The Devil You Know (Ashby Crime Family Romance Book 3)

by KB Winters

  During Ravager’s fight, I watched her like a hawk, certain the secrets she was keeping had something to do with why she was so fucking jumpy. The fifth round had barely started when she got another call. As soon as Kat’s long shapely legs started up the aisle, I was right behind her without a word to Jasper. Or Sadie. Kat walked with confidence even when she was distracted.

  Now that Kat was moving while the rest of the crowd stayed in place, it was easier to notice who noticed her. Aside from the lecherous stares of a few of the bros who couldn’t decide if her ass or the fight was more engaging, there was one man other than me tracking Kat.

  The same asshole from the House of Ashby parking lot.

  And Kat was completely oblivious as she kicked off her shoes, picked them up, and started for the door at a dead run. She tapped frantically on her phone, dialing and re-dialing, I guessed, as she made her way to the nearest exit. Finally, she glanced over her shoulder and what I saw there nearly stopped my heart.

  Fear. I didn’t know what that call was about but now she was terrified. And she hadn’t even noticed she had two tails climbing up her back.

  With the audience crowding into the aisles, Kat’s path got more blocked by the second. Yet, she pushed and elbowed her way through, shoulders set in stiff determination. She made her way to the door with two minutes remaining in the first round and the collective gasp or maybe it was a groan of the crowd, stopped her.

  She looked up from her phone and turned to look at the big screen overhead. Anger colored her skin bright red, and though I was reluctant to do it, I took my gaze off her for just a second to see our worst fucking nightmare come true.

  Choir Boy was laid out on the mat, KO’d in the fifth fucking round.

  “Fucking Ravager piece of shit.” He’d have to be dealt with, sooner rather than later, but right now that asshole had gotten closer to Kat. Too close.

  In seconds he was at her side, smoothy wrapping a hand around her waist and pushing her through the door with his body. No aggression. Nothing that would draw any stares if you weren’t paying attention.

  Too bad for that motherfucker I was watching.

  Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the knockout, I ran through the doors and the first thing I heard was Kat’s shout.

  “No!” cut through the air.

  I ran to help her, but I should have known that Kat could handle herself. I winched for the guy as she shoved a palm up into his nose with all of her strength. It just wasn’t enough. “I said, no!”

  By now, I had picked up speed and gained on them, so I grabbed the asshole by the neck and pulled hard enough to send him to the floor, which gave me just enough time to land a few solid blows, drawing blood from his nose. I leaned over and snarled into his face, “Who are you?”

  He smiled and produced a blade, slicing it across my arm in a downward motion. “Fuck you, asshole.”

  “Wrong answer.” I punched him again and looked up at Kat. “You know this guy?”

  “No, and I really don’t have time for this. Can you handle it?” She was scared and frustrated, and in typical Kat fashion, annoyed.

  I kept my forearm across his throat and my other hand grasped the hand with the knife. “I’m not your maid, princess.”

  A low growl came from Kat as she stepped primly into her fuck me stilettos and walked over to us. “Oh for fuck’s sake Terry, I know that. We grew up together you idiot.”

  “Not the time, Kat.” I shook my head and turned back to the man. “Who do you work for?”

  He smiled again and struggled to move the arm holding the knife. “Fuck. You.”

  Kat knelt down beside him, probably giving him a view of whatever little lacy thing she had under that blue dress. “Look asshole, I do not have the time for this. Why are you following me?” she said. Letting her privates hang out didn’t bother her, so I kept my mouth shut and my eyes trained on him.

  “Maybe I just wanted a taste of the Ashby princess.” He sneered.

  Kat looked up at me, her patience close to snapping. “Madison called. She needs help. I have to go.”

  “I’m coming with you.” There was no way I would let her run off to some shitty neighborhood on her own.

  “Seriously?”

  I nodded, letting her know that this wasn’t part of our usual banter.

