Page 6 of The Reluctant Siren
It was everything he’d been waiting for, and he didn’t evenfeel bad since he’d caught Austin about to rape a passed-out club girl a coupleof weeks ago. He’d stopped it, but Austin had it in for him ever since. Austinwas pretty much one of the top dogs here. There wasn’t anywhere else to gounless he was joining Hamilton himself.
So Austin had been reassigned to a shallow grave somewhere.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
“Let’s just say we might have found out Austin was takingmore than his fair share,” Phil admitted. “It couldn’t happen at a worse time.The cops are all over us since they identified the Jalisco cartel we wereworking with here in Dallas. Lucky for us that ditzy broad who caught themdoesn’t know we’re the real force behind the operation, and anyone who couldhave talked died in the war her dad set off.”
He’d been surprised at how easily the cartel had gone down.He wasn’t a fool. Someone had gotten them to turn on each other. A pro. “Iheard her dad used to work for an intelligence agency.”
Phil shrugged. “His daughter’s safe. Trust me. We aren’tgoing after that crazy bitch. We’re going to stay as far away from that wholegroup as we can. I think one of the things Hamilton wants to talk about ismoving the operation to a bigger city. Now that we know it works here, we canstart the business in Houston. In a couple of years we’ll be the supplier ofchoice for the entire US.”
It was good to know they had ambitions. He intended to makesure they never reached their goals. “So I get to meet the big boss?”
Phil put a hand on his shoulder, a paternal gesture. “Ithink it’s time. And I’ll get you moved out of here in a couple of weeks. Ipromise you won’t be pulling double duty for long. We just need to find someonewho can run this club and train him. You’ll like it upstairs. I think you’resmart, J. You can go places here. I’m happy you didn’t get caught up in thatmess that happened in LA. You never told me how you started working for thecartel. You don’t seem like their type.”
He noticed the couple on the main stage. They were playingout a fantasy scene. At least he hoped so or those ears that guy had wereseriously deformed. Nah. He had pretend wings, too. Jensen sighed. He was nevergoing to get used to the freaky stuff, and that seemed to come from people whoread a lot.
He wondered if Harlow liked those fairies fucking books.
He remembered her talking about her aunt’s books. Somethingabout cowboys and women who liked more than one of them at a time.
Not that he would ever share, but it wasn’t like he hadn’twondered if it was a fantasy of hers. Something they could play out in a clublike this and then go home and be together and it would all have been nothingmore than an adventure they shared because they were in love and trusted oneanother.
Would she ever be able to trust him again?
He needed to focus. It was being so close to her that hadhim on edge. “They needed someone who didn’t mind getting his hands dirty butwho also could put people at ease. I can be charming when I want to. They wereparticularly interested in hiring young women. I made them comfortable.”
And managed to get at least one of them out. He wondered ifHarlow knew he hadn’t completely abandoned her. He finished her case when itwas too dangerous for her to continue. He made sure the woman she was hired tofind came out of the experience with her life.
It had been the only gift he could give her.
“Well, you’re going to have to do that again.” Phil gesturedto the dungeon floor. “Hamilton wants us to find a couple who can make a runfor us. He’s got a package he wants to send to Canada. He wants a couple.Someone we can have some control over.”
The thought turned his stomach. He knew what control meant.It meant they would get leverage over a couple and force them to do their will.They would get evidence of what they did here in the club and blackmail themwith it. They would have to be selected carefully. They couldn’t have ties tolaw enforcement. It was best if they didn’t have many ties at all.
Just a few more days. He wouldn’t actually have to do it. Hewould kill Hamilton before this went down, and then he would find a way to bewith Harlow.
His debt to his brother would be paid, and he could starthis life.
If he didn’t wind up dead or in jail.
He nodded Phil’s way. “Yeah, I can find someone for us.Don’t worry about it. We get new couples in here all the time. I’ll be a mentorand then I’ll be their boss.”
“That’s my boy,” Phil said and strode away.
It wouldn’t be long and then he could see her again. Hecould try to put the pieces back together.
She was probably going to punch him. She would definitelypunch him if she ever figured out that when he’d come to Dallas, he’d broughtalong his best friend so someone could watch over her while he worked.
If these people ever found out how he felt about her…
It was fine because according to the reports all she wasdoing was tracking down wayward husbands so the ex-wives could enforce theirchild support agreements. And gathering evidence for divorce cases and workingwith some insurance companies to prove their clients were committing fraud. Shewas staying away from the dangerous stuff. She was spending time with herfriends and family.
She was probably going to be at The Hideout tonight, andNiall would watch over her like he had for a couple of months now. He kind ofhoped his friend found someone while he was working his mission there. He knewNiall had taken to the lifestyle quickly. His friend talked about how much morein touch with himself he felt since taking that first class, how he seemed tofit in. It would be so cool if Niall fell for one of Harlow’s friends. It mighthelp his case if they could double date and hang out and…be a family.
A shout from his left caught his attention and he sighed,realizing those stupid frat boys they let in were causing trouble.
He had a job to do.
