribes to get his past erased. If he’s the man who’s after you, you’re in serious trouble.”
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Steff said.
“I’ll tell you that you need allies if you’re gonna take on Antonio. You need allies in high places.” Dad gave Miles a
knowing grin. “Good thing you have one sitting in your office right now.”