Page 14 of Graveyards & Greed

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

So I told him. “Terrance was fishing. I don’t think he suspects me, but he’s getting desperate. His son is his primary concern, but he also asked about Grunge.”

“Whatexactlydid Samuel LeBaron do, Sylvie?”

I stared at him and felt tears gather in the backs of my eyes. “He raped our employee’s granddaughter. She’s fifteen years old, and he took his time and ripped her apart. She’d never–” I couldn’t finish.

“He deserved a worse death,” he murmured as he softly cupped my face in his hands.

My shoulders slumped and I laid my forehead against his chest, then looked up at him. “He did. Her name is Camilla. She’s a sophomore in high school, and she lives with her grandmother who’s been cleaning our mortuary for years. Camilla is on a robotics team at her school, and the Desert Palm Oasis Mortuary sponsors it.”

“You know her.”

I set my wine glass down and cleared my throat. “Yeah. She grew up hanging around the mortuary. I taught her how to play chess, and we worked on her math sometimes while her grandmother cleaned. I think they targeted her because of her affiliation with the Spades. And maybe because of me.”

“How do you know that? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but it’s the only thing that makes sense. My cousins have had minor run-ins with a few motorcycle gangs, but nothing to warrant this. If any of them had found out about it first, they would have slaughtered Eightball LeBaron in a very loud and public way.”

“Starting a war,” Drakos finished. “So you took care of the problem yourself.” He slowly wrapped his arms around me as if he didn’t want to spook me.

I held still, savoring the feel of his hard body and his delicious, musky scent. “You’re a believer in do-it-yourself justice, too, it seems.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Samuel LeBaron was a blight, and the world is better off without him. I’ll see if Ivan can hack into Tarrence’s phone or computer so we know what he’s up to.”

I reluctantly stepped back and stared up at him. “Your partner is forcing my foster sister to intern with him. Why?”

His eyebrow went up, and he looked pained. “Luna Cross is yourfoster sister? I thought she was just your roommate and a friend of your family. How did that happen?”

“It’s a long story. Something's not right with that internship, and I don't trust Roman Fowler.”

His face went blank, and my heart dropped. “What makes you think he poses a threat?”

I folded my arms. “Men like you and Roman don’t do anything without a reason. This internship is unexpected and doesn’t make any sense. If your law firm were interested in hiring her, or if she wanted to practice corporate law, I could understand. But I think she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to be there.”

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “Attorneys have to take on a mentor or pay into the Nevada State Bar’s indigent defense fund. If it weren’t Luna, it’d be someone else.”

I blinked slowly. “For the last four years, your law firmdidpay into the indigent defense fund to avoid taking on interns. You and your friend Ivan aren’t the only ones who can hack into databases. Call it female intuition, but you’re lying through your teeth, and every time you smile, I feel like checking my back for stab wounds.”

Drakos studied me. “What do you expect me to do?”

“I expect you not to stand by if Roman Fowler plans to harm her. She’s been through more shit than you can imagine, and I won’t allow him—or you—to hurt her.”

Drakos’s eyes went hard. “Don’t kid yourself. I can imagine a lot of shit, and so can Roman.”

I wasn’t surprised by his loyalty to his partner, but I’d hoped he wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

“She’s intelligent, courageous, and still kind despite everything her parents put her through. If Roman oranyonein The Firm hurts her, I’ll make it my mission to hurt you back.”

Drakos folded his arms, a cruel, sensual smile playing across his mouth. “You can hurt me anytime, Killer.”

I stared up at him, and my chest squeezed. “Why did I think you were different? Whatever this is between us, we’re done. I can’t be… friends with someone who would stand by while an innocent woman gets hurt.” I pushed my wine glass away and walked out.

Chapter 7

Sylvie

“I need to tell you something,” Luna muttered as she plunked her backpack down on the kitchen bar a few weeks later. She often came home spitting mad since she’d started her internship, but so far no one had harmed her.

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