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CHAPTER NINE

“Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent.” ~ Jonathan Swift

Saros

I entered my club at eight at night. Em wouldn’t be there until nine, and I wanted to make sure I finished any business before he arrived. Cosmo had been instructed to bring him to my office and from there, I’d have Em to myself to talk with him.

I’d dug into Ramsey Brookes’s operation and well, honestly, it was odd. Benny believed he had political ambitions and needed serious backing, which made me wonder if he was looking to kidnap Dre Hopper to make the governor endorse him. But for what, I didn’t know.

What I knew about Ramsey was that he had married Shyla twenty-five years ago, wasn’t even a little bit faithful, but neither was she. They had one son together, Ramsey Junior, and lived in a house far bigger than he should on the income he reported to the IRS every year.

He had no arrests, though his son had been in a few run-ins with the law—a DUI or two, assault—but miraculously they’d disappeared. Not from me of course, I could find anything…except on Em.

The staff he had on his roster had no one by the name Em, Emmett, Emery, Emerson, nothing. It was bizarre and naturally only made me need to know more.

At nine o’clock there was a knock on the door, and then it opened. Being the office was soundproofed, they wouldn’t hear me call out.

Cosmo entered and closed it.

“What’s wrong?”

His face was a mixture of rage, confusion, and alertness.

“Em is here.”

“Okay, and why isn’t he in here now?”

“He’s not alone.”

I clenched my jaw. Why would he be accompanied by anyone this time and not the last time?

“Who is with him?”

“Guy’s name is Hess, said he’s there for Em’s protection.”

Protection? “And what did Em say?”

Cos scratched his chin, eyes boring into my own. “That’s the thing. Every time I asked Em a question, Hess answered. Em wouldn’t meet my eyes, and his hand has a splint on it, and he’s limping.”

What the absolute fuck?

“Bring him in.” I practically growled the words.

“What about Hess?”

I grinned. “Oh, by all means bring him in too, and stay close.”

“You got it, Boss.”

Once he exited the room, I opened my desk drawer pulled out my .45 caliber full-frame 1911 and slipped it into my gun holster. With my suit jacket on it wasn’t visible, but this Hess guy had to know someone like me was always armed.

I’d just closed the drawer when the door opened. The first to enter, I didn’t recognize. His dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, he was big and broad, had a goatee, and met my eyes briefly before looking away as if he couldn’t even be bothered with me.

Em followed behind him, and I locked on to his hand and a beat later focused on the limp. Nothing else seemed to matter.

“What happened to you?” I spoke as soon as Cosmo closed the door.

“We’re here for the pickup.” Hess’s voice was like glass, rough yet screechy, and I wanted to punch him.

I regarded the man briefly and once again directed my attention to Em. “I asked what happened to you?”

“Mr. Tancre?—”

“I’m not fucking talking to you, and if you answer for Em one more time, I’m gonna match every injury he has to you. Do I make myself clear?”

Hess didn’t respond. He glared, though, and I’d admire the balls on the guy if I didn’t want to feed them to him instead.

“Em.” I walked around my desk and over to him. “What happened?”

He looked up. There were prominent dark circles under his eyes, he was shaking, and the beading of sweat on his forehead was either fear or pain.

“Nothing, I’m fine.”

That was bullshit. “Cosmo, take Hess here to the bar for a drink; I’d like to speak with Em alone.”

“I’m not leaving him.” Hess stepped closer to me. In a flash I grabbed his wrist, twisted it until he spun, pressed it to his back, and slammed him atop my desk.

“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but trust me when I tell you that you’re nothing. You’re the gum at the bottom of my shoe, you’re not even an afterthought. I warned you, yet you don’t seem to understand who I really am and the viper’s nest you walked into. If your boss doesn’t want to inform you of such things, I’ll happily explain in a very painful and visible way. You can take that bit of information to Ramsey with the message that if he wants to continue to breathe, he will learn his place in my territory.” With that I snapped his wrist, successfully breaking it.

Hess screamed like a little bitch. I pushed him hard, and he collapsed on the floor.

“Now, go with Cosmo and get a fucking drink, and then I don’t ever want to see you in my club again.”

He stood, cradling his arm to his chest. He looked over at Em, who was staring wide-eyed at Hess. “He goes with me.”

“You want to lose a tongue too, fuckbag?” I grabbed an envelope cutter off my desk. “I’m game.”

“Let’s go.” Cosmo gripped Hess’s arm and dragged him from my office.

I stood close to Em but remained silent. His chest was heaving, he shook, and his eyes wouldn’t meet mine.

“Why don’t you sit on the couch?” I kept my voice low, not wanting to startle him.

He shuffled over and slowly sat. He sighed, probably from relief from whatever pain was causing the limp.

I leaned against my desk, giving him space. “Em, what happened to you?”

“I’m fine, honestly.” He glanced at the door. “You shouldn’t have done that to Hess.”

“Why not?”

“It’s just…it’s gonna be bad.”

Interesting thing to say. “Bad for whom?”

Em winced, and I didn’t really need him to answer the question. I took a very good look at him. He was thinner than he should be, obviously lacked sleep, and he was injured.

“Did your injuries happen on a job?”

He shrugged. “You could say that.”

“Em, I’m gonna be honest with you.” I slipped my hands into my pockets. “I’ve begun looking into Ramsey’s business.”

Em’s eyes snapped to mine. “Why?”

“I became curious after his last few requests. While doing that, I dug into the people who work for him, his family, and nowhere is there any Em, Emmett, Emery, nobody that fits you. Why is that?”

He gulped and cleared his throat. “Well, I’m more of an under-the-table worker.”

I moved to the couch and since he didn’t flinch, I sat beside him.

“Maybe you tell me truthfully how you got hurt.”

“I…can’t. Look, I’m fine, really. I just need the pickup.”

“Here’s the thing. I don’t feel right about you walking out that door tonight, or ever, to be honest. Have you thought about my offer?”

He sighed. “I don’t think it would be good for you or Ramsey if I accepted.”

“Why’s that?”

Em opened and closed his mouth twice before huffing. “Okay, so, if I work for you, Ramsey will hunt me down, and I’ll disappear. He’ll start a war with you, and I don’t know how well you’d fare.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I’ll do just fine going toe-to-toe with Ramsey Brookes.”

“I hope you would, but it’s peaceful for you right now, right?”

“I dunno, Em. You were there when six men tried to kill me. What do you think?”

He smirked, and I desperately wanted to make him smile.

“Okay, fair. But you don’t need more drama in your life is all.”

Chuckling, I cupped his cheek in my hand. “You like to protect me an awful lot, don’t you?”

He snorted. “I’m hardly someone who could save a soul, can’t even save mine.” He gasped as if he hadn’t expected to say that out loud.

“Can I please have the pickup? I have to get back soon. As it is, Ramsey is going to be livid with what happened to Hess.”

I pursed my lips. “Is that what happened, Em?”

“Huh?”

I motioned to his hand and leg. “Ramsey got mad?”

He didn’t say anything, but his silence was all the answer I needed. Ramsey liked to toss Em around, and while I wasn’t the type to get involved in others’ lifestyles, I couldn’t ignore that Em was being hurt.

“It’s settled, then,” I said as I stood and walked to the door.

“What is?” He went to stand, but his leg must have been worse than he thought, because he plopped down.

“You’re not leaving my side until I’ve found out everything.” I exited my office and locked the door. I didn’t mean to make Em feel like a prisoner, but he needed to stay put where he was safe.

I’d return to him in a moment…after I took out the garbage.