Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“Not yet. There was no identification on her and apparently her prints weren’t on file. There’s something else. I set The Hunter after Venturo’s lawyer.”
“You didn’t tell me that.”
The Hunter was exactly what he sounded like. Someone who hunted people down. He cost an arm and a leg, but he got the job done. However, he’d only take jobs from people he knew or were recommended to him.
“I needed to get some things off my plate,” Alejandro said.
“What is it?” Reuben asked, worried about the exhaustion in his friend’s voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”
“Alejandro,” he warned.
“You have enough going on. I just need you to concentrate on Faith.”
“That’s not the way this works.”
“Yes, it is,” Alejandro growled back.
“I know I work for you, but I’m your friend first. Don’t keep stuff from me.”
Alejandro sighed. “Tariq came through with some information. He heard that Venturo came into some money before he died.”
Reuben sucked in a breath. How did they not know about that?
“His mother died. They were estranged. That could have something to do with his death.”
That still didn’t explain the note of stress in Alejandro’s voice.
“What else?” he asked.
“It’s the fucking police chief. Sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. I’m going to have to do something about him, and soon. We had to abort a shipment and send it to Boston instead, which is delaying shit all over the place.”
And Alejandro didn’t like delays or problems.
“Let me know what you need from me and if anything else happens.”
“I will.”
“Did The Hunter find Venturo’s lawyer?”
“Of course he did. He’s bringing him in for questioning. We’ll do it tomorrow night if you want in.”
He did. But he also didn’t want to leave his girl.
“Bring Faith here,” Alejandro added as if he’d heard his thoughts. “Cat will take care of her. And Rafael will be here along with more guards.”
Right. If she were going to be safe anywhere, it would be at Alejandro’s place.
70
“You’ll stay right here, understand?” Reuben lectured as he parked under Alejandro and Cat’s house.
“Where else would I go?”
Yesterday had been the most amazing day. She’d retreated fully into Little headspace for most of it. It wasn’t until after dinner that he’d sat her on his lap in the living room to explain what had happened to Lou.
She’d cried.
She’d cried because a person she’d thought was a friend had died. And she didn’t know how to process her feelings around that. Reuben had held her tight. When he’d tucked her into bed, he’d made love to her.
It had been so gentle. So sweet.
And exactly what she’d needed.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Faith wasn’t quite sure what was going on. Reuben had only said that he had to go do something with Alejandro. She knew he was protecting her and that there were always going to be things he couldn’t tell her. So she didn’t press him.
He held her good hand all the way up in the elevator. He had a bag with some of her favorite things in case she needed to go to bed.
But he’d promised to come to her after he was finished no matter what time it was.
When they stepped out of the elevator, Cat rushed toward them, coming to a stop at the last second.
“Blossom! Sleepover!”
Faith smiled but squeezed Reuben’s hand.
“If you have a sleepover, I’ll come back here and sleep with you,” he promised.
Cat nodded frantically. “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Sure, Rainbow-Reuby can do that. But you’re gonna want to stay, Blossom. I’ve set up a slumber room for us. There’s candy and soda and potato chips.” Cat led them into a living area that she’d turned into a fort with lots of blankets and pillows. There were even fairy lights strung around the top of the fort.
Inside the fort were heaps of pillows as well as jars of candy and chocolate.
Faith looked at Cat with a grin. “This is awesome.”
“I. Know. Doomy Gloomy helped.” She gestured over to where there was an older man fussing with the blankets.
He gave Cat a dour look, but when he turned to Faith, his face softened, and he winked at her.
Okay. Maybe he wasn’t as grumpy as he looked.
“Looks like you’re in good hands here, baby,” Reuben told her, kissing the top of her head as Alejandro walked into the room.
Cat threw herself at her husband and they spoke quietly before Alejandro set his wife down.
“Call me if you need me. If you go to sleep, you’ll wake up with me there. Understand?”
“Yes, Daddy. I love you. Be safe.”
“Always, baby. I love you too.”
“They’ll be fine,” Alejandro reassured Reuben as they entered one of his warehouses. Cairn took up position outside the warehouse while the Scot walked in with them.
Reuben sure as hell hoped so. He let out a deep breath as they walked down into the soundproof basement.