“Right now, we need to focus in on these two assholes in New York or Connecticut or wherever the hell they are. They’re the pressing matter. They’ll lead us to whoever is after Emmery. Personally, I don’t think her mom is after her. I mean, really think about it. What mom would go after their daughter?”
“There are some really fucked-up people out there, Jaxon. Surely, I don’t have to explain that to you. You might have the perfect, all-American parents, but some of us weren’t as fortunate,” I said tightly.
“Oh right, I forgot you grew up a sad little rich boy with only three houses, a nanny and a chauffeur. Life must have been incredibly tough,” Jaxon snapped back.
His words reverberated through my brain, sinking in like a damp, cold fog triggering old pain. My body shook with fury and hate. I was going to beat the ever-living shit out of him. Finally, I would get my hands on this worthless piece of shit. As I started toward him, I said, “Fuck you, Jaxon. You don’t know shit, motherfucker.”
Drew immediately jumped between us like a matador in front of a raging bull, flailing his arms. “Chill, man. Don’t do this. It’s not worth it. He doesn’t know.” He turned to Jaxon and gritted his teeth. “Shut the fuck up, Jax. You have no fuckin’ idea what his childhood was like.”
Less than a dozen people knew what my childhood was like. I didn’t owe Jaxon any fucking explanation or family history lesson. Although I was surprised Leila hadn’t told him before now.
Jaxon rolled his eyes and grumbled.
“My dad was a piece of shit who beat my mom. Happy now?” I spat out. I hated telling people. Why? Not quite sure but I guess I was ashamed.
Shock and disbelief coated Jaxon’s face. “You shittin’ me?” He looked back and forth between Drew and me.
“No,” I growled back, glaring at him with what could only be described as a go-fuck-yourself-and-die look.
“Fuck,” Jax shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “Man, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’d never had said anything,” he backpedaled, sounding genuinely apologetic.
“Whatever, let’s just focus on this shit and forget about it.” Being in business as long as I had, I learned to deal with people I wasn’t especially fond of. Jaxon was my daughter’s stepfather and my partner. While we had come leaps and bounds from the days when a simple look at each other warranted a fistfight, he was married to Leila. And I had promised myself that for Lillian and Leila’s sake, I would always make it work. No more fighting.
Before anyone else could say a word, Drew’s phone started ringing. “It’s Kai.” He swiped the screen. “Kai, you’re on speaker. What did ya find out?”
“Okay so, Kaci’s able to run their prints and get us names, but her system takes time. She’s been doing a little digging. These two have been arrested in several countries over the last two years for a laundry list of crimes but nothing stuck.” Kai paused and muttered something in the background. “Sorry, I’m on the other phone with Kaci. She said these guys have been arrested with other Varela cartel members. On the last two, er—sorry, three—busts they were arrested in, they were traveling with JC Varela’s number two, Diego Santos. Of course, like all of the other times, they were released with no charges even being filed.”
“They’ve got someone high enough up somewhere who is able to make all these charges go away. Not saying that I’m surprised but at least we know what we’re up against,” Jaxon grumbled.
“Kaci’s looking to see if anyone’s name appears in these arrest records more than a few times. If there is a specific agent that keeps getting themselves involved, then you can pretty much bank on that being the plant,” Kai relayed over the phone.
“Kai, I want you to get me some background on Alejandra Varela. See if you can figure out what she’s been doing for the last year and a half and where she’s been going. Maybe she is just using the family’s resources to keep tabs on her daughter. I hope for her sake she doesn’t realize the kind of monsters she’s invited into her daughter’s life.” I’d now started pacing the dusty, grey gravel lot between my SUV and Drew’s truck. “Because, I swear to God, if she knows and she has intentionally put Emmery in this situation, I’ll strangle her with my bare hands and watch the fucking life drain from her eyes.”
No one said a word. You could have heard a pin drop. Upon realizing how quiet it was, I looked around to see the shock on my partner’s faces.
