Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
“I thought it was Enrique you have a problem with.”
I ignore him and stay focused. “He’s too good for all of us.”
“Enrique? What the fuck?”
“Do not act slow,” I say pointing my fork at him, “you know I’m talking about Jay.”
“When Enrique defied you and called Kane, Jay would not have. He would have been right there with you, risking the wrath of Kane. Kane would have been pissed but ultimately okay with it because that would mean you had someone that loyal to you. But for the record, Enrique has seen some shit with Kane’s father that no human should ever experience. He was afraid for him and you.”
“I know he’s loyal and that’s why I don’t want him to end up dead.”
“Careful,” he says, “someone might think you have a heart.”
“I also have a gun.”
“And yet you always find a knife.”
“That’s me showing restraint. I need to get Jay trained and hardened up. I want whoever it is to try to scare him off or toughened up.”
“I know a guy but he’d need Jay with him for a good month.”
“Does Kane know him?”
“Yes.”
“Will Jay survive him?”
“I think he’s tougher than you think, Lilah. And the police academy does not prepare him for our world. It’s wasting his time and yours.”
“Make it happen then. And speaking of loyalty, why aren’t you with Kane?”
“Raz is with him. And Raz doesn’t fuck around. Kane’s safe with him.”
“Kane is determined to flash him about for all to see.”
“It’s all part of his plan.”
“For the record, I’m glad it’s Raz and not you.”
“I would have done it for Kane.”
“I know.” That’s all I have to say to Kit. It’s a thank you. It’s respect and appreciation.
He gives me a nod. “Where to next?”
“I want to go visit the team, but I need to take a detour to Mark’s place first.”
“Why?”
“Because I said,” I say, sliding off the barstool to toss the empty box that once held my food that is now in my belly.
It’s the only answer I give him and he wouldn’t want the truth anyway. I do really want to see if I missed anything, but if Elsa is biting on the taunt me and Ghost have sent her, she’s coming to the Hamptons. She might even be here already.
And sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight, for instance inside her dead brother’s house.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Andrew and my father try to call me on the ride to Mark’s house, which can mean nothing good. I don’t answer either. Right now, I need to be in my zone, focused, and clearing a path to an end to the killings. Of course, Andrew shoots me a text: Pocher is trying to send a team of people down here early for the party. We’re talking filling up the hotels and restaurants. That’s going to create chaos Elsa and Ghost can use to hide.
My brother is not a dumbass after all. I call him back. “You’re right.”
“I know I’m right, and I wish like hell I would have thought of this when we first started talking about it. The press is obsessed with him, as is the party, who sees him as a future president.”
“I’ll kill him before I let that happen and I hope that’s recorded. He’ll know I mean it. Convince them to stay in the city.”
“I tried. That’s going to require information you might not want to release and probably your badge and Adams’ together.”
“I got it.” I hang up on him and call my father back.
“Lilah,” he greets. “I assume you’ve heard my security wants the election night events to move to the Hamptons?”
“Yes, and that’s not going to happen. There’s a hit list. People attending your party are on it.”
“Who is on it?”
“Names won’t matter if I end this before the party. If you swarm the Hamptons with your people, not only will this person get lost in the crowd, they might just decide to take out a couple extra targets. That doesn’t seem like a good way to start your Governorship.”
“My team—”
“My badge, and if you want to know how much that means right now, I’m working at the president’s discretion.”
“You are working with the president?” He laughs, the sound pure arrogance. “I find that doubtful.”
“Why don’t you call him? I’m sure you have a direct line. You are almost the governor.”
“I do, actually.”
“Good. After you hang up with him, tell the dweeb running your security team, Paul, or whatever his name is, to call me.”
“Paul happens to be the best of the best.”
I laugh, a real laugh, I have to force myself to stuff. “I don’t even want to know what your policy decisions will be if you believe that. He needs to be replaced after election night and I’m only telling you that because Andrew has been roped into working for you and I don’t want him to end up dead.”