Beyond the Edge (the Knight Series Book 3)

by Mari Brown

  Two middle aged men step out of the sedan as we approach. Neither is giving off a vibe of danger but I’m alert to it anyway.

  “who are you? Why are you following us?”

  “Mr. Knight, I’m Pierce Lambert with the FBI.”

  “Fuck that! I’m not talking to FBI.” I say as I begin to walk away.

  “Mr. Knight, we want to talk to you about the explosion.”

  “Contact my lawyer and stop following us. You're scaring my little brother.” I call over my shoulder as I turn around and make my way back to the car.

  “Sir, with all due respect, we have been assigned to you. We’ll be everywhere you go.”

  I flip him the bird as I climb back in the car. Rocco starts it back up once he enters.

  “What was that about?” Kat asks as I send out a text to Hunter asking him to dig around and see if he can hack into the FBI files and see what the fuck is going on now.

  “FBI wanting to talk to me about the explosion.”

  “What the fuck?” Kat asks, voicing what I’m thinking. “That’s the guy I saw on site that day.”

  “Yeah, I just sent Hunter a text asking him to look into Special Agent Pierce Lambert and what exactly the FBI is up to.” I toss my phone on the seat beside me. This is all I need; the fucking FBI breathing down our necks.

  Chapter 19

  Kat

  Cole’s face is tight, lips pressed together, eyes narrowed as we pull up to the house. The black sedan pulls to the side of the road and parks right outside our gate. Cole is not happy about the FBI staking us out. Even though the majority of our business is legit there is the parts that aren’t. The FBI snooping around will not be good for business. I’m thankful that Justin did the gun shipment last month and there are no current ones planned.

  “Seth, run on inside and get your bath and change before dinner.” The little boy scrambles out of the SUV behind me. I watch as he runs off to the house.

  “What the hell do they want?” I ask, peering back down the driveway trying to see the men.

  “I’m not sure but I’m not talking to them.” Cole says absently.

  “Can I go talk to them? I ask. I’m a woman it's natural to be nosey, I think.

  “Are you kidding me?” he asks me with a look of disgust.

  “What? I just want to see if I can get any info off them. I didn’t say I would tell them anything.”

  “No Kat!” Cole tells me sternly.

  Cole’s mood is dark and I don’t want to fight with him so I wisely stay where I am . I watch his retreating form as he walks into the house. Rocco and I stand there together.

  “He’s not happy.” Rocco states

  “No shit. Can’t say I blame him. He’s under so much stress.” I grab my bag out of the back of the SUV “He needs a vacation.”

  “Don’t we all.”

  “Rocco do you need some time off? I’m sure I can get it arranged.”

  He chuckles, “Stress is high these days. Constantly on alert for trouble.”

  “Makes sense!” Men typically respond differently to these types of situations. Julie is content to let the men in the family handle things. Whereas I want to go in guns blazing. Julie is content to sit at Duchess and play dress up with people. We have all sheltered her over the years and after all she has been through she’s too fragile to be an active participant.

  I head upstairs immediately upon entering the house. Cole is pacing the length of our sitting room as I enter.

  “Trying to wear a hole in the carpet?”

  “No, I’m just trying to figure out how to get rid of the FBI.” He continues to pace. I plop down on the couch and pull my laptop and other stuff out of my bag. I set everything up on the coffee table as I fire up my computer.

  “Have you thought about talking to Luke?” After all he’s employed as legal counsel for a reason. He’s not here to just look pretty. Although he is kind of pretty.

  “I plan to talk to him tonight at dinner.” Cole states. I shake my head as he continues pacing. I pull up my wedding files and search for the engagement party stuff that Marla sent me today. She has the guest list and seating chart ready for my approval. Finding the file I need I click it open and begin scanning through the list of names.

