Chapter Twenty-Four
Keely held the phone up to her ear, circling around the center island in Caine’s kitchen.
“It’s been three days, Kill, and I’ve called him like a hundred times. I’ve left messages.”
Her brother’s heavy sigh sounded on the line. “And he called you back, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, but I was in the shower both times and it went to voicemail. Where is he now?”
“He’s working, Keely. I know that concept is new to you, but some of us actually do it every day.”
Keely rolled her eyes, ignoring the dig.
“He’s avoiding me, isn’t he? Only calling when he knows I can’t answer.”
Killian snickered. “How the hell is he supposed to know when you’re taking a shower?”
True. The timing just seemed suspicious.
“But he’s mad at me, right?”
Killian groaned. “No, he’s not. But he’s really busy with work. Just give him some time.”
Keely had always had a good relationship with her brother, even when they were kids.
They had the usual sibling rivalry at times, but they’d always been tight.
When he and Jared got together, it was as if she’d gained another brother, plus a little something more.
Jared had more patience for Keely than her brother.
“Fine.” Keely could be fair. “I’ll give him one more day.”
“Keely,” Killian warned.
She turned when she heard the elevator. “Gotta go, but tell him one more day, then I’m tracking his ass down. Bye.” She quickly hung up before Killian could say another word.
“You’re home.” Keely rushed forward, wrapped her arms over Caine’s shoulders, and kissed him.
“I missed you,” she mumbled against his lips. “Did you miss me?”
“I saw you ten hours ago.”
Keely gasped and pulled away, playfully slapping Caine’s chest. “That’s the worst boyfriend answer ever.”
His lips twitched, and he hooked his arm around her waist.
“How was your day? Went to Charley’s, right?” Caine asked. It was a normal, average question. Nothing suspicious. But his tone was off.
“It was fine. Wrapped up a little earlier than expected.”
“Yeah, why is that?” Caine narrowed his gaze, telling her everything she needed to know.
He knows, dammit!
“So, let’s talk about how much you missed me.”
“Keely.” He growled, digging his fingers into her waist. “I saw Dahlia, Elle and Quinn tonight.”
Shit! She could continue to feign innocence. It wouldn’t get her very far with Caine.
“Noelle watched Charley get attacked, did nothing to help her.” Keely cocked her brow. “And somehow, I’m in trouble?”
“You’re not in trouble. Just wanna know who told you?”
Keely pulled out of his hold, folded her arms over her chest, and cocked her hip. “I’m not revealing my source.”
“Keely.”
“Would you expect an investigative journalist to reveal theirs?”
“The fuck,” he snapped. “You’re not a journalist!”
“Technicality.” She shrugged. “I’m not telling you who told me.
Look, I didn’t do anything wrong. I think it’s complete bullshit that when Charley was getting attacked and then chased, this woman who is security and amply trained did nothing to help.
Not even a fucking phone call to the police or get the bouncer from the door?
” Keely felt the burn race through her veins.
“She did nothing, Caine. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened to Charley? ”
Caine flattened his lips but remained silent. He may not have liked her method of sharing with the women, but he understood why she did it.
“I’m not sorry, and I’m not apologizing. Dahlia has a right to know. They all do!”
“Who told you?”
Keely shook her head and clamped her lips. She wasn’t usually good at keeping secrets, but she’d do her best with this one. Keely didn’t want it getting back to Penny’s boyfriend and get her friend in trouble. But Caine wouldn’t just let it go. Unless he has to.
An idea popped up in her head. She was going to flip it on him. Caine had been secretive in every aspect of his life. She doubted he’d share but she felt compelled to ask.
“Did you rescue Dahlia?”
He jerked his head, completely caught off guard. “What?”
“When Dahlia was confronting Noelle about not helping Charley, she mentioned you. She said, had you not helped her, even though you weren’t her security, her life would’ve been changed forever.”
Caine gave no facial reaction but she noticed his temple pulse. It was confirmed. He knew exactly what she was referencing.
“Tell you what. If you tell me the story behind that? I’ll tell you who told me.”
His jaw squared and his eyes darkened. “Dahlia’s business is none of yours.”
Keely actually respected Caine protecting Dahlia’s privacy. It was obviously a traumatic event. If Dalhia wanted Keely to know, she’d tell her.
But…Gotcha!
“And my source is none of yours.”
