Page 93 of Guarded Knight

Rio laughs darkly.

My brother might find it humorous, but that animalistic growl I get when Lara talks about other men works its way up my throat.

I swallow it. No point getting possessive now. Even if every cell in me wants to drag her closer and make her forget every man before me.

Lara giggles. “Sorry, Luis.”

He waves her off, still smiling. “You can make someone laugh at the most inappropriate time. Which,cariño,is also when it’s usually most needed.”

Anton sits on the armrest of one of the leather couches. “Jokes aside, we need some new leads.”

He’s right. I thought this would be easy, but whoever is after her is a phantom.

Anton continues, “It doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic. It could be someone else who feels hard done by or crossed in some way.”

Lara’s quiet for a beat. Then, something lights up in her eyes, though it’s quickly doused with dread. “I don’t get into it with anyone really. At least not… not…” Her eyebrows furrow together in realization. “At least not personally.”

Freya frowns and immediately understands. “Kevin?”

The girls share a knowing gaze.

Lara seems at a momentary loss for words, so Freya explains. “Lara has found some fraudulent activity at Scarlet Hope.” She grimaces. “Maybe he knows that you know? And he’s… trying to distract you until he gets away with it.”

Lara is now wide-eyed.

Freya pulls her knees to her chest and hugs them. “I found some more things out about Belinda and her charities when I was researching at the café.”

Maybe that’s why Freya agreed so easily to come here tonight, too. She’s doubting Kevin’s intentions… and just how far he might go to protect himself.

“Did you read more annual reports?” Lara asks.

“Yes. Kevin has been sending funds to Belinda’s charities for a long time. Even from some previous foundations he ran before Scarlet Hope.”

“Shit,” Lara says under her breath.

Anton leans two thick forearms on the back of the sofa where Freya sits. “Wow. I didn’t know we had two detectives under our roof.”

Freya spins to face him. “You mean four, right?”

He smiles coyly. “I think of Gabriel and me more as enforcers.”

She twists back slowly to the center of the room, but there is a mixture of awe and attraction on her features.

Lara huffs. “When I was at the cabin, I was trying to keep busy. Trying to distract myself, and I found more on Belinda. AndKevin. They’ve known each other for a long time. At least since 2007.” She’s apologetic. “Sorry.”

Freya scrunches her eyebrows. “How do you know that?”

“We can talk in private,” Lara offers.

“It’s okay.”

“I saw photos,” she says quietly. “On OneSpace from a long time ago. I don’t know what it means apart from them knowing each other.”

Freya’s face falls, and a sarcasm I’ve not heard from her before laces her words. “But I mean… they aren’t brother and sister, are they?”

“More than colleagues, at least,” Lara finishes.

That’s when Rio puts his fingertips together, tattoos on his forearms like some sort of secret code. “So Kevin knows you’ve been snooping on him.”