14. Parker #2
“First, she doesn’t speak Spanish,” Grey shared.
Andre settled slightly as if he was relieved she couldn’t understand us.
Then again, with his experience, he wouldn’t completely trust that she couldn’t speak the language.
“She was abducted to serve in the Gallery at Maikel’s.
For some reason, and if she knows why she hasn’t said, Lafe decided to take her.
He’s offered for her to work with us, or he can return her to the Gallery.
She’s not happy. She wants to go home, but I told her that wasn’t an option. ” Grey shrugged.
Andre didn’t respond. He continued to stare at Little Love, as if he could decipher all her secrets given enough time. I, for one, didn’t care, except her being here could help me in the end.
“Let’s get Lafe on the phone. Even if our little bird sang, you wouldn’t trust a word out of her mouth.” I pulled out my phone and found Lafe’s name in my contacts, the helpful brother that I was.
Neither objected as I hit call. It only rang a few times when he picked up.
“What?” he barked, breathing heavily. My lips curled. This was just too good.
“Why the irritation? Is something wrong?” I taunted, having a good idea what caused his labored greeting.
Doors slammed and steps pounded. “Fuck you. Did you need something or not?”
“Are you at the compound or still dealing with that pesky little issue?” Out of all of us, Lafe dealt with the most bullshit in his ranks. I didn’t envy him. Of course, I’d just kill the problem children and let the public lesson speak for me, but Lafe was a different animal.
He believed that made us too much like Vicente. I disagreed. We were nothing like him, though we were a product of our environment, and sometimes a show of cruel force was required for the greater good.
Whatever he was doing stopped. After a full minute, he grudgingly answered. “I’m at the compound. I made it back about ten minutes ago.”
I grinned at Andre. “Lovely. We’re having a meeting of the minds in Grey’s apartment. Come join us. Something alarming has popped up.”
Lafe didn’t give me the satisfaction of an answer. He knew the birdcage where he’d kept her was empty. The poor man probably needed the time it would take to get here to steel himself. He’d fucked up by not telling anyone she was on the property.
Lucky for him, Andre seemed to be the only one who cared.
Not that I didn’t want to eliminate threats against us. I’d done more than my fair share, some without even the brothers’ knowledge. But I liked to believe I was a rather good judge of character. I had to be with my branch of the business.
And Amorette… Little Love wasn’t a threat. At least not while we held her captive. If the time came and she escaped, maybe she could cause issues for us then, but not here. Not as long as we clipped her wings, so to speak.
“He’s on his way.” I dropped the phone in my lap.
Andre stood, gripped Little Love’s arm to yank her up, then walked her to the guest room. He tossed her in and commanded in English, “Stay.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked drily as he continued to stare at the doorknob.
Tossing up his hands, he walked back toward the couch. “Is it too much to ask to have outside locks on your guest rooms?”
“I don’t make a habit of keeping prisoners in my home, so yes, that is too much to ask. That’s what we use the birdcages for.” Grey stretched his legs out as he leaned back against the cushions. “I want her to stay. I’ll take responsibility for her.” He glanced up at Andre, his expression cold.
“You don’t know her! What, so that you can fuck her? I hate to break it to you, but she barely looks legal. I know you like them young, but that’s hitting a little too close to the mark, isn’t it?”
In a flash, Grey was off the couch landing his fist into Andre’s face. The resounding crack echoed around the room as Andre staggered back. Instead of following him as I’d expected, Grey sat back down. If his expression was cold before, now the look he leveled Andre was glacial.
“One, I don’t like them young. You know that’s a lie. Two, she’s in her twenties. I’d bet closer to mid-twenties. Three, go fuck yourself.”
I wagged a finger at Andre. “That was low. I’ve never seen him even fuck a fight girl who smelled under eighteen.”
“Shit, I didn’t mean that. It’s been a bad day.
And you fuckers acting like she isn’t a potential threat is driving me crazy.
” He wiped the blood from his nose on his shirt sleeve.
“It’s like I’m the only one who cares about keeping you all alive.
I swear, fuck, it gets harder and harder every day. ”
I laughed, but Grey still wasn’t amused. Andre just didn’t see the big picture as I did.
A knock came at the door, and I hopped up from the chair. Seeing Lafe’s face when he realized his little prisoner was here was too much fun to pass up. “I’ll get it.”
Sure enough, Lafe was a shaking mess as soon as I opened the door.
“Is she here?”
No beating around the bush. I liked it. Amorette might be good for him. Now, whether she lived or not? That was to be determined, but she was forcing Lafe to find his backbone.
“Who?” I smirked.
“You know fucking who. Don’t mess with me right now.” His face twisted up into a pained grimace.
I stepped back so he could enter. Lafe walked to the living room like he was walking to his death. I tried not to laugh, but seriously, sometimes it was good to shake things up. I, for one, could and would capitalize on the chaos.
“Where is she?” Lafe fisted his hands.
Edging around him, I took my seat again, spreading my fingers over my knees as I settled in to watch the show.
“The better question is, who is she?” Andre gritted out as he bared bloody teeth.
Yes, the answer we’d all been waiting for.
Who was our little friend?