  This wedding is turning into the major social event of the year. All the important people have to be invited so as not to slight anyone. Politicians, business acquaintances; they are all there. I’m going to have to really make sure this list is thorough. Marla has done excellent with everything so far. I will never be able to thank her enough for the job she has done. I wouldn’t have been able to get married without her. I had no clue how much it took to plan a wedding like this. I would have fucked it up on my own.

  “Cole, come look at this part of the guest list.” I call my fiancée over hoping to distract him.

  “What’s this for?” he asks.

  “This is for our engagement party. Thankfully this list is smaller than the one we sent invitations too.” I turn the laptop at an angle so we can both view it. “But I’m afraid I’ll forget someone.”

  He grabs the laptop and begins looking at the list quietly. I let him have a moment with it alone so he can read it. While he is doing that I pull out the folder and open it looking at the stuff on the salon.

  My visit to the salon today was interesting to say the least. There were three older ladies and four younger ones, all working. It was easy to tell right off that the older ladies there were oblivious to the side business going on. I would relocate them immediately. I would think moving to a better neighborhood would help their business. I look over my notes I made in the car and put a star by one ladies name. I tag her as the likely choice to take over management of the salon once we relocate it and clean it up. There is no point in renovating the space it’s in now. The reputation is already established.

  “Kitten, this list looks great. I’m pretty sure everyone is on it who should be.” He tells me.

  “I hope so! Fuck!” I comb my fingers through my hair. “I’ll be glad when we say I do and I can stop planning for it.”

  “Aww, poor baby…” Cole teases me.

  “It’s awful! why does a wedding require more work than my full time job?”

  He laughs at my dramatics.

  “Yeah, laugh it ,up big boy. Your turn is coming. Marla says the rest of the planning she has left is with you”

  His eyes grow big. “What? What do I have to do?”

  It’s my turn to laugh at him. “The groom has certain responsibilities and she’s going to make sure that you handle them properly.”

  “Great…” he deadpans.

  Cole and I lapse into silence as I look over the list one more time. I don’t even know half of these people for real. Most, I just know their names. It’s ridiculous.

  I place my laptop on the table pushing it away from me. “I can’t look at this list anymore. I’ve looked at it off and on all day.”

  “So approve it and send it back to Marla.” Cole states matter of factly. Easy for him to say; he’s not under the same pressure I am when it comes to this wedding.

  “I plan to!” I lean back on the couch and snuggle next to my man’s side. His arm comes around my shoulders as he pulls me into him.

  “So, how did it go at that salon?”

  I recap my visit to the salon to Cole. After assessing the situation today, I give Gracie and Justin the task of helping secure a new location for the ladies we will be keeping on the payroll. Justin will be in charge of clearing out the “trash”. Selling massages with “happy endings” is not a Knight endorsed business. Hopefully, by the time I get back from this two week vacation the relocation will be complete. The building will be cleaned out and then it will be determined whether to put it on the market or start a new business in it.

  “Text me the address. I’ll check it out on my way into the office in the morning. See if it's useable.” Cole tells me.

  “Sounds good. I’m not sure if it’
s a location we want to keep. But I hate to take stuff away from that side of town. Those people are the ones who need jobs most.” I sigh.

  “We have to look at it from a business perspective as well, Kitten. We would never make money if we took up every cause out there.”

  “I know.” I sigh heavy, “It’s just frustrating. There are so many young girls who are like me.” My head is beginning to ache. “I was lucky that I had my brother, you and the Knights supporting me.”

  “I didn’t always support you.” I turn, his face is a mask of sadness.

  “It’s okay I didn’t exactly make it easy for you to support me.” I rub my hand across his upper thigh “I was strong willed, stubborn and a bitch to boot.”

  “You’re still all those things.” he says smiling.

  “Maybe…” I say while turning my body toward him more. “But now I know how to work with you.”

  We sit there wrapped in each other’s embrace just enjoying the contact. It’s nice. This is what we have to look forward to the rest of our lives; enjoying each other, raising a family together one day and of course running the Knights Inc. as a team.

