The barrel of a silver revolver was pointed at the back of her head, a tan hand wrapped around the wood-inlaid handle. His finger was wrapped around the trigger, and I knew damn well he would pull it without hesitation if he had reason to do so.
I took a step forward with my hands up, silently begging with my eyes that he remain calm as he pushed her inside with his other hand, using the tips of his fingers to nudge her.
His hair was just as I’d remembered—pushed back, slick with gel— but his face wasn’t clean like usual. He had dark scruff surrounding his chin and jawline now. His eyes were still the same. Dark and bottomless. I could never read his eyes—never knew if he was annoyed or content. I thought after so many months, he wouldn’t show up at all—that he considered it too risky and didn’t want to take any chances—yet there he was. In the flesh. Right when I least expected it.
Draco Molina. Kingpin. Cartel leader. A murderous, intimidating motherfucker.
“Who the hell is she?” he growled, the gun still pointed at her head.
My heart pounded in my chest, my pulse rising in my ears, and I saw tears line Kandy’s eyes.
“That’s Kandy. She’s my girl. She’s won’t say anything about you, so put the gun down.”
“Just because you tell me she won’t doesn’t mean I should believe you. She’s young. Young people tend to do dumb shit.” His nostrils flared as he looked her over from behind, and then swung his eyes up to put his focus on me. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow her brains out right here, right now. And make it quick. I don’t have time to waste.”
“Because I love her,” I said hurriedly, fists clenching. I hated when he played these stupid fucking games.
His chin tipped, but his eyes narrowed in exchange. “Love…” He sucked his teeth. “How old are you?”
“She’s nine—”
“I’m asking her,” he snarled, still glaring at her. “Turn around and face me.”
With her hands still in the air, she moved her eyes from me and turned slowly to look at him. She was shaking, her bottom lip trembling. The tears that had lined her eyes had spilled. He didn’t lower the gun, either. He still held it in her face, lifting it higher and pressing it to her forehead.
“Please,” she pleaded.
He pressed his lips, eyes still hard.
“Draco,” I pleaded. “Stop this shit! She’s fucking scared!”
“Good,” he grumbled. “She should be. I want her to know that her life will be mine if she says a fucking word about this encounter. Now, how old are you?”
“Nineteen,” Kandy sobbed, and my chest tightened. I was at a fucking loss. I didn’t have a weapon on me, and even if I did, I wouldn’t have been able to use it on him. Technically, he was my boss. He was one of the main reasons I’d gotten to where I was in life and with Tempt.
“Okay. Kandy Jennings, correct? Nineteen years old? Your father is Derek Jennings, who happens to be a fucking cop. Your mother is a lawyer. The way I see it, you were born to be a fucking snitch.”
“I—I won’t say anything. I swear!” she cried. “I—I know who you are. I know not to talk.”
He cocked a brow. “You know who I am?” he repeated, then released the cylinder, steadying his hand.
“Draco,” I snarled through clenched teeth, taking another step forward. “Leave. Her. The. Fuck. Alone.”
“Well if you know who I am,” he went on, ignoring me. “Then you know not to do anything stupid, right? Because if you do, then I’ll find out, and I’ll have no choice but to cut your life short, and that would be terrible because I’m sure you have so much to look forward in life.” His head went into a slight tilt, eyes boring into hers. “I know a lot about you, little Kandy Jennings. I know you have a friend named Frankie Martin, right? Yeah, she goes to the University of North Carolina. She’s your best friend. Your mother works at the Hammel Law Firm of Atlanta, and your father is about to be promoted to a sergeant’s position at the Atlanta Police Department.” Kandy’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head, her sobs abruptly stopping. That motherfucker knew everything about her! “Your address is 1716 Peach Tree Lane, and your bedroom is painted sky blue. Yeah,” he sneered. “I know a lot, so if I find out that you, Kandy Alexandra Jennings, ran your fucking mouth or uttered my name to anyone other than the man standing behind you, I know where to find you and everyone you love. Since he claims to love you and has proven his loyalty to me, I’m letting you off with a little warning. You may see me now, but when I’m gone, it’ll be like we’ve never even met, right?”
She bobbed her head, sniffling hard. “Yes, yes. I swear.”
“Good girl.” He lowered the gun. “Now go upstairs. I need to talk to Cane alone.” She turned away from him rapidly. “Oh—and before you go,” he called, and she stopped in her tracks, peering over her shoulder, but not fully. Fuck. She was terrified, and I wanted to rip him to pieces for it. “Give me your phone. You’ll get it back when I’m gone. Wouldn’t want you making any stupid, rash decisions while your heart is racing.” He stuck his hand out, and she wasted no time going to him and dropping the phone into his palm like it was on fire.
“Kandy,” I called as she rushed away from him. Her mouth still trembled as she ran into my arms. I kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. Just go upstairs until I come up. All right?”
She nodded and I lightly pushed her out of the kitchen. I heard her running down the hallway, and when I could no longer hear her footsteps, I faced him.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I snapped when I heard a door slam.
“Oh yes, I did. Don’t need her running her mouth.”
