Page 42 of Kade

“It hasn’t been signed yet, though?” Kade asked, watching Allison watch his brother and Jeremy. She had no idea what she was getting into. Conner would eat her alive and leave her heart bloody. He made a mental note to talk to her.

“No. I was waiting to see if your guys could provide more information.”

Dylan nodded and opened his laptop. “The hospital records indicate a baby boy was born premature at twenty weeks on the same day your son was pronounced dead. He was given the surname Ramirez, his parents’ names left blank on the birth certificate.”

“Medical records are confidential.” Allison was still flipping through Max’s photos, studying them. “How did you get them?”

“Birth records are not confidential. They’re a matter of public record. I didn’t ask anything medical. The woman I spoke to in medical records volunteered that information with no prompting from me.”

Allison pursed her lips but nodded. “I’ll make it work. Anything else?”

“Does the fact Tomás Rivera took custody of the boy help? Kade did kill his little brother in a drug raid.”

“It can’t hurt.” Allison put the photos down and scribbled on her notepad sitting at the head of the table. “We’ll be trying to get a judge to sign it and delivered with the stipulation the boy isn’t to be moved from Miami-Dade County.”

Angel sat and listened quietly as they discussed ways to get her son back. Her biggest fear going this route was that they’d whisk Matthew out of the country as soon as the warrant was served. They could fly him anywhere, and she’d be right back to where she’d been the last six years. Her arms empty and her heart bleeding.

Allison began her spiel about the cartel, but Angel tuned her out. There wasn’t anything she could say Angel didn’t already know. She grew up here, andLos Muertoswas something everyone who lived in Miami knew about. She didn’t need to know the names or the faces. It didn’t make the cartel any less dangerous. It didn’t make what they would do to Matthew any more real to her. She kept expecting to see a package show up with a finger or a toe in it. That was how they dealt with their enemies. Mutilation of their loved ones.

No. She wouldn’t think like that. Instead, she focused on Conner and Jeremy. It distracted her watching Kade’s brother work his magic. He was big and scary, but right now, that wasn’t the vibe he was throwing out. She could almost believe she was wrong about him. He looked sexy as hell as he lounged, his eyes moving between Jeremy and Allison. She knew he was bisexual, and now she wondered if he’d go after Jeremy or Allison.

But what if he wanted them both?

This could be the distraction she needed to stop thinking about her child being butchered. Allison kept sneaking glances at Conner as she worked and pointed out various people on her whiteboard. Allison definitely had a healthy dose of lust for Conner. Did she notice the way he was hitting on Jeremy? Did she care? Angel had no clue, but she was going to find out.

“We have a plan.” Jeremy stood and all but ran to the whiteboard to stand beside Allison, whose breath hitched. What was this? Did Allison like Jeremy? The tangled web that was being woven in this room was worthy of one of Dimitri’s or Lily’s novels. “We’ll execute the warrant as soon as it’s signed. The ME is on standby to go with the officers to Ramirez’s compound. There’s nothing else anyone can do today, so I suggest you go to the hotel and wait.”

“Will we be safe there?” Angel finally spoke up. “The cartel knows we’re here. What’s to stop them from following us to the hotel?”

“I have a police escort for you and round-the-clock protection.” Allison gave her a reassuring smile. “Everything that can be done has been done.”

“And I’m going back to make sure they don’t move the boy.” Dylan stood, getting ready to leave. “Max, you’ll come with me in case they move him. We’ll need to track him. Cole, you’ll be the liaison between us, the department, and the feds.”

“Sure thing.” Cole nodded. “I need to check in with my contacts here, so I’ll report in tonight on what I’ve been able to dig up.”

“And where will you two be staying?” Conner’s question seemed innocent enough, but Allison’s deep blush belied that. Jeremy ignored him.

“We’ll be staying in the same hotel, but we can’t leave just yet. We need to get this warrant signed and executed.”

“But you’ll be back later tonight?” Conner asked, his eyes lazily sweeping over them both.

“We’ll check in when we get back and let everyone know what happened.” Jeremy stressed the word everyone, Angel suspected for Conner’s benefit. She’d caught the way he’d been staring at Conner. There was interest there, but she suspected it bothered Jeremy he was having a reaction to Conner. She needed to suss out if Conner was wasting his time. She liked Jeremy and didn’t want him to be uncomfortable.

They all said their goodbyes and exited the building. True to Allison’s word, a police escort waited. Jasper should already be at the hotel with their own security team. He’d flown down ahead of them to make sure the hotel’s security was sufficient. It was the same one Nik used when he came down here to race. They were apparently very good at keeping their clients under wraps. Angel hoped the cartel didn’t have their claws into this place. Nik had been coming here for years. Surely the cartel would have recognized his last name if they owned a piece of the hotel.

“So, your friends…”

Angel laughed outright when Kade started shaking his head. “Hands off, Conner. They’re here to work, not entertain you.”

“They can do both.” He shrugged and pulled out behind the second patrol car. Two more followed them. “I know I want to do both.”

Kade’s face flamed up, and Angel cackled at her prude. “Conner, just…that is not right, man, not even a little bit.”

“What?” Conner leaned his head back against the headrest. “Is Allison single? Your wife already spilled the beans about sexy Agent Bradford.”

“Conner, my friends are not your toys.” Kade took a deep breath, and it was all Angel could do to not burst out in giggles. She’d known Conner’s sexuality made Kade uncomfortable, but now that she was seeing it, it was as bad as when he’d walked in on Nikoli’s kink closet. His little brother was into domination and submission, but not hardcore. He’d never harm a hair on Lily’s head. He just liked to be in control in the bedroom. Kade really had no idea of kink, something she planned on changing.

“Of course they’re not toys.” Conner shifted, checking the mirror. “I can get toys if they’re into that, though. It’s not an issue.”

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