Now, I’m definitely not stupid enough to believe Julius will ever truly love me. But I would be blind to miss the way he looks at me. He may never love me completely, but he likes me, a lot, and I’ll take it. Love makes people do unpredictable, moronic things. Our marriage will leave me content, satisfied. Yes. I can see myself being comfortable in a coupling where my partner and I are attracted to each other, crave each other’s company and make each other laugh. I’ll consider it a bonus that I don’t get beaten every second day.
Julius steps out of the car and walks around to my door, opening it and helping me out. Testing the waters, I put all my pressure onto my heel and am more than surprised when all I feel is a light pinch that is completely bearable. I move to take his hand, but he pulls away. And, ouch, it hurts.
“Jesus.” He sighs loudly at the sight of my obvious reaction, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. “Don’t look at me like that, Ana. It would be in our best interest for Kelly to think we’re just working together.”
He’s right, of course, so when he jerks his head toward the building and starts walking, I follow behind, lagging in silent protest.
The reception area is empty, and the white fluorescent lights beaming against the spotless white walls hurt my eyes. There is a wooden door behind the reception desk that beckons, and I assume we mean to enter it, but Julius moves to the inconspicuous white door to the left, presses his finger to the button at the side of it and waits.
A speaker I can’t see shrieks then hums, causing me to wince at the ear-piercing sound. A gruff man asks, “Yeah, what do you want?”
Julius’s lip tilts up at the side and then inquires loudly, into a microphone that isn’t visible, “Braden Kelly around?”
A crackle and buzz. “Who wants to know?”
“Julius Carter.”
A drone then a semidistorted voice announces, “Well, fuck me.”
The door whirrs, then a loud buzzer sounds somewhere behind it. An audible click unlatches, and the unassuming door opens to reveal a redheaded man in his late thirties with a ginger beard. His eyes light and surrounded with laugh lines, he smirks at Julius, revealing a blinding white smile. “Fuck me, indeed.” Throwing his arm out, he takes the hand that Julius hasn’t yet offered and shakes it roughly. He has a light accent that intrigues me. “Carter, come in, will ya? I’ve got to get back before they fire me.”
Julius and I follow him inside and walk quickly along the stretched hall, rushing to keep up with the man I assume is Braden Kelly.
Julius sounds amused. “Doesn’t your family own this place?”
Kelly throws him a grin. “Oh, aye. And believe you me, they’d use any excuse to get rid’a me. Say I’m a bloody lunatic.” He looks around Julius to me and maintains his pace with ease. “You take out an eye with a letter opener one time…” He shakes his head and clicks his tongue audibly. “One bloody time.”
I can’t help the smile that forms at my lips. He’s quite amusing.
Just because these men are cold-hard killers, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a certain charm, and Braden Kelly oozes it.
We approach the door at the end of the hall, and Braden throws it open to reveal two other men sitting around a table who turn to look at us. One of them stands, a tall man with auburn hair long enough to curl behind his ears. When he sees Julius, his jaw steels. And although he’s clearly not happy about having us here, he shows his respect with a single nod. “Carter. How goes things?”
Julius inclines his head in a show of esteem. “Connor.”
The man who remains seated seems neither affected nor unaffected by our presence. He’s shorter than Braden, stouter than Connor, with his long hair tied into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He leans back in his chair, chewing on a pen, but his eyes smile. “Julius. What’s a fine man like you visiting the Kellys’ in the early morn? Don’t wish to get your pretty hair dirty?”
Braden laughs heartily. “Oh aye, Shane, nor those expensive shoes.”
My gut sinks at the insults they’re throwing. I mean, are they mental?
Do they have a death wish?
Connor grins at his brother’s ribbing. “Nay, lads.” He jerks his chin to me. “Look, will ya? He’s come bearing gifts.” He shoots me a wink and, without thinking too much, I walk toward him, not stopping until we’re nose to chest, and channel my inner Ling. I need to do this, because I’m convinced men like these would find the presence of a meek woman working with Julius suspicious.
