Big Easy Temptation (The Perfect Gentlemen #3)(72)

He’d felt horny and his plans for the weekend had disappeared. She knew the story. Captain Awesome didn’t go without for long. “No. Leave now or I’ll call the police and have them remove you.”

His disappointment tugged at her. “I understand why you feel that way, but there’s more at stake than simply the two of us. Mad’s death had something to do with my father’s.”

She stopped, his words hitting her like a bucket of ice water. “What do you mean? I thought it was ruled an accident.”

“We’re keeping the truth quiet for now, but we have conclusive proof that Mad was killed because he got involved in some sort of plot by the Bratva that goes back years. He was searching for a woman named Natalia Kuilikov. She was Zack’s nanny in Moscow when he was a young boy. She wrote a diary that people have died and killed for. Her writings aren’t specific but we know the group that sent her to work for the Hayes family had big plans of some kind. She immigrated to the U.S. later and disappeared. Connor and his new wife tracked her down a few weeks ago. As they were talking to her, she was murdered in front of them.”

That rattled Holland. Another murder? The string of them was getting long. “Wow.”

Dax nodded. “It gets worse. They managed to find what Natalia had been trying to hide. A list of people targeted for assassination by the Bratva.”

She shivered but took a step back as she really thought about everything he was saying to her. “No. It can’t be connected. You read my report. What happened with your father was a blackmail scheme gone wrong.”

“That’s how it was made to look so there would be a simple, clean explanation for his death. But my father knew something that could stop whatever the group is planning. I don’t know what that was yet. I’m still digging. But all roads in this case lead to Zack.” His voice softened. “My father’s name was on that dead pool, Holland. So was Joy’s. Her death wasn’t an accident. We believe it was meant to move the polls in Zack’s favor, to ensure that he won the presidency.”

She had to hold on to the bar or she would have fallen. “No. I was sure. I was stopping this thing in its tracks, Dax. I was doing something good.”

“Yes, I know.” He moved in as though ready to catch her. “You thought you were saving me and my mother and Gus. You thought you were doing the right thing. I’m humbled by everything you did for us.”

But she couldn’t escape. She’d kept quiet. She’d kept the secret she’d been given. To no avail. It had all been a setup. And she’d been stupid enough to believe it. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been the only one to pay the price. “Mad’s dead because of me.”

Instantly, Dax shook his head and wound his arms around her. Suddenly she didn’t have the will to fight him.

“It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart. I’ve been through this endlessly. Connor and I talked. Even if you had told me everything at the time, there’s no way we would have figured out the scope of this plot. We still don’t understand it completely. At the time, I would have come to the same conclusion you did. I could have decided to protect my mom and sister and given it up.”

No. She knew Dax. He would have found another way. “I was so stupid.”

He tucked her close to his body, and Holland closed her eyes, not wanting to think about how good it felt to be in his arms. But she couldn’t ignore the profoundly right feeling.

“No,” he assured. “You didn’t have all the facts. I looked at those photos today. They made me sick. If I didn’t know there was a massive conspiracy involved, I would likely see what they want me to see. They wanted you to believe my father didn’t deserve justice, that a monster had died and should be forgotten, because that’s how these conspirators stay in the shadows.”

“I’m a fucking cop, Dax.”

“Yes, and you’ve seen enough to know that most men in this situation are guilty as sin. You made the call to protect the innocent. I don’t put the blame on you, sweetheart. None of us does. We do need your help, though. This is growing and getting bigger every day.”

She wasn’t sure she would ever forgive herself, but she sank into his embrace and reveled in being this close to him again. So perfect and right. It was like she’d been in the cold shadows for so long and was finally seeing sunlight again, illuminating her path home.

His kindness and coaxing were an illusion like everything else. He needed her for now. Maybe he was even thinking that since she wasn’t guilty, she would make a good sexual companion. Dax didn’t go for long without getting some. If he was going to be in New Orleans, he would want someone in his bed. They’d been good together. She would do.

And that’s bad, why?

Holland slammed the lid on that line of thinking. He’d seen her cry enough. He wasn’t going to see her beg.

She forced herself to step out of the comfort of his arms. “I’m so sorry about Maddox. No matter what you say, I’ll always blame myself. But I’m off this case now. I’m not involved and that’s for the best. I wish you all the luck in the world, Dax, but I’m not going to work with you on this. It’s best if we go our separate ways.”

His jaw hardened and for a moment she thought he was going to grab her and haul her into his arms again. He took a careful step back. “I’m afraid that’s not an option, Special Agent Kirk. You’ve got a new assignment. You’ll be working with a Naval officer on a special case.”