Dangerous Heat (Aegis Group, #8)

by Sidney Bristol

  “What do you have for me?” Luke asked as he watched the buildings roll by.

  “I’ve given you everything—”

  “I need to bend Cane now. Not later.”

  Mia was quiet a moment. “Then it’s Plan B. The brothers.”

  “The kids?”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “I’m supposed to meet with his mother this afternoon. I can make it look like something happened, take the kids...”

  It wasn’t perfect, but Luke needed a win. Something. Right now he’d have to settle for the low-hanging fruit or it would be his head rolling.

  FRIDAY. DE JONG RESIDENCE, Johannesburg, South Africa.

  Mia hated herself.

  She gripped the wheel of her car. No, scratch that. It belonged to one of Luke’s thugs, but to maintain Mia’s story it was now hers on occasion.

  There was no going back after today. Up until now she could have lived the lie, figured some way out if she had to, but not anymore. This was too far over the line. There would be no saving her relationship with Cane.

  Did they even have one? A real one?

  He didn’t know her. He might not love the real Mia. But she loved him. Her children had to come first. Before her heart, before anything else.

  She pushed the driver’s side door open and stood.

  The De Jongs lived in one of the old neighborhoods of Johannesburg where wealth mattered. The homes were large, the lawns immaculate. The back half of the property was protected by a twelve-foot wall, while the front was a bit more open with wrought iron fencing painted white with flowers lining it on both sides.

  Mia forced herself to stare straight ahead and walk toward the narrow gate. She’d never been here without Cane and could count the number of visits on one hand.

  This was it.

  She could hear footsteps, felt their approach, but she didn’t look at them. Couldn’t without giving the plan up.

  Her last chance to change her mind was right now. As soon as she plugged in those numbers, it was out of her hands.

  If she didn’t, what would Luke do to her? Would her babies have to grow up without a mother?

  Mia’s mind was made up. She plugged in the code and unlocked the front gate, granting her entry to the property, and gripped the gate in her other hand. Her eyes shut and she waited.

  Hands grabbed her from behind.

  “Ready,” the deep male voice said.

  Mia walked forward, her heart going numb. This was for her children. Their father had abandoned them all, but she wouldn’t. She was doing this for them, because she had to.

  “Let’s go,” she whispered.

  The tremor was real.

  The men pushed her forward, treating her just as they would a hostage. She tripped up the three stairs leading to the porch and stumbled into the door. Her fingers mashed at the doorbell and the sound pealed through the house.

  A blonde woman wearing a flowing, baby-blue tunic over leggings stepped into view, her wide, warm smile holding steady for a moment.

  Mrs. De Jong had always been kind to Mia.

  The woman’s eyes went wide.

  Something hard cracked against the back of Mia’s head and the world went fuzzy.

  It was out of her hands now. All of it. She could lie to herself that she had no choice, that she could have done something different, but this was her idea. She’d set this in motion.

  I’m sorry, Cane...

  FRIDAY. JOHANNESBURG, South Africa.

  Coco couldn’t actually believe she was here.

  Johannesburg was such a world away from her daily life at Mlilo. Concrete buildings rose into the sky. Sleek cars went on their way with little to no dust covering the exterior. Purple Jacaranda trees were in bloom here and there. Tall, digital billboards of chocolate skinned goddesses advertised products Coco had never heard of.

  She took a deep breath, and it was as though she couldn’t get enough air. There were too many people, too much noise.

  A warm hand wrapped around hers.

  She glanced at Paxton, grateful he’d offered to drive her into the city. Lacey and Shane were in the back seat, and Coco knew her best friend would offer the same comfort, but it was Paxton she wanted. She focused on his profile, the bumps in his nose, those tiny scars at his temple, rather than the world passing them by.

  How was it they’d found each other?

  There’d never been a man in her life who she wanted to be with all the time. Until Paxton. She was beginning to understand Lacey more, how she’d changed her whole life to be with Shane. Coco was having much the same thought herself right about now. But could she trust those feelings?

  Things were crazy right now, and it made sense she’d cling to the one constant in her corner, which was Paxton right now. Time would tell. That was all she could do.

  “This is us.” Paxton eased the SUV to the curb of a tall building with a sparkling granite exterior. “Not sure where to park.”

  “We’ll stay down here with the truck,” Shane said.

  Paxton twisted to peer back at the other couple. “You sure?”

  “Probably better if I don’t show up with an entourage.” Coco smoothed her skirt with her hands. She’d broken out one of her few dresses for this little disaster.

  What the hell was she going to say?

  She had talking points she’d written on her hand. Cane was better with words. Always had been. She was the doing stuff twin.

  Her door opened and Paxton held out his hand. He looked good in slacks and a polo shirt. There wasn’t anything to be done about his crooked nose, but she liked that about him. No matter what he wore, he was still a little rough.

  She gripped him tightly and let him pull her to her feet and guide her into the building.

  Their check-in with security was a bur. Without Paxton she’d have stood on the stairs, staring at nothing. She’d have preferred to talk to Cane in private, but the truth was she didn’t know where her brother lived. She hadn’t wanted to call Mom given the likelihood that this would fail.

