Page 45 of Fervent

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Did you find what you needed down there?” If he had, at least all of this wouldn’t have been for nothing.

“No. I’m guessing he’s keeping the info somewhere in the mansion. Her file wasn’t in the office with the others. That was my next step—finding a window of opportunity to search the estate—but after Nikki…” He dropped his head into his hands. “I couldn’t do it anymore.”

I wasn’t about to tell him he was off the hook for Nikki’s death. Some part of me still blamed him, would probably always blame him, but I could understand the spot he’d been in.

He lifted his head. “There’s more, Rafe.” He paused long enough to rub his palms down his face. “Nikki has…had a son.”

“I know.”

His eyes widened.

“After what happened in that room, it came back to me. I don’t remember details, just that she had a son and he’s mine. You don’t think he’d hurt an innocent kid?” Even as the words left my mouth, I realized how ridiculous they sounded. Perrone had ruined his son and sold his daughter into sexual slavery. The man was the devil.

“He doesn’t know he’s yours,” he said. “I checked on Will after Nikki—”

“Will?” I asked, my heart pounding an erratic rhythm in my chest.

“The kid’s name.”

“My middle name.”

He nodded. “He’s with Nikki’s parents.”

I rose and paced the length of the futon, both hands pulling at my hair. “Your bastard father is gonna pay for all of this. We’ve gotta bring him down.” Perrone had ruined so many lives, including the lives of his children. But he’d fucked up by killing Nikki. He’d fucked up by bringing Alex into it.

He’d messed with the wrong motherfucker.

As I pulled the rolls from the oven, I blatantly eavesdropped on the tense conversation coming from the living room. Rafe and Jax had turned the television on low, but their voices rose above the white noise of the news.

“This is seriously whacked,” Jax said. “It’s risky, might even get us killed…but it could work.”

“Assuming he hasn’t already cleared the tunnel.”

“Doubtful. He thinks he’s invincible.” Jax scowled. “He’s got so many guys in his pocket, I’m surprised he has room for anything else. But that does present a problem. We can’t call in the cops to catch those assholes when they leave the tunnel.”

Rafe jerked his hand out. “Give me your cell.”

“What?”

“Your cell,” he said. “I know you have one.”

Jax dug into his pocket. “Who’re you calling?”

“Lyle Fucking Lewis. You said Nik’s body is out there somewhere in the woods, right?”

“They’ve got a dumping spot, but I don’t know where it is.”

“Lyle was going to marry Nikki. I don’t trust him to spit right, but he’s always had a weak spot for her. Hopefully he’ll be good for something besides wasting space in the sheriff’s station.”

“You’re twisted, man, calling in your enemy as the cavalry.”

“I don’t see what choice we have. There’s no telling how many cops your father has on his payroll, but I doubt he’s got the sheriff of Dante’s Pass in his fucking pocket. And like I said, Lyle has a personal stake in this—he just doesn’t know it yet.”

Rafe dialed information before stepping outside to make the call.

Chili simmered on the stovetop. Cook dinner, he’d said. He had a monster to take down and slaves to free.

How was this our life?

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