TOTAL ECLIPSE: The Evolution (Sin City Heat Series Book 7) by S. K. Hardy

be that to him no matter what his DNA said.
    Darrell’s anger made a steady rise to the surface again and threatened to pull him under. “You didn’t think this was something I should’ve known, Angel?”
    “Darrell–”
    “It’s not like you haven’t been through something similar. You, of all people, should understand how I feel.”
    “I do.”
    “Apparently you don’t or you would’ve told me,” he snapped.
    Unable to continue to sit still, Darrell jumped up and resumed his restless pacing. Maybe he’d been too naïve to have trusted Angel, and if that was the case, he was slippin’. Darrell didn’t trust easily; he could name the people he did trust in one breath. It was difficult for him not to constantly look for a hidden agenda in people, wonder what their angle was. Did Angel have one?
    Sighing, Angel stood up and came from around the desk. “Do you remember the night you, Nick, and Marcus came to my house to get help with that Rochelle situation?”
    Darrell frowned. Of course he remembered. That was the first time he and Marcus met Angel. They’d both been blown away by the fact that, not only did Dom have a brother whom he never mentioned, but also according to what they’d later discover, he was on the government’s radar as one of the most powerful drug and arms dealers in the world.
    Angel half-sat on his desk and folded his arms as he continued. “Even though Dominick and I hadn’t spoken in almost ten years, I never lost track of my brother. For his own safety, I, of course, made it a point to find out about the people he surrounded himself with. Very few knew he was my brother, but–”
    “You didn’t want to chance them coming after you through him,” Darrell completed his sentence. “I know. You told us this later on.”
    “I’ve known the Pattels for a long time. The moment I saw you, I noticed your resemblance to Isaac–but mainly to Lorenzo. I did a little digging around and eventually confirmed a past relationship between Tina and Isaac. It wasn’t too difficult to put two and two together after that.”
    “I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me.”
    “Quite frankly, it wasn’t my place,” Angel answered bluntly. “In my world, there’s an unspoken code that we don’t interfere in the family business of others. Darrell, I know this doesn’t make sense to you, but you weren’t born into this life like Lorenzo, nor did you choose it like I did. Believe me, telling you about your father would’ve only caused more problems, but when you started making inquiries, I knew it wouldn’t be long before Isaac found out.”
    “I’m not scared of him.”
    Angel sighed. “I know you’re not. That was the least of my concerns.”
    “Then–”
    “I was trying to stop an inevitable confrontation between you and the Pattels because once that happened, Marcus and Nick would’ve been right there ready to kick ass with you. I would’ve had to step in anyway at that point, so I saved myself the trouble and handled the situation before it got out of control. I think this family has been through enough for now. Let’s allow one storm to blow over and settle before stirring up another, shall we?”
    Angel brought his glass to his lips but kept his attention on Darrell, watching as his words sank in and took root. Once they did amusement lit up in his eyes because he knew the effort it took Darrell to finally acknowledge that Angel was right.
    Darrell glowered fiercely when he saw the expression on Angel’s face. “So what, you wanna gloat now?”
    Lorenzo chuckled under his breath, drawing Darrell’s eyes his way. Seconds later, however, the corner of his own mouth lifted reluctantly in response, easing some of the tension. Before they could continue, though, Renzo’s cell phone rang and interrupted the moment.
    Still grinning, Lorenzo set his glass down and answered the call without checking the caller I.D. “Hello.”
    “This is your father. Where are