  “Guess we should head down for dinner.” Cole finally speaks.

  “Yeah.” I stand up and smooth my shirt down, “Let the fun begin.”

  Dinner with just the family is likely to turn into a free for all. Drama is not unheard of. Even though every one of us as the proper etiquette we tend to forget to use it unless we have guest for dinner.

  Cole plans to talk to Luke about the FBI sitting outside. Hopefully there is a way to get them off our tail. None of us want to end up in jail. We all have things to hide. Most of us have literally gotten away with murder.

  Even when I killed Gary it was written off as an act of self-defense. I’m forever grateful for the cops that were in Bruce’s back pocket. Gary’s family wasn’t going to say anything different about their son. His family knew how this worked. Gary betrayed the family. If I hadn’t shot him that day in Bruce’s office a hit would have been placed on him. To turn on the family and work with Sal Martin was an unpardonable sin.

  My skin crawls as I remember this all started because Gary became obsessed with me. First, he was in love with me but the love turned into hate. He obviously had something wrong with him. After all, he thought it was a good idea to join forces with Sal Martin.

  Entering the dining room, the sounds of Luke, Justin and Julie talking echo around the room. I smile at each of them.

  “Hey guys.” Justin says as he notices Cole and I.

  “Hey.” Cole replies. I just smile.

  I want to tease Justin about hanging out with Rachel this afternoon. Lunch at Tony’s was priceless. Justin kept hitting on Rachel and she cleverly rejected him each time. It was one of the things about her that drew me to her; she can resist Justin’s charm. I couldn’t always resist it.

  “Luke, can I talk with you a moment?” Cole motions Luke to the other side of the room where they can talk in private. My eyes remain on the two guys. I’m pleased Cole got over his dislike for Luke. It helped that he and Julie fell in love. He was no longer competition, not that there ever was. It’s always been Cole who owned my heart.

  “What’s up with that?” Justin asks quietly.

  A quick peek at the guys confirm they are still busy talking. “FBI followed us home.”

  “What the fuck?”

  I tell Justin and Julie about stopping at the gas station. “They told Cole they had been assigned to him in regards to an investigation involving the explosion.”

  “Really? Hmmm. That’s going to be really bad for business.”

  “No shit. Cole has Hunter looking into the FBI case. He’s talking to Luke now to see if there is any way to keep them from tailing him or any of us, for that matter.”

  Justin nods his head in agreement. He saunters off to join his brother and Luke. Julie and I are left there watching the men in our lives.

  “Will this shit ever be over, Kat?” She asks me sadly.

  “Julie hon…with your family …no. This is a way of life for a Knight unless you cut ties with your family and even then you wouldn’t be totally safe.” I cringe as those last words leave my mouth.

  “Well, leaving y’all is not an option so I guess I have to find a way to handle the stress.” She hugs herself. “At least Luke isn’t out there on the streets fighting.”

  I shake my head sadly. She forgets that Luke was a fighter. “If it comes to it, Luke will be out there in any battle right by your brothers’ sides.”

  “Don’t remind me.” her voice is still soft and wistful.

  “I’m sorry but you can’t hide your head in the sand. This is serious shit. It’s the whole reason Nico is sticking to you like glue; why security is beefed up for all of us and why we can’t even go to a fucking ice cream shop with Seth and his friend without guards.” I am frustrated sometimes by the extra men. I understand why they are in place but it doesn’t mean I like it. Most people probably don’t even realize they are there or why they are there but I know.

  “I get it, I really do. I’m just sick of every time one of you leave the house I’m afraid one of you won’t be coming home?” Her worries are real. I can’t tell her not to have them. Shit, I have them myself.

  “Well if it helps, I’ll be home for the next couple of weeks while your dad is in Italy.”

  “Oh …I didn’t realize he asked you.”

  “Yeah, something about I have a lot on my plate and I can use the time to focus on weddings and birthdays instead of work and killing Sal.”

  “Only you Kat. “she shakes her head.

