by Tiffany Snow
“It has nothing to do with faith, it’s reality,” Blane said. “She’s smart, but she’s young, inexperienced. What is she going to do as an investigator? And how much danger will that involve?”
The veiled accusation that Kade had deliberately put Kathleen in danger just pissed him off. “No more danger than you’ve already put her in,” Kade shot back. “How long are you going to drag this out anyway? She’s lasted longer than most of your relationships, I’ll give you that, but it would no doubt be better for her if you ended it. Politics won’t wait forever and neither will Kandi.”
And if you dumped Kathleen, I could make a move without feeling any guilt. The thought drifted right beneath the surface, tantalizing and shaming Kade at the same time. Was he really trying to make Blane break up with Kathleen just so he could have her?
“Did I miss the part where we’re telling each other how to run our lives? Because if so, I certainly have some things I’d like to say to you.” Blane’s retort jerked Kade out of his thoughts.
This was the closest they’d come to fighting in a long time. They bickered occasionally, disagreed, but there was real anger now between them and it shook Kade. He didn’t want this, didn’t want Blane mad at him, didn’t want to feel confused and jealous and angry.
Kade struggled to put a lid on all the emotions and get back to common ground with his brother. “Speaking of changing the subject,” he said, “did you check out junior? It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if that little prick was behind this.”
Blane’s body relaxed slightly. “He’s got an alibi for where he was the other night, so if it is him, he’s working with someone.”
Suddenly a voice erupted from Blane’s phone.
“Thanks so much for watching the phones for me, Kathleen.” Clarice’s voice was tinny over the speaker.
Shit. Busted.
Blane’s eyes slid shut and he rubbed a hand across his forehead, muttering a “Fuck” under his breath.
“Kathleen, please come in here,” he said more loudly, then hit the button on the phone.
Kade was up and at the door a second later, sure he’d see Kathleen racing for the elevator, and he was right. Their eyes met and his lips twitched. He crooked his finger, beckoning her. With a sigh of resignation, she headed toward him.
“You should learn what a mute button is if you’re going to eavesdrop,” he whispered in her ear as she passed by.
“Thanks for the advice,” she hissed back, but he could tell she wasn’t really angry, just embarrassed at having been caught.
Kade left the office, closing the door behind him, but then stood right there listening. Clarice cleared her throat, giving him a look, but Kade just winked and put a finger to his lips. She rolled her eyes.
But damn if Blane didn’t have a thick door. Kade could hear them talking, but couldn’t make out the words, at least, not until the yelling started.
“Because I need the money, Blane! And it’s great and it’s nice that you want to help me, but that won’t do me any good when this is over!”
Ouch. Looked like Kade hadn’t needed to try and show her how temporary she and Blane were. She already knew.
“I’m trying to tell you that I’m not going anywhere and you already have me halfway out the door,” Kade heard Blane say, and he was angry, angrier than he’d been at Kade earlier.
“Isn’t that how you roll, Blane? You think I don’t know I’m just the latest in a very long line of women?” Kathleen’s bitter retort even made Kade wince.
“You’re throwing my past up in my face?” Blane sounded enraged now. “I didn’t know you then, Kathleen. What do you want from me?”
Kade couldn’t hear what Kathleen said, but he was not okay with this. He’s never seen Blane hurt a woman and didn’t think he ever would, but sometimes shit happened.
He hesitated just a fraction before pushing open the door, and when he saw how Blane had a tight hold of Kathleen’s arm, forcibly keeping her still, his eyes narrowed and cold anger filled him.
“Lover’s spat?” he asked, keeping his voice light, but if Blane didn’t get his fucking hand off her right goddamn now—
“I was just leaving,” Kathleen bit out, jerking her arm out of Blane’s grasp. She headed out the door and Kade followed her, but not before he sent one long look Blane’s way.
By the time they’d reached his car, Kade had made a decision. Reaching in his pocket, he tossed Kathleen’s car keys to her. She caught them, glancing at him with a question in her eyes.
