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“Give me one more day, Jessup,” she said, and it sounded like it was through clenched teeth. “Don’t you dare go off killing people based on speculation. There’s been enough of that. In fact, someone’s counting on it.”

  It did sound like a conspiracy theory. But who would benefit?

  “You’ve got until the end of tomorrow. Then go do one of your booty call weekends in Naples. Keep out of it.”

  “Oh, please,” she said, exasperation in her voice. “You think I’d run off and fool around while you’re here getting yourselves killed?”

  “Be a lot smarter.” After a pause, Jessup asked, “Is someone here?”

  “No, why?”

  Kade stiffened. He leaned against the door, ready to put his weight behind it if they tried to open it. Unfortunately, he saw no way to lock it.

  “I smell someone. I’d better check—”

  “I was with someone. You smell him on me,” Violet said.

  “Just now? Here?”

  “No, in Miami.”

  “Comfort sex. Got it,” the other brother said. “That’s why she’s got that I-just-got-laid-and-it-was-good fire in her eyes.”

  The footsteps continued to the front door, and more speculation ensued. He listened as the doors slammed and the conversation continued outside.

  He supposed it could’ve been comfort sex. Not that they’d gotten to the sex part—a fact his body wouldn’t let him forget. Maybe that explained her need for touch, but it didn’t do a damned thing to excuse his loss of control.

  Kade stretched out on the bed, his arms behind his head. The linen bedspread was softer than he’d anticipated. He had to stop thinking about her in bed, on his boat, naked. Having a naked mud fight with a woman was one of his teenage fantasies. The girls he’d suggested it to went all squeamish on him.

  The bedroom door opened, and Violet leaned against the frame, eyes narrowed and arms crossed over her chest. “You’re enjoying that a little too much.”

  He arched one eyebrow. “Booty call weekend?”

  “It’s none of your business.” She grabbed a small pillow and threw it at him. “Out of my bed.”

  “Hey, I was just passing the time.” He ran his hand over the bedspread. “I guess it was a good thing we weren’t closer to this earlier.” Because he had no doubt they would have been tangling these sheets…oh, right about the time her brothers came barging in.

  “That would not have happened. I came to my senses before—”

  “I got off.” He slid off the bed and came to his feet. She blushed. And there it was, the hesitation and hint of vulnerability that told him she wasn’t nearly as unaffected as she pretended to be. He chuckled, running his finger down her nose. “Don’t worry none about me. It’s nothing a cold shower can’t fix.” Except he’d already gotten one of those, thanks to the hose. And it hadn’t helped. “I’m going to talk to Ferro and find out what’s going on. Tell him to get at least some Arguses out here to discourage any further trouble. If it’s because of the solar storm fluctuations, it’ll only be for a few more days. We’re going to feel the brunt of it Thursday. We can forestall any more violence, investigate the murders that have already happened, and keep the peace you want so badly.”

  Her eyes flared. “I hope so.”

  They walked toward the front door.

  She looked through the window first. “I want to make sure they’re gone. If my family finds out I went to the Guard, it won’t be pretty.”

  “Would they hurt you?” Yeah, considering his mission, it was damned strange to be worrying about her safety where her own family was concerned. But if he was tabling the directive to kill, he’d be damned if someone else caused her harm on his watch.

  “They’d see it as a betrayal. We have a punishment known as the wall of shame. The naughty are stripped to their underwear—the men, anyway—and cuffed to the outside wall of the barn.” She shuddered. “Sometimes for days. And they play whatever music you can’t stand.”

  Exposed to the elements, to the ridicule of peers. “Sounds barbaric.”

  “We have our own brand of punishment here in the Fringe.” She shrugged. “I guess I’m used to it. And the threat of it works. Some of the cousins were stealing oranges from our two trees up at the house. Their punishment was being cuffed and having rotten oranges thrown at them. After a couple of days, believe me, they didn’t want anything to do with oranges.”

  “You ever been put on the wall?”