  “What?” I ask innocently. I am a little lost by her meaning in those words.

  “You talk about killing someone likes it’s no big deal,like its just normal everyday activity.”

  “For a while there I wasn’t sure it wasn’t going to be. I’m still not convinced. I hate that Sal has gone so far under we can’t figure out what he’s up to and that scares me” I glance to the guys making sure they are still busy. “My belief is that Sal is building an army. We don’t need to make any mistakes.” There is no way we need to underestimate the crazy man. Julie’s skin is ashen, a slight tremble flows through her body. “I’m not trying to scare you Julie but we have to be prepared for anything and everything. That means you, too.”

  “I get it Kat.”

  I hope she does. I want to talk to Luke about teaching Julie some more fighting techniques. I know that Bruce put her in all kinds of self-defense classes after her kidnapping but she needs more.

  Ms. Bea soon leads Miguel into the dining room. Justin had invited him for dinner and they were going to Knight’s Castle later in the evening. Seth runs into the room as we begin taking our seats around the table. Bruce has yet to join us; there is never a meal served until Bruce sits at the head of the table. Justin and Miguel continue their conversation about Knight’s Castle. I shake my head slightly as I listen to the two men talk. I just pray Cole and I don’t get a call in the middle of the night.

  Bruce enters the room. As he crosses the floor the other men stand in a show of respect. The maid darts through the swinging door that leads to the kitchen. Food soon covers the table and the sounds of laughter fill the room as we eat dinner.

  Despite the joyful atmosphere in the room my thoughts are dark. What will happen to us next?

  Chapter 20

  Kat

  I’m losing my mind. Bruce has only been gone three days but one thing is clear; I’m not cut for the housewife life. I’m home alone with the staff and I think even they are getting sick of me. I’m bored shitless. I’m caught up on all things for Seth’s birthday and my wedding. Cole brings me a little bit of work home each night but I finish it quickly.

  “Rocco!” I begin shouting as I make my way around downstairs looking for my friend and guard. I know he’s around somewhere. I finally find him in the laundry room with a maid bent over the washing machine. “Eww really? When you’
re done come find me.”

  I close the door as I make my way to the family room to wait, a smile playing on my lips. Iaknow the maid is probably worried about getting in trouble but I really don’t give a rat’s ass who she fucks as long as it’s not Cole. As if that man, once he decided we were doing this again, hasn’t looked at another woman nor have I even looked at another man. We are all each other needs.

  “Sorry about that,” Rocco says a few moments later as he joins me. “What’s up?”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you’ve got a way to relieve stress.” I say with a giggle. “Plus I’m sure you have walked in on Cole and I plenty of times now.”

  He chuckles, “Yeah, too many times. It doesn’t even phase me anymore.”

  “Ha ha…So I’m bored.”

  “Oh this is never good.” Rocco says while sitting down on the couch across from me.

  “I know right? I need something to do. I was wondering if you would want to drive me to visit Hunter for a little bit?”

  He nods his head, “I can do that.”

  “Excellent. I’m going to run change clothes.”

  Once I’m back in my room I send a quick text to Cole letting him know Rocco is taking me out on an errand and I will meet him in the office for lunch. I pack up my bag and stick the folders in it from last night. I can return them while I’m there, pick up a new batch.

  “I’m ready/” Rocco who is sitting in the foyer in one of the winged back chairs the are spaced out around the room. They are mainly there for decoration so it seems odd to see someone sitting in one right now.

  “Let’s roll, then.”

  We head off to Hunter’s apartment. Bruce set Hunter up while I was out in California. It was a complex owned by Knights Inc. Hunter had a state of the art technology room that was more secure than most bank vaults. Once Bruce realized what a valuable asset Hunter was he hired him full time.

  Walking into the building, the doorman greets me “Ms. Roberts, always a pleasure to see you.”

  “You too.” I say with a smile. As I head to the elevator Rocco trails behind me.