“I think it’s best if you have your own mode of transportation, just in case.”
She’d stood up to Blane, held her own with a stalker and dead bodies. Kade was through treating her like a child.
He followed her to her apartment, then up the stairs, at which point, he couldn’t take the silence any longer.
“Trouble in paradise?” he asked.
“Like you care,” she muttered.
If only Kathleen knew exactly how much Kade cared, maybe she wouldn’t have picked a fight with Blane. As much as he wanted her, Kade was under no delusions that between the two of them, he was the safer choice over Blane.
She took the dog back to the neighbor, who’d apparently just got back in town, then returned to get ready for work. When Kade saw her dressed and searching for her boots, he frowned.
“Don’t you want to eat first?” She had to be hungry. He was hungry. It had been hours since breakfast.
“I’ll grab something at the bar,” she said, picking up her boots. Sitting down to put them on, she didn’t look at him as she asked, “So what’s the story with Kandi?”
Satisfaction and guilt. That’s what Kade felt at the question. But she deserved to know. An eyeball left on her doorstep gave her the right to know the truth. Blane wasn’t going to tell her, so it was up to Kade to do his dirty work.
“Her dad and Blane’s dad were buddies,” he said. “Two strong political families, wealthy, connected. They raised Blane and Kandi side by side. She’s a few years younger, but they always planned for them to get married. They’ve been on again and off again for years.” Kathleen finally looked up from fastening her boots. “But then I guess he met you.”
“Blane and Kandi broke up before he met me,” she said. “I had nothing to do with it.”
Kade just looked at her, wondering if that was true.
“She’s quite intent on getting him back,” she said when he didn’t reply.
“Kandi usually gets what she wants, yes,” he said. “Whether or not that’s Blane remains to be seen.” Though he’d put money on it.
“You don’t like her,” Kathleen guessed, her eyes studying him.
As if that was a secret. He shrugged. “She’s a selfish, narcissistic bitch. What’s not to like?”
A burst of laughter escaped Kathleen, surprising Kade and making him smile a bit, too. That had been twice he’d made her laugh today, just because she got his sense of humor, such as it was.
He followed her in his car to the bar, but didn’t park. When she got out of her Honda and came to his window, he rolled it down.
“I need to check something out,” he said. “I’ll be back later. You good from here?”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Where are you going?”
Kade considered it a small victory that she cared enough to ask rather than just be glad of his absence.
“Thought I’d check on those phone records and swing by where Bowers was staying.”
“Be careful,” she said.
And that was definitely a step in the right direction, or wrong one, depending on your point of view. He decided he liked it.
Bowers’ place was empty, cleaned out, and it looked like he had indeed run. If so, they’d never find him, at least, not in time to do any good. Kade pulled out his laptop while he sat parked in his Mercedes three doors down. Might as well stick around for a while, see if anyone turned up, which also gave him time to hack into the phone records of the Fre
emans.
After downloading that, he started a crosscheck running on his remote server and closed the laptop. That would take a few hours to run and come up with the names and addresses of everyone who had called the Freemans or who they had called themselves.
Reaching over to his glove box, he opened it, pulling out a small box. Kade sat back in his seat, looking at it for a moment before lifting the lid. Inside lay a shining gold locket.
It had been his mother’s and he’d had no idea why she kept it, but it contained a tiny picture of himself as a toddler in his mother’s arms. She could’ve sold it as some point, but obviously hadn’t wanted to part with it, no matter what. Maybe her parents had given it to her, Kade didn’t know. They’d both died in a car accident when she’d been in her early twenties, several years before he’d been born.
The chain had long since been lost, but Kade had managed to hang on to the locket, no matter how many foster homes he’d gone through, ran away from, or the years that had passed since he’d taken it off her. If he was on a job, the locket was in his pocket. If he couldn’t have it on his person for some reason, it was nearby. In his car, in his hotel room, or in his apartment, but somewhere close. If he believed in good luck charms—which he didn’t—this was as close to one as he’d ever get.
