“What are you telling him?” Juana wondered.
Kami struggled to type on the screen with her strangely numb fingers. Everything hurt. But that wasn’t exactly a helpful text. To just tell him that everything hurt. So she went with the classic damsel in distress.
“I’m telling him that I’m here and I need help. He’ll know what to do.”
“Take me with you.” Juana suddenly sounded desperate. Perhaps Kami’s thought that Juana seemed to think this was all normal wasn’t exactly correct. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Papa, but he’s so angry lately!” Juana’s terse whisper was hushed and fearful. “It’s like he’s angry at all of us but won’t tell us why.”
“He’s tired,” Kami whispered. She was guessing, but it made sense. “He’s been working too hard for too long.”
“We’re supposed to take care of family, Kami,” Juana insisted. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Each other, yes.” Kami could not argue this point. “But does that mean that we should take care of people in Mexico who don’t even try to care for themselves? Years ago when I was little, our Tia Esmeralda had a job. Did you know that? She used to work in a cantina. Our uncle was a brick maker. They held jobs and they helped support the family. Now nothing. It’s all Papa.”
Juana took hold of Kami’s hand very gently and lifted it to her face. “I hope things change, Kami. I’m afraid for all of us if they don’t.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Devon paced back and forth in the basement of his office building. Zane had disappeared several minutes ago. They were all hampered by the fact that it was now ten o’clock in the morning. The sun was up. They could not exactly shift into their wolf forms and run like a pack through the city streets of Dallas. That left them with no choice but to use their preternatural senses while attempting to find a scent that had been lost at some random point on a very busy city street.
“You look like someone kicked your dog.”
The murmured words came from Gemini King. The man had actually driven in from the ranch on the outskirts of the Dallas/Fort Worth area just to help out. No matter how much Orion disliked the man, Devon would always be grateful to the huge red-headed illegitimate brother.
Devon’s arms were folded over his chest and he had paced what had to be an actual track into the tile floor. “Yeah. I feel like someone kicked my dog,” Devon murmured. “You ever feel like every time you get involved with someone they wind up getting punished by some quantum cosmic force just for being anywhere near you?”
“Yeah. All the time.” Gemini pulled a face and then he snorted. “Except nobody gets close to me anymore. I used to feel that way about my mother. She got involved with our father and then she had me. After that it was pretty much a roller coaster ride of crazy.”
“You don’t believe our father’s death was an accident either,” Devon murmured. “I know I don’t. The more I think about it the more I feel like the whole thing is a load of bullshit.”
“Yes. It is.” Gemini pointed to the door. Zane was jogging back. “But right now we need to find your mate.”
Devon was always hyperaware of how deeply ingrained the wolf side of Gemini’s instincts was. He literally thought of life in terms of his wolf side. Devon was almost entirely on the human side. Zane was more wolf than man. So was Jason in many ways. Yet their mother had been programming the wolf part of their psyches out the door since they were young boys.
Zane yanked open the basement door and stepped into the hallway. “The trail definitely goes cold near the bus stop just down the street from the coffee shop. But what concerns me the most are the two male scents that are with her.”
“Her father and that asshole Roberto,” Devon growled. “They visited us last night.”
Devon quickly outlined for Zane and Gemini the awkward first meeting with his father-in-law. It didn’t take long. But as soon as they heard that Devon had managed to humiliate both men and throw them out of the building, they were all pretty much decided as to where they should start looking for Kami.
“You should know that Mother is currently upstairs calling some kind of board meeting,” Zane said suddenly.
Devon felt like his world had just creaked to a painful halt. “What? What are you talking about? What board meeting?”
“Well, it’s pathetic because it’s only shareholders so that would be you, Orion, and Mother.” Zane cocked his head at Devon. “Did you not get the email?”
Devon stabbed his fingers through his hair. “No! Well, I might have. I haven’t checked my email. I’ve been searching all over the freaking city for my wife!”
Gemini made a low noise in the back of this throat. “Seems awfully convenient, don’t you think?”
“What are you suggesting?” Devon knew he sounded upset, but really it was his temper rising to the occasion. “That my mother somehow conspired with Kami’s father to keep us both busy for their mutual benefit?”
“Yeah.” Gemini stretched. The unconsciously sinuous movement of the man’s arms and upper back beneath that thin black T-shirt he was wearing was almost animalistic. If ever there were a case for the bitten werewolf theory—Gemini King was it. “Occam’s Razor.”
“Seriously?” Zane snorted and laughed. “You’re talking about Occam’s Razor? Sometimes you really surprise me. You know that?”
“And yet you find me amusing,” Gemini reminded Zane. Then he looked back at Devon. “The simplest answer no matter how preposterous is usually the right answer.”
As much as Devon wanted to throw the whole thing away as absolute idiocy, he could not. There had to be a way around it. There had to be. Zane was out because he had taken himself out of the equation with a very pointed letter removing himself from the shareholder and decision-making process. Even if Devon tried to make Zane a proxy it wouldn’t work. His mother could too easily challenge the whole thing.
“How big are your balls?” Devon turned to Gemini and lifted an eyebrow.
