Page 128 of The Protégé

“He was sent to torch the house. I stopped by to drop off some plants for her and saw him light up a trash can and place it on the back porch. We got into a scuffle. I retrieved information from him before I killed him.”

“What info?”

“He had orders to kill Carlos and torch this house.”

My eyebrows climbed. “Why the house?”

“Apparently, Carlos’s brother hid evidence of him working with an elite member of The Trogyn. Not sure how he got it. But the drive is destroyed.” He dug into his pocket and waved a melted flash drive. “It was inside the wall of the back room.”

“The laundry room?” I asked.

Reid nodded.

That was why Carlos had stopped by to visit Anita, trying to give her a washer and dryer.

“Carlos also killed his brother because he wouldn’t use his wife’s savings to pay off his debt.”

“What a loving family,” I said.

I had to be careful in how I delivered this newsto Elena. She’d be crushed.

“You can let her know when you think the time is right.”

“Do you enjoy working at Wild Roots? Or is it just a ploy?”

“I love it. It wouldn’t have succeeded if I didn’t love it. You should stop by sometime. I’ll introduce you to my wife Charlotteand my kids, Ava and Logan. She’s going to work in the office soon. Our business is growing.”

“Is there anything else you’d like me to know?” I eyed him.

“No. The Condor only asked me to watch over his ex-wife and daughter to make sure they’re safe.” He placed the hand on my shoulder. “They’re in excellent hands because of you. You love her.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I can tell,” he said. “Because I had that look when I met Charlotte.”

“I wondered if Pablo knew I had a connection with his daughter early on.”

“Not sure.” Reid shrugged. “But I remember him being thrilled when you showed him the first item you’d stolen. He said he knew the item and the person it belonged to. What did you take?”

“A brooch that belonged to Elena.”

I wasn’t comfortable about having Elena’s mom stay at Reid’s apartment. It was best for her to be away for at least a month or until things settled down. What if The Trogyn sent more because they thought there was still evidence hidden in the house? I didn’t want to risk it.

After discussing it with Reid, we both agreed she’d be safer in mycondo in Cancun. She could go with two friends. “There’s a nursery there that teaches about bonsai and other exotic plants. We can use that as an excuse for her to stay there to learn and bring back to Wild Roots.”

“I’ll send two of my workers to join her. The ladies will be thrilled.”

“Excellent,” I said.

By the time we got back to Elena’s house, she was exhausted. My mind was crammed with so many things. Danger was here, and I had to shift gears to ensure the woman I love was safe.

She dropped onto the couch, closed her eyes, and released a slow sigh.

“You need a break.” I sat beside her, gathering her into my arms. “There’s a restaurant that just opened up in town. Let’s go on a date.”

She opened her eyes and smiled. “Sounds good.”

“Your mom is going to be in Cancun at my place, learning about new plants. She’ll be safe. I’ll have a team renovate her house. No need to worry about that.”

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