The Cain Casey Series

Cain returned her attention to the page Katlin handed her.

“A few months after she gave birth to the next Bracato generation, Eris got pregnant again. Only thing is, the second time around they weren’t so lucky, and she lost the baby about two months into the pregnancy. After that, she spiraled back into drugs and handed off the responsibility for the baby to the woman who boarded a plane yesterday.”

As soon as Katlin stopped talking, Cain started tapping her fingers. She drummed in staggered intervals, stopped for a while, then resumed her disjointed cadence.

When Cain refocused, Katlin asked, “Do you want me to do any more?”

“Eventually, but for now keep your people on Gino’s house and see what happens next.” Gino was probably in an emotional tailspin. No matter what a cold bastard he was, the woman was his wife, and he had to feel some remorse. “Remember, when I tell you to move, Katlin, I want you to be fast and invisible. Do you understand?”

“I know I disappointed you last night, but if you need me, I won’t do anything else wrong.”

“Don’t go making promises you don’t expect to keep.” Cain laughed and put her hand behind Katlin’s head, then looked beyond her at Merrick. “Are you sure you haven’t found other alliances that invalidate ours?”

Katlin also looked at Merrick, who was standing next to Emma. “If you think that, you missed the point of last night. My alliances—I should say our alliances—are to you. When this started we had five problems, and now we have two, at least as far as the Bracatos are concerned. If that’s not good enough, then I’ll apologize again.”

Cain squeezed the column of Katlin’s neck and smiled. “I know why you did it, but if you do something like that again without my say-so, I’m going to kick your ass.” Her voice was low, but the smile never disappeared. “Just this once, though, thanks. Because of you and Merrick we do have only two left, but it’s those two that concern me.”

“I’d be worried if Dalton Casey had raised Giovanni and Gino, but he didn’t. We’ll be fine, I’m sure of that.”

On the other side of the room Emma continued to listen to Muriel talk, but her eyes never left Cain. She still needed to tell her about Juan Luis.

Almost as if he’d read her thoughts, Lou took Muriel’s place and put his hand on Emma’s knee. “How you doing, Mrs. Casey?”

“I’m working on my poker face, Lou, but aside from that I’m doing great.”

“Have you had a chance to tell her what happened this morning?”

“Not yet.”

He nodded again and sighed. “I guess you haven’t gotten around to telling her about last night either?”

“Lou, I know you’re unhappy with me, but when she got home last night, Juan the idiot was the last thing on my mind.” Emma placed her hand over his. “I swear tonight over dinner, I’ll tell her everything that happened. Just start praying now that she doesn’t shoot me for waiting this long to bring the subject up.”

“Aren’t you glad you have Merrick and the others to keep you safe?”

Whatever else Emma was going to say died on her lips as Cain stood and buttoned her jacket. “How about an early dinner?”

“Sounds good.” Before she got to her feet, Emma looked at Lou one last time and smiled.

The door of the car closed behind Cain a few minutes later, and she embraced Emma as they started to move.

Emma said, “Something happened last night and this morning you need to know about.”

“Are you all right?”

Emma kissed a small scar on Cain’s first knuckle. “I’m fine, and I want you to keep that in mind when you hear what I have to say.” Before she lost her nerve she described the two brief encounters with Juan Luis, swearing she felt Cain growl when she told her what had happened that morning in the French Quarter.

“Did he touch you?”

Emma could have taken the question a number of different ways, but she took it for what it was—concern. Though Cain often told Emma she belonged to her, their relationship wasn’t built on possession. Emma knew Cain belonged to her just as much.

“Lou was there both times, love, so no, he didn’t. I also told him on both occasions who I’m with, but he didn’t seem to want to get the message.”

Surprisingly Cain laughed at the comment, making Emma squirm. “I’m not laughing at you, sweetling, or the situation.”

“What’s so funny, then?”

“After the last couple of weeks and what we’ve been through, I would’ve enjoyed seeing you put that asshole in his place.” She kissed the top of Emma’s head and pulled her closer. “And of course he didn’t want to get the message. Men like Juan were raised to think the world and all the women in it are for their pleasure. In this case he’s going to succeed.”

Emma shot up at the comment, ready to face off with Cain. “I did not give this guy any encouragement.”

“I know. I meant, if the attention of a Casey woman is what he wants, then he’s getting it. Only once I’m done, he might not find it all that pleasurable.”

Emma laughed, but worried that the last thing Cain needed was another battle to fight.

*

As the waiter brought out the desserts Cain and Emma had ordered, the phone on Merrick’s hip buzzed once, signaling she had a message. She flipped it open under the table, not wanting to draw attention to herself, but just as soon as she read the message, she smiled.

Have u eaten yet?

With one more glance around the room to make sure everything was still all right, she tapped Lou on the shoulder and pointed toward the ladies’ room.