Gemini pursed his lips and then stretched them into a very wolfish grin. “They’re huge. Why? What do you have in mind?”
“I can’t make Zane my proxy.” Devon was already jogging toward the elevator. “We have to sign the papers. I have them in my office. You can take the proxy papers to the board meeting and act in my stead. Zane and I will go investigate this bullshit in Vickery Meadow and find my wife.”
Zane hissed an oath from beneath clenched teeth. “Are you out of your mind? Orion will rip him apart!”
“No, he won’t.” Devon pushed the button for the elevator. He had to admit to being relieved that Gemini hadn’t just walked out the basement door. Instead of shrinking from this task, Gemini seemed to be eagerly anticipating it. “Orion knows that he needs someone to stand with him against our mother. Right? Who better to do that with a completely detached efficiency than our half brother? Plus it’s Gemini’s chance to poke around and see if he can get mother to incriminate herself.”
The elevator doors opened and the three Kings stepped inside. Even Zane was beginning to look intrigued. “Do you have any idea how badly this could blow up?”
“It’s a board meeting with Orion and Mother,” Devon retorted as he hit the button for the tenth floor. “Of course it’s going to be a disaster. That’s really not the point.”
Gemini was laughing. By the time they made it to the top floor of the building all three men were practically vibrating with excitement, and Devon had decided that the elevator was way too small for three hot, sweaty shifters to occupy all at once. He could not allow himself to think about Kami. He had to trust that she could handle herself. Even with her father and that aggressive bully Roberto. She would be fine. And if she wasn’t, Devon was going to dismember everyone who had done her wrong.
“She’ll be fine,” Gemini murmured as they all stepped off the elevator. “You’ll see. It will turn out fine. And you’re going to shock the shit out of them all when you manage to cut off their plans right at the
source.”
Devon didn’t answer. He hoped his half brother was right. He was just glad that Gemini had been able to get here so quickly. The drive from the ranch was sometimes congested. As Devon moved toward his office he had one last very intriguing thought about Gemini King.
“How did you get here so quickly this morning?” Devon wondered. He pushed his way into his office and tried to ignore the pang of regret he felt at the sight of two cold coffees sitting on his desk. Devon dug in his drawer and nearly ripped the entire contents out in his rush to find the proxy form. “Did you drive?”
Gemini was smirking. Beside him Zane was doing the same. That told Devon far more than he probably wanted to know. Then Gemini rubbed his nose. “Let’s just say that I took the back roads.”
For the span of one second Devon felt a pang of envy for the man who could slide so seamlessly into that wolf persona that their father had navigated with such ease. That was the way a shifter was supposed to be. And yet Devon would not give up his life for anything. Especially not now that he was anticipating the pleasure and excitement of sharing it with Kami.
“Finally!” Devon muttered. He slammed the form down on the desk. Filling in the information was easy. Then he pointed to Zane. “Go get your notary stamp. It’s still in your desk, right?”
Zane’s countenance brightened. He was apparently looking forward to being one more fly in his mother’s ointment. “Sure is!”
Zane disappeared and Devon handed the pen to Gemini to fill in his information. The man was so feral that Devon almost wondered if he actually had things like a social security number and a driver’s license. But thankfully he produced his identification from a pocket without Devon having to say a word.
“You trust me to act on your behalf?” Gemini cocked his dark red head and gazed at Devon for a long moment. “Truly?”
Devon didn’t even have to think about it. “Honestly, I think I trust you to act on my behalf better than I will. You’re less attached to the other two people involved. You’ve got less baggage that way.”
“That’s a freaking joke,” Gemini muttered as he filled in his information. “I have just as much baggage.”
“Not in the same way. Your baggage is going to make you dig in your heels and that’s what has to happen here.” Devon knew this in his gut. He knew it was true and he wasn’t even going to worry for a second that he had somehow made the wrong decision.
Gemini bobbed his head. “You’re a lot smarter than they give you credit for, Devon King.”
“Thanks,” Devon said drily.
Zane popped back into the office with his state seal in one hand and an inkpad and stamp in the other. “Come on boys, let’s make it all official and shit. I can’t wait to go down the hall to the conference room and tell the others what’s going on.”
It only took a second for Zane to notarize the proxy document, but it was beginning to feel like an eternity. Devon knew in his gut that Kami needed his help. He knew that they were running out of time. But he had to make sure that when this was all over they all had a company to come back to and some way to make a living.
The three brothers strode down the hall from Devon’s office to the conference room at the very end of the floor. The room overlooked the Dallas skyline. The stirring sight would have probably been appreciated by anyone else. Right now the only two people in the room were Orion and Tisha. They were seated on opposite ends of the long oval table and appeared to be glaring at each other across the span of perhaps ten chairs. Five on a side. It looked as though there was about to be blood drawn and not even the brilliant morning sunlight spilling through the bank of windows was going to change that.
“Good morning!” Devon said with forced and extremely loud brightness. “I’m so glad that you two saw fit to call a very awkward and sudden board meeting.” Devon put his hand on his chest. “Unfortunately, I have something very important of a personal nature to attend to.”
“I told you,” Tisha snarled at Orion. “I told you he wasn’t going to be here. It’s just you and me, and his votes don’t count.”
