by Meghan March
“I don’t believe I’ve met this young man.” Giles holds out a hand. “I’m one of the new partners in Haven.”
“Excuse me?” Magnolia says, surprise underlying her response.
“As of yesterday. I do believe that makes me your boss now, Magnolia. How lucky for you.”
She stiffens and lifts her chin. “Isn’t that an interesting development?”
Disdain drips from her words, and I get the feeling that she’s a woman who will bow to no man, regardless of the hold he has on her. And she’s apparently hooked on my brother. I can’t even picture it.
The moment of silence extends awkwardly when Kane doesn’t move to shake Giles’s outstretched hand.
“We’re leaving.”
Kane pulls me behind him as we head for the stairs. I crane my neck and look over my shoulder to find both Giles and Magnolia staring after us.
A cold chill rips down my spine. I don’t like that man, and I dislike leaving Magnolia with him even more.
Kane doesn’t speak again until we’re in the Tahoe, roaring down the driveway and heading away from the club. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
The gates swing open and he floors the SUV, spitting gravel behind us.
“You ever see that guy again, I want you to get as far away from him as you fucking can. Get somewhere safe and call me or text me, and don’t stop until I answer. You understand?”
The cold chill from earlier returns.
“Who is he?”
“Lewis Giles. He’s a state senator.”
That can’t be all, not from the way Kane’s fists grip the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white.
“And?” I prompt.
“He’s a piece of shit.”
“The kind who needs killing?” I ask, my tone hesitant.
“Yeah. Definitely.”
I swallow. “How do you know him?”
He finally shoots a glance at me. “Past life.”
I latch onto that nugget like it’s solid gold. I assume something awful would have had to happen to send Kane down his path, and I’m certain I’m right.
“Why is he still alive then?”
Kane brakes and meets my gaze. “Because no one’s put a contract out on him. Yet.”
29
Kane
I don’t know how I missed that Giles joined Haven. Probably because I’ve been too tied up with Temperance to be asking questions of my usual sources of information. One more strike against Magnolia, because she should have told me. And now he owns part of it?
My membership to Haven is done.
I can’t believe he’s fucking back.
I could hate him purely upon association. My former bastard of a stepfather’s brother. The DA who helped the judge nail all those poor motherfuckers who rubbed the Giles family the wrong way.
If a contract on him ever goes up, I’ll take it in a heartbeat. I don’t care that he made sure my mom received the life insurance payout on Giles after I took him out. All I care about is that piece of shit stays far away from her. But I haven’t had to intervene there. Giles isn’t into middle-aged women. They’re far too old for him—at least, according to the rumors.
I looked for evidence. Called in a few favors. Nothing. The man covers his tracks too well. There’s not a shred of hard evidence that he’s ever done anything wrong in his entire piece-of-shit life.
But he’ll fuck up eventually.
I don’t like leaving Magnolia with him, but she’s fierce and doesn’t do a damn thing she doesn’t want to do anymore. Not with her best friend married to Mount. She lives under the extended shelter of his protection, just like Temperance does. Even Giles wouldn’t dare test Lachlan Mount’s authority.
As we approach the outer limits of town, I look down at the beanie between the seats. I hate to ask Temperance to put it on, especially now. But I know, for her own safety, she can’t know where we’re going.
She reads my mind and grabs it. “It’s okay, Kane. I just want to go home.”
Home. Hearing her refer to my place with that word soothes my ragged edges in a way I didn’t know I needed right now.
“Thank you.”
She pulls it on and squeezes my hand. “Don’t think this means I won’t argue with you about it next time, though.”
“I’ll count on it.”
30
Kane
I jerk awake in a cold sweat, my hand shooting out to grab the gun on my nightstand before I’m even fully conscious of what I’m doing. I blink, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness and the warm body curled against my side.
It was just a dream.
But fuck, it wasn’t a good one.
I release the cold metal of the pistol grip and flex my hand before turning on my side to draw Temperance closer. I want to surround her with my strength. Keep her safe. Never let anything touch her.
She thinks she knows how fucked up the world can be, but she has no idea.
I close my eyes and breathe in the scent of her, mixed with mine, and wish I could have a million more nights just like this, except with no demons chasing either of us.
I know it’s a fantasy, but for the rest of tonight, I’ll let myself believe it.
31
Temperance
Coming back to the distillery after a day away feels even harder than it should. Probably because I have to deal with yet another event and all its details.
We can’t hire an event planner fast enough to suit me.
I should have been running through my checklist of last-minute items an hour ago, but I got distracted when Valentina responded to my email, asking how quickly I can deliver my new finished piece. Now all I want to do is get back to the warehouse, hop in the Tahoe, and drive to Noble Art as fast as I can.
“I swear, Keira planned her vacation for this week on purpose. She wasn’t thrilled about hosting this speed-dating event after Mount threatened to make anyone who hit on her disappear.”
Kane leans against the wall of windows facing the New Orleans skyline as I rush around the tables once more, adjusting the centerpieces. He tried to help, but men and table decorations don’t mix.