Taking the locket from the box, he slid it into the pocket of his jeans, then headed back toward The Drop.
It was late, the bar would be closing soon, and Kade glanced at the nearly empty lot before parking his car. Last night he’d done a shitty job of clearing the area of threats. Tonight he’d make up for that.
Kade cased the streets two blocks in each direction of The Drop, melting from shadow to shadow and watching for any movement that would betray someone’s presence. It was cold, bitterly so, with snow and ice clogging up the asphalt. Cars drove by, their lights glancing off the wet pavement, the drivers anxious to get home.
The sidewalks were empty o f all but a handful of people, but no one fit the description of the person who’d be stalking Kathleen.
It was clear.
Stopping while still across the street, Kade rested his back against the frigid brick wall of the building behind him. He stared at the warm glow of lights shining through the slats of the blinds in the bar’s windows.
She was in there.
He should go in. It was freezing out here. But if he did, he’d watch her, probably talk to her. He already couldn’t get her out of his head. Much longer of this bodyguard duty was going to drive him insane. It was bad enough he could still smell the scent of her perfume in his car.
Fuck.
Reaching in his back pocket, he took out a half-empty pack of cigarettes. Lighting one despite the chill breeze, he took a deep drag.
His hands were cold. Gloves would be useful, but they could slow you down if you had to reach for your gun, so Kade never had them. He shoved his free hand in his pocket, his fingers brushing the metal of the locket.
Kade thought about Kathleen and her dead parents, how she was all alone, without even a half-sibling like he had. It was hard, being alone. There was no one to count on but yourself. In a way, Kathleen was tougher than him or Blane. They at least had each other.
Who did she turn to when she needed someone? Who took care of her when she was sick? Who made sure she took proper care of herself? When money was tight and she needed something to tide her over until payday, who did she ask for a loan?
The burning feeling in Kade’s gut was new to him, an overwhelming desire to be there for someone. To be there…for her. It was a revelation. And a goddamn tragedy. Because she wasn’t his. And if she’d been with anyone else, any other fucking Joe Blow on the planet, he’d have no qualms about stealing her away. But she wasn’t with just anyone.
She was with Blane.
So consumed was he by his thoughts that though Kade noticed the three guys heading toward him, he didn’t see how closely they looked at him, or how their steps slowed, nor how they conversed quietly. What he did notice was when they suddenly surrounded him, but by then it was too late.
CHAPTER SIX
Two attacked at once, one going for the face while the other went for his gut, both connecting with their respective targets.
Kade reeled back, pain exploding in his jaw and ribs. One came back for another shot and Kade grabbed his fist, giving it a hard twist, but before it could break, his buddy was slamming a fist into his side.
Grimacing, Kade lashed out, the knuckles in his fist connecting with the man’s mouth. Blood spurted from his lip and Kade felt teeth scrape his hand. Slamming his elbow back, he caught the second guy in the solar plexus and he bent over. But the first guy had pulled a knife.
He slashed at Kade, who sacrificed getting close enough to be sliced so he could grab his wrist. This time, he didn’t pull back quick enough and Kade snapped the wrist back. The sickening crack was loud, but not as loud as the guy yelling. The bloody knife dropped to the ground.
The third was behind him now, grabbing his arms and trying to pin them behind his back. Kade fought like the devil, pissed off beyond belief that they’d gotten the drop on him. It was going too fast for him to try and pull his gun from its holster and the blows started to take a toll, though he landed a few nasty ones himself. Blood dripped into his eye and he tasted more.
As good as he was, he couldn’t hold them off forever and soon they had him pinned, one on each side.
“Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it, you fucker.”
Kade focused, wincing as he panted for air, and recognized the face as the guy whose arm he’d broken last night. Guess he should’ve gone for the right arm rather than the left.
