Page 26 of Murder Notes

“I’m not talking about you because of me.”

He arches one of those dark brows of his. “Are you sure about that?”

“This is Andrew’s case. I can’t validate your alibi without him knowing you were with her.”

“Tell him. If he is clean, even if he’s not, maybe it will wake him up.”

“And when he comes after you?”

“Ah now, beautiful. Do I dare believe you’re worried about my relationship with your brother?” He doesn’t give me time to issue an objection. “I can handle your brother,” he says.

“You aren’t an enemy I want him to make.”

“I’ll be gentle on him for you. You know how gentle I can be. If you want me to talk to him—”

“No,” I say quickly. “You say nothing. Let me decide how to deal with this. What if she denies you were with her?”

“There’s an interesting prospect. I guess I would be the one who was fucked then, now wouldn’t I?”

I inhale and stand up, walking around the desk to stand at the window, arms folded in front of me. I don’t have to look to know the moment Kane joins me, close enough to establish dominance but not quite inside my personal space. He knows exactly how to push the boundaries of those around him without going too far. I stare out at the ocean crashing on the rocks beneath us, and remembering the way I’d once loved this view, and this man, is damn near suffocating.

“What do you want to know?” he asks, his tone soft but demanding, because he’s just one big demanding wolf of a man.

I turn to face him as he does the same to me, and I’m resisting an urge to back away or step forward and punch him. Or kiss him and then bite his damn tongue. “What do you know about my brother?”

“Nothing.”

“Kane,” I say, and I hate the way his name becomes a plea. “I need to know.”

“There are rumors about your father but not your brother.”

I blanch. “What? My father? What about my father?”

“His run for a higher office and favors promised to the wrong people.”

“What higher office?”

He tilts his head. “You don’t know?”

“Just answer the question.”

“New York governor.”

I stare at him, fighting the fury, as this is the first I’ve heard of this idea.

“You really didn’t know,” he says, sounding as shocked as I feel.

“No. I didn’t know. What favors to what people?”

“The Romano family.”

This is a punch in the gut. “As in the mob family you think killed your father?”

“Yes.”

“What does that mean for you?”

“Romano and I made peace years ago, Lilah. You know this.”