Page 80 of Royal Pain

“I appreciate all you’ve provided.”

“Be careful,” Bill added and hung up.

“Are we talking about a reporter?” Valerio asked.

“Yeah, I think at least two were murdered after daring to write articles.”

They looked at each other. I couldn’t blame them for being nervous.

“We need to go to Connecticut. That’s the only way we can find Damien.” I almost laughed twenty seconds later when neither one had said anything.

Valerio did sigh and walked to the window.

“Fine,” I hissed as I thumped down my water bottle. “I’m going. I couldn’t give a shit less if you are.”

“Don’t do this, Gage. We’re not going to allow you to do this alone, but it needs to be calculated very carefully.”

“I won’t argue that point but with the threat we left, the fact the men you hired were run out of the town, and the knowledge Evangeline is with me? That’s an explosive recipe and both of you know it. The best thing we can do is use an element of surprise. That child is missing his mother. Did anyone think to check her little house?”

“First thing my guys did. It was tossed,” Valerio admitted. “And from what he could see, a few of the kid’s things were taken. He wasn’t certain. When I said trashed, I mean windows broken, a sledgehammer or something used on the walls. Light fixtures ripped out of the ceilings. Just insane. Like someone had a tantrum.”

How the hell was I supposed to tell her that her house was trashed as well? “Her husband, who used to beat her and locked her inside the house.”

The two men were many things. Ruthless. Power hungry. Some might even call them greedy, but the one thing which had been drilled into us by our father was that women were the backbone of any family. They were not to be abused. I could tell something clicked inside of them, both men as eager for blood as I was.

Valerio took a few seconds to confer with his eyes with Braxton. “You know I have a few of my own army buddies that I would call mercenaries. I’m going to hire them.”

“How many?” Braxton asked.

“Twelve. Coupled with the men you have we could have enough of an army to do this.”

Braxton snorted. “I know a few technical whizzes that can perform miracles on laptops sitting outside in the dark. Plus, they’re definitely nasty men themselves. Don’t be surprised if the tattoos and rough-looking hair put you off.”

I took a deep breath. “She’s worth it, brothers. She’s very worth it but she won’t survive without her child. I will do anything to get Damien back and make her smile again.”

Valerio walked closer. “Even if it means killing a few people, crossing that last line we swore we would never cross?”

I didn’t need to think about it. “Yes. Even if it means selling my soul to the devil.”

Braxton clapped me on the back. “Yeah, you got it bad.”

“What do you think about sending a warning shot across the bow?” I asked. I wasn’t certain yet what I had in mind, but the bastards believed they had an upper hand.

“You really think her ex has a screw loose?”

“I do. I think he’s power hungry, the kind of man who refuses to allow anyone to take or have what he wants. Whatever the reason he set his sights on Evangeline, what occurred has burned him for years.”

“Speaking of which,” Braxton said. “I am curious if anyone knows why she was allowed out of that marriage.”

“Even Evangeline was shocked, although she threatened to drag Joseph through the mud. Maybe her father had some hidden, damning information.”

“Maybe,” Braxton sighed. “So many questions. Maybe they had a change of heart?”

“Right,” I hissed.

Valerio burst into laughter. “As if that would matter. They’d just muzzle her. No, there has to be something her father did or knew.”

“Which is why they seem to have him on a short leash.”

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