Page 43 of Kane (Ghost Ops #4)
Chapter Thirty-One
Daphne was sitting on the back porch, a dram of Scotch in hand because Kane had bought her a new bottle, gazing at the sunset when he walked outside and joined her. She smiled at him before turning back to the view.
He’d been watching her from the window as he’d cleaned up the dishes and she’d been staring into space the whole time.
Processing a lot, no doubt. Hell, he was still processing too.
Her identity, the things she knew, how she made him feel, the way he couldn’t quite keep a lid on his emotions when she was near, what he thought it meant.
So many fucking things, and he was no closer to an answer.
He kept thinking about what Blaze had said about how it took almost losing Emma to make him realize he wanted a life with her.
Kane wasn’t ready to say he wanted a life with Daphne, but he wanted her in his life right now. He wanted her safe and whole, and he wanted her father and brother gone for good.
A lot of wants, but he was hopeful.
The guys—and Daphne—had a discussion after Diana was gone, and they’d agreed that Daphne wouldn’t go anywhere alone until this was over.
They weren’t going to keep her hidden though.
It was possible Jackson was waiting to make a move.
If she disappeared entirely, then he might go to ground as well.
Since the Stinger missile deal was still speculation, they were going with what they knew, which was that Jackson would want to get his hands on Daphne and the information she’d stolen.
It was a safe bet he wanted that anyway. The missile hypothesis might be smoke and mirrors, but Daphne was a real threat the O’Malleys needed to silence.
And Kane was sticking by her side like a burr in a horse’s tail because he wasn’t letting that happen.
When he sank onto the cushioned loveseat, it was after eight and the sun was already behind the horizon.
The pink and purple clouds left in its wake were stunning though.
The fields had gone wild where they’d once been planted with corn and cotton, yet they were beautiful with wildflowers and other growing things he didn’t recognize.
A local farmer would cut it next month for hay, but for now it was wild and free.
“How’s the Scotch?”
She turned to him. “Perfect. Thank you for buying it, but you didn’t have to.”
“You’re welcome, and I wanted to.”
“Have some with me?”
He held up the empty glass he’d brought. “I’m ready.”
She smiled and picked up the bottle, poured some for him. Then she got the small pitcher she’d put water in and, using the straw sitting in the jug, she held her finger over one end and carefully dripped some into the Scotch.
“Why are you doing that again?”
“Because this whisky is cask strength. Anything over about fifty-five percent can really use that water to open it up. Not a lot, just a few drops. Swirl and try.”
He did as she said. “Mmm, that’s pretty good.”
“Right? Not all whiskies need water, but for the stronger ones, it helps to separate the smokiness from the alcohol and make it more noticeable.”
He sipped in silence. It’d never been awkward between them before, not even when he was keeping her at arm’s length by thinking of her as a sister, but for some reason it was awkward now. So much had happened in a short amount of time.
“How you feeling about today?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what I’m feeling, does it?
It’s out of my hands now. I can only wait and hope what I took is enough to put an end to my family’s business.
” She frowned as she swirled her Scotch, watching the liquid move around the glass.
“I didn’t know anything about missiles or Viktor Dashevsky.
I wondered why Jackson started trafficking people when he did, but I figured he was trying to impress our father with initiative and a new revenue stream. ”
He wished he could tell her more about The Dashevsky Group, but that was off limits.
She already knew more than she should, but Ghost had impressed upon her the sanctity of the information.
After what she’d risked to escape her family, he didn’t doubt she could be trusted.
Despite keeping the truth of her identity from them for so long.
“You don’t think your father knows about the missiles either?”
“Nope. It’s not the kind of thing he’d deal in.
Too many complications, too much uncertainty.
He always said the guns were enough to keep the business going.
Never deal in the big shit because that’s what brought more scrutiny, not to mention it’s harder to hide shipments.
If that’s what Jackson’s up to, he’s not doing it with our father’s approval. ”
“You didn’t seem surprised he wasn’t staying at the Wheeler Inn earlier.”
“I could have told you he wouldn’t be there.
O’Malleys only stay in hotels with strong layers of security and only when they want to be seen.
He’ll have rented a house somewhere, probably not in Sutton’s Creek, and it’ll be under a random alias.
If he’s here to sell anything illegal, he won’t call attention to himself.
Only those closest to him will know where he is.
If Nathan is the informant, then he’s either lying about knowing where Jackson is or he’s not close enough to my brother to know everything.
Which means he might not know where the meeting is until it’s too late. ”
“Hopefully, Diana will figure it out and be there to sweep him up. The sooner the better.”
“Couldn’t agree with you more,” she said, lifting the glass.
They clinked softly before taking a drink.
“I’ve been trying to think of who could have told my father they’d seen me here and when.
We’ve had some new customers in over the past couple of weeks, but nobody stands out to me.
A couple of guys shot for a few days and haven’t been back, but that’s not unusual when people are in the area on business. ”
It wasn’t, but Kane frowned. “Knowing what I know now, it was incredibly dangerous for you to take a job with us. There was always a chance somebody in the business would recognize you.”
