Bloody Vows (Lilah Love 5)

“And yet,” I assure him, “it’s so very tempting to at the very least bust your balls, but you know why I’m not?”

“This is a trick question, right?”

“Because I believe one day you might settle down and try to have kids and I will have taken that ability from you. I’m handling a murder case that’s gotten personal. You’re family. I thought you were dead.”

“Wait.” His lips quirk. “Are you telling me you were worried?”

“I’m telling you I’m pissed off.”

Kane steps to my side. “Where’s my coconut cake I was promised?”

Lucas’s lips press together. “That’s the thing,” he starts, obviously preparing an excuse. “I told Lilah that I bought food so she wouldn’t worry about me being alone. There was no cake. There is no cake. I came to buy one and they were sold out.”

“And so you just didn’t come to the house,” I comment. “You’re such a little bitch, Lucas.” I sit down at the seat across from his faithful laptop and grab the pie beside it. Kane settles into the seat next to me. “They’re bringing our food to the table.”

“Perfect,” I say, taking a bite of the pie and then offering him the fork. He doesn’t like strawberry pie, but he takes a bite.

And I know very well it’s so Lucas cannot.

Reason number one hundred and two to marry him, not that I need convincing.

Lucas sits down across from me and slides his laptop to the side, his energy uncomfortable.

As it should be.

“I need more stuff,” I say, sliding the pie between Kane and I to save it for dessert.

Lucas pulls his laptop back in front of him. “As long as it’s not more pie or cake since they’re sold out, hit me with it. And just so you know, I’ve pulled the data you wanted. I’ll download it all to a file for you before we leave.”

“Anything good?” I ask.

“There are connections between Pocher and almost everyone in the town. Every major event that is widely attended is a dot that connects to him. As of late, that means your father, as well.”

“In other words, no,” Kane supplies. “He’s found nothing that good. I told you. He’s not that good. You need Tic Tac.”

Lucas straightens. “All right. Challenge accepted.” He eyes the diner and then Kane. “See the woman in red? Give me fifteen seconds and I’ll tell you her life story.” He punches in a few keystrokes and says, “Her name is Nicki Wright. Age 32. Her social security number is 444-56-7734. She’s presently chatting on a dating site with some man twice her age who is loaded. Or so she thinks. He’s telling her his name is Madison Moore. It’s really Ricky Wilson, and he’s nineteen, and still lives at home with his mother.”

A waitress appears and fills mine and Kane’s coffee cups. When she leaves, Lucas is still waiting on Kane’s kudos. Poor man-boy has a hard lesson coming his way.

“That,” Kane says, “was equivalent to petty theft. And I have about ten guys who can do that on staff.”

Lucas scowls at Kane and then looks at me. “I doubt that.”

“Have you tried to hack me, Lucas?” Kane asks.

The minute I look at Lucas and spy the guilt smeared all over his pretty face, like jelly on a bun, all I can think is oh shit.

“You have,” Kane supplies. “And what, Lucas, did you find?”

“That you are not your uncle.” He reaches into his bag where it hangs on the edge of his chair, pulls out a data stick, and slides it toward Kane. “That’s a peace offering, my way of showing you I’m loyal to Lilah, I’m loyal to you. He doesn’t know how to protect himself or his assets. You better clean that shit up.”

I don’t look at Kane. I don’t have to. I can feel the spike of predatory energy in him. And I can feel his stare resting coldly on Lucas. And I know what is coming. Lucas may think he’s cornered Kane. He may think this is how he earns a place in Kane’s inner circle. Or maybe he thinks he can hold Kane hostage to therefore protect himself, and even his relationship with me, in some way. But he’s a mere rabbit taunting a lion. All the lion has to do is flick his paw and this is over.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kane picks up the data stick, eyes it, and then fixes a hard stare on Lucas. “These are my uncle’s secrets?”

“Yes,” Lucas replies.

Kane leans forward and drops the stick in the glass of soda sitting near Lucas. “I’m not my uncle. I want nothing to do with his business. And if you have duplicates, I suggest you get rid of them. Or you could always offer your services to my uncle. That’s a good life-long gig. Of course, as my father proved, it will be a short life.”