Savage Love (Savage Trilogy 3)
“Handled,” Rick says.
“Handled?” I ask, confused and surprised, considering it wasn’t handled an hour ago.
“All us macho men protect our women, baby,” he teases. “You know that.”
“You mean cavemen?” I challenge.
“Whatever,” he says. “I said I called in favors. I did. A friend is going to contact Gabriel today and tease him with a big donation. He’ll offer him a private plane after the party.”
My brow furrows. “Okay, but what keeps Gabriel from taking me with him?”
“That friend is going to make sure it’s a one-on-one meeting.”
“How do you know Gabriel will even be interested?”
“Money talks, baby,” he replies. “And this friend has plenty of it.”
“Tell me it’s not Kane Mendez,” Adam snaps.
My gaze jerks to Adam and then Rick. “Who’s Kane Mendez?”
“A drug dealer,” Smith replies before Rick can respond.
My eyes go wide. “What?” I flick Smith a look, but it’s Rick I focus on. “Rick, what?”
“Smith’s a dweeb,” Rich assures me. “Kane Mendez is the CEO of Mendez Enterprises. He’s not a drug dealer. His father was, his uncle is. He is not.”
Smith snorts. “Give me a break. It’s widely believed his uncle is his cover story.”
Rick scowls in his direction. “I bet you believed it when the girls told you it was them not you when they broke up with you, too, didn’t you? Or maybe that Bigfoot exists? I mean it’s widely believed to be true, right, man? Or maybe you believe—”
“Kane Mendez is calling Gabriel,” Adam assumes. “Why do I know there’s more to this?”
“You haven’t been listening there, now have you, Jelly Bean?” Rick says. “Pocher is Gabriel’s money man and Kane Mendez is Pocher’s enemy. Kane can’t call Gabriel and have Gabriel do shit. Grayson Bennett is how we get Gabriel out of town tomorrow night.”
I gape at the familiar name. “Grayson Bennett? As in the hotel mogul who just bought part of an NFL team?”
“Jesus, Savage,” Adam growls. “You can’t pull Grayson into this. He’s an honest, good man who doesn’t need this kind of trouble.”
“Eric’s taking the meeting on his behalf,” Rick says, eyeing me. “Eric is Grayson’s right-hand man and part-owner of an NFL team.”
“That’s still pulling Grayson into this,” Adam insists.
“Eat a damn donut and get your panties out of a wad,” Rick snaps. “When Gabriel lands, Eric is going to cancel. He’ll be in the Hamptons, too close for comfort when Candace will be in New York, but he won’t know that. And at least he’ll be close enough for me to kill him if our options run out.” He looks around the room, “Where are we with taking him down before I decide to make the Hamptons his final breathing spot?”
“I still don’t like this,” Adam mumbles.
Asher runs a hand over his face. “We’re not taking down Gabriel in a day. Not without a breakthrough I haven’t had.”
“Well then,” Rick says. “It’s a good thing I called Kane Mendez.”
“What’s Kane going to do Savage?” Adam asks.
“Keep Candace alive. And that’s all that matters.”
“How?” I ask.
“The only way you can with a man like Pocher. You give him more reasons to keep you and your father alive than to kill you. And we do that by using Kane Mendez.”
“And what does he want in return, Savage?” Adam asks.
Rick’s response is immediate. “He owes me a favor.”
“I don’t even want to know what you did for him,” Adam says. “But do you think that’s enough for a man like Kane Mendez? He’ll want another favor from you.”
“I’ll take that risk.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Candace
“For the record,” Smith says. “I know you’re going to ignore me, but I object to Kane Mendez’s involvement.”
“For the record,” Rick says, “I object to funny shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They don’t taste the same.”
“Fuck you, Savage,” Smith snaps shortly. “I’m trying to keep us all alive.”
Rick surprises me by turning serious. “I trust him, man. I don’t say that lightly. If you trust me, trust him.”
“I do trust you,” Smith replies. “And I’d like to think that you trust me. I’ve heard things from people I know well.”
“I went to hit a target, a bastard who was running a slave trade. He did, too.”
“Kane Mendez?” I ask.
“Yes,” he confirms. “I saved Kane’s life. Kane saved my life. And then we saved the women together.”
Smith’s jaw ticks. “That doesn’t mean—”
“It does,” Rick insists, leaning forward and meeting Smith’s stare. “Man, you have to see how much I love her. I know him beyond that incident. I know him. I trust him. That I trust him with Candace’s life should tell you how sure I am of him.”
“You do,” Adam agrees. “You love the fuck out of her. You just won me over. Or rather, Kane Mendez won me over.”
Smith gives a short nod. “I’m on board.”
Rick’s shoulders ease, and he settles back into his chair. “Did someone say pizza?”