Chapter 3
Kade watched Violet Castanega’s sassy ass sashay through the lobby to the entrance. He could tell she wanted to look back at him; she started to but snapped her head straight, pushed the door open, and slammed it shut behind her. Wow, did she look different from the last time he’d seen her.
When he’d arrested Arlo six years ago, someone jumped on his back, wrapping her long legs around his waist and arms over his shoulders. He’d known instantly it was a woman—her breasts crushed against his back had been the first clue. Her shrill voice blasting his ear with “Let him go!” the second.
He’d reached back to dislodge her and accidentally grabbed her boob.
He had not lingered; it was more of a hesitation out of shock at realizing what that luscious mound of firm flesh in his hand was.
She’d nailed him in the eye with her elbow.
It was only after he’d thrown her off that he realized it was Violet, the once-lanky, scrappy teenager he’d seen during an earlier investigation into Arlo’s activities.
Before she could launch another attack, he’d reminded her that assaulting an officer would result in arrest, and she backed off.
She’d been wearing tattered jeans, a muddy tank top, and boots, and smelled of earth.
A red scarf covered her dark brown hair, but her braid hung down her back, and tendrils of hair escaped.
To his surprise, her untamed ways had tugged at his rebellious, wild side, the one he’d had to bury deep down.
Apparently, he still had some burying to do.
The spark between them was bizarre. Never would he get hot for a Fringer, doubly so, since they were all Dragons. Not even one with silky hair falling over her shoulders and a long, lean body. He returned to the pit, where several pairs of eyes were on him.
“Did you spank her for giving you that shiner, Kavanaugh?” Treach called out, followed by a chorus of guffaws.
“I think you were a little too distracted and let her get the best of you,” Baker said. “You wanted to spank her.”
Kade shook his head, learning long ago that to respond was the weaker action. He headed to his office, a tantalizing image of Violet sprawled across his lap while he spanked that lush behind flashing into his mind. That was not helping his amped-up libido. And sheesh, really?
His sister, Mia, sidled up next to him. “What was that about?”
“The shiner?” He waved it off. “She was fast, nailed me while I was dealing with her brothers.” He wasn’t getting into the boob part.
“No wonder you never mentioned who’d given you that black eye.
These chauvinistic bastards will never let you live that down.
” She shot them a derisive glance and lowered her voice.
“But that’s not what I was talking about.
There was an erotic vibe in the way you dealt with her, and ooh, the way the mist in your eyes is swirling now. ”
He kept all expression from his face, including annoyance at her observation. “I was making sure she didn’t cause a scene. Nothing more.”
She gave him a skeptical look, which he deserved because he knew exactly what she was talking about.
He didn’t have an answer for it either, because no way could he be attracted to a Castanega.
Even a sexy, sassy one. “Take note, little sister. With people like her, you’ve got to establish dominance immediately.
The moment they think they’ve got the upper hand, they do. ”
The usual light of admiration returned to her eyes, the way it did whenever he imparted his wisdom to her. “I see that. You didn’t let her get away with anything, while she completely got away from me. That’s why you’re one of the best Vegas in the department.”
He loved her admiration, and he didn’t. He knew too well how betrayed one felt when the object of your admiration fell and shattered to pieces.
She was too young to remember when all the years of their father’s sterling service to the Guard exploded in scandal.
A woman had made wild accusations about a member of the Concilium, the government entity that oversaw the Hidden and instituted the rules.
Somehow their father had gotten involved, emotionally, maybe romantically.
Stewart Kavanaugh had helped the woman escape, and both were killed.
Everyone had kept the ugly details from Mia, then age seven.
As far as she knew, a crazy woman escaped and attacked their father.
Weeks later, their mother had taken her life, unable to deal with the betrayal and scandal.
She was a selfish, weak woman who cared more about her reputation than her young daughter.
On top of that, Kade had been demoted to Argus.
Some people complained that he’d been fast-tracked to Vega because of his father’s influence and that he didn’t deserve his position because his reckless behavior made the Guard look bad.