  “Fine.” She yanked the knife from his hand and stabbed it in his neck with all her strength. Blood squirted across the cement floor. She stood and asked, “Can we go now?”

  Holy fuck, I didn’t know whether to be afraid or turned on, but dammit I wanted her even more than ever in that moment. I looked back at the guy as blood oozed out of his neck. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  I grabbed Kat by the arm, locked the chain on the exit we used and pulled out my phone. “Jasper.”

  “What the fuck man? Where are you? Did you see this shit?” The outrage and the anger made his voice vibrate down the line.

  “How the fuck could we miss it,” Kat grumbled, practically stomping toward the exit that led to the parking lot.

  I grabbed Kat’s arm to stop her and pushed her up against the wall, placing a finger to her lips to shut her up.

  “Jasper, I need you to focus. That guy who came after Kat before just tried again. He’s bleeding out in the west hall, just past the utility closet. I chained the door but the others are unlocked.”

  “What? What the fuck?” Jasper hated when the world didn’t bend to his will and tonight the universe was testing his strength with an endless string of counter punches.

  “Something happened to the girl, Madison. Kat’s going whether I go with her or not.”

  “Damn right I am,” she said after biting my finger.

  Jasper sighed. “You’re a pain in my ass tonight, Kat. Keep her safe, Terry.”

  “Will do,” I told him and ended the call. “All right, Lady Katherine, after you.”

  Her blue eyes glared at me for a hot second before she marched off again. “Keep up, Terry or get left behind.”

  I smiled and shook my head as I hurried after Kat. It seemed to be a theme in what existed of our current relationship, but like the idiot I was, I opted for keeping up because getting left behind by Kat Ashby wasn’t something I was ready for.

  Not yet anyway.

  Probably not ever if I was honest with myself.

  “I damn well will keep up with a woman who kills with such ease,” I said and flashed a smile as I caught up with her. “I’m kind of turned on right now.”

  She groaned and walked faster, daring me to keep up.

  Which I was happy to do.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kat

  “I killed that guy.”

  Sure, in the moment the move was easy enough, especially at the thought of Madison in trouble and my hurry to get to her combined with the fury of what Ravager had done. Or not done.

  But now, five minutes later sitting behind the steering wheel while the engine idled, my hands shook and my heart raced so loud, I could hear the blood rushing through my veins.

  “I killed that guy,” I groaned and smacked the steering wheel. “I should have saved that anger for that Goddamn Ravager.”

  Terry leaned back on the headrest and laughed. “First of all, that guy had it coming. Second, Ravager will get what’s coming to him, be sure of that.”

  His smile reassured me, but I was too focused on what I did to that guy and Madison to be charmed by Terry’s oh so charming grin.

  “Yeah, I know,” she said, still surprised by her own power. “It just took me by surprise is all.”

  “Want me to drive?” The question came so easily, so casually as if he didn’t care either way, but the gesture warmed me.

  “No, but thanks.” The moment my hands were steady enough to grip the wheel, I put the car in drive and took off toward the motel to meet Oliver.

  “It was hot,” Terry said out of nowhere. “Just in case you were wondering.”

  My lips curled into a pl
eased smile. “I wasn’t.”

  Oliver waited just in front of Madison’s hotel room, which was wrecked, as if a struggle or a fight had taken place. I was comforted by the fact the struggle didn’t look deadly.

  “There’s no blood. That’s a good sign,” Terry said in a casual tone that underscored the way his jaws clenched in anger.

  “Madison?” I knew it was pointless to call out to her. The motel room had a bathroom and a bedroom with a small table, if I couldn’t see her, she wasn’t there. “Madison, it’s Kat Ashby.” Apparently, my brain wasn’t in the mood for logic at that moment.

  “Maybe she just left.” I knew Terry was just trying to be helpful and I appreciated it. Mostly.

  “She didn’t. Her voice when she called, it was terrified. Genuinely terrified and she is a tough young lady.”