Eventually, she’d slip. Keely had a hard time keeping secrets. But until then…
My lips are sealed.
*
Keely sat on the couch, intently searching through the job listings on the website.
She was under qualified for most of the positions.
The jobs she did qualify for didn’t pay enough to cover her expenses.
Shit! She filled out a few applications and sent her resume to four companies.
Rejected, rejected, rejected. The last company didn’t even bother sending her an email. They just ignored her.
“Hey.” Keely spun on the couch, resting her arms on the cushion and eyeing Caine as he walked through the living room. Gah, this man looks delicious in a suit. “What time will you be home? I was going to make dinner. It’s my specialty.”
Caine furrowed his brows. The skepticism was sending a hit to her ego. Was he doubting my ability to cook?
“I’ll have you know, everyone loves it.”
Caine smirked, adjusting his top button. “I’ll be home late.”
Home. It was the first time he’d referred to his loft as his home. He gripped the back of the couch and bent down, kissing her.
“Promise me you won’t eat until you get back,” she mumbled against his lips.
“Promise me it’s gonna be good.”
Keely laughed and fell back on the couch. “Well, have a good day at work. I’ll be here searching for a new career.”
Career? That was a stretch. But she was searching for something. Keely may be na?ve in some aspects of her life, but she knew her days were numbered at the Bowery. The last thing her bank account needed was termination with no income.
Caine lifted his chin to her phone. “Any prospects?”
“No.” She pouted. “Unfortunately, my lack of skills combined with my horrible work ethic isn’t very enticing to future employers.”
“What do you want to do?”
She cocked her brow. “Like as in, what do I want to be when I grow up?”
He gave a curt nod.
“Independently wealthy.”
Caine cracked a smile. “Without working?”
Keely shrugged and her lips twitched. “You didn’t say it had to be realistic.”
Caine scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re fucking nuts.”
Keely got up on her knees, wrapping her arms over his shoulders. “I think you like my kind of crazy.”
“You’re a menace.”
“And you like that, don’t you?” she teased, kissing him quickly before settling on the couch once again.
Keely expected Caine to leave, but he peered down at her, scanning her face.
“What do you wanna do? Realistic or not?”
Keely shrugged, not wanting to share. Her little pipe dream seemed so out of reach.
Caine cupped her jaw, forcing her to look at him. “Tell me.”
“I like to talk.”
“I know.”
She chuckled, curling her cheek deeper into his palm. “I know it’s crazy, but how cool would it be to get paid to talk? I listen to podcasts all the time and think…” Her voice trailed off.
“What?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “But maybe I could do something like that.”
“You should.”
“You think so?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
Keely grinned, pushing up to her knees and leaning closer. “Are you just saying that so you don’t have to listen to me talk all the time?”
“I like hearing you talk.”
God, I love this man.
“Caine?” She skimmed her lips against his. “Are you just being sweet ’cause you’re hoping for a blow job?”
“No.” His deep chuckle was like music to her ears. “But I’m not gonna turn one down. Raincheck on the blow job.” He kissed her again before walking to the elevators.
Keely waited until he left, and she ditched her job search for her grocery list. There was a specialty store downtown that carried everything she’d need. It was a bit out of the way, but she’d make the trip.
****
Caine rolled his shoulders, cracking his back in the process while he surveyed the room.
Everything had gone according to plan. Anders’ men had showed up on time, as expected.
They’d been there early in preparation. They had secured all the doors with the exception of one to allow them entry.
In the off chance one of the men had gotten away during the melee, they’d have nowhere to escape.
It hadn’t come to that. Anders hadn’t sent his best and brightest. Even at the very end, none of them seemed to suspect the ambush.
Once they’d confirmed the product was loaded into the truck, they led the men back into the warehouse.
The dumb fucks even walked in first, ahead of Caine, Ridge, Cyrus, Jared and Jessie.
They never saw it coming until the very last second.
It was like a choreographed move. They all pulled out their weapons and shot simultaneously.
It had been a planned move to limit the amount of gunshots and the possibility of someone calling it in.
It was a pretty safe location for their plan. The industrial area usually cleared out by eight, leaving very few potential witnesses.
“Jared?” Caine called, waiting for him to turn around.
“Yeah?”
Caine reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and tossed them to him. “Got a bag in the truck. Grab it.”
Jared nodded and started through the warehouse.
