A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(64)

I shoved into his apartment, the door banging shut behind me.

“Hey!”

I yelled through the door, “Give me one second, Officer Hartman!”

“What?”

“One second. Please.”

I could hear her grumbling. “Really fucking weird, but okay. One second. That’s all.”

“Uh, Officer Montell, I don’t want any trouble.” He was backing up, his hands in the air. He was a giant of a man, easily outweighing me by two hundred pounds, and he was pure muscle. And his attitude was a total changer because he’d recently come out of prison, and he’d not been one to take advantage of the many resources that were available to him on the inside. Sometimes that was an indicator how cooperative they’d be with us on the outside. This guy did nothing and had had an attitude every time I’d met with him since.

“What the fuck gives? You are my seventh parolee with a magical attitude change about me? What? Christmas Past come to visit you all? I want to know what’s going on and why.”

He took me in and frowned. His whole face twisted up in confusion before he dropped his hands. “You serious? You don’t know?”

“No. You’re going to fill me in.”

His eyes bulged out, and he was starting to look for an exit route.

“Now!”

He jumped at my bark. “Word’s out on you. You’re protected.”

I lowered my head, my eyes trained steadily on him. “What does that mean?”

“West Mafia. They put it out there not to touch you. You’re considered theirs.”

“Theirs? Explain that.”

His head inclined back, and he was giving me a once-over but not in a sexual way, in a way suggesting he wasn’t recognizing who was standing in front of him. “What are you talking about? You know what that means. It means you’re in their pocket, or you’re fucking one of them.” He took a step to the side, eyeing his own patio door. “Gotta admit, I never saw that coming from someone like you. Thought you were all straight and narrow, that sort of shit.”

I was going to murder Trace.

“I am,” I snarled. “I don’t know why the fuck this order is out, but it’s wrong.”

He lowered his arms, his head still inclined all the way back. “Wait. You’re saying they’re doing this to jam you up?” He relaxed and whistled under his breath. “Can’t believe they be doing that to you. You’re known as a tough bitch. I was warned about you but figured I’m likely to still do what I’m likely to do. Though, this new order came through, and the West Mafia are tight with the Waldens, and I don’t want any of that trouble. You feel me?”

I was seeing red. I was feeling red.

I was only literally red.

Taking out my set, I gestured to his bathroom. “You missed your UA. We’re doing it now.”

“What? Here?!” His voice went up a notch.

“Here, and get over your shit because I’m not letting you fuck this up. Now, start envisioning you pissing waterfalls while I bring my partner in here to help witness this, and you ain’t going to say shit about what you just told me. You put the word out that the order is wrong on me.”

“I ain’t spreading nothing on you regarding the Wests. That’s your battle.”

I growled, but pointed toward his bathroom. “Go.”

He did as I let Val in, and after we collected his UA, she asked once we left his building, “You going to fill me in on what that was about?”

“Nope. Better you don’t know.”

“Wait.” We’d gotten to my car, and she stopped me from opening the door. She lowered her voice. “I’ve noticed what’s going on too. You know it’d be easy for me to ask around, find out for myself. It’s better if you tell me.”

She was right, but dammit, I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Once I did, she’d know. Awareness would be raised, and she’d start asking other questions.

“It’s better if I know. You know that. I can help keep a lid on it, whatever it is. If Travis finds out? You know what he’ll do.”

“He won’t find out because trust me, the parolees don’t want to talk about it themselves.”

“That makes it even more urgent you fill me in. I’m your partner. Come on, Jess.”

A rage and a helpless feeling were being ripped up through my feet at a breakneck speed. I would regret this. I knew it, but he’d done this to me.

“The West Mafia has put out a decree. I’m protected.”

She drew in a sharp breath.

“By them.”

“You serious?” she hissed, her head falling all the way to the side.

“Yes.”

“Why would they do that? Wait. Your dad used to be connected to them back in the day. This from back then or recent?”

I gave her a hard look, not wanting to lie any more than I had. “I intend to find out.”

“Okay. What do you want from me?”

“Just have my back if you hear anything about me.”

“I can do that.” She looked at the car. “You’re going to find out right now, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to start. You should not be with me when I do this.”