  “Once, when I was twelve. I borrowed my brothers’ fishing gear and accidentally dumped it into the lake. They hung bait fish all around me and played the twangiest country music they could get their hands on. I don’t want to suffer through that again.”

  His image of her being tied up, in her grown-up state, had a decidedly different picture—and outcome. One that hiked up his physical discomfort by another couple of degrees. He pulled out of those tantalizing thoughts and headed to the property line, knowing he’d be back. For Violet. For justice.

  Chapter 5

  Violet smoothed out the wrinkles Kade had made on her bedspread. Of all the nerve. Just because they’d had that weird moment outside didn’t mean he could presume he was welcome in her bed. Her hand paused as she imagined him and his nerve lying on her bed, shirtless. Having a man in her own bed was a fantasy, rather than meeting them out of town. Gorgeous guy: check. Guy who totally turned her on: check. Kade Kavanaugh: no way in hell. Not going there.

  But, oh, she’d nearly gone there, close enough to find sweet, mind-numbing release. Reeling from grief and frustration, along with the adrenaline high from their fight, she’d acted foolishly.

  Foolish is wrestling with alligators. Tangling with a Vega—with Kade Kavanaugh—that’s sheer insanity.

  She huffed out a breath. She hadn’t meant to touch him. Hadn’t known that what began as an innocent rinse-off so he wouldn’t track mud into her home would turn into a seduction. Worst part was, she had started things by touching him and probably exuding some need to connect. She could imagine it so clearly, the water sluicing over his sculpted chest, his gaze on hers, and that need…it all exploded inside her. He placed her hand over the hard length of his erection and, instead of being horrified, she molded her fingers over it and leaned into him. Suddenly, he was hoisting her up and kissing her with a thoroughness she’d never experienced before. Damn, the man could kiss. His mouth did a number on her, and then when he’d touched her, she’d been so…ready.

  Part of her felt sick, thinking that her reaction was a betrayal of her brother. But her family was in tune with their primal Dragon urges: violence, pleasure, sex. They would never judge her for drowning in sensuality; it was the facilitator that would have them going ballistic.

  And to think minutes earlier you were about to kill him. She still wasn’t sure she could trust Kade as far as she could throw him, which was, oh, about twenty feet if she recalled correctly. Then again, if he was truly seeing her side of things and willing to approach his boss about the situation, it was probably a good thing she hadn’t killed him.

  No, you couldn’t have.

  Argh, arrogant devil. She could so hear his confidence in her inability to annihilate him. Damn, why did he get to her? And in more ways than just being annoyed, which was damned…annoying.

  She pushed the crazy tangle of feelings aside. She needed to continue her investigation, even if Kade was helping. She found Marshall Peregrine’s number in the phone directory. He was the patriarch of the family, and his son, Liam, was the first victim of the spree. She dialed the number.

  A boy answered, and Violet asked, “Hi, may I speak with Marshall, please? This is Violet Castanega.”

  Silence for a moment. Their clans weren’t mortal enemies, but they’d had their share of skirmishes.

  “Hold on a sec.” The kid’s heavy footfalls pounded in the background, and he told someone she was on the phone.

  A man answered with, “Yeah?”

  “I wanted to extend my condolences on behal
f of the Castanegas,” she said, meaning it.

  “Uh…thanks.”

  “I’d like to meet with you at Ernie’s. I think there’s more to this than the Wolfrums acting up.” Silence. “Please, before things get out of hand. Again. I’ve got some fresh alligator meat, if you’d like some.”

  Yeah, a bribe. Whatever she had to do.

  “Two pounds?”

  “Meet me in an hour?”

  “You got it. But if this is some kind of trick—”

  “It’s no trick, Marshall. Somebody’s playing us, all of us in the Fringe. I want to stop it before more people die.”

  Kade knocked on Ferro’s door, then went in at his answer. He closed the door behind him.

  “I trust it went smoothly?” Ferro asked.