“She won’t say anything. I fucking trust her.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t,” he muttered, looking around.
I was getting fed up with him already. He and I could never remain in the same room for long. He got on my nerves just as much as I did his. “Why are you here? If this is about money, you could have called me to wire it.”
“We have that to discuss, among other things.”
“Things like what?”
He frowned. “Like how you’re losing money, not gaining. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
“There was a slight hiccup. Shit went downhill for a while, but business is picking up again.”
“Yeah, it went downhill because you were too caught up in her young pussy to think clearly.”
“Wrong.”
“Right.”
I let out an agitated breath, shaking my head. “I fixed the issue. Your money has still doubled. I didn’t touch those funds.”
“I know you didn’t. You’re too smart to do something that stupid.” He tucked the gun in the holder clipped to his belt and then placed Kandy’s phone down. “I’m a fugitive now, did you know that? Well, I take that back. I’ve been one for a while, but I really feel like one now since I’m no longer safe in my own country. If I show my face to anyone or do anything, I’ll most likely be turned in. My face is on every news channel, billboard, and highlight reel. There are people who want the cash, and can you blame them? Four million to capture me, dead or alive. Pretty fucking steep.”
I looked him over as he swept his eyes all over my kitchen. “I came to tell you that I’ll be in hiding for a few years, might come back out when things cool off, but I’ll be investing all that I have into Tempt until I find another solution. Right now, your company is the cleanest. Hasn’t been targeted or suspected of any foul shit, no red flags, and that’s what I need in order to keep my money safe. I can’t keep it in any international accounts of my own anymore. I need it here, right under their noses, where they’d least expect it.”
“Okay. I can make that happen. How much are we talking?”
“About $735 million.”
“What?” I spat, frowning. “Draco, I can’t make a report of a private investment that big without it getting suspicious. Ten to twenty was fine, but seven hundred? That’s too fucking much.”
“You�
�re smart enough to figure it out.”
I blew a breath. “I think you’re overestimating my abilities. The only way I can hide that much is if I have my accountant work with a private offshore bank. Some of it has to go international. Keeping it all here might help you, but it’s a big risk for me.”
“Then find me an accountant who can do the offshore work. Do whatever you need to do, but I want some of the accounts written in another name.”
“Whose?”
“Gianna Nicotera for now.”
“Nicotera? Why does that name sound so familiar?”
He glared at me.
My eyes widened. “Wait…isn’t she the girl you kidnapped? She belonged to that Italian mob, right?”
He grimaced. “She belonged to me.”
“You took her against her free will, and from what I heard, you tortured her. That’s kidnapping.”
“She had no free will. She was mine since I was thirteen. I had every right to take her from the dirty bastard that didn’t fucking deserve her.” He was getting agitated now, eyes darkening.
“Okay, look. I don’t give a shit about any of that right now. When are you trying to get the money deposited?”
“As soon as possible. I have two of my people coming with some of it in a few days. They’ll be delivering it in increments. I want to be here to watch the accounts get set up and to know my money has been moved safely. I also need a favor.”
“I can try, Draco, but I can’t make any promises. What’s the favor?”
“There is no fucking trying, Cane. You have no choice but to do this,” he snapped. “Remember that without me, you wouldn’t even have this fucking company. You came to me and made me a promise. You told me if I needed something done, you would make it happen, did you not?”
I sighed. “Yeah.”
“Okay. So make it fucking happen. I don’t want excuses; I want solutions. Figure it out and make sure you keep your name off record. Don’t ring any bells. Split it up if you have to, I don’t care. Just make sure my money is somewhere safe and easy for me to access when I need it.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Okay, fine. What’s the favor?”
“Gianna is pregnant.” He rubbed his hand, where his ring finger was. “We’re not sure what the gender is yet, but when the baby is older, we’ve agreed to let him or her come to America to go to school. I’ll need Gianna and the kid in a safe place, and since I won’t be able to be here as much, and she’s too wary to get a home with her or Clark’s name, I figured you could put it under yours.”
I blinked rapidly. “Shit…you got her pregnant? You sure she isn’t planning to make a run for it?”
Draco grimaced. “She isn’t planning shit. You’ve only heard the stories, Cane. Gianna and I have been through some shit, but we’re on the same page now. She knows the truth about her past and knows I would do anything to protect her. She’s not my prisoner. She can leave whenever she feels like it. It’s her choice to stay with me.”
“Okay—chill the fuck out.” I rolled my shoulders, releasing some of my own tension. “I didn’t realize things had gotten so serious. Is she the reason I haven’t heard from you in a while?”
He pressed his lips and shrugged. “Let’s just say that I had my hands full because I was dealing with her.” He looked me over once before walking around the island counter. “Why are you with her, anyway? The girl?”
“Do I need a specific reason to be with her?”
He cocked a brow, turning fully to face me. “She’s your best friend’s daughter.”
“He was my best friend.”
“And I assume you two are no longer friends because you can’t keep your cock away from her?”
My jaw tightened. “Don’t talk about her like that, and it’s not like you have any fucking room to say shit. Kidnapping women and punishing them and shit.”