“What?” I questioned them, like Jaxon hadn’t said the same thing when Drill was going after Leila.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, pretty boy, but you ain’t killin’ nobody. We do not get our hands dirty. This is non-negotiable. You feel me?” Jaxon growled low
Before I could respond, Kai interjected, “He’s right, boss. By the book. No matter what happens, we can’t sink to their level.”
“You’ve got a daughter to think about. Don’t get so blinded by the fact that you’re trying to save someone else’s daughter and forget that you have your own,” Drew added.
They were right. While I wanted to help Emmery, I couldn’t jeopardize my or my daughter’s safety, not after things had finally settled down after Jaxon nearly lost his life taking down those drug dealers.
Kai was mumbling over the phone then cleared his throat. “Aye, boss…uh, Kaci was able to do a quick search on Alejandra’s finances and track her credit cards. She paid for two airline tickets from Simón Bolívar to JFK two weeks ago. Checking the flight manifests but chances are they were for those two pricks. Alejandra’s either really stupid or thinks nobody’s watching her.”
“She was married to a lawyer. She’s not dumb,” I told them.
“Kai, can you ask Kaci to track her movements via the credit card transactions?” Jaxon said. “Let’s see where she’s been going. My guy says Varela’s crew runs most of Venezuela and next to no one enters their territories who doesn’t have business with, work for or are indebted to the cartel. I’ll text you what he sent me. It’s a list of cities and islands they control.” Jaxon pulled out his phone and started tapping and sliding his fingers around the phone.
“Send it to Kaci directly,” Kai instructed.
“Will do,” Jax answered.
Now, we wait.
Chapter Twelve
~Emmery~
Jane and I spent the afternoon cooking and talking after putting away the toys I’d purchased for Lillian. My aunt was concerned about my returning home. I assured her everything would be just fine. That she needn’t worry about me.
While we were out earlier, I asked her to teach me how to make shrimp and grits. It only took a minute or so for her to stop laughing and agree. Once we were alone she asked me, “How was dinner last night? I couldn’t help but notice that neither of you will look each other in the eye. Did something happen?”
“Oh, God. Please don’t tell me you think that he and I slept together.”
“Well, the fact that you didn’t answer my question does raise some suspicions,” she said with a grin. “For the record, I did not ask if you two slept together. I asked if something happened. You, my beautiful niece, were the one who jumped straight to sex. Which tells me two things. One, you most definitely didn’t sleep together. And two, something did happen.” She stopped deveining the shrimp and looked at me. “Am I right?”
Holding my breath, I carefully weighed my options. Lie. Tell the truth. Lie. Tell the truth. Groaning, I released an exasperated breath. “You might be right. I’m not saying you are, but—we might have kissed, A few times.”
“Ah-ha. I knew it.”
“No, stop right there, Suzy Matchmaker. We kissed. We both admitted there might be a connection, if we were to explore it. Which we are not. He lives here. I live in New York. I travel more than half the year. I don’t have time for a relationship. Besides, he said that nothing could ever happen because I was your niece. He loves you too much to jeopardize your relationship. It’s an admirable quality most men don’t have anymore,” I said.
“His loyal
ty is unwavering but misguided. He doesn’t need to forsake you to prove his loyalty to me. I love that boy like he was my own. There is nothing he will ever be able to do to dissuade my love or devotion. He is as much my son as you are my niece. The only thing missing is the blood. If you never remember anything I tell you, you remember this one thing. Blood is not always family and family is not always blood. Love makes a family,” she told me with glossy eyes.
“If my hands weren’t covered in shrimp shells and smelled like dead fish, I’d hug you until you popped. I’m so grateful you’re in my life.” I tilted my head, grinned and blinked rapidly to ward off the tears that were trying to creep up.
“I’m grateful too, Em.” She paused then smiled. “I can’t wait to hear what Brody says when he finds out that you chose shrimp and grits for dinner.”
“Oh God, he’s going to ridicule me all the way back to New York. Even worse if he knew what I was thinking just before tasting this a few days ago. No kidding, I was thoroughly disgusted before I tried it.”
