by Lexi Blake
“I didn’t think so.” For so long she’d thought Kai was almost perfect. Even his quirks had called to her. She’d loved the fact that they worked as a couple, even when they’d only been friends.
“Your instincts told you he was solid. All the time you spent working with him told you he is honest and true. Your friendship with him taught you he’s a great guy.”
Her instincts had told her he was the one. That magical one everyone talked about. “Yes.”
Erin’s hand drifted down, resting on her belly as though she could already feel the baby growing there. “So why are you letting a couple of words he said change everything? You’re actually allowing a few seconds you heard in a hallway to have more weight than all the other time you spent with him. Did you think for a second that maybe what he meant was he wanted you out of the op? That the ‘crap with Kori’ was about being forced to lie to you? Case could do that to him. Don’t forget the brotherhood. They like their secrets, especially when it’s all in the name of protecting the womenfolk. Maybe instead of him using you, he leapt at the opportunity to hop into bed with you because he’s wanted you forever.”
“He told me he loved me.” That was the part that hurt the most. She’d opened herself up to him, made herself vulnerable. More vulnerable than she’d ever been before since she’d never said those words to a man. She loved Kai. She probably would always love Kai.
“Maybe he told you that because he loves you,” Erin insisted. “Guys like Kai don’t normally lie about that. Would you have slept with him if he hadn’t said it?”
She could still feel his hands on her body, strong hands that dominated her, caressed her, made her feel alive. “I was having sex with him when he said it.”
Erin’s lips turned up in a knowing grin. “See. He didn’t have to say it at all. At the end of the day, it’s your relationship and your choice. You can stand tall and tell him to fuck off and never believe a word he says again. I’m sure that feels like the way to go. I know I did that to Theo more than once. I thought being strong meant telling everyone to fuck off, but I was a scared little girl. Be a strong woman and ask him what he meant. You can give him a chance. Do you have any idea what I would give to have taken that chance before I did? To be able to look back and have had more time with him. But I was stubborn and arrogant and I was so scared. He scared the hell out of me.”
Her heart ached for Erin and for herself. For what Erin lost. For what Kori had never really had. “Would you take it back? If you could. Would you go back and erase it all so you don’t feel the pain you do now?”
It was an actual ache in her body. The loss of Kai felt like emptiness one minute and agony the next. She wasn’t sure how she would get through the next few weeks. How was she going to be able to face him?
“Not a second,” Erin said, her face flushed with emotion. “Not one single second. If you would go back and erase Kai from your life, then walk away now because that’s not love. If you would do that, then he’s not the right man and you can move on. But if he is, then have some faith in him. Have some faith in you.”
There was a short knock on the door and then the alarm pinged briefly as it came open. A few more beeps and Big Tag was walking in, his massive shoulders filling the hallway. There was proof that Erin trusted him. He had a key and knew her code.
“Okay, I’m here. Someone want to explain why I’m not springing my brother from the big house?” Ian asked with a frown.
Erin rose to her feet. “Case isn’t arrested, the big baby. Besides, jail would do him good. Rough him up a little. Your whole line is soft, Taggart. Did you call Sean to pick him up?”
“Yes, and he was pissed about it. Why can’t people get thrown in jail during business hours?” Ian nodded Kori’s way. “Hello, Kori. Is there a reason you’re running around in the middle of the night without your Master?”
“My Master turned out to be a total douchebag who can bite my ass.” She was still thinking about Erin’s words. She knew what she’d heard, but did she honestly know what Kai had meant? Was she filtering his words through all the crap from her past? “Maybe. I’m not sure yet.”
Ian frowned. “You should talk to him. Kai’s usually very careful. If he’s fucked up, there’s probably a reason for it. He’s probably thinking with his dick. I don’t do that. My dick is perfectly submissive to my brain.”
Erin snorted a little. “Yeah, we all know who’s in charge there. Come on and I’ll introduce you to the woman who might get us to Hope McDonald.”
