Page 49

With a click of a button, I shut the automated blinds in my office, swathing the room in darkness.

I rub my temples and review the evidence in the embezzlement case so far.

Transfers to shell companies resembling our vendors.

Wire amounts under the ten thousand dollar Federal Currency Transaction Reporting limit.

Pattern of embezzlement over ten years.

Dayton’s hedge fund behind the Cayman Islands’ account.

When I met Dayton in the hospital after Alexis woke up, I did a full workup on him.

Holden Investments has been linked to a few shady deals with questionable businessmen in the past. In the past decade, Dayton had a meteoric rise in the financial world—growing his family’s hedge fund from a boutique firm to a sizable company quickly becoming a power player in the industry.

This rate of growth is almost unheard of.

Someone has to be pulling the strings behind it.

I’d also reviewed the past entries in Alexis’s leather journal I kept at my place—paying attention to references on Dayton.

I knew she didn’t trust him before they broke up.

She felt like he was hiding something from her.

She had that strange suspicious “dream” where she thought she overheard something about leverage.

Of course, the current her doesn’t remember any of this—she only remembers her sweet high school boyfriend, who’s now a good friend and, as she recently learned, a man who wants her back.

She told me the other day that Dayton had texted her after the cruise, but she hadn’t responded because she didn’t want to encourage his affections.

My urge to kill him for kissing her hand on the cruise—and for these text messages—notwithstanding, is that all this is?

Dayton showing up time and time again because he likes her?

Or is it something more?

Is he befriending her because of some ulterior motive?

Access to Fleur?

Unease churns inside me.

I’m missing something.

I’m tempted to hire a bodyguard for Alexis, but she won’t agree.

After all, the Dayton she knows has done nothing to her.

I’ve promised her no more secrets and I don’t want to worry her about my suspicions.

Before knowing Dayton was involved, I was fine with taking my time with the investigation—crossing the T’s, dotting the I’s.

I knew I’d make the bastard pay me back tenfold once I caught him.

But now that Dayton is part of this and he’s linked to Alexis, I can’t help but be afraid.

What if there’s something more sinister going on?

I need to get to the bottom of this as fast as I can.

My phone rings, and I pick up.

“Anderson speaking.”

“I heard you’re dealing with a snake. Thought I’d offer my exterminator services before you called me, since this all follows the trend of Andersons needing my help.” The familiar gravelly voice chuckles.

“Elias, I’d ask you how you knew about this, but then I think I’d rather not know.”

“This one’s easy. Liam called me.”

I sit up in my chair.

“You’re the person he trusts with his life?”

What on earth has my best friend been involved in?

I wasn’t aware he was that close with the king of the underworld, who even the mafia, mob, and bratva respect in the city.

“Are you surprised?” A clicking sound.

That damn lighter again.

“I swear, someday, I’m going to steal that annoying lighter from you and chuck it into the ocean.”

The clicking stops.

“And you’ll be a dead man.”

“Tell me why you don’t smoke but carry that damn thing everywhere.”

“Maybe,” the clicking resumes, “maybe one day, if I need your help, you can get the story out of me. We’re more alike than you know.”

I furrow my brows.

I can never get a straight answer out of this man.

“Why did Liam think you can help? This is a financial crime. I don’t need someone killed.”

“The walls have ears, Ethan. He couldn’t tell you everything he suspected when you met at The Menagerie because it was too public, but he saw a few flags in the account at The Caymans. There was a second shell company with transactions moving in and out of that account. It’s no simple embezzlement scheme you’re investigating.”

“What did you guys find?”

“The Association.” My heart drops.

Fuck. If they’re involved, then things just got a lot more dangerous.

“It’s the same account that paid for Ian Vaughn’s legal fees back then. And I have a vested interest in all things The Association.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

I think back to what happened with the Vaughn siblings’ uncle, renowned ballet choreographer, who is spending his life behind bars in a maximum security prison because of what he did to Taylor when she was sixteen.

He claimed he was forced by the infamous international criminal organization made up of billionaires and powerful people, an association purported to control governments, politicians, and businesses.

Alexis still doesn’t know her precious Uncle Ian is very much alive.

The only reason I kept it from her is because of the damn medical trial, since this revelation happened right before her accident.

Her brothers wanted to spare her the pain of learning the only father figure she had was actually the scum of the earth .

“I wish I was. That’s why I called. We need to find the snake before it bites you,” Elias murmurs.

“I owe that to your family. You Andersons have honor and I respect all of you, and that’s a rarity given what I know about the elite.”

Our family came from a line of dukes in the British aristocracy before our ancestors moved to the States in the eighteen hundreds.