“But you did.”
“Of course. Mother instilled in me from an early age not to be rude. Besides, some of the most delectable meals I’ve ever had were foods that sounded appalling. Like macerated strawberries in balsamic vinegar with basil. Or simple guacamole.”
Aunt Jane looked at me like I had three heads. “Guacamole?”
“What? It looks like baby shit. I didn’t want to eat that. Especially after it starts out green then gets brown. It just totally freaked me out. But mom wouldn’t hear of it. I can still hear her now. ‘We must try everything whether you like it or not. It’s rude to the chef not to, my dear.’ I think I was able to escape avocados until I was ten. When I finally tried them, I discovered that I loved them.” Aunt Jane was laughing. “What?”
“I can hear your mother saying that,” she said through her cackling. “You must try everything, Emmery,” she mocked with a horrible Spanish accent.
We giggled then finished preparing dinner. It was almost six thirty when I heard the garage door. My heart started pounding until I heard the blood banging in my ears. I could feel the energy change when he entered the room. I wanted to go to him, but I knew better. He was a fleeting lust that would dissipate in a few days if not a week or two.
I was always after something I couldn’t have. My father’s time, my mother’s attention or men. I learned the hard way, a long time ago, to walk away from things that could hurt me.
“What are you two cooking in here?” His deep, sex-on-a-stick voice asked as he walked up. Standing behind me, he placed his strong hand on my hip as he leaned forward, pressing his tight pecs against my back and looked over my shoulder. The heat from his chest seared straight into my wet underpants.
“You’ll never guess,” I teased.
“Well, from the looks of whatever that is, you’re right. I won’t.”
“Oh stop.” My aunt swatted at him with the dishtowel from her shoulder.
“It’s tasso ham gravy.” I frowned. “I was attempting to make shrimp and grits for you to say thank you for letting me stay here.” Nope, I was certainly not above guilting him.
“Oh, that’s what that is. Hmm,” he quipped.
I spun on my heel and came nose to nose with Brody. “I’ll have you know that gravy is probably the best gravy you’ll ever get the chance to have. It’s perfect and tastes amazing. That gravy would probably ruin you for all other gravy around the world, which I’m sure you have sampled. But don’t worry.” I winked. “I won’t share that gravy with you, if you think because it’s my gravy it won’t be up to your standards.”
Leaning in, his scent swirled around me and permeated my senses. When he was close enough that I could feel his breath, he whispered, “I don’t think you’re talking about that gravy anymore. If you were offering up your gravy, I’m certain I would love it. Rest assured, I will taste you one day.”
He turned and walked off and left me standing in the kitchen, reeling in the wake of his declaration. With my jaw set like stone so it wouldn’t hang open, I turned my attention back to the stove and picked up the bamboo spoon. As I stirred the gravy, visions of Brody between my legs inundated my brain. Clenching my thighs together, I tried hopelessly to alleviate the growing need my body was clamoring about.
“You two are hopeless,” my aunt declared, shaking her head.
“No, Aunt Jane. We are just friends.”
“So says you. My money is on the boy,” she smirked as she ambled over to the refrigerator.
“Oh stop. It’s nothing,” Yeah, right. I tried to shake the images of Brody’s hands pinning my legs to a bed as he tasted me.
“I’ve seen what that boy looks like when he wants something. And he’s got that look in his eye now.” Aunt Jane kept glancing at me as she sautéed the shrimp and andouille sausage together with seasonings.
“What? Stop looking at me like that. Can we get back to making dinner? What’s the next step?”
Twenty minutes later, I was ladling the grits into the large, shallow bowls.
“Now, pour a small amount of the gravy over the grits. Then top it with the shrimp and sausage,” she instructed from the other side of the peninsula as she sipped her glass of Riesling.
I followed her instructions. Voila. Done.
Aunt Jane insisted on taking the bowls to the dining room while I went to the office to find Brody. As I approached the door, I could hear him speaking. Just as I was about to knock, I heard my mother’s name.