“I thought you hired him to deal with this nonsense,” Odile says as she steps through the entrance to our closed-off section for the event. It’s only the second time we’ve used our new modular wall that looks like shelves in a rackhouse, or at least close enough so that customers can feel like they’re getting an authentic experience.
She sets the tray of appetizers on the sideboard and shoots a sharp glance at Kane. “So, what’s he doing watching you fuss over it all?”
“Observing a master at work,” he replies smoothly.
“More like she forbid you from touching a damn thing because she has to have everything just so.” Odile wags a finger at me. “Don’t you dare try to rearrange my appetizers. I’ll know.”
“I don’t want to touch your appetizers. I like having all my fingers attached.” I waggle my fingers back at her.
She nods and looks at Kane again. “Learn from her. She’s a smart one. You get too fresh, I’ll let her borrow a knife from my kitchen to skin you.”
This time he straightens to his full height. “I’d hand her one myself if she felt like she needed it.”
Odile crosses her arms. “You got some kind of weird fetish—”
“Odile, please. Not now.”
She harrumphs.
“Besides,” I add. “I have my own knife if I need it.” I shoot a wink in Kane’s direction, but he’s not smiling. He looks solemn. Like he really would hand me a knife to cut off his arm before he’d ever hurt me.
A week ago, I might question whether that was true, but now, I have no doubt. Just like he wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone else who hurt me.
My man is fiercely protective.
My man. It still feels strange to call him that, but I’m determined to get used to it.
As soon as Odile disappears to head back to
the kitchen for another tray, someone taps on the modular wall.
Both my head and Kane’s swivel in that direction.
Jeff Doon. Keira’s high-school boyfriend who is the president of the chamber of commerce. As possessive as Mount is, I’m still surprised he let the guy live once he found out who he was.
“Hi, Jeff. You’re . . . early!” I try to sound excited and it must be convincing, because he grins.
“Temperance, it’s so good to see you again.”
He covers the distance between us quickly and I extend a hand to shake, but he tries to hug me instead. My arm bends awkwardly between us as I try to adjust and end up with my palm pressed against his chest.
My first thought, before the embarrassment kicks in, is probably not the most professional one—his cushiony body is light years away from Kane’s hard one. I bounce back from him like his skin burst into flames after he clumsily claps my shoulder, and I can feel Kane’s eyes boring into my back.
“Jeff, so nice to see you. I’d love to introduce you to my new assistant.” I wave an arm in Kane’s direction, and Jeff straightens when he sees him.
“Wow, nice suit you’ve got there, man. Assistant gig must be a good one.”
Even to my untrained eye, Kane’s suit looks custom-tailored, so Jeff’s comment isn’t all that surprising. The pinstripes are set off by the snowy white shirt and pocket square, but no tie.
I’ve never known a man who wears a pocket square before, and I had no idea it would be so sexy. File that under Things I learned from my hit-man boyfriend.
Wait, is he my boyfriend? I don’t have time to address my own question because Jeff is speaking.
“Temperance, would you like to introduce us?”
“Yes. Of course. So sorry. I was thinking of something else I still need to do.” I turn to Kane. “Jeff, this is my new assistant, Ken Sax. Ken, meet Jeff Doon.”
When Kane told me his assistant name yesterday on the way to work, I laughed and asked how he’d picked it. “The phone book,” he said, and produced what looked like a perfectly legitimate Louisiana driver’s license bearing his picture as Ken Sax. When I asked how many other IDs he has, and if any were under the aliases Bruce Wayne or the Dark Knight, he changed the subject.
“Nice to meet you, Ken. You from around here?” Jeff asks, and I interrupt before he can launch into small talk.
“If you don’t mind, Jeff, I could use your help in checking the table with the name tags. I know you said there might be a few last-minute changes. Can you handle that?”
“No problem. Anything I can do to make this go smoothly, Temperance.” He turns halfway toward the table before he stops. “Actually—there’s one change I wanted to mention, and I’m hoping you’ll be okay with it.”
He sounds hesitant, which immediately puts me on edge.
“What’s that?”
“My secretary was supposed to participate but she had a last-minute child-care issue, so we’re one woman short. I was hoping you’d agree to step in and fill the spot.”
I freeze like a raccoon caught digging in the trash. “Excuse me?”
“Louise couldn’t make it, so—”
“I heard that part, but I must have misheard you when you said you wanted me to fill in. I have to run the event. I can’t . . . speed date.”
Jeff sighs. “No problem. I’ll ask Ernie to sit out too. He’s been having a tough time in the dating circuit lately, but I guess he’ll survive.”
I don’t know who Ernie is, but I couldn’t care less if he ever gets a date.
But Jeff isn’t done. “Unless . . . how about you give your assistant a test run and see how he does managing things? Trial by fire. Right, Ken?”
I send a pleading look over my shoulder toward Kane to save me from this disaster, but Odile interrupts as she brings in her last tray.
