Crash Into Me - L.A. Fiore Page 0,55

LA detectives, not that he got anything from them. They not only clammed up but also told him the next time he wanted to talk with them, he needed to go through their lawyer. The gloves, it would seem, were now off.

Zac had learned from Officer Dobbs that Katrina did have a will, and she gave everything away, left nothing to her parents or Jason Benjamin. So despite public appearances, she knew what they were doing and spited them at the end, which strongly suggested suicide, having her will up-to-date, but now there was the question of who was footing the bill for the Dents’ lifestyle because they didn’t have a source of income. And why?

We were catching an early flight in the morning. Zac was heading out for drinks with some of the locals, but I declined the invitation. I ordered room service and was going to watch a movie because I was still trying to catch up on sleep.

I had turned off my phone, but as I waited for my dinner, I checked messages. For someone who said he’d be angry if I didn’t call him back, Kade hadn’t tried to call or message me. I dropped the phone on my bed. This was the same man who had resumed his dating of super models, only a week after we returned from what was, for me, the most erotic and amazing weekend. I had seriously misjudged his interest.

The knock at the door had me climbing from bed. Yanking it open, I expected room service so seeing a very pissed off Kade was definitely a shock.

He moved right into me, forcing me back, before shutting the door behind him. Déjà vu hit hard.

“How did you find me?” I asked, only partially interested in the answer, because he was here, in LA.

He didn’t answer, just crossed his arms over his chest. Slowly the shock at seeing him faded, my brain reengaged. I moved away, crossing the room, before turning back to him. “Did you lose your super model? You came to the right place to find another.”

“What the hell were you doing at Braciole?”

“My job.”

“Your job is homicide not vice,” he bit back.

“I’ve been moonlighting.”

“Why?”

I was just too damn tired to go toe-to-toe with him. Dropping on the edge of the bed, I confessed, “Because staying busy keeps me from thinking.”

His voice was softer when he said, “Carmine is dangerous.”

Did he know that from personal experience? I didn’t dwell on that because he was in my room, so I soaked up the sight of him and realized, I wasn’t the only one who looked tired. My voice was softer when I said, “I know he is.” Tilting my head, I asked, “You came all this way to tell me that?”

“I was here for business.”

That was a solid hit. I nodded in understanding. “Well, thanks for the warning.” It was hard to believe this was the same man I’d spent those incredible days with in Antigua. “I hope whatever business brought you out here is successful. If you don’t mind…” I said, and gestured to the door.

Silence settled, but he made no move to go, the seconds stretching out. And then, he shocked the shit out of me when he said, “I grew up with Carmine in Montenegro.” His mouth snapped shut before he paced away from me, dragging a hand through his hair, and when he turned those eyes on me again, there was so much going on behind them. “The man who owned the dive job was a sadistic fuck who mistreated his employees, docking their wages for no reason, molesting the women.” He moved closer, his voice dropped. “I walked in on him raping one of the girls. She was no older than me at the time. Sixteen.” Silence settled between us, but the air was fucking electrified. “I killed him,” he confessed in a low voice, then leaned closer and said it louder, “I fucking killed him, cut him into pieces and fed him to the fucking fish.” He got right up in my face. “You said I wasn’t the villain. I am the villain. I know Carmine is dangerous because he and I are cut from the same cloth.”

I was horrified, but not at him, at the monster that would take advantage of those depending on him, on the young. He’d killed a monster. That didn’t make him one. I didn’t realize tears had filled my eyes until I felt one roll down my cheek. “Why