  “Tough maybe, but still young, Kat. Remember how tough you thought you were at that age?”

  I nodded, and a small grin turned the corners of my mouth up at just how tough I thought I was back then.

  “But I had the safety and comfort of badass brothers to back me up, and Madison wants to find her sister. She wanted to know whether to keep searching for Molly or not, and I’m the key to that. At least she thinks so.”

  Madison had no idea how right she was, but I couldn’t tell her everything if I couldn’t keep her safe.

  “Why do you care so much?”

  Terry’s question stung. “You mean why does the Ashby Princess give a shit about some homeless girl?”

  The question sounded as bitter and acidic as it felt on my tongue, but I thought he knew me better than that.

  “She came to me for help, and I know exactly what these people are capable of and the damage they leave behind. The lasting effect of their sick fucking acts isn’t just limited to the victims, but everyone around them.”

  I paused. I needed to suck in a deep calming breath. “If I can stop one person from going through that hell, I will. Otherwise what’s the point of all this fucking money and influence?”

  “I didn’t mean anything by—”

  “Shut up, Terry,” I said and walked to the other side of the bed. I knelt down to see if there were any clues about who took Madison. Or why. Any clues that could help find her was what I focused on instead of another humiliating reason to get over my stupid attraction to my brother’s best friend.

  “I’ll check the bathroom.”

  I nodded absently at Terry’s words, more focused on kneeling in a pencil skirt without putting my hands on the motel bed. I reached under the bed, hoping my fingertips didn’t happen upon a used condom, or worse. But then I felt it, something hard and plastic.

  “Her phone!” Skirt be damned! I flattened myself against the floor with a grunt and reached until the phone was in my palm.

  “What?” Terry stood at the foot of the bed; blond brows dipped into a frown.

  “Her phone. Madison left it under the bed.” I held it up like a trophy, keeping a death grip on it as Terry helped me up.

  “Thanks,” I said, flashing a quick look of gratitude up at him and ignoring the rush of excitement that stole through me at his touch.

  “Anytime.”

  Yeah, right. I turned back to the phone instead of my ridiculous attraction to a man who thought I was a stuck up rich bitch who only cared about herself. Madison was what mattered right now. The screen was cracked but I tapped it anyway, relieved when it lit up.

  “It’s working.” I heard the relief in my voice and looked over at Terry.

  He looked at me like he thought more of me than he did five minutes ago, and it reminded me how easily men lied. People in general, but men especially.

  “You get that for her?”

  I nodded. “I did. So I could let her know if I found anything. Look, the recorder app is still running.” I stopped and saved the recording and then replayed it.

  There were two voices, a man and a woman.

  “We can’t leave her here. Who knows who she’s talked to?” The woman’s voice was unfamiliar but I suspected it belonged to Donna McLaughlin.

  Then the man spoke. “We have two options, Montana or Texas.”

  “Texas is closer to the border and bad things happen to girls all the time down there.”

  Her words were ominous, but the meaning was clear. It would be better for them, whoever they were, if Madison was dead.

  The man grunted, the sound of Madison’s terrified breathing loud in the phone’s speaker.

  “She could make a lot more money in Chicago. Not to mention Mueller is a bishop over there.”

  Mueller. Another connection to the Church and Rhymer.

  “It has to be the McLaughlins and Mueller,” I insisted. I didn’t need Terry to believe me or confirm it; I was sure Mueller was behind Madison’s kidnapping.

  “I gotta make a call,” Terry said and stomped off, giving me time to listen to the recording again while he checked in with Jasper.

  Since they didn’t know Madison was recording, the man and woman spoke freely, but the end of the recording grew faint because the door was open, and they were farther away from the bed.

  “Drop her at The Last Stop with any driver heading south. Get rid of her.”

  What followed was what I feared, sounds of Madison struggling against someone stronger, probably bigger too. And angry.

