"What?" I asked, but it barely came out as a whisper. I couldn't believe what I just heard. Did those words actually come out of his mouth?

Jace stared straight into my eyes, his anger and resentment ever so present. "That man, Dominic DeLuca, murdered my father." His voice as steady as ever.

I was speechless.

I didn't know what to say.

What do you say when a horrific bomb like that was dropped?

Jace took my shocked silence as a signal to continue. "Leah, this stems deeper than you can ever imagine. I don't really want to have you involved in any of this." He said running a hand down his face in frustration.

I could see the visible distress Jace was in. "Like it or not. I've just been pull into it."

He stayed silent.

"Jace, that man said he knew my father." I revealed.

Jace looked completely taken back. His face scrunched up in confusion. "Are you sure?" He asked slowly.

I nodded. "I didn't think he was telling the truth. But he told me things about my father only people close to him would know."

"What the fuck." He breathe out.

I sighed. "Can we please get out of here? I feel like Dominic is watching us without being here." I felt like there were eyes on me. It made my skin crawl.

Jace nodded and grabbed my hand. Just his simple touch was calming.

He led me over to his car and opened the passenger side door. I got in and automatically felt comfort from not only car, but from Jace's presence.

He pulled the car onto the main road. He drove for a bit, in all honest I was not paying attention to where Jace was heading until he pulled in front of a familiar building.

"The warehouse?" I asked Jace as I glanced up to the abandoned structure.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. You haven't been back here since that day with the guys. So I thought I would bring you back. It's also a place that is not well known."

"Did you bring snacks?" I joked.

"Actually." Jace started and reached into the back seat and pulled out a bag filled with different junk food. "I did." He gave me and innocent look.

I blinked blankly at him.

He really had snacks.

"We started a club, didn't we?"

I gave him a small smile. "I guess we did."

Once we were in a familiar part of the warehouse, Jace turned on a light that was hanging from the ceiling.

"Wow." I said in awe.

The city mural that was partly completed the last time I was here was near completed. The night sky that over casted the city was filled with dark blues and purples and scattered with thousands of stars. Every building, every detail was perfect.

The painting was all too familiar. Then it clicked. "This is the clearing."

Jace nodded as he took a seat in front of the painting. "Here." He handed me a bag of chips as I took the seat in next him.

We sat in silence as we munched on our snacks. Until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Jace."

"Mhm." He hummed.

"How did you get yourself involved with Dominic?" I asked.

He froze for a second and sighed. "It starts with my dad." He said. I stayed silent allowing him to continue. "As a kid growing up, I always knew something was off in my household. My dad would be gone sometimes for days on end. He would come back with covered with bruises and cuts. He always would look like a reck."

He continued. "My mom was left alone to raise my brother and I. My parents would argue whenever my dad would return. What was going on was putting a strain on their relationship and I knew that from a young age. What I didn't know was how bad everything really was."

I could tell that speaking about this was making Jace relive all his memories. "Dominic DeLuca is a notorious leader of a very well know mafia in the country. He has been in that position for years, even when my father was in high school. Actually, that where this all started."

"You mean, your father was a part of the mafia?" I asked trying to take in all the information.

Jace hesitantly nodded.

"But how are you involved?"

"My father somehow owed Dominic a very large amount of money." Jace stated.

"How large?" I asked curiously.

"Way over six figures." He said and I choked on air. "When I turned sixteen, Dominic approached me in regards to my father and his debt. I had no choice but to join because if I didn't everyone around me would get hurt. Either way Dominic will collect his debt. It wasn't until I joined and years later that I learned that Dominic was responsible for my father's death." He said through gritted teeth.

"I always thought my father's death was just a car accident, but it so much more than that. I want to uncover the truth to his death, bring Dominic down and protect everyone one around me. That's why I stayed. And I know one day I will get it all."

Jace was a huge ball of so many emotions, his eyes were trained onto the ground but his body language was giving him away. I could only imagine the thoughts going through his head.

I stood on my knees and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. His arms automatically wrapped around my waist. "You're not alone." I whispered softly.

He's been going through so much and I'm sure he's been by himself all this time.

Jace didn't say anything, but kept his arms around me. "Does anyone know about this situation with Dominic?"

He let out a sigh. "The only ones who know are Ian and Luke and well now you."

"Are you close to figuring anything out about your father's death?" I pulled away to look at him.

"I keep hitting blocks every time I search." Jace ran a hand through his hair. "Every time I take one step forward I'm pulled ten steps back."

"Let me help." I told him.

"No." He said automatically.

"Jace, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."

"Leah, absolutely not." He said sternly. "This is a deep as you should get."

"Jace, I think you've forgotten. Dominic knows my father somehow and I need to figure out how. And if I can help you in the process I want to do it."

Jace looked deep in thought as his eyes studied my face, but I kept my facial expression neutral.

"Please." I told him. "I need answers also."

Jace sighed and ran his hand down his face in distress. "Fine, but this is dangerous Leah. If it gets to the point where you can get hurt, we'll stop."

I nodded in understanding. I know this won't be easy, but I need answers on how my dad is connected to Dominic and I want help Jace in the process.

At the end of the day we need the answer to one question.

What is Dominic DeLuca hiding?

****

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