  “No, sir. I was in her house, waiting for her to return. She did, but she had her brothers in tow. Since my assignment did not include them, and complicated matters, I remained in hiding. What I overheard made me question this assignment, because, quite frankly, she made some good points as she outlined her research to her brothers. Further, I found nothing to warrant her termination. I extracted myself, aborting the mission.”

  Ferro’s expression hardened. “You did not kill her.”

  Well, he thought he’d made that clear. “No, sir.” He walked over to the map. “It does appear that someone is trying to incite clan violence. She has a map like this—”

  “Kavanaugh.” Ferro waved his fingers for Kade to come back to the front of his desk. “There are things you don’t know about this case.”

  “Bring me in then. Because from where I stand, taking her out seems an inappropriate course of action. I know the Guard considers every termination carefully, but Violet Castanega is innocent.”

  “Your job is to simply take her out. There’s nothing else to be discussed. If you have a problem with the assignment, I can task someone else with it.”

  Dune came to mind. The son of a bitch enjoyed killing people. Kade straightened his shoulders. “We’re trained to assess on the fly, to make decisions based on the specific situation.”

  “That pertains to the way you fight, evade, or escape. Not the overall mission. You do not get to decide to spare a target. Terminate her or remove yourself from the assignment.”

  Kade, meet wall. He shifted his gaze to the map and tried to discern where the yellow pins were.

  Ferro stood, blocking his view. “As you know, all it takes is one turn of events—a woman, perhaps—to crash and burn a career. And others often pay the price.” Was he inferring that Mia wouldn’t get promoted if Kade screwed up? Ferro frowned. “I didn’t want to demote you after your father’s fall, but I couldn’t ignore the complaints. After all, your father did use his position to protect you whenever you came under fire for not following the rules. You had a reckless edge, thinking you knew best about cases and suspects. And you see where that got you.”

  Dune had been the loudest objector, jealous bastard. While Kade used that edge to accomplish his goals, Dune had kept his nose to the line, cold and calculating. Yet Kade rose to Vega years before him, even though they both graduated from the Academy at the same time.

  “Yes, it garnered me a ninety-seven percent completion rate.”

  Ferro’s fiery eyes pinned him, and in that moment, he seemed very dragonish. “You got lucky that your antics didn’t backfire. But if we let you carry on, other Vegas were bound to follow suit. They might not get so lucky.”

  Because they’re not as good as I am. Luck, hell. He held that bit in. “I didn’t know that Vegas were automatons with no authority to investigate or think.”

  He could feel Ferro bristle and saw the flames go all jaggy in his eyes. “There are times when those skills are required. The most important one, though, is to be reliable and do as you’re told. I don’t understand why you’re so reluctant to do this. It’s a simple kill order, something you’ve done many times without question.”

  “Before it felt right.”

  “And this doesn’t?” Ferro put an edge into his words.

  “No. My father taught me to trust my instincts.” And Cyn had reminded him just recently. “That’s what I did those times I was considered reckless.”

  “Your father’s instincts were not always right, though, were they?”

  That was a sore point. He didn’t know what had possessed his father to defect. He still didn’t understand, and despite all his digging, those answers continued to elude him. “I don’t have all the facts in that case.” Irritatingly so.

  “Your father’s instincts were clouded by his feelings for a woman. It happens, unfortunately. The human side of us is weak.” Ferro gave him a dark look. “Is that what’s happening here?”

  Kade shook his head as he pushed the thought of his hands on Violet’s ass far from his mind. “No woman would be worth throwing my career away for.”

  “You are not weak like your father. In fact, since his downfall, you completely changed and have been an exemplary officer.”

  Kade had become Dune, except for the liking-to-kill part. The thought shuddered through him. “Thank you, sir,” he gritted out. Nothing was more important than regaining his position, his identity. For himself and for Mia.

  “I know you’re trying to do your job well, and I appreciate that. But I cannot have an officer in the field who doesn’t trust his superior. Don’t you trust my judgment?”

  If Kade answered honestly, he’d be pulled this second. “I trust you, sir. Implicitly.”