  I knew exactly where The Last Stop was, at the crossroads of three different interstate highways that could get you to Mexico in just a few hours. With the phone clutched in my hand, I headed for the door just as Terry stepped inside.

  “I talked to Jasper,” he said but I cut him off.

  “I know where they took her. I’m going after her. Oliver will give you a ride back to the arena.” I didn’t stop to get his reaction, at least not until his hand flew out and wrapped around my wrist, giving me no choice but to stop.

  He flashed that panty-melting smile at me, and I knew, without a doubt, he felt my pulse jumping and knew he did that to me. He gave me a long look and said, “I don’t think so, Kitty Kat. You go, I go.”

  Because it was his job, I reminded myself, not because he gives a shit. Terry wasn’t a bad guy, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I was just his best friend’s bitchy little sister. Not a desirable woman, at least not a woman he desired. Nope. Friend zone.

  Best to keep that in mind moving forward, so I yanked my wrist out of his grasp, grateful he let go so easily.

  “Fine. Let’s go, Stalker.” His chuckle sounded behind me, but my legs moved quickly, knowing Madison and her captors had at least a forty-minute head start on us.

  “Hurry it up,” I snapped, “she could be on the 15 freeway headed toward Tijuana by now.”

  “Go as fast as you want, Kitty Kat. I got the keys,” Terry said, amusement in his voice which both turned me on and pissed me off.

  “I’m glad this is amusing to you,” I growled and stood beside the passenger door, tapping my foot impatiently.

  Terry’s laughter pissing me off by the second.

  Chapter Twelve

  Terry

  Kat said nothing to me for the first thirty minutes of our trip to rescue the tough girl who’d gotten to her. She kept her eyes on the road ahead, arms folded and a mostly blank expression on her face. But the way her dark brows dipped low and her lips pinched tight told me just how pissed off she was.

  Big time.

  Again.

  “You’re worried.”

  “No shit. A little girl has been kidnapped by people who specialize in sexually assaulting children and then disposing of them. What kind of monster would—never mind, I know the answer. Me.”

  She shook her head and grumbled under her breath about blind assholes.

  “I never said you were a monster, Kat.”

  She turned to me, fury blazing in her blue eyes even with the starless night sky darkening everything around us.

  “No, you didn’t, you only implied it. Anyway it doesn’t matter,” she went on
. “The point is I didn’t invite you to come on this trip Terry so please don’t go questioning my motives. Please.”

  “I’m not. I want to know why you’re so worried because this isn’t just that.” She might think I was just some dumb idiot, but I knew her better than she realized.

  “Because I did some digging into these people and they’re awful. The worst kind of motherfuckers around. They do terrible shit to children and pay them off, kill them, or ship them off to parts unknown.” She shook her head and turned back to stare out the passenger side window. “The haunted look in Madison’s eyes when she talked about looking for Molly, the worry and fear that she’s already dead. It was heartbreaking, and I won’t let her down. I won’t.”

  The steely determination was exactly the same as it had been when she’d fought Sadie and Jasper about going to college in California instead of UNLV where she’d be close to home. Safe.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  A small gasp escaped, and I felt her stare burning the side of my face. “Why are you sorry?”

  My lips curled into a grin because Kat couldn’t just accept the apology, she always needed more. “For implying you were something you’re not. But in my defense, you do go out of your way to play the role of Rich Bitch Who Doesn’t Give A Flying Fuck.”

  She smirked. “And you should know me better than that. Then again, why should you.”

  Because you’re mine? But she wasn’t and she never would be. For about a million different reasons. “I think I do. And I’m starting to see where I was wrong about you.”

  The bitchy thing really was just a part she played for the outside world, which made me feel stupid for not realizing it sooner.

  “You don’t have to say that. Just…let’s get to Madison, okay?”

  “We still have about fifty miles so why don’t you tell me why you care so much about this particular girl and her sister.”

  She slid me a look that was nothing but side eye. “You know why.”