“Hey, buddy! Long time, no see,” Kade said with a fake smile, the movement splitting the cut on his lip further. He frowned in mock concern. “How’s the arm?”
“Motherfucker.” Another slam in the gut from an apparently real sore loser.
Fuck. Shit, this sucked. It’d been a while since Kade had been beat up, and now he remembered how much it fucking hurt.
“Let him go, assholes!”
“Ah, shit,” Kade muttered, recognizing that voice. If they went after her, he was going to have to kill them, then he was going to kill her for sticking her nose in.
“Well, look who’s come to join us,” Sore Loser yelled back to where Kathleen stood outside the bar. Blood in Kade’s eyes made it hard to see. “If it isn’t Miss High-and-Mighty herself. How you doing, bitch?”
“I said, let him go!”
“How about we trade him for you?” Sore Loser flung another punch to Kade’s face and he felt the skin on his cheekbone split.
The sound of a gunshot was unexpected, as was Sore Loser’s yelp.
“You fucking bitch! You nearly shot my dick off!”
Kade would’ve laughed if he’d had the energy. Gotta love her style. Or maybe she just had real shitty aim.
“You’ve got until three to let him go and get out of here!” Kathleen yelled. “One!”
The little bitches holding him let go and Kade dropped to the ground. The asphalt was ice cold, bits of rock and grit rough against his palms.
“Two!”
Sore Loser slammed his booted foot into Kade’s side, making him grunt in pain, then Kade heard him take off.
Once they were gone, staying on the ground for a minute seemed like a really good idea. Every part of him hurt, from his hands and knuckles, to his ribs and gut, which ached whenever he took a breath, to the burn of the cuts and scrapes on his face. The slice on his chest burned, too, and he felt the warm wetness of blood. The motherfucker better not have cut his leather jacket or so help him—
“Kade, are you all right?”
He felt Kathleen’s hand on his shoulder. Damn. No better way to ruin your image than let a girl watch while your ass got handed to you, except maybe she be the one to save said ass. Nice. He’d have to give up his fucking man card.
“I’ve had better nights, princess,” Kade managed, t
urning and pushing his sorry ass up to sit. His ribs sent a sharp pain through him. Cracked. Fuck. That always hurt like a motherfucker.
Blinking the blood out of his eyes, Kade was finally able to focus on Kathleen who knelt beside him on the concrete. He frowned and blinked again.
“What the fuck are you wearing?”
She had on some kind of Santa outfit, red velvet with white fur trim, that looked like it had come straight out of one of Kade’s fantasies. It fit her like a second skin, the skirt barely brushing the tops of her thighs, and the thing was sleeveless, her breasts nearly falling out of the top. The sight made her naughty schoolgirl Halloween costume look downright tame.
“What?” she asked, staring at him like he’d lost his mind.
“What are you doing in that getup? You do know it’s about fifteen fucking degrees out here, don’t you? You trying to freeze to death?” Or drive him absolutely fucking insane.
“Last I looked, I was saving your ass,” she retorted. “I wasn’t aware that you required a dress code.”
That was funny. Kade grinned before he could help it, which caused his face to start hurting again. Fuck.
Kathleen must’ve seen his grimace of pain because she jumped up and reached down to help him, which gave him a fabulous view of her breasts. Once he was on his feet, Kade grabbed the gun Kathleen had left on the ground, tucking it in the back of his jeans.
He could make it under his own power—he’d been hurt worse—but Kathleen draped his arm across her naked shoulders to help him. Since that gave him an excuse to touch her, not to mention another amazing view down her cleavage, Kade allowed it. Careful not to lean too heavily on her—little thing might topple over—he let her lead him back to the bar.
Once inside, Kade shrugged out of his jacket. Good. It looked like the little prick hadn’t cut it. Not that he couldn’t get another, but this was Armani and he liked it.
Kathleen took it from him , carelessly tossing it over a barstool—she didn’t know it was Armani—her eyes going immediately to where he’d been cut.
