Page 51 of Royal Flush

“No. Until I have everything settled, I don’t want to say a word. My father has a way of making me feel guilty. So those men were planning on ransoming me?”

Shaking my head, I looked out one of the glass doors for a few seconds. “Honestly, I doubt it. Whoever those men were, they were professionals.”

“How do you know?”

“The clothes they wore and the weapons they carried.”

“But they wanted to kidnap me. If not for money, then what? To shut my father up? To destroy him?”

“That remains to be seen,” I told her. “Unless you tell me more of what your father is involved in, there’s only so much I can do.”

She stared at me incredulously. “I’m not asking you to do a damn thing, Braxton. I can protect and defend myself. Besides, my father couldn’t care less. I have a feeling his usual activities will continue while he’s here, which includes introducing me to all the old, single politicians in this country that can do him some good in his election next year. Imagine a big, splashy wedding highlighted in all your magazines and newspapers.”

“Ouch.” That would certainly bode well for the man’s upcoming campaign.

“Sounds barbaric, doesn’t it?”

I cocked my head, studying her intently. The anger and distrust of her father was easy to read in her eyes. But she still had some respect for him. “Let me put this another way. I’m not allowing you to be by yourself right now.” I yanked the jacket from the back of the couch, pulled out both the knife and the gun, placing them strategically on the table. “Take a good look at these, Jasmine.”

“Why?” She dropped her head instead.

“Because I commanded you to do so and you need to fully understand what you’re dealing with at this point. Look. You could have died in that abduction attempt.”

She finally lifted her head, taking labored breaths as she glanced from one to the other. “I understand.”

“Do you?” We were at a slight stalemate.

“Your shirt is covered in blood, Braxton… They called me bitch and whore. I’m no fool. I know this has everything to do with my father and the fact he’s pissed so many people off. But how did the jerks find me?”

“A good question. I’m curious and have several of my own including, aren’t you supposed to have a bodyguard? Given the number of diplomats I’ve met, and the state of the world affairs, I’ve been told it’s prudent for family members to be guarded at all times.”

“I think you mean because my father is so hated.”

“That too.”

Her laugh was laced with bitterness. “I have an amazing bodyguard named Dugger Abbott but it’s easy to ditch the man. I’ve had years to do so, the guard before him the same. I used to be the kid who knew every way of sneaking out of my parents’ house. It used to drive my parents nuts but I couldn’t stand being cooped up like a prisoner. I had friends. I wanted to play and party. So, I always found a way. And don’t worry, Braxton. Whatever my foibles and antics, I’m smart enough to know the enemies my father made over the years are highly dangerous.”

“How dangerous?”

She chewed on her bottom lip and glanced elsewhere. “The Honoured Society. They are very dangerous, more so than anyone in the country.”

“The honored society?”

“Spelled the Australian way. Otherwise known as the mafia to every American.”

“The mafia? What in God’s name did your father do to piss them off?” Gage certainly hadn’t mentioned them, but a diplomat and a mafia group weren’t usually placed in the same circle. There was a hell of a lot I didn’t know about a country I’d always wanted to visit.

“You name it,” she said before taking another sip. “My father acts like he wants to concentrate on erasing crime on one hand while enjoying perks of their donations to the cause. Don’t quote me.”

“You’re certain about that?” If that was the case, the fuckers had no intention of ransoming her off for money. They were in it for blood and control. Hell, even I’d had to quarrel with the mafia Don of the Los Angeles regime who’d believed he could come into San Diego with a bulldozer. I’d certainly gotten practice using a weapon at that point.

Her intense shudder was a positive enough answer. “Daddy thinks he’s bigger than the law and immune to those challenging his immortality. He’s just like his father, another man who treated women like possessions and bribed and blackmailed his way to the top.”

Their world was quite fascinating. “Who else knows he takes kickbacks from these assholes? Members of parliament? His opponents?”

“I might be the only one other than the society. I caught him on the phone a few times and continued to snoop over the years. That’s one reason I left for America, accepting a scholarship at Georgetown. I knew if I stayed in the country, I’d be a weakness someone would use. Funny how it seems I was right.”

I stared at her incredulously, but my anger was just below the surface. It was odd the woman had ditched me, yet I wanted to protect her. I also wanted to ascertain additional information about this mafia group. Maybe they were the ones who’d discovered the extent of my father’s sleuthing.

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