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One of my captains had discovered there was a huge reward for anyone who could provide the man’s whereabouts. And people were searching, the incentive that desirable. If I had to guess, I’d say a significant number of people involved in the fantastical cat and mouse game would end up in a local morgue.

Time would tell as to which one of us would put them there first. I had a growing list of people confirmed as the Butcher’s key players. Diana had finally discovered I’d been right about the warehouse, linking Stonewall to a shell company that as of yesterday no longer existed. Was there a chance the board members and CEO of the company had no clue their name had been dragged through the mud?

Maybe, but there were no such things as coincidences in my business. Diana had also discovered a couple of hefty payouts from another shell organization, including one to Franklin Abbott of the building department. And one to my good buddy Wenn Patterson. Nothing new there and no real surprises. The other players would be found and when they were, they would pay a hefty price.

I still wasn’t certain if that would be them facing prison time or a bullet. But I could make that decision after the trickle-down effect was completed. If the Blade was true to his word, he had every intention of providing me with a name and a number of locations where the man determined to take the Butcher’s place was known to frequent.

And if Mr. Moore opted to change his mind, he’d face a more terminal fate than what he would with the illusive broker.

“Please,” Isabel said as she took the weapon from my fingers, removing the magazine herself and pretending as if she was aiming at a perpetrator. “And don’t worry. The weapon will remain under lock and key away from Mina.”

“She knows to keep her distance from guns.”

“How sad she needed to be made aware and don’t say it. Because of your world.”

I gripped her chin, keeping her from looking away from me and took a step closer. “I just don’t want anything to happen to either one of you.”

“And it won’t. Where is this meeting?”

“A rural location less than an hour away, but I don’t know how long this will take.” I lowered my head, inhaling her perfume. The scent was refreshing, but also a reminder of everything I had to come home to. My mind was still processing the good news about Mina. I was more than eager to celebrate that as well as my unborn child.

Which was why this meeting was important.

She pressed her hand against my chest, crawling her fingers up to my neck. “Just come back in one piece and remember that you’re a family man first.”

“Is that your way of suggesting I go easy on the man?”

“He’s asking for your protection in exchange for the information you’ve been searching for, so yes, I think you should.”

“I’ll consider your recommendation.” I brushed my lips across hers, exciting the hunger that would need to wait.

“Sure you will.” She tilted her head, allowing me to capture her mouth. Her lips tasted of cinnamon, far too enticing for the moment.

As she clung to me, I swept my tongue inside, enjoying the last few seconds we had together. Once the Blade was secure, I had full intention of sending a message that I hoped would either drive the fear of God into the Butcher or torment him to the point of making a mistake.

As added incentive, I had plans on picking off his players one by one.

Isabel leaned into me, attempting to dominate the kiss. And as usual, I refused to allow her even a thought of taking control. She was mine and by now she should know I would never allow that to happen.

My captive.

My lover.

And soon my wife.

Granted, after I found the perfect way of asking her to marry me. It would take some time to be able to surprise her.

When I pulled away, she took a deep breath. “Do you mind if I use your office to surf the project and find out why the project has been stalled in building inspections? From what you told me, everything else is ready for the building official to sign off including stormwater and engineering. It should have hit the person’s desk by now.”

I had learned from a member on the trust about the stall, which I’d honestly expected. “You didn’t really think one hundred percent of the people working in the various government departments were immune to corruption, did you?”

She threw me a look and smoothed her hand down my tee shirt. “Of course not, but I would think as the Pakhan of the city and beyond that you’d have every member eating out of the palm of your hand by now.”

“You wound me.”

“You’ll get over it.”

“I assure you, my angel, that I will after this. Yes, you can use my office but try not to tip your hand that you’re alive. I would love to use your resurrection as a different kind of weapon when we meet with the trust and the county together.”