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Was she hungering for another round of passion? Was she longing for my touch? Another stolen kiss? Or was she trying to determine how best to rid herself of me? If I had to guess, I’d say a little of all three. There was no chance of denying the crackling electricity nearly consuming us when we were in the same room. It wasn’t in my best interest to fall prey to the dark and rather sadistic cravings that had remained in the back of my mind for weeks, control necessary.
Especially since handling her father would be a challenge, but one I looked forward to. She would become my greatest asset in a war of testosterone and influence, fueled by greed. There wasn’t any doubt Thomas Cartier held secrets like everyone else. The key was finding and exploiting them, which I would do.
Maybe through Raven’s former flame Carter Ramsey. That was an avenue yet to be tapped into, but one I couldn’t ignore. The fact he was Ramsey’s son was even more fascinating. They could be building an empire of their own, but for what purpose? I highly doubted it was about enforcing the law. There was more to it. If I had to guess, I’d say they were developing a regime, one built on the hunger for power and wealth.
Like my family had achieved. The kind they’d never experienced. With a single exception.
It was the best answer I’d come up with so far.
I felt the slight vibration of my phone and sighed. It was still a typical business day. The call from Maddox was one I’d expected. I’d asked him to quietly make inquiries as to Don Carlos.
“What did you find?”
“Carlos is laying low. He’s recently back from vacationing in Cayman, flying in two days ago, one day after the suspicious fire. He took his entire family there with him.”
“He didn’t want to have any possibility of a connection and he had a built-in alibi.”
“Exactly,” Maddox said. “So you’re aware, the official report is that the fire was an accident.”
“And the DEA? Have they pushed any harder?”
“No. From what I learned, their appearance was more of a breeze by than a full investigation just like you suspected. You were also right about the judge who signed off on it. He’s a business associate of Devin Carlos.”
“A tangled web of lies and deceit. Oh, my,” I said, more amused than annoyed. An important aspect about arrogance and greed, relying on friends for an increase of power, was one wrong move or piece pulled from the intricate web and the entire interlocked puzzle fell apart. That’s what I hoped to do in my effort to destroy several enemies at once. “I can tell there’s more.”
“You bet there is. From what I was told by a guy who owes us a favor at the police department, an anonymous call was made insisting the recent shipments to the construction site were drugs, not equipment. Whether that’s true or not, your guess is as good as mine.”
“Would the guy lie to you?”
“Not if he wants to live.”
The sun had risen to the point a glare appeared on the coffee shop’s window. That made me even more uncomfortable. “It was a warning of a different nature. The invasion of our business operations was meant as an intrusion and nothing more. A warning. And someone is enjoying fucking with us.” Especially given the loss of inventory and time was minimal, they hadn’t intended on doing any extensive damage. However, I suspected their actions were just the beginning. What would they do next?
My thoughts briefly returned to Raven. While I was certain Thomas wouldn’t dare allow his daughter to be caught in a crossfire, I’d need to be careful being seen with anyone. Unless I used our impending wedding as a lure. The one thing I wouldn’t do was risk her life. Not only was her appearance in my life far too valuable, but I also couldn’t tolerate the thought of a single injury.
If anyone tried, I would erase them from this earth. I realized my anger had risen in direct correlation to my cock as I became aroused at the thought of her. I had it bad for the girl. She’d already become a weakness.
I moved away from my vehicle, pacing the sidewalk. Out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention. Stopping short, I quickly scanned the area across the street. What the hell? There was someone else watching the coffee shop.
“Are you planning a trip to Texas?” Maddox asked, breaking me out of my lust-filled haze.
“Not yet. The project and the issue are both Francois’ babies. I won’t interfere unless absolutely necessary, although he’s being encouraged to handle the situation forcefully. I’ll be heading back to N’awlins in an hour or so. We’ll have a meeting on Monday morning. Just keep an eye on every business activity. If there is a single warning or issue, I want to be told.”
“Someone is trying to push every button.” Maddox laughed. “Perhaps they don’t know who they’re toying with.”
I moved to the edge of the sidewalk, studying the guy, the distance just far enough away I could make out little about him except he was watching the store. My gut told me that he was waiting for Raven to leave.
Returning to the car, I grabbed my jacket, struggling to get into it. The last thing I needed was to be brandishing a weapon in broad daylight, but I refused to be caught off guard.
“Perhaps not. They also have no clue I have an ace up my sleeve. Find out everything you can about Carter Ramsey. He might be a wildcard in all of this, but it’s better to know if he has any direct connection to Devin Carlos. Also check when the last confirmed time that was Raven was seen with him.”
“The last request might be tough, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“You might be surprised. If I had to guess, I’d say Thomas and Travis were planning on making a huge deal out of their children being involved. Maybe it backfired.” I waited for traffic, moving across the street.
“Maybe Raven has a mind of her own.”
“Oh, she does,” I said, trying to remain stealthy as I approached. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Don’t interrupt me tonight unless an entire project burns down.”
