Chapter 21
Sinclair
I was eager to learn the identities of the people involved with the dummy corporation who owned the warehouse. From what Enzo had told me on the way over, he’d been lucky to find anything, let alone something linking them to Santos.
However, informants were sometimes the best indicator of the temperature of what was happening in the dark boughs of the city.
They often carried important information that allowed us to stay informed when all other avenues failed.
Why? Because our enemies had become very good at hiding their activities. Much more so than years before.
But pictures were worth a thousand words and there was no doubt who stood in the photographs. Santos himself. He’d been in my city recently. What troubled me was there were three other men standing with him, two with their backs turned and one with his face partially hidden from view.
He was younger, maybe in his early to mid-thirties.
But at least one of the other men was near my father’s age when he’d died.
All three dressed in suits. None of them were the men I’d believed to be involved with Jeffries.
That didn’t mean there wasn’t a connection, but it was further confirmation additional information was required.
The mystery would be uncovered, but first things first.
With the explosive charges set, we’d simply walked away, the four guards inside plucked off one by one.
From the crates we’d pried open located inside, I’d say there was at least several million in weapons.
Somehow, I had a feeling not all were meant for sale.
They were storing weapons for personal use in an attack.
On their enemy.
As an unexpected bonus, our party favors had been found. Another loss for the great Santos. At least I’d be able to provide a conciliatory prize when Alexander became eager to have my head on a chopping block.
The explosion had been epic, fueled by the ammunition housed inside the warehouse. The loss would make a statement.
Tomorrow, I’d face my brother’s wrath. But whatever he had to say was well worth playing arsonist.
I was eager to return home for several reasons, including ensuring my guest hadn’t suffered any panic attacks.
I’d known Jaxon would contact me if there’d been any activity, and I hadn’t received notification of any security breach on my phone.
That didn’t mean I hadn’t become anxious at Santos’ next moves.
The ring of Enzo’s phone would seem odd given the hour for most people. However, our business didn’t abide by a clock, nor did it care about a home life or weekends.
“Yeah?” he answered.
I glanced over when he hadn’t issued a response a few seconds later.
“Yeah, I got it. Send me what you have. Thanks, Dan. I owe you one.” He huffed as he shoved the phone into his pocket.
“Anything I should know about?”
“Let me read the file before I mention it.”
I pulled down the street, glancing at my watch. It was after three in the morning. Instead of being exhausted, I was wired.
I was hungry, but certainly not for food.
The ding indicating an email on Enzo’s phone came a little over a minute later. He was still reading whatever he’d been sent when I pulled down the long driveway.
Enzo finally lifted his head, taking a deep breath as soon as he did.
“What did you find?”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“What is this about?” I pulled to a stop, immediately holding out my hand.
“Josette.”
He hesitated before handing me his phone. The information provided was the cliff notes about her life. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except the confirmed documentation only went back eight years.
“How is this possible?”
“Without her fingerprints, I doubt I’ll be able to discover anything else.”
What in the fuck could she be hiding from me?
From what it appeared, she’d lived exactly as I could have predicted the last few years.
A law-abiding citizen who paid her taxes, voted, and was in terrible financial shape, not because of gambling or some other dark proclivity but because of her business.
“Nothing on her father?”
“No, sir.”
I handed him the phone before cutting the engine. “Keep digging. And have the cocaine on full lockdown.”
“What are you going to do?”
“That is solely dependent on if my guest tells me the truth.”
He shifted in his seat. “Do you want me to hang around?”
“Go home. We’ve both had a very long day.”
“I’ll have another detail arrive to watch the house.”
“Fine,” I said and climbed out. While a part of me was angry with her, the fact she needed an emotional support animal meant whatever she was hiding was extremely personal. My instincts about her had been correct. And it was entirely possible someone was using her paranoia or her past against her.
And in turn against me.
Just another form of utilizing a weakness.
But she needed to tell me herself. I couldn’t allow her to lie to me or keep anything hidden no matter how painful. How to encourage her to trust me wasn’t in my wheelhouse. That’s why walking inside my own house felt so damn awkward.
When I did, I was met by Jaxon almost immediately.
“Any issues?” he asked, studying me as if expecting I’d have a limb blown off.
“One of the easiest gigs I’ve had.”
“I hope you did the right thing.”
I scanned the hallway on both sides. “Discovered our missing cargo.”
He laughed incredulously. “Brazen, stupid or calculated. Either way, it confirms our suspicions.”
“Yeah, but I don’t like where this is going. Any issues with my guest?”
“No, we had a heart-to-heart talk. She’s quite the fascinating woman. Opinionated.”
I had to laugh. “And what did she say?”
“It was more about questioning how I could tolerate the life I’d been born into.”
“Well, apparently it’s possible she knows more about a difficult family life than she wanted to admit.”
Jaxon lifted his eyebrows. “Jesus Christ. You had a dossier run on her.”
“Of course I did. Anyone who comes into my life is subject to one.”
“No wonder you don’t have a goddamn girlfriend. Shit. You’re too much like Alexander. Why don’t you lead with your heart for a change.”
“You should know the answer to that as well as anyone. Leave my life alone.”
“Stop living in the past.”
“And stop meddling, little brother.” There was rarely any awkwardness between us, but today it was thick. Maybe because I knew he was right. “However, thank you for dropping everything. Maybe keep it to yourself when Alexander cracks your head open.”