  “Then do your job. And only your job.”

  Kade felt cold all over as his career pooled like water on his upturned palms, ready to pour through his fingers. Following orders was a lot easier than questioning them. “I’m on it.”

  Ferro waited until Kade left the building before making his call. He studied the map until she answered.

  “It’s Alec,” he said. “I had a visit from Violet Castanega earlier. She’s concerned about the recent rash of murders among the Fringers, thinks they’ll start clan wars again. In fact, she suspects a conspiracy.”

  “A conspiracy. Really? Clever girl. I’d be more than happy to pay her a visit and dissuade her of the notion.”

  “No, she’s being dissuaded by one of my Vegas.”

  “She’ll be Breathed by someone else?” Her jealousy was clear in the sharpness of her voice.

  “No, he’s a Deuce. Someone who has no emotional ties to the family, other than previous arrests. Who will do his job in a cold and efficient way without letting the past ramp up his emotions.” He hoped.

  “You’re saying my emotions will make me reckless?”

  “I know how you can get when it comes to the Fringers.”

  She made a sniffing sound. “But it’s a waste of Dragon power.”

  He pressed one of the red tacks in more fully. “Don’t get greedy. Red Lust already breathes down your neck.”

  “Ridiculous.”

  He’d seen that edge of insanity simmering in her eyes ever since they’d taken on this mission. “We’re so close, darling. Do you want to lose everything by going Red and being executed? I can’t help you once our officials have you in custody. They have no consideration for personal relationships. In fact, if they find out I am your lover, I will be locked out of the proceedings completely.” And reprimanded for not reporting the relationship.

  Her silence reeked of fear. Her fear of death drove her. She had witnessed her sister being murdered when she was very young and later she’d been orphaned. He had taken her in, protecting her from those who had killed her parents. He understood her need for security all too well, her need to gain power. No doubt, it had driven her to seduce him, despite his protests about their age difference.

  “There’s a reason we have a plan. Stick to it. Speaking of…” He pulled a yellow pin from the map and replaced it with a red one. “Go ahead and take out the next target. But I’m going to make one small adjustment that should really get things moving.”

&nbs
p; Chapter 6

  Now that it was early evening, Ernie’s was much busier. Vehicles crammed the lot, mostly trucks sprayed in mud and bits of grass. Violet’s stomach tightened. She took a deep breath, grabbed the package of alligator meat, and got out. No sign of any of her family’s vehicles. They were probably lying low, plotting.

  A hand clamped over her arm, and she screamed. Her Dragon vibrated through her as she spun around, ready to whack her assailant with the package.

  Kade met her motion with his upturned palm. “Whoa.”

  “Is that what they teach you in the Guard, to sneak up on people and grab them?”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  He wasn’t wearing the standard Vega clothing, dressed instead in blue jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt with long sleeves. And he didn’t look the least bit apologetic.

  She hmphed. “Don’t touch me again, or I’ll unleash my Dragon on you.” Not that it had worked out so well last time. Wrestling in the mud with him—naked!—had been quite humiliating. And the aftermath…best not to go there. “What are you doing here? How’d you find me?”

  “I was coming back and saw you pull in.”

  He’d come back. It hit her then, which hopefully meant the Guard was now going to cooperate.

  “What did your boss say?” she asked.

  The fog in his eyes darkened, like swirling smoke. “I’m here in an unofficial capacity.”

  She nodded. “So the Guard is willing to let war erupt here. Nice.” She let her gaze draw down his unofficial self. “And you’re here for…?”

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about him being here. Without the power of the Guard, what could he do? Part of her did appreciate his presence, but she was ignoring it.

  “I want to get to the bottom of this.” He nodded to the building. “You here for a drink?”

  “Gods, no. The only time I come here is to help carry out one of my drunk family members. Or for information. You…can’t go in there,” she finished as he headed toward the entrance.

  “Because I’m Deuce?” He kept walking, forcing her to catch up to him.