I yanked his hands upward, straightening his arms so that he hunched over and his face collided with the roof of the car.
"Fuck," he cursed, blood rushing from his nose.
I opened the back door and guided him inside. “Watch your head," I muttered as he continued cursing and cradling his face on his shoulder.
As I slammed the back door, I caught a glimpse of Anthony's small smile of approval.
"That's no way to treat a potential informant."
I returned the smile and shrugged. "He won't give us anything anyway."
We climbed into the car and headed back to the station, all the while Derek's incomprehensible cursing filtered through the partition.
"Shut the fuck up!" Anthony snapped before turning his head back to me. "Hey, so me and some of the guys are going to lunch after we drop this piece of shit off at the station. You coming?"
My eyebrows rose. Anthony never invited me anywhere. Not once in the year we'd been partners. "Yeah, I'd love to," I replied, trying to keep my voice cool. "Where are we going?"
"Luigi's."
My mind flashed to the conversation I'd had with Jake Cryson a few nights ago and my face reddened. Why did I not just make up a restaurant when he'd prodded about where I "waitressed"? What’s worse is Luigi's was a place I'd frequented regularly along with the rest of the force. Needless to say, I hadn't gone since the error.
"Damn," I said, letting out a sigh. "I completely forgot I have some paperwork to fill out."
"So do it later."
We pulled into the station and parked. I considered telling Anthony about my slip-up with Cryson, but it would only open a floodgate of questions. I'd neglected to mention my encounter with the man I'd been following. Anthony knew about the abandoned building Cryson had gone into, and that was all the information I’d deemed pertinent at the time.
"Can't," I managed, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll catch you next time."
Anthony rolled his eyes and shook his head before climbing out of the squad car. "Whatever, Ashby."
I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath as I exited, following Anthony as he escorted Derek to the interrogation room. After a couple of hours, we'd be in there grilling him, but in all likelihood he had nothing to tell.
Jake
"Table for one."
The hostess of Luigi's glanced up from the menus that sat on a podium at the front of the restaurant. As soon as our eyes met, her face went red. I stared at her throat as the muscles rippled from her swallowing.
"O-of course," she managed. "Right this way."
She led the way to a booth on the side of the restaurant with me following close behind. Her hips swayed more than necessary as she walked, and my lips quirked as I took in her tight ass so nicely displayed in black slacks. I slid into the booth where she sat the menu down and peered up at her.
"Your server will be right with you," she said with a nervous smile before turning to walk away.
I reached out and snatched her wrist before she could leave, and her eyes snapped to me in surprise. I smiled, removing my hand and leaning back. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"Oh," she said, smiling as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's Kacie."
"Kacie," I repeated, trying it out. "What a pretty name. It fits you."
Kacie's face grew an even deeper shade of red, and it looked as if she were about to have an aneurism. I smiled wider.
"Think you could help me out with something, Kacie?"
She nodded and swallowed once more.
"I have a friend who works here, Michele. Could you tell me if she's working today?"
Kacie's eyebrows pinched, and I couldn't decipher if it was from confusion or jealousy. "We don't have a Michele that works here."
I glanced around the room as if Michelle would magically appear. This was the only restaurant in the city named Luigi's. Annoyance pricked as I met Kacie’s stare, but I managed to force a tight smile. "My mistake. Thanks anyway, Kacie."
"Sure," she said, pausing for several moments before trudging away.
I let out a breath and allowed the smile to fade. I'd waited three days before coming here, and each day I'd grown more anxious than the last. Michele's soft lips invaded my thoughts, deepening my frustration. I wasn’t a man accustomed to rejection.
The waitress came by moments later. It was obvious she'd already talked to the hostess by the way she beamed and laughed nervously at absolutely nothing. I'd been short with her as I ordered, no longer in the mood to play games. Either of the women would've spread their legs in a matter of minutes, completely killing it for me. My dick practically retreated into itself as I considered fucking something so easily attainable.
With a shake of my head, I dug out my cell phone and sent a text to the private investigator I'd hired. His job was to find the man responsible for giving the burial site location to the cops and fucking everything up for me in the process.
My phone dinged after a few minutes.
Think we have something. Someone believes they might've spotted him in Montreal.
I assume you're on your way? I texted back.
Be there by morning.
I let out a breath and leaned back in the seat. At least that was one thing being taken care of. Laughter drew my attention to a table on my left. Four men sat laughing hysterically at something another said.
Just then, the waitress brought the manicotti I'd ordered, setting it down in front of me. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked, her voice dry and a tight smile on her face. I suppose she didn't appreciate my sour mood. I shook my head, watching as she made her way toward the table of four men.
I lifted my glass to my lips and gulped. Only when water sat in front of me did I realize how dehydrated I let myself get. I had to stop drinking so much brandy. Liquid caught in my throat, and I choked as the waitress's words drifted from the other table.
"Everything tasting all right, detective?"
I sat the water down, wiping the drops that had leaked onto my chin and leaned forward.
"Everything's great, hon," the man said with a wink.
The men continued with their meal, laughing about some arrest one of them had made. My eyebrow raised as I listened to their banter, completely disregarding the fact that they were in public and anyone around could hear.