Her shoulders slumped a fraction. “I know. I wasn’t going to take the job, but you guys were so nice and I felt safe.
The alternative was leaving town and ending up somewhere else with God knows what kind of job or living quarters.
It was winter and I didn’t want to go somewhere new, knowing I couldn’t afford a place to stay, and I didn’t want to clean motel rooms again.
And Sutton’s Creek is so small and remote in comparison to all the gun ranges and stores in Huntsville that I thought it unlikely anyone who knew my connection to Crescent City Armory would visit.
I also thought I’d be gone long before anyone figured it out.
” She shook her head. “But I got comfortable, and complacent. I didn’t want to leave. And now I’ve put you all in danger.”
He sipped the Scotch. “Told you before that’s not a consideration. You’re safer here with us than you would be anywhere else you might have gone. Promise you that.”
“I know.” She nibbled her lower lip. “But you don’t know Jackson. He has no sympathy, no mercy. If he gets a chance to hurt one of you—or someone you love—he will do it for the kicks, and because it will hurt me.”
“Not gonna let him do that, babe.” He understood her fear.
He just didn’t share it. Not that he dismissed the threat, because he wasn’t that stupid.
But he and his guys were prepared for it.
There was something he didn’t understand though.
“You took the files when you left. Why didn’t you take enough money to disappear for good? Or at least enough to live on?”
“I couldn’t. I spent my own money getting my ID and the car.
What was left I used on the road until I ran out.
” She leaned back and kicked a foot onto the coffee table.
“You have to understand that all the money came through my father. I could spend what I wanted on credit cards, travel, buy designer clothes and handbags. Anything. But cash? That was different. I kept some for emergencies, money I knew wasn’t marked in some way, and that’s what I used.
But taking money from the business? I could never be certain if the money was marked and trackable.
Club money was picked up every morning after close of business by one of my father’s enforcers.
I literally had no access to a cash source I could trust.”
“You lived like that for a long time.”
Her pretty face was troubled. “It was what I knew, what I expected. I hate that I didn’t leave sooner, that I accepted my dad’s business and rationalized it in the ways I did. I wish I’d been braver.”
He reached for her hand, tugged her to his side. She settled in like she belonged there. She was warm and vibrant and emotion flooded his system for a moment before he got it under control again.
“Think you did the best you could, Sunshine. If you’d left earlier, would you have the files you have? Would you have been prepared to tough it out the way you did before you started work here?”
“The answers are no and I hope so.” She tipped her head up to meet his gaze. “I wouldn’t blame you for hating me, you know. My family is fundamentally flawed, and I am too. I was complicit for a long time.”
He put a finger over her mouth. “Daphne. Think. You knew what your father did, but you didn’t make him do it. What do you think Kid Daphne—or Kid Josie—should have done, huh? Call the police? What would you have told them?”
“I know what you’re trying to do, but I’m twenty-eight and I’ve been my father’s accountant for six years. There was plenty of time to figure out how to put an end to the business.”
He tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
“They make movies about people who work for the mafia, or marry into it, or whatever. Escaping is never easy, and it’s definitely not without risks.
You were born into your family same as I was born into mine.
Difference is when I left, my family wasn’t going to hunt me down and drag me back.
Or kill me. Would yours have let you go if you said you wanted to leave? ”
She shook her head. “I’m an asset to be married off for the sake of alliances. I would never be allowed to leave.”
He brushed his mouth against hers. Lightly, sweetly. Made him shudder with need. The idea of her marrying someone he didn’t know, of never meeting her or knowing how beautiful she was when she moaned his name, squeezed the breath from his lungs.
He wasn’t in control of his reactions as the kiss turned hot.
Daphne opened to him, moaning as his tongue slipped between her lips.
She tasted of smoky whisky and heat, and he wanted more.
She did too, apparently, because her hands went to his waistband, tugged his shirt out of his jeans so that she could slide her palms against his skin.
He groaned as she touched him. His dick went from semi to rock solid in half a second. He wanted to be inside her, surrounded by her, driving them both toward a shattering climax that would rock him to the core.
He broke the kiss and stood, tugging her up with him.
She didn’t have to ask where they were going as he started for his room.
Ethan wasn’t home, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t show up at an inopportune moment.
Kane really wished he lived alone so he could fuck Daphne wherever the mood took him.
Kitchen, couch, back porch. Whenever and wherever he wanted.
But that wasn’t happening today. He sent her up the stairs in front of him, eyes glued to that gorgeous ass in her body skimming jeans, then pushed her inside his room and kicked the door shut.
She devoured him with a look, neither one moving toward the other now that they could get naked without fear of interruptions.
Then she smiled as she dragged her shirt off and dropped it.
He wanted to go to her, help her, but it was more fun to watch her strip.
She toed off her shoes, pushed her jeans down, and kicked them off until she stood in her panties and bra.
Then she sauntered over to where he stood with his back to the door and reached for his zipper. It wasn’t until she dropped to her knees that he had any idea what she was about. She shoved his jeans down his hips and wrapped her hands around his cock.
“Daphne,” he said.
She licked him. “Oh no, Candy Kane. I told you I could make you see stars. I plan to prove it.”