Maybe that was true, but they conveniently forgot the thirty years that he was a Vega who closed almost every case.
Five years of toeing the line, exemplary work, and living by the rules had earned him Vega again—humiliating, belittling years that changed him from cavalier and edgy to a sterling, model officer.
“Kavanaugh,” Ferro called out, leaning out of his office. He saw Mia and added, “Kade.” He remained standing once Kade closed the door behind him, studying the map dotted with different-colored pushpins. “Take the Castanega woman out.”
The words hit Kade like a cold slap, so out of the blue that he had to clarify in case he’d misheard. “‘Take her out’? You mean kill her?”
“I thought you were beyond needing the terms explained.”
Kade bristled. “For barging into your office?”
The corner of Ferro’s mouth twitched. “You’re questioning the order?”
“It seems extreme, sir.”
“It has nothing to do with her conduct here.” Ferro lifted the paper she’d brought in.
“We’ve been watching her for a while now.
These killings are connected to her, and her act about being concerned is just that.
” He let the paper drift down to his desk.
“Worthless pieces of trash, all of them. A blight on Crescent society.”
Those words prickled across Kade’s skin. He’d heard them spoken about his father after the debacle.
Ferro continued. “Their skirmishes act as population control, but in the age of the internet and instant news, they threaten to expose what we are. Eliminating her will serve as a warning to anyone else involved.”
The Guard didn’t have people killed for less than a good reason. Kade wasn’t always privy to the reasons, and frankly, he’d never been concerned about it. Orders were orders. Still, the prospect of whacking Violet sank his stomach. Because he’d felt her body against his? And felt aroused?
Think with the correct head, Kavanaugh.
Vegas were akin to Special Ops, called in when the mission was dangerous, tricky, or required a special skill. He had to trust his superior. He would carry out his task as ordered.
“I’ll take care of it, sir.”
“Immediately.”
“I’m leaving now.”
* * *
Kade drove south, through the city and toward the marshlands known as the Fringe. Normally, adrenaline would be shooting through his veins like a thousand Red Bulls on his way to a kill. This time he was having a hard time working up the drive to do his job.
As he reached the edge of the Fringe, he finally felt a tightening in his gut. Finally. Except it wasn’t eagerness or adrenaline. It was…dread? Because he didn’t want to kill her. There it was.
Keep your focus. It’s a job.
Each clan had a large parcel of land that was divvied up between the various subfamilies.
Many clans had different businesses, nice legal ones like vineyards and farms. But sometimes their farms consisted of illegal marijuana plants, one of Arlo’s transgressions.
The Guard cared more about the possibility of attracting the Muds’ attention than any actual infractions.
Centuries of living as they saw fit gave the Fringers the impression that they were outside the bounds of the law.
Centuries of living with the threat of being extinguished by your nearest neighbor made them skilled at fighting.
Violet was no delicate flower. She’d held back at Headquarters.
He knew her ferocity well enough. And yeah, he knew the feel of her breast, and her body wrapped around his… though not in the good way.
Not that you want her wrapped around you like that. Because that would make this assignment much more complicated.
But one part of his body did want her wrapped around him..
Violet’s face flashed in front of him.
Not her.
Earlier, he experienced that bizarre moment of spotting someone he knew but not recognizing them.
She looked nothing like the mud-splattered woman he’d first met.
Gone were the tattered jeans and muddy tank top.
She wore white pants that made her legs go on forever and a dark blue shirt that molded to her upper body.
He definitely would have recognized her the moment she gave him the go screw yourself look, though.
Kade drove down a weed-overgrown gravel road and parked his car behind a stand of Brazilian pepper bushes.
Between Arlo’s drug running, some assault charges, and the old coot who’d seen a supposed gator ape, Kade had been to Castanega property enough to know his way around.
There was plenty of acreage for the family’s enterprises, most involving alligators.
Demons were no big deal, but those scaly, toothy creatures with perpetual grins gave him the creeps.