Page 29 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

No fucking way would I admit that Axel and I had spent a portion of that time banging Carlos Vega’s widow. I could imagine the dressing-down Dan would issue before pulling me from this case. That couldn’t happen. Luka Santos needed to pay for what he did to my brother. I would ensure that motherfucker went down and take his entire organization with him.

Not to mention knowing what I now know about Kylie. How she was as much of a victim of the Santos crime syndicate as my brother. I refused to leave her defenseless.

“If this case is too much for your team, tell me now, and I will get a replacement in there on the double. We’re too close to let anything fuck this up.”

Not going to happen on my watch. This was my case. I’d be damned before I let him take it from me. “It’s not too much. But the house and grounds needed significantly more cameras and equipment to sufficiently monitor the house and surrounding grounds. Mateo has it well in hand with everything up.”

“Good. And Vega’s widow? Glean anything useful yet?”

“Not quite. Other than Mateo uncovering video footage of Carlos Vega beating his wife. And Mrs. Vega confirmed it. There’s no love lost over her husband’s death. I think we can use it and her to our advantage.”

“I didn’t see that coming. For all our intel, it appeared they had a happy marriage.”

“On the outside, when they were photographed away from the home, that’s precisely how it looked. But we’ve learned that wasn’t the case at all. I could have Mateo send you a sample.”

“That won’t be necessary. I trust your instincts. If you think you can sway her to our side and have her confess where her husband stashed those diamonds, then do it.”

“I’m not sure she knows. From what I’ve been able to gather, Carlos Vega ruled his home with an iron fist, and she was his arm candy. She indicated her husband beat her for going into his home office without permission.”

“Damn. That’s a shame. Do you think it’s a useless enterprise? Do we need to pull you out and approach this case from another angle?”

“No.” Because he wasn’t leaving Kylie. “Kylie Vega hasn’t messed with her husband’s office. I’ve got Chase in there now, combing through files. And Mateo has already started working on the man’s computer to access those records.”

“That’s what I want to hear. Keep me informed of any new developments. You get a lead on where those diamonds are stashed, contact me at once.”

“Will do, Dan. Talk soon.” I hung up because there was nothing further to say.

Until we got a lead on where the diamonds were stashed, or records, if there were any, of Carlos Vega’s clandestine activities with the Santos organization, I wasn’t leaving.

More importantly, I would never leave Kylie to fend for herself. Not after everything I learned. Not after touching her, and holding her in my arms, as if that was where she belonged.

Rising, I headed out to join Chase in Carlos Vega’s office. But Kylie was never far from my mind. Foremost was when I would get to feel her coming around my cock again.

Chapter eighteen

Guilt

Kylie

Whatthefuckiswrong with me? How could I sleep with both Axel and Gideon on the same day within hours of each other without protection?

I’d tell you what it made me. A big freaking ho! That’s what. How could I be so careless? It didn’t matter that, at the moment, nothing could have dragged me away. I wanted each man too fiercely, albeit for different reasons.

Axel touched a part of me, a need to be protected. He made me feel safe and cherished, like he couldn’t believe his good fortune. I was worried how he would react to my sleeping with his friend. I know we didn’t make any promises to one another. But I still felt like I betrayed him.

But then there was Gideon. Even thinking about him made my panties wet. Passionate didn’t begin to describe our lovemaking. I had turned into another woman. One I didn’t recognize but who had always been simmering beneath the surface, just waiting for the right man to release her from prison.

Gideon called to me on an elemental level. Made me want to engage in the most depraved acts and let them burn. I fucking loved the way his passion charred me. It was like walking into a supernova and emerging on the other side.

He had indicated he wanted more, wanted to take me to bed again and take my ass.

But it left me in a quandary. I didn’t tell Gideon I’d slept with Axel because I fell asleep before I could broach the topic, but it needed to be discussed. Not to mention, I had to come clean with Axel, because I wanted him again too.

I know that I will have to choose one of them. But I didn’t want to make this decision. I felt like I had wound up in a dream—a naughty, raunchy dream where decadent pleasure was the prize, but a dream, nonetheless.

I didn’t fully trust my good fortune. After years with Carlos and his evil, narcissistic abuse, I couldn’t really trust anyone completely, myself included. It would be foolish of me to give them my trust without a thought.

But they were why I sat on the couch in the living room, trying and failing to read a book by the fireplace. Reading normally relaxed me. Reading provided me with an escape, especially during my marriage.

---