I look up at him and smile, batting my lashes in clear seduction. He’s too entranced to notice my hand advancing. His surprised yelp when my fingers grasp his cock is everything. My smile remains as I squeeze harshly a moment before releasing him. Without losing eye contact, I move back toward Julius and listen as Braden and Shane laugh, while Connor hisses, gripping his dick through his jeans.
Braden shoves his shoulder into Connor. “Hope you like your presents with teeth.”
Shane adds, chuckling, “You won’t be getting no sympathy from me. You knew better, Con.”
Connor’s face turns red, but a smile twitches at his lips. He keeps his eyes on me, and when he speaks, his voice is warmer than it had been a moment ago. “And who might you be?”
I keep my mouth shut.
Julius responds on my behalf, “This is Maria Gambirella, from New York. She’s working with me a while.”
“Italian.” Connor tuts, clearly disgusted. Shaking his head in mock sadness, he sighs, “It could’ve been so good between us, love.”
At that, Shane perks up, looking intrigued. “Oh? What’s happened to Miss Ling then?”
Julius advises diplomatically, “Even Ling needs a break from time to time.”
But Connor frowns in my direction. “You look familiar to me.”
My gut begins to churn wildly.
It’s okay. He doesn’t know you. Relax.
I force my anxiousness to calm as I respond evenly, “We haven’t met.” I look down at his crotch and force a sly smile. “I would’ve remembered.”
Julius’s hand touches my lower back in warning. And my cheeks turn red with pent-up frustration.
If my feigned flirting bothers him, he shouldn’t have told me it would be better if these men didn’t know he was my husband. I’m just playing my role.
“So,” Braden starts, “why have you come calling? We haven’t seen you since our brother’s funeral.”
My mouth opens without permission or thought at that. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
All eyes on me.
After a moment, Shane responds with a heartfelt, “Thank you, dear. Mighty kind.” Then he raises his arms in the air, stretching. “But the boy brought it on himself, got his nose caught up in something he had no business being a part of, and that got him killed.”
Julius responds a quiet but unyielding, “Killing him wasn’t something I wanted to do.”
And it hits me like a wet towel thrown at my face, connecting with a harsh and echoing slap.
Julius.
Of course.
Judge. Jury. Executioner.
Shane eyes his brother’s killer hard. “We know. We all have our places in this world. Danny didn’t watch the road, and he stepped into oncoming traffic.”
Connor leans closer to me, blinking thoughtfully at my face. “I swear I’
ve seen you before, dearie. I just cannae place where.”
“You haven’t,” I say in a tone that leaves no room for contemplation.
Braden watches Julius carefully. “Enough chatter. Why are you here?”
Julius steps forward, taking a seat in the vacant chair in front of the desk, and I move to stand behind him. “Can you unscramble a file?”
Braden blinks, clearly not expecting the question. “It depends on what was used to scramble it in the first place.”
“How long would it take?” Julius asks, looking bored, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair.
Braden shrugs. “If I had the file—”
Julius reaches into his pocket, retrieves a metallic USB and throws it to Braden. “How much?”
Braden Kelly clutches the USB and grins. “You think I’m stupid, Carter? Money means naught to me. Life of a gypsy, ya know. I’m thinking of something more useful.” Still grinning, his eyes widen as he points a finger at Julius. “I want a solid.”
It seems having Julius Carter owe you is worth more than all the money in the world.
Julius pretends to think about it a long while before he nods in acceptance. “A marker it is. Now…”
Braden moves around the desk and sits himself down before the running laptop. He locks in the USB and, without so much as a word, his fingers move over the keyboard at a rapid pace. A minute passes and he snorts in amusement. “Whoever scrambled these needs a solid kick to the shin. A five-year-old could have done a better job.” He glances up at Julius. “They’re video files. This’ll take no time at all. Sit tight.”
Shit.
Video files.
Oh shit.
My gut clenches.
They couldn’t be? Dino would never have been so stupid. He didn’t… He wouldn’t…
Would he?
Julius seems to be thinking the same thing I am, because his face turns hard and he stands rapidly, looking to Braden’s brothers. “Excuse us, boys. We need a moment alone.”
Shane raises his hands in understanding. “Come, Connor. We have work to do.”