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He didn't hesitate, knowing exactly what I was after. “I took money in exchange for something small and insignificant. No one got hurt from it, so I didn’t think it would matter.”
“It was a hook.”
“Yes. Once I’d taken the first bribe, they had leverage over me. Word got out in darker circles, and I knew I’d never be free again.” He shrugged. “Except for when I was—” He cut himself off abruptly. “Anyway, I regret that Kiara got caught up in this mess.” I narrowed my eyes, sure that he’d been about to reveal something, but the stubborn angle to his jaw made it clear that even if I got him to fess up, it wouldn’t be easy. And I didn’t have time for that shit.
“Tell me who is after you now,” I demanded after he circled his desk and dropped heavily into his chair.
“I can’t tell you that,” he denied.
“Bullshit,” I snarled, taking an intimidating pose with my feet braced apart and my arms folded over my broad chest.
“He’ll kill me just for—”
“He’s gonna kill you anyway if you can’t give him what he wants, right?” I interrupted.
The judge winced and looked down at the desktop where his hands were clenched together. “He won’t kill me. He’ll go after Kiara.”
“The more I know about what I’m up against, the better I can protect your daughter.”
He pressed his lips together, but then his gaze strayed to a frame perched on his desk. It was a picture of Kiara. Probably a few years old because she looked younger.
She was smiling brightly, carefree and happy as she posed in what looked like some kind of dance costume. I only knew that because of the kids of my brothers who liked to dance all over the clubhouse.
Finally, he leaned back and gave me a summary of what had happened earlier. The more he told me, the angrier I got. But I forced myself to think of my girl and not how much I wanted to hunt that evil bastard down.
When he concluded, the judge turned around and pushed out of his chair. Once on his feet, he removed a painting from the wall, revealing a safe. I would have rolled my eyes at the cliché hiding spot. However, he’d chosen the best one available. It was known for being unbreakable.
After scanning his eyes and fingers, he blew into a little tube. The safe verified his identity, then he punched in a code. When the door swung open, I saw stacks of files filling it. The judge removed them and set them on the desk. Then he rummaged in a drawer for a second before producing two very large, heavy-duty rubber bands. He secured the papers on all four sides, then took a deep breath and held them out to me.
“I kept notes on everything.Everything. Most of them are pretty much untouchable, but this man…he’s like Teflon. Nothing sticks. These are the best I can do to help protect my daughter.”
Nodding, I accepted the stack and turned to leave but paused and pivoted around for one last thing. “You won’t hear from Kiara or the club again until I’m satisfied that she’s safe. I guarantee you’ll be watched and your phones tapped.”
“How will you know?”
“We’ll know,” I stated. “If the situation escalates or you learn anything new, go to Liquid Silver and give the information to the manager. It will get back to me.”
“Jonathan!”
A shrieking voice came from the foyer, and the judge’s face clouded with irritation. He stalked around the desk, and I stepped aside so he could exit, then followed.
The noise was coming from an older woman who bore a slight resemblance to my Kiara. Her face was flushed with anger, but the ruddy color of her cheeks came from consuming too much alcohol. Even the heavy makeup she was wearing couldn't fully disguise it.
“Jonathan!” she screeched again when she saw him approach. “What are these thugs doing in my home? This one”—she pointed at Cash, who had moved to stand in front of Kiara, and her face twisted with disgust—“won’t let me near our daughter!”
“Relax, Marsha,” the judge sighed, barely keeping the impatience out of his tone. “I asked them to come. They are going to protect Kiara until the mess is dealt with.”
“You can’t be serious, Jonathan,” she snapped, placing her hand on her chest dramatically. “What will people think if we just ship our daughter off to who knows where? They’ll think we have something to hide! They’ll think you’re guilty. I won’t be able to show my face at the—”
“Shut up, Marsha,” he snapped harshly. “I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks as long as she’s safe.”
Marsha sputtered a few times. “Well, of course, I mean, obviously, Kiara is always my first priority.”
The judge snorted derisively before ordering, “Go drink another bottle of wine,dear. I’m not sure there are any left in the cellar, but if so, I have no doubt you’ll find them.”
I’d heard enough of this bullshit, and I didn’t want Kiara exposed to any more of it either. “Enough!” I roared, bringing an end to their bickering and garnering everyone’s attention. “We’re done here.”
I walked over to Cash, and he immediately stepped aside so I could tuck Kiara into my side. I handed him the stack of files, then guided my woman out to my bike.