“You dug your grave. You’ll need the ladder to climb out yourself.”
Huffing, the quiet inside the house was unnerving. “Where is she?”
“At this point, I’m not sure. I don’t think she went upstairs to take a shower. Don’t worry. She didn’t escape. The truth is she didn’t seem to want to.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear it.”
He was laughing as he walked to the door, stopping as he usually did to give his last two cents worth. “Take my advice, brother. Find some of that heart you left in ashes before it’s too late. She likes you. However, she’s a very smart lady. She knows you’re struggling with something personally.”
“What the fuck did you tell her?”
“Not my place to tell her anything, but you need to. She’s much more perceptive than you’ve given her credit for. Besides, you like her. Maybe a match made in heaven.” Jaxon stared into my eyes. Maybe he was expecting I’d have a magnificent breakthrough. That wasn’t going to happen.
I wasn’t about to explain to him that she was hiding something potentially more dangerous than my personal tragedy.
“You should know better, brother. There is no heaven for men like us. Only hell.”
I headed upstairs first. While the door to her bedroom was closed and it was obvious she’d been inside, there was no sign of her.
Yet I gathered a whiff of a lingering scent.
Strawberries. The shower gel I’d carelessly tossed into her bag when I’d invaded her space.
The fragrance was sweet yet laced with a hint of tanginess suiting her personality.
Even my cock twitched in response.
Wherever she’d gone to, she obviously wanted to be alone. I took the time to toss my jacket and tie, placing the weapon in my drawer. I had others downstairs in strategic locations should one be needed. At this point, I wasn’t going to remind her that my life was dangerous.
As I jogged downstairs, I rolled up my sleeves. After going through the rest of the house, I realized the one area I hadn’t checked was the media room. Somewhere I almost never bothered to enter.
Maybe because I hadn’t added the wing to the house all those years ago for me.
I made a stiff drink, which I needed given every muscle was aching.
And my mind was uncertain what the hell to do with her.
The door was closed and as soon as I entered, I could tell Josette was aware of my presence. Her body stiffened and she even slid further away on the huge oversized sectional couch. Indiana appeared fast asleep, not bothering to lift his head when I moved toward the other end, sitting down.
It took me a few seconds to realize what she was watching.
I’d be damned: it was Indiana Jones. Near the end of the movie. While I was no psychologist, her selection told me a great deal about her. She needed a hero. She needed someone in her life she could count on. I resisted the urge to interrupt, settling in and taking a swallow of my drink.
The sound coming through the impressive system was loud, the large screen filled with action. The perfect movie for her.
Hell, maybe for me. Who didn’t need a hero now and again?
The seconds ticked by, the electricity in the room increasing.
After a single glance, all my senses were aroused from the sight of her damp hair and bulky robe, the terrycloth unable to hide her beauty. A glass of wine in her hand, she immediately reached for Indiana the second the pup shifted by her side.
Not once did Josette look in my direction, instead concentrating on the big screen.
At first, she was tense, but after curling her legs underneath her body, she seemed relaxed, her eyes lighting up as she watched one of the great final scenes.
She even jumped slightly as the character wielded his bullwhip.
My guess was she’d seen the movie a half dozen times yet could still find it enthralling.
Just like the unassuming woman I’d allowed into my life.
Completely unlike me.
Yet I didn’t want her to leave. I pulled the glass to my lips, my dick aching more than before.
Suddenly, she laughed, the lilting sound drawing my attention.
Additional seconds ticked by. I could almost count them in my head, one after another. And the tension and electricity continued to mount between us.
I remained still, the various sounds of delight she made trickling into my eardrums. Every part of me ached inside, my muscles tensing.
When I brought the drink to my lips, I cursed under my breath from the realization my hand was shaking, the blast of adrenaline keeping me on edge.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, my chest rising and falling as my cock pressed against my trousers.
The hunger would soon be difficult to deny.
What the hell was I supposed to do with my desire for her when I wasn’t certain I could trust her?
Another noise drew my attention, the light from the screen allowing me to see she had tears trickling down both cheeks.
While she did everything to hide her emotions, finally shifting a single glance in my direction, I became absorbed in them.
I’d thought she was so innocent, unaware of the evils that existed in this world and that I’d dragged her into the danger.
Now I wasn’t so certain life hadn’t taken her innocence long before. What I had done was pretend she was nothing but an object. Sadly, there was nothing else left inside of me.
Jaxon’s words echoed in my mind. Shutting down the world had been easy. Necessary. We all had the need to lock down everything else but day-to-day tasks. But years had gone by. Years.
Indiana whimpered as he attempted to lick away the tears, his paws resting on Josette’s legs.
“I’m okay, my sweet baby boy. Nothing to worry about,” Josette whispered, accepting every lick of Indiana’s tongue, smiling after a few seconds.
She threw me another look and I fisted my hand around the glass, the force in my fingertips able to crush the glass with ease. That’s how crazy the woman made me.
As the credits began to roll, she lowered her head, her breathing ragged. Then she rose to her feet, her wine emptied, Indiana remaining where he was.
When she started to walk by, I eased onto the edge of my seat. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Why not?” she breathed.
It was funny how telling her the truth was difficult.
But necessary.
“Because I need you.”