Queen's Ransom: A Fog City Novel

by Layla Reyne

  Brax tossed the ball again, ignoring him.

  Ignoring him.

  “Is that why you’ve been pushing us away? An IA investigation? We can take care—”

  “I can’t answer that, and you can’t get involved. This can’t lead back to you.”

  The implication stung, but it was reality. Holt’s family ran a criminal empire—he was a criminal. Whose best friend was the chief of police. Conflicts of interest were bound to catch up to them eventually. Granted, it hadn’t stopped Holt from telling Brax to take the job with SFPD. He would’ve done anything to have Brax in the same place with him again. And he’d do anything to make sure Brax was happy, his job secure, even if that meant backing off. But he didn’t think that’s what Brax needed either.

  “You’re worried about being connected to us,” he said. “Don’t be, Cap. I covered—”

  Hazel eyes, made more green than brown today by the darkening circles beneath them, shot to his. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about them using me to get to you and your family. You can’t be involved.”

  Holt should’ve known. Sacrifice, thy name is Braxton Kane. Well, fuck that. Brax had sacrificed enough already.

  “Our family, and they won’t get to us.” He leaned a hip against the credenza next to Brax’s. “And I won’t let them take this from you either. I can handle IA.” He and Hawes regularly reviewed SFPD’s roster and updated data and leverage points. He knew what levers to pull, which keys to strike.

  “Don’t,” Brax bit out. “It’s too risky.” He patted Lily’s back. “For both of you.”

  It was riskier to do nothing, but Holt didn’t say that. Arguing wasn’t what Brax needed. He’d already had enough of that today by the look of him.

  Brax inhaled deep, seeming to accept Holt’s silence for acceptance. Or just falling under Lily’s comforting spell. She was humming a wordless tune and tapping out an uncoordinated rhythm on his chest. He listened for another minute before lifting his gaze. “You’re not going to ask about the picture?”

  “I don’t need to.” Holt shifted closer, one hand on Lily’s back, the other braced behind Brax, caging him in for what Holt had to say next, expecting a protest. “And besides, Helena and Oak will ask enough for all of us.”

  Sure enough, Brax tried to push off the credenza and failed. His words shook with the growled brunt of his distress. “What part of can’t be involved didn’t you understand?”

  “What part of family didn’t you understand?”

  Lily ended the debate for them, placing a tiny hand on the side of Brax’s face. “Yes, Ba-Ba.”

  The innocent gesture knocked the wind right out of Brax. Deflating, he wobbled, and Holt lifted the arm behind him, curling it around Brax’s shoulders and curling him into them. Holding him up with Lily between them. For the first time in months, he had Brax in his arms again, and the threads that tied them together didn’t feel so frayed. “I’ve got you,” he said, lending his physical weight. “I’ll make this right,” he added, lending the full weight of his heart, his skills, and their family’s influence to back up the promise.

  Book Five of the Fog City Series

  Preorder Now

  Acknowledgments

  It only took a year-and-a-half (a longer-than-long-please-let’s-never-ever-do-that-again year-and-a-half) but Fog City is finally back, and I’m thrilled to share Helena and Celia’s story with you. This one is a first for me, and I hope the first of many more to come.

  I wouldn’t have been able to do this without your continued excitement and support of me and these characters. Special thanks to my readers in the Lushes Facebook Group who cheer every time I post a snippet, to Kim who helps author-me function, and to my sprint groups and author pals, especially Erin McLellan, Allison Temple, Annabeth Albert, Riley Hart, Anna Zabo, and Hailey Turner, whose dedication is an inspiration that keeps my own words flowing.

  Thank you to the team that makes Fog City look and read amazing: Wander Aguiar and models Amanda and Tiffany for the gorgeous cover photography, Cate Ashwood for the amazing cover design, Kim and Rachel for the beta reads and snippet input, Kristi Yanta for the series plot doctoring, Susie Selva for the pep talks, homemade jam, Dunkin’ gift cards, and top-shelf editing, and Lori Parks for the quick-turn proofreading eyes.

  Finally, thanks to Nina, Kelley, Kim, Kayti and the entire Valentine PR Team and to Leslie and the GRR Team for your support and coordinated efforts in spreading the word about this book and Fog City!

  Also by Layla Reyne

  Fog City:

  Prince of Killers

  King Slayer

  A New Empire

  Silent Knight

  Agents Irish and Whiskey:

  Single Malt

  Cask Strength

  Barrel Proof

  Tequila Sunrise

  Blended Whiskey

  Trouble Brewing:

  Imperial Stout

  Craft Brew

  Noble Hops

  Final Gravity

  Variable Onset:

  Variable Onset

  Sweater Weather

  Changing Lanes:

  Relay

  Medley

  Table for Two:

  The Last Drop

  Dine With Me

  About the Author

  Layla Reyne is the author of Variable Onset and the Fog City, Agents Irish and Whiskey, and Trouble Brewing series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance.

  You can find Layla at laylareyne.com, in her reader group on Facebook—Layla’s Lushes, and at the following sites: