Page 64 of Too Lethal to Love
He pictured Beth in his T-shirt. Would she wear it when he was away, waiting for him to come home alive? The belief he’d held on to for so long—serve first, love later—crept back in at the bittersweet idea.
“Kane, honey, I know your mom wasn’t fully present after your dad was killed, but she tried her best, and she would have gotten there. When we talked about AA, she wasso excited for you and Livvie to come home from college during Christmas break to their old mom.”
Thinking about coming home for the holidays to the mom he remembered before she lost herself to grief stung Kane’s eyes with hot tears. Instead, he’d come home during Halloween for her funeral. “I don’t know if I can do that to Beth, Gran. How can I let her fall in love with me and leave her behind if I die? What if she winds up like Mom?”
“It’s not up to you who she falls in love with.” Gran’s tone hardened to the one she used to reprimand him as a kid for not minding his manners. “I know the kind of life you choose to live. Your mother and I both knew the risks when we fell in love with military men. Beth is a smart woman. She knows the risks too. But if you ignore what’s happening between the two of you, there’s a risk of regretting not living every moment you’ve been granted on this earth together. Understand?”
“Yeah.” He understood that Beth, Scarlett, and now Gran were the three smartest people he knew. “Beth has this irrational idea that she’s cursed, and I don’t know what to do about it.” He didn’t wait for Gran to ask why. Instead, he spilled the whole story in one breath.
“Sounds like her fears are as irrational as yours.”
A call from Scarlett stopped him from agreeing. With a quick goodbye and a promise to send Beth’s number to Gran so she could wish her a Merry Christmas, he switched to Scarlett. “What’s up?”
“How’s Beth? Is she alright? I figured you two might be sleeping after the night you had and didn’t want to call, but I’ve been so worried even though I was assured you were both okay.”
“Your bestie is fine. She was awake earlier, but she fell back to sleep.”After I fucked her into sweet oblivion.“You dida great job of teaching her to shoot, by the way. She did well with the gun last night.”
“She’s a natural.”
“That she is. Did you have a conversation with Henry yet about his connection to Evangeline?”
“I was about to call you. Henry is meeting with his lawyer in a few minutes. Edgar is about to send me a link so I can have a video chat with him about Evangeline. I thought you might like to join.”
“Hell yeah.” He also wanted to wring Henry’s fat neck, but glaring at him would have to do.
“Hold on. I’ll send you the link. We have five minutes with him.”
Scarlett came on the line, looking professional as always in a red blouse and her blonde hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. A radiant bride-to-be smile lit her face. Her happiness would piss Henry off.
After a few minutes of going through security channels, Henry appeared on the screen. The polished man who’d graced covers of business magazines for decades looked like hell in a cheap gray jumpsuit that matched his thinning hair.
Henry smiled. “Scarlett, I knew you’d call to wish me a Merry Christmas. And you brought one of your VIPER pets. How nice.”
Kane gave Scarlett credit for not telling him to fuck off. He, however, didn’t have such restraint. “Hope you’re enjoying the first of many incarcerated holidays.”
Henry’s cheeks turned as crimson as Scarlett’s blouse.
Kane savored the reaction. “Do you remember Scarlett’s friend, Evangeline Martin?”
“Hmm, let me think.” Henry tapped his finger on his cheek. “Oh yes, I met her at the party I threw when I was named Washington, DC’s Businessman of the Year.” He turned to his lawyer sitting next to him. “Did you hear whatI just said? Businessman of the year and they have me locked up. Can you believe that?”
The lawyer didn’t answer.
Scarlett smiled into the camera. “Please answer Kane’s question, Henry.”
Henry smirked back. “Look at you, thinking you can order me around now. Nothing’s changed, girl. I’m still your family.”
Scarlett just smiled wider. “No, you’re not.”
Kane bit back his own grin. No wonder Beth and Scarlett were best friends. They both had backbones of steel. “Answer the question.”
Henry sat up straighter in his seat and puffed out his chest. “Evangeline was looking for my expertise on a cybersecurity project she needed help with. She seemed like a good kid who respected her elders, not loud and obnoxious like Beth or ungrateful for my assistance, like some people I know.” He shot Scarlett a glare. “So I decided to grant her my advice.”
Grant?Damn, the guy thought he was still the king, even behind bars. Kane slid to the edge of the chair. “What kind of advice?”
He steepled his hands under his chin. “All I remember is that she needed an advantage. I put her in touch with someone who could help her.”
Kane muffled a curse. “Who?” The last thing they needed was more players in this game.