Page 65 of Come Fill Me

Kele sucked in air, coughing it back out, rubbing her throat.

“Answer me,” Carreon ordered.

She stepped back, her shoulder bumping into Victor’s arm. Quick as could be, she sidled away from him. “I came in the van Zeke’s men used.” Her words rasped. She cleared her throat and continued, “The night they came to rescue him.”

Carreon squeezed his fists so hard his knuckles hurt.

Watching him, Kele blurted, “Their GPS recorded the trip back to our stronghold.”

And she’d used it to come here. Carreon spoke to his lieutenants. “Are you certain she wasn’t followed?”

“We’ve sent out patrols,” Roberto said. “There isn’t anyone else out there.”

“I came alone,” she insisted.

It didn’t make sense. “Why are you here? Did Neekoma send you?”

She straightened, her defiance returned. Carreon edged closer. Her coppery complexion paled a bit. “He doesn’t even know I’m gone. No one does. If you hurt me—if you kill me, you’ll never get your woman back.”

She was just full of surprises, wasn’t she? Intrigued, Carreon managed to keep his excitement hidden. “You’re speaking of Liz Munez.”

“Who else?”

“Zeke has her,” he said, “and yet you came on your own, meaning, he didn’t send you here to negotiate her return.” Carreon gathered her hair, winding it around his hand.

Horror flooded her face at him touching her again.

He wasn’t about to stop. “Why are you here?” Using her hair, he tugged her closer. The tips of their shoes touched. She shuddered, turning away from him as best she could.

Carreon gripped the back of her head, forcing her to look at him. Hatred and panic contorted her features. He murmured, “So why are you here?”

“She’s poison to my people…to Jacob.”

Ah. It was beginning to make sense now. This wasn’t about the clan’s war but something so much simpler. Downright stupid, in fact. A woman’s jealousy over her man. Carreon had already figured Zeke was fucking Liz as much as he could while she was his prisoner. Apparently, he was allowing his younger brother the same privilege, and Jacob was enjoying Liz so much Kele had come here, hoping for Carreon’s help in getting rid of her competition.

Which brought up another question. “If you want her gone,” he asked, “why didn’t you just bring her here with you?”

She bared her teeth. “I would have if it’d been possible. Zeke has her locked in Jacob’s room. He won’t let her go. He knows keeping her is dangerous to our people but he claims to love her as much as she loves him.”

Carreon stared in surprise. Liz loved Neekoma? No. Fucking no. “You’re lying.”

She winced as he dug his fingers into her scalp. Her words poured out, strong, unafraid. “Killing me won’t stop what they feel for each other. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it. Night after night, they can’t get enough of—”

“Shut up.” He pushed her away.

She cried out then gasped at her shoulder hitting the wall.

A fraction of the pain he intended to give her. He moved closer. “What has she told him about this place and my operation?”

“Nothing.” Kele huddled against the wall. “They talk about her father. She’s worried about him.”

As well she should be. If what this woman said was true, Liz was going to regret having given herself to any enemy male, especially Neekoma. Carreon was going to use her father’s pain, the old man’s drawn-out death to make certain of it.

“You want her back,” she said. “I want her gone, away from my people and Jacob. We can help each other.”

Carreon didn’t agree or disagree.

The silence undid her. “I can show you where the stronghold is.”

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