Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“How the fuck did I not know?”
“No one did. Not even your grandfather.”
“I want to know the instant he’s lucid.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Ezra says.
“No calls. No disappearing acts. He’s good at that.”
“I got this, Judge. I’ll call in private security.”
“Thank you.” I walk back into the motel room to look at my brother one last time. He seems to be asleep.
“Go,” Ezra pushes.
I do.
I don’t go home, though. I go to my office.
Mercedes is out on her lunch date with her friends, and when Raul calls to tell me she wants to go shopping, I agree. It’ll be a good distraction, and she may ask fewer questions later.
I expect to be home by dinner, but the information Ezra has gathered is worse than I would have imagined.
My brother has managed to get on the wrong side of the Italian mafia. He owes them money. A lot of it.
I spend most of the night reading through the thick file and reach out to my counterparts in that part of the world to learn as much about the family as possible. By the time I’m finished, I have a headache and am exhausted. It’s after midnight when I get to the house, which is quiet. Raul is having a beer with Paolo in the kitchen. I pour myself a scotch and join them.
“How was she?” I ask Raul.
“Pleased with the shopping. She put a dent on your card, though.”
“I’d expect no less.” I swallow the scotch, smiling. I am guessing she bought her friends a whole new wardrobe compliments of me.
“Where is she now?”
The men shrug their shoulders. “Had dinner with Lois a little while ago. I guess she went up to bed. Lois turned in early.”
“Alright. You two have a good night.”
I finish my drink and walk out of the kitchen. I’m passing my office to go up to bed when I hear something inside. I pause and listen at the door. It’s quiet for a moment, but then I am sure I hear the sound of a drawer closing.
Without hesitation, I open the door to catch Mercedes sitting in my chair. She must have her nose in the bottom drawer because in her haste to come up, she hits her head on the still-open top drawer. She mutters a curse, rubbing the spot before fixing her face in a cool, indifferent expression.
I close the door behind me and set my briefcase on the floor. “Can I help you with something?”
She cocks her head to the side, takes a beat too long to answer. “I was looking for my phone.”
“I gave you a phone.”
“My old one. I have a number I need to get out of it.”
“Whose number?”
“Just a number. Why do you have to know everything?”
“Because I’m not used to people snooping in my office.”
“I’m not snooping. I’m looking for my own phone.” She shoves the drawer closed, but it sticks, and she has to stand to use her hip to do it. I notice she’s wearing a white camisole that comes to the very tops of her thighs. The peaks of her nipples press against the silk.
I produce a key out of my pocket, unlock the single-locked drawer, and take out her phone.
She tries to grab it, but I hold it out of reach. “It needs to charge. Let me know whose number you’re looking for, and I’ll get it to you tomorrow.” I tuck the phone into my pocket.
“You were gone the whole day.”
“I was. I thought you’d enjoy the time alone with your friends.”
“It was a distraction. Don’t think I don’t know that.”
“How was lunch?”
“Good. Did you find him?”
I raise my eyebrows.
She shakes her head. “And here I thought when you told me he was gone that you’d sent him away.”
“My brother won’t come near you again. I will see to that.”
She folds her arms across her chest, inadvertently lifting her breasts and drawing my gaze to the soft swell of them. When she realizes what she’s doing, she lowers them again.
"You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. I already told you that.”
“I have no intention of breaking that promise. Now…”
I take her by the hips and tug her close, then turn her to face the desk. I press myself against her ass and brush her hair over her shoulder. She shudders when I run the scruff of my jaw over the beating pulse at her neck before sliding my chin along the curve of it as I bring my mouth to her ear.
“Put your hands on the desk, Mercedes.”
She glances back, just barely, her breathing suddenly shorter as that pulse beats wildly. She sets her hands flat on the desk.
“Good girl.” I take hold of her panties and drag them down over her thighs, letting them drop to her ankles before pushing her forward to bend her over the desk.