Carter Reed(61)

I stood slowly, dismay filling me more and more until I was standing in front of him. I stopped him, holding onto his arm. “What was supposed to happen tonight?”

“Franco Dunvan was supposed to die tonight.”

“By you?”

He shook his head, his jaw clenching and unclenching. “By his own family.”

“Just tell me. Explain it to me.”

“I’ve been in Chicago since last weekend.” He paused for a beat. “Do you know who lives in Chicago?”

“No.”

“It’s the headquarters for the Bertal Family.”

My heart kept pounding, stronger and stronger. “Okay, so you went there? Why?”

His hand touched my arm. His hold was gentle as he tugged me close. I could feel his heart through his shirt. He murmured, dropping his voice to an intimate whisper, “I went there to barter a truce between the Mauricio Family and the Bertal Family.”

My heart stopped. “You did that for me?”

“I would do anything for you.” His hand cupped the back of my neck. He tilted my head up to meet his eyes. They were hungry and dark. When I saw the demand in them, a flame of desire lit in me. It grew into a fire that blazed hotter and brighter the longer I held his gaze. “Both families have wanted peace between them, and I gave it to them. I didn’t get the final decision until this evening, but I got it. I was called in to see the heads of the Mauricio family this afternoon. That’s where I was before going to Octave, but it’s done. By tomorrow morning, Franco Dunvan will be dead and you’ll be safe.”

“What’d you do? How could you do that? I thought the two families had been feuding for years.”

“No.” He shook his head. “They’ve stopped fighting. The only section that’s continued the fight was Franco’s. When I went to them, I told them my stake and that I wanted your safety. I gave them 2.5% of the wealth that I’ll accumulate over the next five years.”

“And your family was fine with this?”

“I gave them 2.5% as well. Five percent of my earnings will go to the families from businesses that are clean. I bought us out and I bought Franco’s death. This is a small price to pay, but large enough so that both families will get along. That was the deal, that both families take the 2.5%. I’m the truce between them. As long as I make money with clean businesses, it looks good to them and their name. You want legal businesses to mask the illegal businesses, but I’m out with all of those other dealings. I’m out. And you’re out from Franco’s watch.”

“But why did Scott try to kill me?”

“I think it was a last attempt. My guess is that the hits started today and Franco figured it out. He wanted to hurt me the only way he really could. You.” A primal look entered his wolf eyes. “It’s what I would’ve done if I’d been cornered like that. I’d strike where I’d do the most damage, but it didn’t work. You’re safe.”

“People are dying tonight?”

He nodded. “Only Franco’s business associates. The Bertal family is cleaning up. Franco’s death is their gift to me. They’re doing the rest because they have to cover their backs too.”

All of this was for me. All of that bloodshed was because of me. I didn’t know how I felt about that, but I hadn’t started this for me. I did it for Mallory. “Carter,” I rasped out. “Do you know where Mallory is?”

He shook his head. “No, but if she’s alive, they’ll find her. The new Head of the Bertal family in this city knows about her. They know why you shot Jeremy. They’ll contact me when she’s found.”

I nodded. That was all that mattered, right? All of this was for her.

“Emma.”

“What?”

He seemed unsure now. “You need to know something else.”

“What is it?” My heart started to pound again.

“Jeremy Dunvan was known for breaking in whores for their sex slaves.” He paused, still unsure.

“Tell me.”

The hesitation slid away to reveal a deep resignation in him. “My inside guy told me that they thought Jeremy was breaking in your roommate the night you shot him. He wasn’t going to kill her. He was going to use her as a sex slave.”

His words hit me. They were cold and stabbing.

He was going to turn her into a sex slave… He was going to turn her into a sex slave… Carter’s words were on repeat in my mind. I kept hearing them over and over. Suddenly, I didn’t care that those people were being killed. I wished I had done more than just shooting Jeremy Dunvan. He deserved worse. He should’ve died painful and slow.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Are you okay?”

Carter had told me hours ago what they had been planning to do with Mallory. I asked him for some time alone, and he gave it to me. I’d been sitting on the bed ever since, just sitting there and thinking. As I processed through everything and realized what Carter had done for me, I was grateful. He bought my freedom while he himself wasn’t completely free. He said that he’d have to pay them for five years, but was that long enough? I didn’t think they would leave him alone after that. Then again, I wasn’t a part of this life. This was his life, his world. Judging by the power and wealth that he seemed to have, it was a world that he had thrived in.