“You heard me, Kai. Find someone there to use. You have to have a contact in Venezuela or at least close by that can track Alejandra down… I said I don’t care what the cost is. I’m not going to allow Emmery to get hurt by that bitch if she’s really behind this. I need confirmation. She wants Em to come visit her… That’s why we need to find out if Alejandra sent those men to blackmail Emmery into coming to Venezuela,” Brody growled.
Son of a bitch.
He had read my email. I had been pretty open with Brody about my mom and my feelings about her leaving. But what he was suggesting was ludicrous. She was my mother. My mother wouldn’t send men to hurt my horses.
Would she?
Startled from my inner turmoil I heard Brody growling, demanding answers. “Kai, find out how close she is to the cartel. Now. I refuse to believe she’s not involved. It’s not a coincidence that a month after she walked out of Emmery’s life that her family’s drug business started to have rebellion in its ranks.”
Cartel? What cartel?
No longer able to stand there and just listen, I pushed the door open and saw a steaming Brody pacing behind his desk, cell phone pressed to his ear. It took a second before he realized I was there. We locked eyes I could see the shock in his. “Kai, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.”
“You’re investigating my mom?” I asked, incredulous. “Who the hell do you think you are? I asked for your help with these guys who are threatening me. I never once said Brody, investigate my mother.”
“Now, wait just a minute,” he started crossly.
“No, you wait. Why in the hell would you even hint at my mother being involved in this shit? She’s my mom, Brody,” I yelled.
Setting his phone down on the large wooden desk, he sighed then came over to me. “Stop yelling and I’ll explain.” He spoke calmly, which made me angrier. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and regained my composure. “Do you want to sit?”
“Not particularly. I came in to tell you dinner was ready in the dining room. So explain. Quickly,” I advised.
He explained his theories and all of the so-called evidence he had collected, or had someone else collect. Then he stood there waiting. As the wheels turned, I tried to comprehend what he was suggesting. If the pieces fell into the places where he said they belonged, they did not make sense.
“You’re wrong. I know my mother. She’s not involved in this. I just—I—” I shook my head. “She wouldn’t be a part of some drug cartel.”
“Why don’t we go eat before it gets cold? Let the information sink in. You’re an incredibly intelligent woman, Emmery. I know you don’t want to believe the worst, but look at the facts. Then after dinner we can talk more. Kai should have more information by then.” Brody reached out to caress my arm but I stepped out of his reach all the while staring at his beautiful blue eyes.
“Don’t. You can’t try to be compassionate while you’re accusing my mother of blackmailing me and being some kinda drug lord.” I turned and exited the office, leaving the door open in my wake. My anger mingled with the fear that somehow he might be right. As I walked into the dining room, I found Aunt Jane sitting patiently waiting for us.
“Sorry for the delay. Let’s eat.”
“That’s okay, honey. Where’s—” Before she could finish her sentence, Brody entered into the room. God, even when he was an arrogant, sanctimonious prick, he was devastatingly handsome. He carried this confidence about him that any other day was alluring, but today it made me want to drop to a single knee and junk-punch him. “Oh, good, you’re here. I hope you’re hungry because we made enough to feed an army.”
“It smells delicious.” He eyed the table. Glancing over at me, he smirked. “So, it would appear you enjoyed my shrimp and grits more than you were willing to admit, huh?”
“Maybe,” I said, trying my best not to let on that I wanted to punch him in the balls for insinuating that my mother was a deranged psychopath willing to extort her own child.
“She thought it would be nice to make one of your favorite dishes to say thank you for flying her home,” Jane interjected.
“And for letting me stay here,” I added in a mumble.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like and you know that you’re welcome here anytime,” he stated as eyed me while he placed the linen napkin across his lap.
“Yes, you’ve said as much,” I muttered quietly before dipping my spoon into the bowl of now lukewarm grits and carefully cutting a small piece of shrimp. Bringing the silver spoon to my lips, I sampled the dinner I had worked carefully to prepare. Much to my surprise, it was awful. It was far too salty. “Gah.”
His Redemption Page 11