"Are you going to do it or what?" Austin asked.
The others gathered around and waited for my answer.
"Come on, guys. It's Andersen we're talking about. Of course, I'm going to pay it, but what if it's not real? What if it's not him?" I asked. "And what about Jenny? This doesn't make any damn sense."
"Call the number, Ace," Aria said.
"Benny, can you trace the call?" I asked.
"I can try. No guarantees, but it could take me a while. I'll need to run home and grab some equipment," Benny said.
"Go get it. We have to try," I said.
"What to avoid paying?" Luis snapped. "Andersen is family, Ace."
The desk shook when I slammed my hands down on it. I rose to my feet and glowered at Luis. "I'm tired of your know-it-all attitude, Luis. You need to calm the fuck down. Don't fucking talk to me like I'm incompetent. I'm well aware of Andersen's importance. I only want to trace it so we can find them later. They won't get away with what they did to Andersen," I shouted.
Aria's hands snaked around my forearm. "Calm down, Ace. Everyone is just worried," Aria said soothingly. She rubbed my arm with her thumbs and stared up at me from under her eyelashes.
A peaceful feeling took me over instantly. I took a deep breath and looked back at Luis. "Sorry."
"Me too," Luis said and glanced away.
Benny and Joey left to retrieve the items that Benny needed to attempt to trace the call.
The rest of us sat around and stared aimlessly in different directions. None of us knew what to say or think.
"For the sake of Joey, I hope we get Jennifer back," Aria said sadly. Aria had no memory of Jenny, but Aria was a sympathetic person.
"Me too, bebita," I said. "Maybe, Andersen will know something, right? We have to keep our fingers crossed."
Benny and Joey came into the study with Benny's gear. Benny hooked my cell phone to his computer.
"You better not have any porn on this phone that is going to infect my computer, or you're buying me a new one," Benny teased.
I patted Benny on the back and smirked. "I don't need porn, buddy."
Aria giggled and blushed. Aria and I hadn't had sex yet, but things had gotten heated between us more than once.
Benny chuckled and rolled his eyes. "T-M-I."
"You started it," I scoffed.
The others laughed and shook their heads.
"Alright. Put these bad boys on." Benny handed me a set of headphones. "Try to keep them talking for at least sixty seconds," Benny said. Benny put another set of headphones on to listen in on the call.
Everyone grabbed a chair to sit on and gathered around the desk.
The phone rang three times, and an unfamiliar deep voice picked up. "Ace Garcia, I presume?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I wanted to shout at him, but Andersen and possibly Jenny's life depended on this phone call. My eyes flickered to Benny.
YOU ARE READING
The Queen Of Bad Things (Book 2)
Romance"The Queen Of Bad Things" is book two in the "Bad Things" series. After her father's death, Aria must take over the family business, but this isn't an ordinary family. This is a family of Latin Kings. People push Aria to let Ace or one of the other...
