“Yeah, speaking of what happened to her—Mario tells me some ex of yours stabbed her?”
I dropped my arms, agitated at the thought of Kelly.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“A woman named Kelly Hugo came to my old house, saw me and Kandy in my bedroom, and had a knife with her when she came up. I wasn’t fast enough and thought she was coming for me, but she was going for Kandy. She stabbed her.” I swallowed thickly. “Kandy was pregnant and didn’t know it, but she miscarried. Because of where she’d stabbed her, she may not be able to have kids anymore.”
For once, he actually seemed surprised about something. “Damn.”
“All she got was a slap on the wrist. She’s in a psych facility right now, and I’m sure it’s a good one—one that treats her like she’s at a fucking retreat. Her parents are wealthy, and they had a good lawyer pleading her case. They bought the judge off and placated her parents with a bullshit restraining order and fifty grand.”
Draco’s head cocked, jaw flexing. “What does Kelly know about you?”
I looked into his eyes. “A lot of things.”
“Stop fucking playing with me and speak, Cane.”
I huffed. “She knows I built Tempt on drug money. Knows about my mother’s drug habit and that my father was the one who mentioned naming the wine Tempt while he was drunk one night. He’s out of jail right now too, and I’m worried she’ll get a hold of him once she’s cleared and give him more ammunition and reason to go against me. I don’t need him getting a cut of my business or being anywhere near me or my family. I have lawyers working on securing everything, but Kelly’s family knows people too—”
“Do you want me to get rid of her?” he asked.
I frowned. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I pushed off the counter. “Things aren’t like they used to be, Draco. You can’t come over here trying to be Jefe, especially when there’s a price on your head. Shit, even talking to you could have me arrested.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said. “And you know you don’t have to worry about me. I always take care of myself and never leave any evidence behind. Do you want her taken care of?”
His question both agitated and fueled me, the conflicting feelings fucking with my head. Of course I wanted Kelly out of my hair, but with all the things Draco could do, I wasn’t sure if it would backfire on me or help in the end. Kelly knew too much, though, and I promised Kandy we were fine now—that she didn’t need to worry about Kelly anymore. But Draco…having him do anything to her at all, was too much of a risk.
“Let me think about it,” I told him, and he took a step back.
“Fine. But remember that Tempt is my company too, and if there is a threat or anything targeted at it, I will end it before letting it get in my way.” He walked to the patio door. “I’ll be directing my people to this home address and will be back in a few days.” He opened the door, pushing loose tendrils of his hair back. “She’s just a human, and humans are easy to break and even easier to get rid of.” He looked me over. “Don’t let this new life make you weak.”
With those words, the door closed, and he was gone.
Chapter Twenty-Two
CANE
I checked my backyard twice before going upstairs to get to Kandy.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. When she heard me coming, she hopped up, clasping her hands together, her eyes wide with worry. “Is he gone?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Is he coming back?”
I looked away. “Most likely.”
She sighed, rushing toward me. “I didn’t think he’d show up…not like that. With a gun,” she gasped. “W-what did he want?”
“He wants to invest some more money in Tempt.”
“Oh.”
I sat down, and she took the spot beside me. She breathed unevenly, like she was still trying to catch her breath from what had happened earlier. I reached for her hand, holding it in mine. “He’s really fucking scary, Cane. If he’s coming back, I should probably go home.”
“He only said and did that stuff for show. He likes to feel in charge—like he owns the room. He’s the one who has always told me that knowledge is power. The more you know about someone, the more power you have over them.”
“You know a lot about him?”
“More than I care to admit, honestly.”
“Is he as bad as the media portrays?”
I nodded. “Oh, yeah. Don’t underestimate him. He’s quick to make a move if he feels threatened or if he’s crossed.”
Her eyes got bigger. “Have you ever crossed him?”
“Wouldn’t be alive if I had.”
She fidgeted a bit. “God, this is insane. How did you even start working with someone like him?”