Page 28 of Tyrant Blood

‘Why the hell would I be mad?’ Jenna asked, her voice full of incredulity. ‘I’m delighted for you. I mean it. And the sooner I get to meet this older hunk, the better. Come on, let me give you a big hug.’

With that, the pair of former lovers embraced.

Joaquin felt his heart sing as a new connection was made with Jenna, one that he hoped would last forever. But now that he had spilled the beans about Cole, Joaquin knew that he needed to explain why he was back in the city too…

‘But you know me, there’s a complication,’ Joaquin said. ‘And I don’t think you’re going to enjoy hearing about this one as much either…’

Joaquin went on to explain everything about what happened with Katsen, Katsen’s thugs, and the mission that he and Cole were on. Jenna took it all in her stride and it reminded Joaquin why he and Jenna had gotten along so well from the very first moment they met one another.

Jenna was a true ride or die chick, and by the sounds of it she hadn’t changed even in the slightest.

‘You gotta do what you gotta do,’ Jenna said, a knowing look on her face. ‘And seeing as it was me who received that money, I’m rooting for you even more. The last fucking thing I need is a bunch of asshole thugs showing up here. You know, I might even be a little mad at you for this…’

‘Hey, I know, I’m sorry,’ Joaquin replied. ‘But you needed that money. And after our breakup, I was determined to get it for you. No matter what. Luckily for us, we’ve got Cole on the case.’

‘Cole?’ Jenna asked. ‘Sounds sexy. And I’m going to need you to spill me the tea on all the nasty things you two get up to in bed. Getting pregnant and having a baby puts you out of action for a long time. There’s only so many Daddy romance novels I can read, you know?’

Joaquin blushed and laughed.

It was time to get comfortable and get talking with his new best friend. Joaquin didn’t know if he would ever return to living in the city full time, but he already knew that his and Jenna’s bond was going to be one that lasted a lifetime.

‘Get in the truck, we don’t have long,’ Cole barked, the intensity in his voice telling Joaquin that there wasn’t a second’s hesitation to be had. ‘Katsen is on the move and I know where he’s going. This time you’re coming with me too. Let’s go.’

Joaquin waved back at Jenna’s house as she watched on from the window.

‘All good?’ Cole asked, crunching the stick shift into first.

‘All good,’ Joaquin replied. ‘In fact, it’s never been better. And that’s down to you.’

‘Great to hear,’ Cole snarled. ‘But we’ll save the emotional stuff for later. Right now we’ve got a shortcut to take and one dead man walking to surprise. Plus if my sources are right, we might just have a surprise helping hand from a stranger…’

Joaquin didn’t know who or what Cole was talking about.

But as Cole revved the engine and sped away, Joaquin knew that the action was about to get turned up a notch or several. It was time to finally put an end to Katsen forever – and in the shape of Cole, Joaquin felt like he couldn’t have been in better company.

‘I want to see him die,’ Joaquin muttered. ‘There’s no room for him in my future. There just can’t be.’

‘That’s the plan my boy,’ Cole said, keeping both hands on the wheel as he navigated a hard left. ‘That’s the God dammed plan.’

Chapter 15

Cole

The weather didn’t look like it was going to improve any time soon. Cole might have been used to torrential rain and all kinds of gale force winds back in Ridgeback Falls, but somehow it hit different in the city. Suddenly, the city was a darker place. Each and every street was filled with menace and intrigue. Those who were braving the streets were hidden under long raincoats and made their way around with their heads down and their hands firmly tucked inside their pockets.

Driving was far harder too. And judging by the amount of car horns that were going off, it was a field day for car thieves too. After all, when the wind was setting off so many stationary cars, who would ever realize that a thief was breaking and entering into one themselves?

Cole loved being in nature, no matter its form.

But city life was different, and not the kind of different that Cole wanted to be a part of for any longer than he had to.

Cole parked the truck and turned the engine off. Just like it was during his hockey career, timing was everything – and him and Joaquin had arrived at the location just in time to see Katsen enter the building alongside a very serious looking man indeed…

‘Who as that?’ Joaquin asked, slouching down low in the passenger seat to avoid detection from any passing thugs.

‘Not sure,’ Cole replied. ‘But I got a photo of him and sent it to Vince and Roddy. One of them might know or know someone who does. Either way, we need to know who we’re dealing with. The guy looked like a pretty legit mobster.’

‘Yup,’ Joaquin replied, a little nervous sounding but with a look of calm on his face.

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