Page 25 of Vapor

She’s right. Wrong place. Wrong time. Everything about tonight is wrong.

Fuck!

“Wait!” I stop her before she can leave.“I need to get into Broussard’s study.”

“Why?”

“To look around. I’m trying to figure out how he’s connected to the cartels. Obviously through the money laundering operation, but I’m trying to figure out how the whole system works. Where the tentacles go.”

“Tentacles?”

“All the branches of their illegal operation.”

“Because you’re going to stop them?” she asks, hope returning to her eyes.

“Yes. I am. But I need your help. It’s risky and you absolutely can’t get caught. If your father’s willing to essentially sell you to Broussard, then he’d probably kill to protect his illegal businesses.”

“I wish it wasn’t true, but I suspect you’re right.” She wraps her arms over her chest as if she’s suddenly chilled.

“Do you know where Broussard’s office is located?”

“The second floor. I’ve never been up there, but it’s in the right wing of the mansion. That’s the way my father goes when he’s meeting Broussard. I think it’s a couple of doors down because that’s when I can’t hear his footsteps anymore, but I’m not totally sure.”

“But it’s definitely upstairs?”

“Yes. They leave me in the music room near the bottom of the stairs. They think I’m practicing my piano skills, but I’m really just stabbing at the keys out of boredom.”

“Can you find a way to keep Broussard occupied while I search his office?”

“I can try. It all depends on what he’s doing when I get back.”

“How about this, you go back and find him. I’ll wait a few minutes then follow you out. When I find you inside, give me the signal and I’ll go upstairs.”

“What about coming back down?” she asks, biting her irresistibly sexy bottom lip, which is still swollen from our kisses.

“Coming?” I murmur, distracted by her mouth.

“Downstairs.”

“I’ll figure something out. I’m sure there’s a back servants’stairs somewhere. I’d search for it and use that, but I won’t have enough time to look. If I don’t find it immediately, then I might not make it upstairs.”

“Be careful.” She grabs my biceps and squeezes.

“Always.” I give her a roguish smile before pulling her into my arms.

Crushing my lips to hers, I kiss her until she’s breathless. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I’m losing even more time by doing this, but it had to be done. She’s too tempting to resist, and I’m not a strong man. At least not when it comes to her.

“When will I see you again?” she asks.

“Soon.”

“How will we talk?”

“I’ll find you. Trust me, okay?”

“I do.”

The earnestness in her eyes sends my stomach plummeting. She’s counting on me not to fuck this up. I’ve never had a woman count on me for anything before, but I’m not about to let her down. She’s not getting married to Broussard, and that bastard isn’t going to be laundering for the cartel much longer.

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