Page 69 of Royal Flush

What the hell was I supposed to do from here?

CHAPTER 18

Braxton

I wasn’t prone to feeling any emotion like guilt or remorse. That hadn’t been programmed in me when I’d been born. There were likely reasons for it that a psychiatrist could provide after months of self-reflection, but I couldn’t care less.

What I felt bad about was my accusatory tone with Jasmine. My thoughts that she could be lying to me about everything had continued to build given the lack of sleep and my increasing frustration. Instead of simply sitting her down and asking questions gently, I’d been a raging lunatic.

Fuck.

Then I’d left her, likely feeling like a prisoner. Shit. I’d need to make it up to her and the only way of doing that was by being truthful and a decent human being.

“I’m headed back to the islands,” I told Valerio.

“Oh? What happened?”

I glanced into the rearview mirror, my gut telling me her father was in more danger than he’d accepted or realized. “We need to learn more about our good buddy, Justin Sinclair. I rattled his chain but he’s a pivotal point of our father’s secret book. I feel confident of that.”

“Did something happen?”

I’d resisted calling him the night before, simply because I’d needed time to think and process. “Let’s just say my guest is a current target.”

“Ah. You like this girl.”

“Maybe a little bit too much but we need to turn the tables, by using the information provided by our father coupled with what the three of us have collected to determine who is most likely trying to bring us down. It is entirely possible I was right about the Honoured Society. If they know I have her, they will attempt to take her away.”

Valerio exhaled. “Why do I feel like there’s a hell of a lot more to this story?”

“Let’s just say arranged marriages seem to be popular in Aussie land.”

“Ah, fuck.”

I was exhausted, furious with myself for treating her so badly earlier. The night had been incredible, the closeness we’d both felt full of chemistry and emotions. Yes, she needed to come clean about everything she knew, and I sensed there was more but my arrogance had done the talking, not my brain. Her fucking father had almost sold her to a pig. She had every right to be skittish, untrusting. “That’s what I say. Plus, Justin insinuated our father was blackmailing him because of a gambling debt he owned to the mafia.”

“Jesus Christ. This man sounds like a real prize.”

“A man I wouldn’t mind destroying. Plus, I have a feeling my efforts would bring about a much stronger connection with Jameson Bishop. We could kill two birds with one stone.”

“Tall order, brother. A dangerous one too.” He’d deepened his voice.

“Don’t I know it. I’m headed to St. Martin this time. I’m not taking any chances. I can do additional research from there, putting a few bugs in people’s ears.”

“You mean stirring up a hornet’s nest.”

“Sometimes that’s necessary.”

Now he laughed. “Sometimes you won’t just get stung. You’ll die from the poison they inflict.”

“It’s necessary. I will keep her safe.”

“As I sensed, you really do care about this girl. Just be careful your judgment isn’t clouded by your emotions. We should talk when you get there. I’ll prep Gage. How long are you going to be there?” Valerio knew when I set my mind to something, there was no changing my decision.

“As long as it takes to ensure Jasmine is protected.” My emotions. I wasn’t certain I had many left inside of me any longer.

His laugh was a brotherly, knowing one. “Be careful, Brax. You really are wearing your emotions on your sleeve.”

“Very funny. I think you’re talking about yourself.”

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