He fought a smirk. “I do what I need to do.”
I scoffed, pressing my lower back against the edge of the counter.
Draco folded his arms, leaning against the counter edge across from me. “Are we going to have any problems with her father? He knows a great deal about you and me. You told me he’d keep quiet, but with you and the girl fucking like rabbits—”
“He won’t be a problem. He may be upset, but he wouldn’t jeopardize himself like that, let alone his own daughter. That’s information he’s withheld for years, and not only that, Kandy would be upset if he ran his mouth and it backfired on me. His bond with her would be destroyed, and that’s the last thing he wants right now after everything that’s happened to her.”
“Yeah, speaking of what happened to her—Mario tells me some ex of yours stabbed her?”
I dropped my arms, agitated at the thought of Kelly.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“A woman named Kelly Hugo came to my old house, saw me and Kandy in my bedroom, and had a knife with her when she came up. I wasn’t fast enough and thought she was coming for me, but she was going for Kandy. She stabbed her.” I swallowed thickly. “Kandy was pregnant and didn’t know it, but she miscarried. Because of where she’d stabbed her, she may not be able to have kids anymore.”
For once, he actually seemed surprised about something. “Damn.”
“All she got was a slap on the wrist. She’s in a psych facility right now, and I’m sure it’s a good one—one that treats her like she’s at a fucking retreat. Her parents are wealthy, and they had a good lawyer pleading her case. They bought the judge off and placated her parents with a bullshit restraining order and fifty grand.”
Draco’s head cocked, jaw flexing. “What does Kelly know about you?”
I looked into his eyes. “A lot of things.”
“Stop fucking playing with me and speak, Cane.”
I huffed. “She knows I built Tempt on drug money. Knows about my mother’s drug habit and that my father was the one who mentioned naming the wine Tempt while he was drunk one night. He’s out of jail right now too, and I’m worried she’ll get a hold of him once she’s cleared and give him more ammunition and reason to go against me. I don’t need him getting a cut of my business or being anywhere near me or my family. I have lawyers working on securing everything, but Kelly’s family knows people too—”
“Do you want me to get rid of her?” he asked.
I frowned. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I pushed off the counter. “Things aren’t like they used to be, Draco. You can’t come over here trying to be Jefe, especially when there’s a price on your head. Shit, even talking to you could have me arrested.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said. “And you know you don’t have to worry about me. I always take care of myself and never leave any evidence behind. Do you want her taken care of?”
His question both agitated and fueled me, the conflicting feelings fucking with my head. Of course I wanted Kelly out of my hair, but with all the things Draco could do, I wasn’t sure if it would backfire on me or help in the end. Kelly knew too much, though, and I promised Kandy we were fine now—that she didn’t need to worry about Kelly anymore. But Draco…having him do anything to her at all, was too much of a risk.
“Let me think about it,” I told him, and he took a step back.
“Fine. But remember that Tempt is my company too, and if there is a threat or anything targeted at it, I will end it before letting it get in my way.” He walked to the patio door. “I’ll be directing my people to this home address and will be back in a few days.” He opened the door, pushing loose tendrils of his hair back. “She’s just a human, and humans are easy to break and even easier to get rid of.” He looked me over. “Don’t let this new life make you weak.”
With those words, the door closed, and he was gone.
Chapter Twenty-Two
CANE
I checked my backyard twice before going upstairs to get to Kandy.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting
for me. When she heard me coming, she hopped up, clasping her hands together, her eyes wide with worry. “Is he gone?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Is he coming back?”
I looked away. “Most likely.”
She sighed, rushing toward me. “I didn’t think he’d show up…not like that. With a gun,” she gasped. “W-what did he want?”
“He wants to invest some more money in Tempt.”
“Oh.”
I sat down, and she took the spot beside me. She breathed unevenly, like she was still trying to catch her breath from what had happened earlier. I reached for her hand, holding it in mine. “He’s really fucking scary, Cane. If he’s coming back, I should probably go home.”
“He only said and did that stuff for show. He likes to feel in charge—like he owns the room. He’s the one who has always told me that knowledge is power. The more you know about someone, the more power you have over them.”
“You know a lot about him?”
“More than I care to admit, honestly.”
“Is he as bad as the media portrays?”
I nodded. “Oh, yeah. Don’t underestimate him. He’s quick to make a move if he feels threatened or if he’s crossed.”
Her eyes got bigger. “Have you ever crossed him?”
“Wouldn’t be alive if I had.”
She fidgeted a bit. “God, this is insane. How did you even start working with someone like him?”
I sighed, rolling my neck. “I heard about him through the grapevine. Many of them warned me that he would probably kill me before he heard me out, but at that point in my life, I had no choice. At first, I was selling stolen goods to people, but I wasn’t really making any money from it, and my mother was in the hospital because she’d almost overdosed on coke, and I didn’t have the money to pay for the bills. While she was in the hospital, the doctors discovered she needed a kidney transplant. I was at a loss.” I looked down, and her eyes were wide and glossy.
Loving Mr. Cane: Cane Series #3 Page 14
