Page 30 of Protecting Charity

I knit my brows together in confusion. Who would know about my activities with Morgan, or anyone else for that matter? I’ve been beyond careful. I wasn’t being followed—aside from Oisin, and he was already dead, and the other mystery man that I was certain was Josh. But Josh wouldn’t do that. Would he? What reason would he have? No, it couldn’t be. I must be wrong that the man breaking into my place or standing outside Jose’s home was Josh.

“When we sat at the diner, and she pulled a knife before I spoke, I knew my source wasn’t wrong. Women her age don’t thrive on disorder, and they sure as hell don’t speak to two large men such as us without fear.”

Luca gave me a questioning look as if to confirm that what he said was accurate. I gave a lopsided shrug and rolled my eyes.

“You aren’t as scary as you think you are,” I said, then threw a thumb over my shoulder, indicating Pooch. “Especially your attack dog. I have a feeling he’s all bark and bites with his gums.”

Elias chuckled quietly, then became louder as if what I said was hilarious. Glad I could be the comedic entertainment for the day.

“Well, this was fun, but I need to get out of this dress before I get blood all over it.”

I stood from Luca’s lap, but he tugged me back in place. I heeded the silent order and settled back against him. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy the position he put me in. It was hard to concentrate on anything else around me with him hard against my ass and his hand tight around my wrist.

“I see why you keep her around.”

I glared at him while clenching my fists, causing them to pop. A beautiful thought of slicing his throat stung my millisecond daydream until I was no longer amused. “What do you want?” I asked. Malice dripped with my words like acid burning an old rug.

He stopped laughing as if he flipped a switch, then picked up a flute and downed it. I kept mine in my hand, ready to break it and stab the stem in Pooch’s eye.

“I heard you are going to my party tomorrow.”

“We are,” Luca confirmed.

“Well, anything you need, you let me know. The last thing I want is publicity hitting my door. Somebody's out to sabotage Charity, so it would seem, and if that is the case, it’s going to bring a shit storm to my doorstep, and I don’t need that. So find whoever you are looking for and get out. I won’t stand in your way.”

“What’s the catch?” I asked. “Why don’t you just give me who I’m looking for now?”

It was too good to be true. Why would the head of the cartel allow anyone to come in and take away his profit or risk a smudge on his precious reputation? A reputation littered with human trafficking of any age, drugs, and torture.

“No catch. I don’t own them. I just host the auction. Trust me, if all it took was to hand someone over to get you far away from me, I would.” He stood and buttoned his suit jacket. Pooch followed his lead, and they walked out, but not before turning and saying, “Luca, a little professional courtesy goes a long way. Keep that in mind for next time.”

Chapter 13

Nico

The judge took his time delivering his ruling, making sure he had all the facts in the case, causing me to become restless with hunger.

Hungry for food and the feel ofheragainst my skin. Just the thought of her had me so distracted I almost missed the dismissal of the senator’s case. I’ve never been spacey, especially in court. The courthouse was my kingdom, and I thrived. Luca commanded the dark world from his desk, and this was where I managed mine.

“Congratulations, Senator Adams, try to stay out of the limelight for a while, would you?” I shook his hand and stepped out of the courtroom.

“Thank you, Nico. Until next time.” His smirk told his intentions of rebelling and not giving a fuck. It was why these types of people continued to do what they did. There were not foreseeable consequences to their actions. The difference between them and us… we would accept whatever came our way, but we were smarter about not getting caught because of that. This was how I knew we’d be in the courtroom again soon. Don’t ask me why his constituents kept voting for him.

Two uniformed officers traipsed down the hall speaking of the Cult Killer case that had the news relentlessly beating the topic over the head the last few months. First, the mass shooting, then a couple slaughtered in their bed early one morning. I turned my ear to hear the remaining conversation as they passed me and continued on to turn a corner. It reminded me of the errand I needed to get done. I gave my court papers to Martha and said, “File these, and send the bill to Adams and tack on a few extra thousand.” She nodded with a smile, and I left her for my car, keys in hand.

“Nico, wait up.”

I glanced up to see a uniformed officer loping towards me, flagging me down. I threw my briefcase in my car and waited for him to catch up.

Officer Patrick Sturm, the man I was on my way to see, stood before me, out of breath and heaving for air. It was amazing he could pass the required physicals.

“Patrick,” I said, acknowledging he had something to say, but I didn’t want to have to wait for the air to fill his lungs. He held his finger up in a wait-a-minute motion. I raised my brow as the sweat dripped from his bright red face. It’s not as if he had to run a marathon; I was next to the doors. “Okay, while you catch your breath, I was coming to see you, anyway. I need to know everything you know about the Gill Case.”

Officer Sturm wiped the perspiration from his face and squinted in the bright sun. “The FBI is taking over the investigation because of the sister’s connection to the cartel. It’s a big clusterfuck now. Someone is out to get that family.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, either the sister felt guilty for what she did, or someone took her out.”

---