Ian’s expression went completely blank. “I’m listening.”
“Hello.” Mia walked in, her phone in hand. “My brother would like to talk to you. He thinks you’re looking for the same people that he is. Sorry for the whole lying about my name thing and thinking you were part of The Collective.”
Ian snorted. “Fuck a duck. Charlie’s never going to let me live this down. She said you were too bright to be a part of The Collective. I hate it when she’s right. Okay. Let’s talk.”
He took the phone and started to wander back toward the office.
“I guess now we’re out of the loop,” Mia said with a frown.
“No.” Erin walked back toward her kitchen. “We’re in a different loop. You see, I’ve found the only thing more powerful than the brotherhood is the sisterhood. Who wants some tea? I would offer you tequila, but I’m not drinking for a while.”
While Erin boiled water for tea and Mia complained about Case, Kori sat and thought and wondered if she shouldn’t call Kai.
Tomorrow. She would face him tomorrow.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
How the fuck late was it? Kai glanced up at the clock, surprised to discover it was only four in the morning. Had it only been a few hours since that horrible moment when he’d realized what Kori had heard?
Had it only been two hours since he’d watched his brother being arrested for murder? It seemed as though he’d been here forever, waiting in this cold, stark room. Seeing Kori’s blank face over and over again. He’d tried to call, but she wasn’t answering. He’d texted. No reply. Now it was going straight to voice mail.
He sat in the police station on a bench right outside the men’s bathroom, his whole body completely numb. What the hell was he supposed to do now?
“All right, here’s what’s happening.” Case sank down on the bench beside him. “I’ve made a deal with several devils, including one crazy bitch ADA who I have to spank for the next six weeks.”
Kai felt his eyes widen. “Maia? You made a deal with Maia?”
Maia Brighton was Derek Brighton’s ex-wife and one of Dallas’s most ambitious assistant district attorneys. At some point in the next few years, she would very likely be the district attorney. She was also a raging sex addict who knew where all the skeletons were hidden. Ian had allowed her into Sanctum because her contacts often got them out of hot water. But there was always a price with Maia.
Case nodded. “Yes. No sex, but I have to go hard core with her at least twice a week for the next six weeks.”
There were several flaws in that scenario. “I don’t think your new girlfriend is going to like that.”
“Mia was nothing but an op and that op is over,” Case said, his jaw stubborn. “I don’t have to see her again since apparently now Ian’s working with her brother.”
“What?”
“Erin stuck her nose in and it turns out Lawless isn’t Collective. He thought we were, and Mia’s been trying to pin her friend’s murder on your brother for years. Ian’s going to handle the whole thing from here on out, and Mia’s on her way back to Austin in the morning. I won’t be seeing her again.”
He’d watched Case with the pretty blonde for the last few days. There was no way this was only an op for him. “You like her. You have feelings for that woman. Don’t let her go.”
Case’s head shook slightly as he sat back. “There’s nothing to let go. All my feelings for her have to do with the fact that I haven’t gotten laid in m
onths. She’s not my type. Hell, I don’t think I have a type. I’m not cut out for the relationship thing. Besides, I’ve got to concentrate on Erin and the baby. I don’t need that blonde fucking up my life. So the deal I made with Maia, who made a deal with the DA. It included getting a judge up at this time of night to set bail for Jared. Harrison got the judge to agree that the press will swarm once they hear about Jared’s arrest and it’s better for everyone if we get him out of jail and into a private residence where the city doesn’t have to worry about liability. I swear I don’t get the lawyer crap. Once Mitch and Harrison started talking about liability and something called optics, the DA caved like a wilting flower.”
Because Jared would likely not do well in prison. Even overnight. There would be a circus by morning because there was no way this news didn’t get out. The press would be at the door. Hollywood executives would be calling in all their favors. Fans would show up outside the damn jail in order to get a glimpse of their hero.
What a fucking nightmare.
