Page 80 of Lost Kingdom

“He’s violent,” Minka adds. “Nathan Booth is especially vicious. And though no gangster is pleasant, the one with a short fuse is dangerous not only to the public, but to his own organization.”

“He had someone slam Aubree against a wall on her way home last night.”

“What?” Minka shoves away from Archer and stalks across the room, stopping in front of us and grabbing Aubree’s chin in her hand. “Booth approached you?”

“One of Booth’s guys. And he didn’tslamme anywhere,” she explains with a grumble. “He crowded me against the bricks and said some stuff.”

“What stuff?” Cato hip bumps Minka aside and pushes Aubree’s sleeves up. To check for bruising, I suppose. To look for damage. “Why the fuck ishe coming at you? And why,” his ferocious eyes sling to me, “is he still alive?”

“Because she threatened divorce if I walked out the door to kill a man.” I brush his hands off and keep her all to myself. Mine to hold. Not his. “It was atthatpoint that I found out that she knew about my deal with Cordoza.”

“Yeah, the deal where you had the Godfather do you a favor.” Minka rolls her eyes. “Smart.”

“You can’t let the threat of divorce deter you from doing what needs to be done,” Archer growls. “They’re gonna use that word a million times between now and eternity. Minka says she’s filing at least once a day. If I let that stop me, I’d never get anything done.”

“You are a cop!” Aubree snaps. “And he’s discussing murder. Does no one else see an issue with this?”

“I’m his brother first.” He balls his fists and looks Aubree up and down. “Why did Booth’s guy approach you? Because of Tim?”

“Because of her brother,” I answer, though she turns to stone in my arms. “Duane owes a gambling debt to Booth. Booth went into stupid mode yesterday after the shooting, so he mobilized his soldiers and had them collecting. Duane can’t afford his debt.”

“Soyoupay it,” Cato snarls. “Easy, dude. Pay the debt and walk away. Keeps her safe, keeps her baby brother out of the ground.”

“Hehaspaid the debt,” Aubree explains. “Multiple times. But my brother is a dummy and continues to repeat his mistakes. Booth enjoys letting him gamble, knowing he’ll lose and owe him. It’s a game, and Duane has yet to face any real consequences for the things he’s doing.”

“So Booth’s guy threatens Aubree last night,” Minka sneers, “she comes home, tells you, you wanna go out and bloody a man, but she won’t let you. And now… you’re here? That’s it?”

“And now we’re here,” Aubree answers. “He didn’t go out last night to hurt anyone.”

“Well, your brother is probably dead then,” Cato quips. “Sorry, cutie. That’s how these things go. And the one person who could protect him was being held captive by a ball and chain.”

“He’s not dead! Jesus. You’re all so dramatic. He’s a money cow to Booth, and Tim is the teat they continue to squeeze from. Why would they kill my brother and cut off a source of revenue so quickly?”

“So you’re allowing this cycle to continue?” Minka questions. “Duane gambles, Tim pays, Booth threatens you, and life goes on?”

“No! I’m breaking the cycle and allowing my brother to learn from hismistakes. He’ll call me in an hour or two, I’ll find out what happened, then we’ll be better people because of it.”

“Jaysus.” Cato spins on his heels and stalks to the apartment door when footsteps outside echo on the stairs. “Brass balls and a metric ton of naiveté. Fun! You’re gonna have a blast married to Miss Sweetcakes over here.” He swings the door open and beams. “McStinkerson! I knew you’d be by soon.”

“I’m Mia!” Fletch’s four-year-old daughter shakes her father’s hand off and sprints for her next favorite guy. “AndI had a shower today!” She makes a show of sniffing her own armpit. “See!”

“Eww!” He buries his nose against her neck and blows. “Poo-wee! You stink.”

“I don’t stink,” she cackles, beating the top of his head with a red Care Bear. “Are we having pancakes for breakfast? Daddy said we could.”

“I’ll cook you pancakes. ‘Cause you’re my favorite girl on the planet, and if that’s what you want, then that’s what you get.”

I watch the door as Fletch steps through. Not as withdrawn as usual. Not as tired, considering he’s a single dad to a rambunctious kid, healing from a bullet wound, and ex-husband to an actively addicted and spiraling woman who, right now, is probably sucking Booth’s cock.

I lift my chin in greeting. But his eyes are on my arm, wrapped over his friend’s shoulder.

Because maybe she’s mine. But hell, they’re friends outside of us. Which means she’s his, too.

A little, at least.

“Blink twice if you’re being held against your will.” He comes around and smiles at Aubree. “Blink three times if I need to put a blade in his belly and bury him someplace no one will find him.”

“Blink once if you knew I was married and didn’t tell me.” She surges forward and slams her fist to his chest, knocking him back a step and growling when his eyes swing to mine. “Don’t look at him! Look at me. You knew, and you said nothing?”

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