Loving Mr. Cane (Cane 3)

“Good,” I said, even though Mario told me to keep my mouth shut. I didn’t give a damn. I was sick of them making me out to be the fucking bad guy. “And for the record,” I said in Maye’s face, “I would never hurt Kandy. Next time you come at me, come at me with your facts straight.”

She looked at me through narrowed eyelids. “Don’t leave the city, Mr. Cane. You are still considered a suspect until we get a hold of Miss Hugo, especially considering the new information we just uncovered. This doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.”

“Whatever,” I grumbled, turning away and walking out the door. I didn’t care what new information they uncovered. They were so full of shit.

I hurried to the window, where I was checked out and given my car keys and cell phone, and then burst out the door. It was still dark outside, probably around 2:00 a.m. Though it was late, I wanted to see Kandy. She was probably terrified after what had happened. I needed to know she was okay.

“Cane! Wait!” Mario called after me.

I stopped at the bottom of the cement steps, looking over my shoulder as he walked down.

“She is right about you staying in the city. You can’t travel anywhere until you are in the clear and they have enough evidence from neighbors and the girl. They’ll ask Kandy some thorough, deep questions. They’ll bring Kelly in, and she will most likely lie, but I want you to remember what you told me.”

“What exactly did I tell you?”

“She recently found out how you could afford to build Tempt, thanks to her snooping around and piecing the puzzle together, and if she gets that shitstorm of a conversation started, there will most likely be another investigation opened, and they’ll come searching your place. My question to you is—will they be able to find anything?”

“They won’t find a damn thing, Mario. My house is clean. I don’t do that anymore.”

“Okay. Okay.” He held his hands in the air. “Just making sure.” He pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket inside his jacket. He took one out and pinched it between his lips, then offered one to me. With a sigh, I plucked one out, needing something to take the edge off. Not only that, but I was going to have to either hitch a ride with him to the hospital, where my car was, or call up a taxi. I wasn’t up for the latter.

I hadn’t smoked since my mother got out of rehab. We promised each other. For me, it was no more cigarettes. For her, it was no more drugs and no more Buck. It had been one hell of a day, though. A cigarette was what I needed.

“Be honest,” I mumbled, the cigarette between my lips. He sparked the end of mine, and I inhaled hard before exhaling. “I won’t be in the clear for a while, will I?”

“Not if Kelly tells your truth.” He took a drag. “I looked into her background before I got here. Called up a few people who could get me some information. She has a lawyer here named Chase Berry. He’s a damn good lawyer, and somehow always knows how to plead a mental case for her.”

“Mental case? More than one? Fuck my life.”

“Yeah. She’s had a lot of accusation, but there were three in particular that stood out to me the most.” Another drag. “There was a restraining order. I don’t know all the details, only that she threatened the fiancée of a man she was dating. From what I gathered, she and that man had probably stopped dating a long time ago, but Kelly was thinking they were still together.”

“Shit.” I took a harder pull.

“She went to an inpatient facility for three months to get out from under that one. Apparently therapists deemed her as bipolar with narcissistic tendencies. One therapist said she was pushing more toward Borderline Personality Disorder.”

“You’re fucking kidding? And that’s what I’m dealing with? Fuck, how didn’t I know she was this fucking crazy? Took a damn stabbing for me to see how dangerous she actually is.”

“I don’t know, but I’d keep a close eye on her. What she says could damage your career and your reputation…and you know El Jefe has no patience for messy situations.”

I frowned and slowly dragged my gaze back over to his. He was already looking at me. Dropping his cigarette, he stepped on the butt of it, getting rid of the spark. “What the hell did you just say?”

“El Jefe. He wouldn’t be pleased to hear that your career is on the line,” he repeated nonchalantly, as if that name were just a common one.

“Wait…” I held a hand up, shaking my head. “You work for him?”

“I’ve worked for him for years. He’s the one who had me reach out to you when you first got Tempt started, told me to keep a close eye, make sure your business stays in the clear, no red flags.”