“So he’s getting out in the morning?” It would be one less thing he would have to worry about. He couldn’t stand the thought of his brother sitting in a prison cell. It wasn’t right. No matter what Rush thought he had on Jared, Kai knew he was innocent.
“Do you honestly believe I would have given up six weeks for the morning? Like I said, the judge got his ass out of bed once Maia got on the phone with him. Apparently she’s got shit on a couple of judges and she’s not afraid to use it. Everything’s already finished. Jared will be coming out in a few minutes and I’ll drive you home. He’s been released on a million dollars bail and into our safekeeping. He’s not allowed to leave the state. Bail’s already been posted and he’s being processed out.”
That was one issue down. At least his brother wouldn’t spend days in jail. “So Harrison has agreed to take the case?”
Kai had worked with Mitch in the past, but this was a criminal case. Mitch was their go-to lawyer for all things business. Harrison Keen was the criminal defense attorney. Kai had been a bit scared Harrison was only here to make sure Case was fine. He’d been sitting on this stupid bench looking up attorneys.
Because he had to find a way to help his brother.
“Of course,” Case replied. “Why do you think he’s here? The minute we found that body I knew Rush was going to do anything he could to pin it on Jared. He’s got a hard-on for your brother. I don’t even know what evidence they have on him yet.”
“Nothing,” a deep voice said.
Kai looked up and Harrison Keen was walking down the hallway looking pristine and perfect in a three-piece suit. He was a large, muscular man with broad shoulders and stark green eyes. His deep black hair was slicked back and he carried what was likely a designer briefcase. Everything about the man was polished to perfection, his whole presentation screaming power.
Kai had seen him in nothing but boy shorts and a leather collar, being whipped by his Domme of the night. Everyone had their kinks. No one was truly as they seemed. He’d learned that long ago.
God, he hoped Kori knew that not every word should be taken at face value.
“They’ve got nothing on Jared but a couple of eyewitnesses who say they saw him walking out of the hallway that led to the bathroom where Lena was killed,” Harrison explained. “It’s the thinnest piece of shit case I’ve ever seen. They don’t have prints or a weapon. They don’t even have CCTV coverage of the doors to the bathrooms. He was walking down a hall.”
“How can they arrest him for that?” Case asked.
Harrison shrugged. “Mitch heard a rumor that one of Jared’s friends told the feds Jared and Lena have been fighting and that Jared had threatened to kill her. It’s complete speculation. There hasn’t been time to run any evidence yet. This is all bullshit and Mitch is ready to sue the department for false arrest once they admit they’ve made a mistake. Ah, there he is.”
Kai looked down the hallway and his brother was walking toward him. He’d never seen Jared look so grim. There was a darkness to his eyes that made Kai wonder what the hell had happened. Jared stared blankly past him and it hit Kai that no one was waiting on Jared. All those people who clung to him, who fed off him had fled. They were likely back in the hotel suites Jared paid for and they’d taken the limo he’d rented to do it. Jared—who always seemed to need people around him—was completely alone for the first time since he’d come to Dallas. No friends. No employees. None of them had called him a lawyer. Apparently one of them had tried to pin this on him.
But he had his brother. For the first time in forever, Kai was going to make sure that Jared had his brother.
“Thank you for getting me out of there.” He held his hand out to Harrison, who shook it.
“The pleasure is mine,” he said with a smile that reminded Kai of a hungry tiger. “I look forward to taking this one on. Jared, you understand the terms of your release?”
Jared stopped, briefly looking Harrison’s way. “I do. I won’t leave the city. I’ll check in with…who am I checking in with?”
“His name is Simon Weston. He’s going to be the McKay-Taggart contact,” Harrison explained. “He and his partner are already on the case. They’ll want to talk to you in the morning. Hey, you can watch them work and maybe get some research out of it while they clear you.”
“I won’t need it. The production company will fire me in the morning. I’ll be lucky to come out of this with my TV job intact,” he stated flatly. “They’ll likely fire me, too. Or the network will cancel the show and everyone will be out of work.”