“Where do you want to start?” Cyrus asked, glancing around.
They’d made sure to keep their ambush site isolated to a corner in the room. It made for a quicker and easier clean up.
“Get the bodies in the center, and we’ll work around them.”
“Got it.” Cyrus headed to the corner with Ridge following close behind.
“I thought Killcreek was on clean up duty?”
Caine arched his brow, looking over at Jessie who stood five feet away.
She’d been an intricate part of the night.
And she’d partaken in the festivities. It was expected that he, Ridge, and Cyrus would be in sync with a job like this.
They’d been working together so long it was easy to read each other’s thoughts.
Jessie was a virtual outsider when it came to working directly with them. But she’d been on point tonight.
“They are.” Caine reached in his pocket, pulling out his pack of gum and getting a piece. He unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth. “But their specialty is burning the place down, so they lack attention to detail when it comes to scrubbing down evidence. We’re not taking any chances.”
“Smart.” The corner of her mouth curled. “Where do you need me?”
“How do you feel about scrubbing walls?”
Jessie chuckled, making her way toward the men in the corner. “Hate it. That’s why I have a cleaning service.”
She may not have liked it, but that didn’t stop Jessie from helping.
She set up the gathering area, laying out the plastic tarp for Ridge and Cyrus to pile the bodies.
It had been a smaller crew of five. Anders obviously wasn’t anticipating an ambush or a break in the deal.
He’d expected it to run smoothly. It is on our end. Everything was going according to plan.
“Goddamn, that was a fucking massacre.”
Caine ground his teeth. He’d almost forgotten about Zeke being there.
Almost . The dealer and partner of Anders had played his part but hadn’t contributed in the takedown of the crew.
Thank fuck for that. Caine had no doubt he would’ve screwed it up.
Zeke might have been a decent dealer and working his way up the ranks with Anders, but Caine wasn’t impressed.
“You guys get to do this gangster shit a lot, huh?”
Caine rolled his neck, ignoring Zeke. The alternative was killing him, which wasn’t an option. But I wish it was.
“Those fuckers never saw it coming. It was fucking epic, man.”
There was a certain element to his job, and he had to compartmentalize the violence.
These were not innocent people. But he didn’t get off on murder.
Unlike the fucking psycho next to me. Caine knew Zeke’s involvement was key, but he still harbored resentment and rage against the man who’d attacked Charley. Killing off Zeke would be satisfying.
Jared emerged from the stairs with the duffle bag over his shoulder. Caine met him halfway across the room, and he dropped the bag on the floor.
“How do you want to start?” Jared asked.
Caine took off his jacket, tossed it a few feet away, and rolled up his sleeves.
He might be the lead, but he wasn’t going to make them do all the clean-up while he sat back and gave instructions.
Had they had another crew with them, they’d be assigned to clean up with the higher ranked overseeing the job. That wasn’t the case here.
Caine gestured for Jared to follow him, and they all circled around the bodies lying on the plastic.
“Killcreek will handle these guys. We’ll get the supplies and brushes. There’s a water hookup.” Caine pointed to the opposite corner of the room. “Hose it down, scrub it, and keep doing it until it’s fucking spotless.”
“What can I do, man?” Zeke asked.
Caine hardened his glare and pointed to the opposite end of the warehouse. “You can stand over there, don’t get in our way, and shut the fuck up.”
He heard muffled chuckles from the group but kept his harsh stare aimed at Zeke. He watched until the man backed up and stopped exactly where Caine had told him.
“Just to confirm,” Cyrus said with a smile playing on his lips. “Shooting him is not an option, right?”
Jessie lifted her hand. “If it is, I get first dibs. I’d pull rank to take that asshole out.”
It may not have echoed a Friday happy hour in the corporate world, but there was comradery among this newly formed crew. It would probably be the last time all five of them worked together, but they’d done it flawlessly.
“Not an option.” Caine glanced down at his watch. They were right on schedule. “Killcreek should be here in about thirty minutes. Gives us plenty of time to pick up Anders and his crew and head out. Let’s get started so there’s no delay.”
Everyone was in agreement, acknowledging his order.
“Caine.” The rumbling growl had him looking over at Cyrus. His head was turned, facing the stairs. Caine followed his stare until he locked eyes with the small figure standing on the steps. An ice-cold rush of blood stormed his veins.
What the fuck?