Page 84 of Strictly Forbidden

He tousled my hair. “Because the days of playing the straight and narrow were gone if a company wanted true success. Do I think he did that more often than he wanted to let on? Absolutely. Do I think the lines he crossed pissed off some people? You bet. Success doesn’t happen without making enemies.”

“Not in my world.” As soon as I made the statement and he cocked his head, I groaned. “You’re trying to tell me without saying any words that James Jones was angry with me?”

“James Jones is a psychotic freak, but I am curious. Is it possible his rampage began long before your book was published? Did the detectives or forensics crew determine how long some of the women had been dead?”

I had to think about his question. “No, but so much of the evidence was kept from everyone including me. Is it possible James had been killing for most of his life? Yes. From what I know about psychology, serial killers usually display some form of psychosis early in life. Hurting animals. Bullying. Picking fights. Eventually, they grow bored and move to other more heinous activities. I honestly never thought to ask anyone the question about earlier murders. What are you getting at? That he thought I’d invaded his territory?”

“It’s possible, sunshine. I learned from the best killers in the world they don’t like copycats until they create them.”

Copycat.

There was that term again. “Maybe.”

“Still, James is behind bars, which surprises me given his level of intelligence. My grandfather was a brilliant man. He was also a bit psychotic himself. He needed things handled a certain way. I’m certain over the years Grandpops had enough enemies who longed to destroy him. What are you getting at?”

Shrugging, I placed my laptop on the coffee table, standing and heading closer to the man. “Did he know Saldono?”

Kage narrowed his eyes. “If you’re asking if Saldono had my family killed for something my grandfather did, I highly doubt it. Why would he turn around and offer me employment?”

“Maybe guilt.”

There was something chilling about the way he laughed. “My beautiful little fighter. Men like Saldono who are embroiled in blood feuds feel no guilt. They don’t lose a minute of sleep either.”

“Does that include you as well?”

I couldn’t read the look on his face, but I sensed I wasn’t going to get anywhere with my ideas. I’d need to do this on my own. Where to start I wasn’t certain.

“I’m not sure what you want me to say, Noel. You already know I’ve done some things I’m not proud of but no matter what you read in the press, the world of a mafia organization isn’t glamorous. It’s brutal. It’s kill or be killed just like in prison.”

“Could I coerce you into living a different life? One where you traveled the world or say became a security guard for a very famous author?” The heat crowding my cheeks almost made me laugh. What did I think I was asking the man? At this point, I wasn’t certain, but he wasn’t going to suddenly shut down his grandfather’s company.

“Are you offering me a job, lady?”

“What if I were?”

Kage took a decided step closer. “Then I’d say your judgment was impaired.”

I took a step as well, shaking my head. “I think it’s working just fine. In fact, I know it is.”

With every moment of tension between us, never once had the electricity stopped churning. But I could feel the time we had together was running short. Why? I wasn’t certain but I had to admit I was nervous.

I liked him. A little too much. I could envision a life with him and that scared me to death.

“Yeah, well, you don’t know me well enough. Look, we do need supplies,” Kage said.

“We’re going out?” I asked the question almost hopefully. Not that I wanted to try to escape any longer. I simply needed to remember what my life had been like. I knew the danger. I wasn’t stupid; I knew that by just leaving the protected environment we were in, one or both of us could get killed.

He gave me a stern look, the expression one that I guessed could turn fearful men into stone. But with me, his furrowed brow and clenched jaw had a completely different effect.

It made me weak in the knees.

“Not you, little miss sunshine. You’re staying right here.”

I wasn’t entirely certain how to feel about his being gone for an extended period of time. “How long will you be gone?”

“Planning an escape? You do remember I will hunt you down.” As he walked closer, I was allowed another delicious whiff of his manly aura. He didn’t need aftershave or cologne to make my senses electrified.

“No, I guess I’m worried.”

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