It irked me that they could be so careless. What if one of Luigi’s patrons had known the perp? Wouldn’t that jeopardize the case? Maybe it didn’t matter, or maybe they just didn’t give a shit. Either way, it seemed foolish. If any of my men discussed business in public like that, they’d have a bullet hole in their head. Hell, I didn’t even disclose most of my dealings with people I trusted. Nine times out of ten, torture ruled over loyalty.
… torture ruled over loyalty.
I perked up as I realized how I'd find the rat. The fact that I hadn't thought of it sooner annoyed me, but I shook it off, texting the private detective once again.
Forget Montreal. I'll send someone else. Need you to figure out the lead detective on the investigation.
After pressing send, I got up from the booth, tossing cash onto the table as I did. I looked over the men one last time before turning and exiting the restaurant, a smile pulling at my lips as I did.
5
Laila
My heart beat furiously. More and more blood rushed to my muscles with each pump of my arms and legs. I turned the treadmill up a few notches, pushing myself even further. Everything around me blocked out as I focused on taking deep, steady breaths and relishing being out of my head for this short period of time.
When my lungs burned and muscles ached to the point I could go no more, I slowed the treadmill to a walk, fighting the urge to bend over and vomit. A copper taste filled my mouth, and each time I inhaled it worsened.
The world around me began to take shape, my ears processing the grunts of the only other person in the gym. It was two in the morning, but I couldn't stand to be at home. Lying i
n my bed in the dark all alone was the last place I wanted to be. I hadn't been able to trust myself the last few nights. He'd been there, invading my dreams and sending me shooting up in bed with piercing green eyes burning into my memory.
Each time I woke, sweat had covered my skin, along with moisture that pooled between my legs. It'd been a year since I'd gotten a good night’s rest, but never would I have imagined that I preferred the nightmares to this… sickness.
I stepped off the treadmill, gunning it straight for the locker room. The man lifting weights paused and wiped away sweat coating his forehead as I walked by, but I didn't meet his stare. I marched past him into the women's locker room, the hairs on the back of my neck raising as I did. I was careful with men and always had been. As a young girl whose body matured long before her mind, I’d had to. It hadn't taken long as a child to figure out some men were swine. It brought me great joy to be the one to hunt them down.
Kevin Cryson's image popped into my head, sending bile creeping up my throat. It amazed me that I could hold so much disgust for him, but couldn't seem to manage the same emotions when it came to his brother. My skin flushed at the thought, mocking me as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
It wasn’t that I didn't know Jake was a vile criminal. Even if I didn't know exactly what he did, I knew he was connected to Kevin Cryson's business somehow. That knowledge alone should've made me disgusted with him. But it didn't. I found him creeping into my thoughts, allowing lust to take hold, and the only person I'd been disgusted with was myself. I really needed this case to be over.
My phone vibrated in my gym bag, stealing away my thoughts. I broke my gaze from my sweaty form in the mirror and retrieved the phone, smiling before hitting the green button and pressing it to my ear.
"Hey, Mom," I said, still out of breath from the run.
"Laila, it's two in the morning there. What on Earth are you doing up?"
I chuckled into the phone. "You called me."
"I was just going to leave a voicemail. Checking in. Today, your father and I saw the Colosseum. It was incredible, baby. I wish you could've been there."
Conversation and clinking glass filtered in along with my mother's voice. My face stretched into a sad smile, envy creeping in and settling in my gut. "Me too, Mom. I miss you guys so much."
"Miss you too, baby."
My father's distant voice reached my ears.
"Dad says he misses you too."
I smiled. "Where are you? It sounds kind of loud."
"We're at a restaurant that's supposed to have the best biscotti in the world." My mother chuckled. "Sorry, hon. I'm going to have to let you go. I was just calling to check in."
"All right, Mama. Love you."
"Love you too, sweetheart." My father's muffled voice reached my ears once more. "Dad says he loves you too."
"I'm glad you guys are having fun."
The line went dead and I pulled the phone from my ear, staring at the screensaver of my parents and me at the Florida beach where their condo sat. They'd moved there a couple of years ago to retire, and had since spent their time traveling and living the life of their dreams. I was happy for them and wouldn't wish it to be any different, but I missed them so much it made my heart hurt.
I tucked the phone into my bag and threw it over my shoulder. I'd planned to shower at the gym, but with the other man there I wouldn't risk it. My guard had been up even more since the incident in the alley.
As I left the gym into the cool night air, the sweat chilling my skin, I wondered why it wasn't Clover or one of the other men that had infected my dreams. I would’ve preferred the nightmares.
Jake
"Dravin don't do this."
Dravin Hines lifted the age-old scotch to his lips. He sat in the chair of my study with one leg crossed over the other, as if he was some kind of fucking king. Anger bubbled inside me as I took him in, sitting in my chair as if it were a throne. I suppose it might've been, but it wasn't his. The first thing I'd do when all this cleared was run a blade across his throat and watch as the permanent smirk fell from his face. I hated the man so much I might bathe in his blood after killing him.