Our motto, “valor and virtue, with honor, we stand,” is drilled into every Anderson offspring since before we could talk.

We’ve kept our hands clean and stayed away from The Association despite multiple covert attempts over the years to loop us into their fold.

We don’t associate with criminals.

Other than Elias, who’s been nothing but steadfast toward us.

I clear my throat, uncertain how to respond to this rare display of emotion from my friend.

“I’d thank you, but I’m sure that isn’t why you called. You have something up your sleeves.”

“I’d offer a more violent and expeditious way of finding out what’s going on, but since I know you, and torturing Dayton isn’t on the table, I took the liberty of setting up another shell company.”

“For?”

“Bait. Dayton embezzles because he needs money for whatever reason. Flag one of the fake vendors he’s using—nothing suspicious—just a routine audit or something like that, so he’ll be forced to use another vendor. Then offer the one I set up. When he bites, we’ll be there to follow the money and find out who he’s sending the cash to.”

I mull over his idea.

It’s definitely more legitimate than Elias gutting the bastard, which I secretly want, but am sure my siblings and Alexis won’t appreciate.

“Let’s say your idea works. How do we get the fake shell company info to him?”

“If you were Rex, I’d say get drunk and let it slip at a club in his presence, but since you always have a stick up your ass and you’re also dating his ex-girlfriend, it’s probably best for you not to be involved. He’ll be suspicious right away. Do you have anyone you trust with the investigation? ”

“Yes.” There’s only one person I trust with this info.

“Get that person to leak the info then.”

“I can do that.”

“Good. The company details are in your email. I’ll work with Liam to find out more. Keep me posted, we’ll talk so—”

“Elias.” I grip my phone.

“Is Lexy in danger? Should I be worried?”

Silence fills the line.

“I’d keep your girlfriend from meeting her ex for now. But nothing suggests this is anything more than a financial motive.”

Blowing out a breath, I stand.

“I can’t let anything happen to her.”

“Understood. Let me figure out a few things and we’ll chat. You know how to reach me if anything changes.” He ends the call.

Fucking shit.

I hit the button to open the blinds and the harsh daylight streaming from the windows sears my eyes.

The financial loss doesn’t matter.

Turning down another attempt from The Association doesn’t worry me—it won’t be the first time we’ve done it.

Lexy getting hurt? Unthinkable.

I need to catch the bastard and keep him away for good.

Determined, I stroll out the door and make my way to Trey’s office.

Laughter filters out of his opened door—he’s joking with a few managers and staff—well loved, as always.

I bite back a smile, thinking how he took in the nobody Delaney back then, and got me to where I am today.

“Trey, do you have a sec?” I knock on his door.

He snaps his head up, the smile on his face disappearing when he takes in my expression.

“Of course.”

“Sir,” a manager mumbles as he squeezes past me along with his teammates and quickly closes the door behind them.

“Seriously, Ethan. Learn to smile more. You attract more bees with honey than vinegar.”

“I smile. What are you talking about? ”

Trey cocks his brow.

“To your girlfriend, maybe. And yes, I heard. Heck, everyone knows the Deliminator, the impenetrable ice monster, is disgustingly in love with the Vaughn princess.”

My lips twitch, thinking back to how I spent the week with Nova.

“Ugh. Your smile is sickening.”

“Just because you’re divorced doesn’t mean all women are awful.”

He snorts.

“Anyway, what’s up? You had that serious look on your face.”

Sitting down, I pull up the email on my phone and show it to him.

Trey frowns. “What am I looking at?”

“Greenwich Housekeeping Services is our newest approved vendor for The Strata. They are subsidiaries of the existing Greenwich Housekeeping LLC we currently use and have great relationships with. That’s the official front, anyway.”

I explain Elias’s plan, without mentioning the man, of course, and watch Trey’s eyes widen, the gears obviously shifting into place.

“That might work. It’s brilliant. Remind me not to piss you off,” he murmurs.

“So, I take it you want me to ‘share’ this info with Dayton? I don’t know the guy though.”

“I thought about it. This weekend, there’s a reopening of Trésor at The Orchid.”

“The strip club?” His eyes light up and I roll my eyes.

Until Nova, I never understood this base desire of men being ruled by their dicks, but from what I know, I’m an odd duck.

“The exotic dance club. It’s classy. Anyway, Lana has extended invitations to a few folks, so I’ll have her send one to him. There’s no way he’ll miss it. He’s a social climber.” I stand and head toward the door.

“And didn’t you say you always wanted to visit The Orchid? Well, here’s your chance.”