“Actually, they do,” Devon interrupted loudly.
That was when Orion realized that Gemini and Zane were standing right behind Devon. Orion’s countenance darkened until he was absolutely glowering at their half brother. “Zane gave up his proxy rights, Devon. Don’t be stupid.”
“I know that.” Devon was getting a bit tired of big brother’s attitude. This was going to be enjoyable. “But Gemini didn’t. He’s got a vested interest. He fits the bill and Zane is just here because he notarized my proxy form.” Devon slapped the document down on the conference table.
Gemini rolled his neck until it cracked. Tisha was gaping. She was obviously speechless, which was a wonder in and of itself. Devon lightly patted his half brother on the arm. He wanted so badly to convey his thanks. This was not going to be easy or pleasant, and yet Gemini was the kind of man who could just take it and keep on chugging away.
“Go, find your wife,” Gemini murmured. Then he turned to Orion and Tisha. “And if the two of you would like to go ahead and start your meeting? I’d like a copy of the agenda and any pertinent information that affects the decisions you intend to discuss here today.”
Oh yes, Gemini was going to be perfect. He plopped down in a chair right in the center of one side of the table as though it did not matter to him that the other two were trying to pretend to be chairman of the board. Gemini put his feet up on another seat and folded his arms over his midsection.
Devon ignored Orion’s angry gaze. His big brother could just deal with it. He might find out that Gemini wasn’t nearly as bad as they were all being convinced. Although anymore it seemed like the only member of the King family who remained anti-Gemini was Orion himself. Why was that? Jealousy was a good first bet, but Devon could not help but think that it was more than just plain jealousy. A lot more.
“So,” Zane was already jogging down the hallway toward the elevator. “Should we just drive to her parents’ apartment? Is that where we should just go in order to skip ahead in this game?”
Devon was on the verge of saying yes as the two brothers waited for the elevator. Then his phone buzzed in his pocket. Devon nearly ripped his slacks off trying to pull the thing out. At first he was relieved to see a text from Kami. Then he saw the text and nearly collapsed against the wall beside the elevators.
“What?” Zane grabbed Devon’s arm. “What’s wrong? Is that from her?”
“Yeah.” Devon handed Zane the phone.
Zane was the one to read the words out loud. “At my parents. Help me.” Zane exhaled a long breath. “At least we know where to start.”
“That’s something,” Devon agreed. Suddenly the elevator and the blocks between himself and Kami were just too much. He needed to be by her side. Right. Now.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kami had no idea how long she and Juana had been lying on the floor of the little closet-like bedroom where Kami had once lived in her parents’ tiny apartment. The sharp pains in her ribs, face, and head had dulled to a sort of ache the permeated all of her bones and organs and made her feel as though each time she moved she was going to be ill. With her luck Kami probably had a swelling of the brain that would result in her dying right here on this dingy threadbare floor. That would be the end of it. Her wonderful life that she had waited so long to have would just disappear like smoke.
“Kami.” Juana’s whisper sounded as though it were coming from the other end of a long tunnel. “Kami, are you awake? Something is happening out there. I can hear it. Papa is yelling. Don’t you hear it?”
Kami’s hearing was off. She could hear voices, but they sounded like whispers. Her instinct was to shake her head as though she had some kind of cotton in her ears, but that would certainly result in her being ill. Even the thought of her head moving was too much to contemplate.
“Kami, get up!” Juana tugged at Kami’s hands. “Papa is coming, Kami. You have to get
up.”
But before Kami could even manage to sit up, the door was flung open. No. Not open. Juana gasped in terror as the entire door was ripped off its hinges and went flying across the apartment. There was a huge shadow blocking the light. Kami registered a scent. Somehow her nose was working a lot better than her ears.
“Kami?”
Devon. Oh God, it was Devon! There was a commotion in the apartment. Juana was trying to block the way. She could not possibly realize that Devon was a welcome intruder.
“Husband,” Kami managed to say. She pushed Juana away and reached for Devon. “Mine.”
“Baby, what happened to you?” Devon squatted beside Kami and lifted her into his arms. Did he not realize that her papa was out there? Roberto might be out there too for all she knew. Devon was going to get hurt!
“Don’t you come one step closer.” Another very male voice growled the words from somewhere out in the apartment. He sounded similar to Devon and somewhat familiar. Zane. “Don’t give me an excuse, old man. I don’t want to smear you all over the floor with your children right here in the room, but I will if you give me a reason. You understand me?”
Juana scrambled to her feet. “Are you Devon?”
“Yeah.” Devon was cradling Kami in his arms. She pressed her face to his chest. It was cool and his scent was comforting. “She’s in bad shape, kid. We’re going to get out of here. You want to come with or are you staying?”
“Come with!” Juana begged. “Please, don’t leave me!”
“Juana!” Mama’s agonized cry made Kami’s head ring like a bell. “Don’t take my baby!”
But Juana wasn’t about to be left behind. Perhaps the rest of the kids would have come too if they had been brave enough. But Kami was glad her sister was smart enough to realize her danger. Juana had helped Kami. That would put her in hot water with their father.
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