"The police are still receiving information. The only way to get rid of the mole is to flush it out. If you can't comprehend that, then perhaps you should step down all together. Get a nice apartment in the city and live off of Daddy's trust fund the rest of your life."
My jaw clenched and knuckles whitened at the remark. "Maddix is a guard. He doesn't know anything about my affairs. Even if he did, he's been with me for years. I have no reasons to distrust him."
Dravin stood, taking a step toward me. We stood inches apart, both of us daring the other to make the first move. If my father hadn't personally ordered Dravin to take over, he'd have been a corpse on the floor right now, and I hoped to God he knew it.
"He goes. End of discussion. I'm sure your pet will get over it soon enough. Hell, you can even send her to my bed since you can't seem to satisfy her yourself." Dravin smiled as he watched my eyes widen in surprise. "Something wrong?"
My temper flared. "I hope you're enjoying yourself, Dravin, because all of this is going to end very soon. Maybe you think you know me, but you don't. The only reason you’re still breathing is that I can't afford to risk pissing off my father right now. But when I find the mole and this ends, you'll be the first person to know. I promise you that."
The smile on his face loosened as my words registered. Now it was my turn to smirk. "You don't seriously think my father would care if I killed you once our little problem was solved, do you? How much do you think your life is worth, Dravin?"
Dravin's face contorted and he reached out to push me. I stumbled backward a step, surprise widening my eyes only for a moment before rage took hold. I clenched my fist, swinging and connecting with Dravin's cheek. He collided with the desk before falling to the floor.
He wiped the blood gushing from his lip and held his hand in front of his face, studying it. A wicked grin covered his features and he chuckled before moving his gaze to me. "You're nothing, Jake. You're a spoiled brat who was given too much power, and everyone knows it. It's only a matter of time before Daddy disposes of you himself."
"We'll see," I gritted before turning and leaving the study. I attempted to regain my composure by straightening my suit jacket and taking a deep breath as I made my way to Maddix's post. Firing Maddix wouldn't be easy. He was all Isabella had, and I suspected he was the only reason she continued to be so well-behaved. I loathed the idea of starting over with a new slave. It'd taken quite some time to reach the understanding Isabella and I had with each other, and I had no desire to go through that hell again. My instincts told me this would be her breaking point.
As I spotted Maddix down the hall at the front entrance, I squared my shoulders and forced my face to relax. He met my eyes and shifted on his feet. "Any updates?" he asked as I approached.
I smiled, patting him on the arm and looking around before returning my gaze to meet his. "Come on, let's have a drink."
"Boss, what is it?" he asked, panic creeping into his voice as he shrugged my hand away.
A rush of air blew over my lips, and I tilted my head to stare at the ceiling. Was I really going to do this?
No. And I didn't have to. An idea hit me, and I wondered if Maddix could see the light bulb that illuminated above my head. "Relax, Maddix. I just need you to do something for me."
His eyebrow raised. "What?"
"Remember Snake? Kevin's employee who spoke to the police and took off?"
Maddix nodded, his guard clearly up with the way his muscles stiffened.
"Well, looks like we might've found him. I need you to fly up to Montreal to confirm."
"What? Why me?"
Heat crawled over my skin at the question, and I rolled my neck to ease some of the tension. I hated being questioned, and it almost made me wonder if I was making a mistake by not getting rid of the guard. Consequences be damned.
/>
"Sorry, sir," he quickly corrected himself. "When do you need me to leave?"
"Immediately. Someone will fill you in on details when you land."
"Yes, sir," he stated before leaving his post and heading upstairs. I didn't have to wonder where he was going, but it did annoy me that he couldn't seem to comprehend what immediately meant.
I shook off my annoyance and sauntered back to the study, hoping Dravin would no longer be there. Every bit of the hope vanished, however, as I stood in the doorway taking in Dravin examining something on my computer. The blood from his lip had been cleaned off, but the corners of my mouth still pulled when I spotted the swelling.
"See something interesting?"
His gaze darted up to meet mine only for a moment before going back to the computer screen. "When were you going to tell me about this?"
"About what, Dravin?"
"About your plan with the detective working our case." Dravin glanced up with a wicked grin plastered on his face. "I like it."
Shit. My PI must've gotten back to me.
"Laila Ashby. Twenty-six years old and a rookie detective," Dravin said, lost in whatever was on the screen.
My head tilted at the feminine name. The detective was a woman?
"What are you staring at?" I asked, crossing the room to take a look at the screen myself.
"Your PI sent a picture of her," Dravin said, sliding the chair over a hair to make room for me. "This could really work." He turned his head toward me as he spoke, but I didn't meet his gaze. My eyes were glued to the image of auburn hair and tanned skin. The lips of the woman I'd kissed only a few days prior stuck in a straight line as she posed for her law enforcement photo.
"Can we agree to work as a team on this one?" Dravin asked, interrupting the fantasy that began to play behind my eyes. I finally broke away from the computer to meet his gaze. Apparently, he'd come to his senses about shutting me out. As much as I wanted to tell him to fuck off, I realized he might have some value to me this time.
Dethroned (Darker Places Book 3) Page 4