Page 35 of Fight for Me

To her relief, all was as it should be. After stripping and donning her Hello Kitty sleep shirt, she fell into bed.

* * *

It was early evening on Sunday when a knock sounded on Blane’s front door, followed by the ring of the doorbell, then another knock. Only one person was that obnoxious.

“Kade,” he said, opening the door.

“Brother,” his visitor smirked.

Kade Dennon, Blane’s half-brother, brushed past him into the house. Clad in jeans and his trademark black leather jacket, he still looked like the quintessential bad-boy. Nearly black hair, still untouched by gray, worn longer than Blane would have chosen. Piercing blue eyes framed in thick black lashes, his eyebrows arched and as expressive as Nicholson’s.

“A visit? To what do I owe the pleasure?” Blane closed the door behind Kade.

“You had a job that needed to be done. I did it. I’m easy like that.” Another smirk in Blane’s direction.

“A background check? You’re qualifying that as a job now? You’re getting desperate in your old age.”

Kade’s smile faded. “Let’s just say, it turned into a job. I need a drink for this.”

Blane followed Kade into his study, watching as he poured a finger of scotch into two glasses, then handed him one.

“We need to talk.”

Kade’s words sent a note of foreboding through Blane. He gestured to the leather sofa and chairs. “Be my guest.”

Kade settled himself on the sofa while Blane took the chair opposite him. Resting an ankle on one knee, he took a sip of the scotch, bracing himself. It was doubtful Kade had brought good news, especially in person.

“Let’s have it,” he said.

“First, what’s this girl to you?”

Blane shrugged. “I met her. I like her. We’ve gone out a few times.” Stretching that a bit, but close enough.

“It’s been a minute since you’ve been interested in a woman.”

“So?”

“So…I’m guessing it’s more than what you’re saying. So…we have to be careful. And thorough. Which I was.”

“And?” Blane prompted.

“And her father has some serious ties to the mob.”

Blane rubbed his hand across his face with a sigh. Of course. It couldn’t ever be easy.

“From what I’ve dug up,” Kade continued, “it’s a family thing. Great-grandfather went into the trucking business based out of New Jersey in the early seventies. Took over the area in a messy six months. I’d guess he greased some palms in law enforcement to get it done.”

“That was the great-grandfather. How do we know her dad is still involved? I thought he made his fortune in energy?”

“He did, with some startup capital from his daddy. Did a few land development deals on the side, one that went particularly bad, called Emerson Park.”

Blane frowned. “That sounds familiar.”

“It should. Made the papers. Was supposed to be a high-end residential development with five acre lots and no property under a million. There was one holdout on selling the property. He disappeared, never to be heard from again. No heirs. His property was claimed by the city and sold to the developers. Everyone assumes the holdout was killed.”

Blane reached for straws. “This all sounds like hearsay and gossip. Nothing concrete.”

“It’s all hearsay and gossip until the grand jury indictments start coming in and a body is found.” Kade took a sip of his scotch. “But if you get more involved with her, I can virtually guarantee that they’re going to come after him with both barrels, trying to drag you down in the process. You haven’t lived your lily-white life to forfeit everything because of someone else’s mistakes.”

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