  Paxton guided her to an upper floor and into an office suite with Cane’s name prominently displayed out front.

  An older woman sat at the receptionist desk, her shrewd eyes locking with Coco’s and dragging her back to the moment

  This was it.

  Coco let go of Paxton’s hand and stepped forward, pushing her shoulders back.

  “I’m here to see Cane. I’m his sister,” she said.

  “He’s not taking appointments right now. You’ll have to schedule something later,” the woman said.

  “I’m his sister.” Coco had hoped getting in to see her brother for five minutes would be easier.

  “And I manage his schedule.” The woman regarded Coco coolly.

  What had Cane said about her?

  Before she had it out with this woman, she needed to know if it was worth picking a fight. “Is he here? Or is he out? Can you at least tell me that?”

  The woman opened her mouth at the same moment one of the double doors across the room opened and Cane leaned out.

  “Mrs...” His gaze locked with Coco’s and his voice trailed off. He was in camel colored slacks with a blue and white striped button down rolled up at his sleeves and a burgundy tie hanging loosely around his neck. The way he looked at her, it was like someone had just stunned him.

  “Hey.” She pressed her hands to her thighs to keep from holding on to something—or someone—else.

  “Coco.” Cane frowned. “I wasn’t...”

  “Yeah, I know.” She gestured at the receptionist. “I guess I’ll make an appointment and come back later.”

  “No. Uh, come in.” He stepped back and waved her into his office. “Both of you. Please? I’ll be one second.”

  Coco glanced at Paxton then her brother. This wasn’t the reception she’d been expecting, but she couldn’t really complain either. She stepped forward, Paxton shadowing her every move, and together they entered Cane’s office.

  Ca
ne swung the door shut, muttering “One second,” before he shut them in.

  Coco blew out a breath she’d been holding and turned toward Paxton. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”

  “You haven’t had a relationship in years. It’s going to be weird.”

  “But that was really weird.”

  Paxton’s lips compressed into a tight line.

  He thought the same thing, but didn’t want to mention it.

  Coco turned and took in the office. Books lined one wall. He had a desk covered in papers. Picture frames were positioned behind his chair on a credenza.

  She circled the desk, her gaze on one photograph in particular. It was them. They were maybe twelve. She and Cane sat in their back yard, their two dogs lying across her legs. The dogs had bonded with her because she’d spent time with them, while Cane was studying or at the computer or doing something else school related. In the end, the dogs had belonged to Coco.

  The door opened and Cane stepped inside. “Sorry about that.”

  She glanced over her shoulder.

  There wasn’t anything overtly obvious, no real sign what was going on, but she just knew. It came from knowing Cane, being linked to him.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” he said far too fast.

  “Cane.”

  He gestured to a comfortable arrangement of plush chairs around a glass table. “Did you come here for something?”

  She remained where she was. “I wanted to talk to you, but I don’t know where you live or what your phone number is, so...”

  “Maybe we should get together one night? What are you doing Sunday? We could talk then. My day’s really slammed.” He smiled, but it was nervous. Wrong.

  “What’s going on?” She frowned.

  “I’m in the middle of something big. It’s not that I don’t want to see you—I’m thrilled—it’s just bad timing.” He spoke in a rush, as though there weren’t enough time.

  “I was really hoping we’d talk today, before too much time passed, you know?” Plus, the sooner she could make him see how poaching fit in his platform against crime the better.

  The nerves in his gaze tightened, solidifying. “Look, Co, I’ve got some big things on my desk right now and I don’t have time to go back and forth with you. I’ve tried reaching out to you, and I’m glad you’re here now, but this isn’t the time or place to discuss our issues.”

  “What’s really going on? You’re acting weird.”

  “Like you would know?” he snapped.

  Coco held up her hands. “I’m just pointing out what I’m seeing.”

  “You haven’t been part of my life since we were—what? Nineteen? Twenty? You think you know when I’m acting weird?”

  She did. She knew him just like she knew herself. They were twins. Had always gotten each other, and right now she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that something wasn’t right. But he had a point. They’d been dealing with their lives separately for years. Maybe they were better off this way after all.

  “My bad,” she said. “We’ll just leave.”

  “Coco.” Cane shut his eyes.

  “No, don’t bother yourself. We’ll get out of your hair. Carry on.”

  She turned and stalked out of the office. The door banged on the wall. She didn’t care one bit if it scratched his precious paint.

  He’d been at her for over a year now to patch things up and the one time she finally decided to make an effort, she inconvenienced him. Well, she wouldn’t make this mistake again. Everything had to be on Cane’s terms in his time.

  What about her?

  “Coco. Coco, wait.” Paxton jogged after her.

  She jabbed the button to the elevator, refusing to look toward her brother’s office.

  Fuck. Him.

  The doors opened and Paxton herded her inside. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She didn’t know if she wanted to hold on to him or punch something. So she stood there, head on his shoulder.

  “Something’s not right,” she said.

  “Yeah, it looked like he was having an off day, so maybe don’t hold it against him?”