“You didn’t do this,” Harrison replied. “If they fire you, we’ll sue them.”
Jared shook his head. “Doesn’t work that way in Hollywood. Oh, we can sue and they’ll pass me some cash, but my career is over. I’ll always be a killer to some people no matter what the outcome is. The cloud will never go away. I’m going to catch a cab and find a hotel. Mr. Keen, if you could send me a bill for your services tonight, I’ll pay it. I’ll find my own lawyer tomorrow.”
Jared pulled his phone out of his pocket and started walking toward the front of the station.
Kai turned to Harrison. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying. We need you on this case.”
Harrison shook his head. “Explain to him that he needs to talk to Big Tag. Until Big Tag fires me, I’m not off the case. That is one Dom I’m not about to piss off. Night all. I’ll be in contact in the morning.”
“Fuck,” Case said with a frown. “They can’t fire him. Can they?”
Kai was already moving, following his brother. “I’m sure they can. Go on ahead of us. I’ll get my brother home.”
“No can do,” Case shot back. “I promised Ian I would see you home safely. He put up the million for Jared’s bond.”
Shit. Although it made sense because how the hell had Jared been expected to do it in the middle of the night with no one helping him. “I’ll make sure Ian gets his money back.”
“He’s not worried about that, damn it. He’s worried about you. He’s worried about you and your brother. Sean brought my truck up here so I’ll pull it around and I’ll wait for you in the front. Talk to Jared and then you need to get your girl because she was pissed and right now she’s at Erin’s. I can only imagine how that’s going to go for you. Erin could be teaching her how to take your balls off.”
He didn’t have time to worry about that right now. One massive cluster fuck at a time. It’s what his life had become. He needed to deal with his brother first and then he would figure out how screwed he was with Kori.
Kori, his sweet girl with so many walls he’d only barely managed to climb the first couple. She was likely erecting more. Higher walls. Stronger walls. These walls would be fortified against him.
Did he even deserve a second chance with her? He stalked out of the station and saw his brother staring down at his phone.
He’d walked away and left Jared alone. What would Ian have done if he’d found Sean wit
h a woman Ian thought he’d loved? Would he have walked away and never spoken to his brother again? Or would he have beaten the shit out of Sean, dumped the girl, and started over again?
Because they were family.
For so long family had seemed like a cross to be borne, like a stone dragging him down. He couldn’t look at his brother without seeing their mother in her hospice bed, wasting away. There’d been nothing to do. No magic tricks, no amount of discipline and work had made her better. Tired. He’d been so fucking tired. Tired of poverty. Tired of worry. Tired of the feeling in his gut that he was useless. He’d walked away the first chance he’d gotten and he hadn’t looked back.
“Jared?”
“I’m not leaving town,” Jared said, his voice tight. “I know your friend put up the cash for my bail. I’ll have it back to him in the morning. I’m going to a hotel. I won’t leave until my new lawyer says I can. You’re safe. Your friends are safe, so you can leave me the fuck alone.”
What had happened? “I don’t think I deserve that. I’m trying to help you.”
Jared turned, his eyes staring right into Kai’s. “Are you? Or are you helping the FBI?”
He was going to kill Ethan Rush. “Jared, I have never once believed you did this.”
“Five women. Five women I liked. Five women I spent time with and talked to and thought they used me. They hadn’t. They couldn’t fucking call because they were dead. Someone’s killing the women around me and you didn’t bother to mention that you were a part of an investigation into me. I thought you were finally ready to talk. I thought, wow, after all this time Kai’s going to show me the ropes. He’s willing to be part of my life in some way. I should have known the only way you would ever let me back in was for some revenge.”
“This isn’t about revenge, Jared. Goddamn it, you’re never going to believe me, but I was going to tell you about the investigation tomorrow. Today. I don’t know. I was going to lay it all out for you, but I owed some people first.”