“Wouldn’t kill you to talk to some nice men instead of rotting away in your office for the rest of the modern age. Jeff has a great idea.”
“Perfect.” Jeff’s face lights up. “I’ll go ahead and make you a name tag, Temperance, and get rid of Louise’s.”
Lord, help me.
32
Kane
I don’t like Jeff Doon, but as far as I know, he doesn’t need killing. That could change at any moment, though.
Doon is harmless but so fucking transparent. I don’t know how Temperance doesn’t realize that he obviously told poor Louise she wasn’t allowed to come, until Doon himself sits down at the last remaining male spot just before the first round of speed dating starts. When he slides into that seat, I swear we could power this entire city off her glare—one Doon completely misses.
Even if she were single, the man wouldn’t have a chance. He’s attempting to jump from Little League to the majors, and that shit doesn’t happen.
I had to google speed dating when Temperance first told me about this event, because I didn’t have a clue what it was. Strangers sit down at tables, and one group moves every five minutes. During the five minutes two people are at the same table, they have the quickest blind date in the history of blind dates.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Doon signed up Louise as a fake participant just to leave an empty spot. Most likely, he had to figure Keira was going to be here and Temperance could easily fill in. The fact that he was desperate enough to suggest her brand-new assistant handle things tells me that Doon may have orchestrated this whole event just to have five minutes of uninterrupted time with Temperance.
I’m not faulting the guy’s taste—I’d do a hell of a lot more than set up a fake dating event to get some time alone with her.
Unlike her douchebag of a posturing ex, Doon doesn’t trip even my first wire for a harsh reaction. He’d need six lifetimes, not five minutes, to get a date with a woman like Temperance. And if I pulled a gun on him like I did the guy at the scrap yard, he’d piss himself, then faint.
I shift, once again making a circuit of the room to pretend like I’m keeping tabs on everything, but I’m really only keeping tabs on Temperance.
Even though I have no concerns about Doon, I’m not about to leave her without protection.
I’m watching Doon and Temperance so closely, it takes me longer than it should to realize there’s another man paying way too much fucking attention to Temperance as she speaks to all these different guys who no doubt want to take her home tonight.
I switch positions so I can watch him watching her. He’s at the bar, and he’s taken one of the two seats that have a vantage point from the main area of the restaurant into the closed section where the event is happening. Unless my instincts have completely gone to shit, he’s been nursing the same glass of whiskey for a while, because he waves off the bartender as she asks him again if he needs anything. Forties. Dark hair going gray at the temples. Narrow shoulders. He pretends to play with his phone, but mostly he watches Temperance.
I’m not in a position where I can get a picture of him to run through facial rec software, so I can’t get an ID yet, but I will unless he bolts. There’s no way in hell Temperance is walking out of here without me knowing who the hell he is and why he hasn’t stopped watching her.
My gut says he’s working for the trafficking ring that’s after Ransom, but I can’t prove it.
The five-minute interval is finally up and the men are forced to rotate. I do a quick count and wonder how much longer this crazy shit is going to go on.
More than one woman participating in the speed dating has cast a glance my way, but they’re looking in the wrong direction. To me, they’re all potential threats, and nothing more.
The only woman in this room who matters is the one I can’t get enough of—in bed or out.
Ever since Temperance picked up that kava bowl, I’ve pictured her on the deck of my house in Fiji, overlooking the ocean and the reef, her hair blowing in the breeze before she sinks into the pool to float away the day.
I was shocked she’s never left the state of Louisiana, but after
her explanation, it makes sense. Wanderlust is a bug I can’t shake, and even though I have the warehouse here in New Orleans, I have houses in four other countries, and I like to spend time at each of them every year. I want to be the one to take her to those places. Experience them again for the first time by seeing them through her eyes.
She’d love the waterfall that splashes into the jungle cenote on my property in Mexico. We’d swim naked in the cold, fresh water and eat mangos from the tree in my garden, before shooting the world’s best tequila and fucking under the glass ceiling in the bedroom until the stars came out.
She’d stare in wonder at the Alps from the living room of my mountaintop château in Chamonix, France. I can picture her bundled up in a sweater, holding a mug of steaming hot chocolate, sitting in front of the massive stone fireplace.
And Spain . . . I can picture her drunk on incredible wine after we gorge on paella and watch the sun set over the water from my villa.
I want to see her in all those places. Places I’ve never brought another human being. Places I’ve never wanted to bring another human until now.
Temperance changed that. She’s changing me.
But neither of us can change the consequences her brother’s actions have unleashed.
33
Temperance
If I didn’t want to strangle Jeff before, I do now. I can’t believe I’ve had to sit through nearly a dozen speed dates because he wanted me as a captive audience for five minutes.
I dodged his requests for a real date during our time, but I know it won’t deter him forever. That, I’ll need Keira’s help with, because she apparently gave him the idea we’d be great together.
A new guy sits down at the table and looks at me with hopeful eyes.
I wish I could just tell him not gonna happen and then we could both eat Odile’s appetizers for five minutes rather than engage in pointless small talk.