  She pushed against his chest. “That’s just it. Cane’s always the important one. It’s about him. What he needs. What’s good for him. What about me? Huh? When do we talk about what’s good for me? What I need? He took all that fucking money; the least he can do is make time for me.”

  And just like that she went from hurt to angry.

  The elevator reached the ground floor, and the doors opened.

  Coco stalked out into the early afternoon air. She drew it in, almost tasting the noxious fumes from the cars and industry.

  She spied the SUV sitting at the curb, Shane and Lacey leaned up against it eating ice cream sandwiches.

  Paxton came up alongside Coco, his hand a warm press on her backside.

  Change would never happen if she waited for someone else to make it. No one would care unless they were shown how to.

  Wasn’t that what Lacey had said about her streaming channel?

  One of the reasons she’d traveled as extensively as she did, showing the world all kinds of animals and human interest stories, was because people never realized what problems were out there unless they were on display.

  An idea took root, growing as she crossed to the car.

  Lacey and Shane stopped eating, watching her with wide eyes.

  Coco stopped a few feet away, the idea bouncing around in her head like a hot potato.

  “Do you have your filming equipment with you still?” she asked Lacey.

  “Uh, yeah,” she said slowly.

  “Even the tiny body cam thing?”

  “What are you thinking about doing?” Lacey asked slowly.

  “Cane doesn’t care about hearing me out. No one who matters wants to hear. So, we need to make the people they do listen to care. Because maybe then things will change.”

  “Fuck,” Paxton muttered.

  Lacey’s full attention was on Coco now. “How do you want to make that happen?”

  “I’m going to go see the Bekker crew. I don’t care if they’re protected. If people can see what they’re doing, how it’s hurting things, maybe change will happen.”

  “That’s going to make you a target,” Shane said.

  “I’m already a target. Might as well make it work for me, right?”

  19.

  Friday. Soweto, South Africa.

  “What the fuck, man?”

  Paxton thrust one of the handheld cameras into Silas’ hands. “Don’t start.”

  Ex-CIA agent Brett Jones was slower to join them.

  “Seriously, what the fuck?” Silas flipped open the view finder then glanced at Paxton.

  “A lot’s happened.” None of which he was happy about. Once Coco and Lacey had gotten going, there was no stopping them. As Shane had pointed out, they could either try to stop them and then scramble to catch up when the ladies struck out on their own, or they could orchestrate this.

  Silas held his hand up to his ear. “Did I hear you right when you said we’re going to confront this ultra deadly poaching group that’s protected by the South African version of the mafia?”

  “Yeah. Any questions?”

  He glanced at Brett then Paxton. He and Silas stared at each other, and Paxton knew whatever his friend was about to say he wasn’t going to like it.

  “Why, dude?” Silas asked.

  “Because someone has to watch her back.” It was the answer that fit, the one Paxton could bring himself to say.

  “What the hell did she do to deserve your loyalty like this? You barely know her and we’re going to risk our necks doing—what, exactly?”

  “We’re insurance.” Paxton’s plan was simple. They walk in, cameras rolling to both capture what was there but also to protect themselves. These poachers couldn’t act if they believed they were on live stream.

  Silas edged closer. “Why are you risking your neck for t
his girl?”

  Paxton stared back at his friend.

  “Is she worth it? Do you really know each other?” Silas asked his questions slowly.

  What he meant was does she really know you?

  Paxton glanced away.

  No, he hadn’t shared his history with her in detail. Why? There wasn’t anything good in it. He didn’t see a reason to hand her a bullet point list of why she should run from him.

  “Are you coming or are you staying?” Paxton glanced at Brett. “Because the girls are going to march in there with or without us.”

  “What’s the plan?” Brett held out his hand for the other camera.

  “Both Lacey and Coco are wired with body cams. Hopefully no one will notice them. You two will have these hand cameras. I’m carrying the sound equipment and Shane’s acting as some kind of clipboard boy. Get as much on camera as you can.”

  “Can do.” Brett took the camera from him.

  “You packing?” Silas asked.

  Paxton jerked his head in a nod. “Yeah.”

  Silas glanced at Brett. “And here you tried to tell me I was over prepared.”

  “You?” Paxton glanced between the two men, hoping they were both armed.

  “Yeah.” Brett sighed. “So much for playing tourist.”

  “Come on.” Paxton turned and led the pair down the side street.

  They’d left the bustling city for a suburb. Soweto was a mix of urban industrialization, small homes and huts cobbled together with pieces. The roads were more treacherous, where the laws of the road were more suggestion than law.

  Shane glanced up from where he’d been frowning at his wife. Lacey and Coco had their heads together.

  They were the picture of trouble, and he was enabling them.

  “Ready?” Shane asked.

  “What the hell are we doing?” Silas asked.

  “They’re set up in an old market.” Shane nodded across the way a bit.

  A set of double doors stood open and a few teenagers loitered around, doing their best to look intimidating.

  Shane kept his back to the gates as he spoke. “According to Zain’s drone footage, there’s an old, open air vendor area where they keep trucks, some big cages. Our guys are inside that two-story building, the orange colored one.”