Page 14 of Ruined

I forced myself to not think about her on her knees, his cock between her lips. I would also not think about me on my knees doing the same thing.

Reuben cleared his throat. "I'll think about it. That's something we'll need to discuss with Mina before we proceed. I'm not going to do that behind her back."

"I wasn't suggesting we should," I said. "She should know the plan before we execute it."

Having her upset after the fact was another distraction we didn't need. She should be told what we were doing and deal with it. She wanted Kurt dealt with even more than we did. She'd understand the need for this.

"If we do," Gianni said firmly. "There has to be a better way."

"You could walk around Sydney waving a red flag," I suggested. "Maybe with the words, 'Where the fuck are you, Kurt?' written on it."

"That would be subtle," Reuben said dryly. "If I thought it would work, I'd send Gianni out right now."

"If I thought it would work, I'd go," Gianni said. "On the other hand, Damon is better looking than me. He'd be much better at something like this."

I ignored the comment. "If I thought Kurt would actually reveal himself for his sister, we could try that. It doesn't seem like there's much love lost between them." Since Daze was one of those top five in line to eviscerate Kurt, I doubted he'd care what happened to her.

"Is there anyone he cares about?" Reuben asked. "A wife? Children? Friends?"

"None," I said. I thought for a moment. "Mina said something about her being given to Kurt as payment for some debt. I've always had a feeling there was more to it than that. I haven't found any evidence of financial debt."

I'd gone through every record I could find from five years ago, and further back. If Mina's father owed Lasalle anything, there was absolutely no record of it. That didn't mean it hadn't happened. Some transactions still took place with cash. That was exactly why the Brotherhood of Kings was pushing for a cashless society. It was much easier to track funds electronically than it was to trace notes and coins.

"That might have been a lie Kurt spun," Gianni said.

"Then how did she end up with him?" I asked. "I don't get the impression he randomly snatched her off the streets. Have either of you dug down deeper?"

"She hasn't been—" Gianni started.

"Let me guess, she hasn't been ready," I interrupted. "She might have to be ready. Anything she can tell us might be the key to leading us to him.”

I understood she needed to heal, but we couldn't sit around and wait forever. If we did that, she may never be ready. Kurt could elude us until the day he died of natural causes. I had no intention of letting that happen. Whatever the cost.

Gianni looked like he was going to continue the argument, but exhaled and nodded. "I'll speak to her. If that's okay with you, boss?"

Reuben inclined his head. "Do that. Damon is right. She might have the answers we need."

CHAPTER 6

MINA

Terry making crème brûlée was mesmerising. One of those little blow torches in his large hand, he leaned forward, careful to let the flames lick the top of the desert, browning them.

"It's hard to believe someone so big can do something so dainty, isn't it?" Gianni asked.

I was aware of him stepping into the kitchen, and over to stand beside me. I didn't need to look to know who it was, even before he spoke. He moved differently from anyone else here. His footsteps were lighter, like a cat.

He made no effort to be quiet, but he was anyway. Like he made it his life's work to be unassuming. Physically anyway.

Terry gave him the side eye, but didn't look away from his work.

Gianni chuckled. "He's a master of making desserts. Fortunately for my stomach, he doesn't make them too often." He patted his flat stomach. "When he does, they're sublime." He mimed a chef's kiss.

"They smell incredible," I said. Everything he cooked did. To be fair, he could have made toast with butter on it and it would taste like paradise after five years of stale bread and the occasional apple.

"Can we talk for a minute?" Gianni asked.

I looked over to him. "That sounds ominous. Was Reuben pissed off about me seeing Rose?" I was tired after our flight back and the drive through the city, so I'd opted to take a nap instead of attending that meeting.

---