She’d seen that kind of defiance many times in her life, and while he was projecting it well, he wasn’t fooling her. “If you’re trying to impress me, you aren’t.”
The young man snickered. “So leave me the fuck alone then.”
“You think I’m here to sweeten you up but what you don’t realize is I’m your only option. The only one for you, Danie… and your unborn baby.”
The look on JaKheel’s face lasted only a second, but it was true vulnerability she saw before he put his mask back in place.
“You have balls spreading those kind of lies. As if that would make me go against the Razors.”
“I’m not talking about the Razors. I don’t give a shit about them. They’re not my target. I want Kasten and Pool.”
With a shrug, he put his hands in his pockets. “One way or another, you want me to betray Bullet and the Razors, and that I won’t do.”
“Even to have a new life? To protect your family?”
This time, he exploded in her face, gripping the bars between them as he shouted. “Fucking stop with your lies!”
She felt the men shuffle behind her, but they stayed back.
Frida reached into her pocket to retrieve a piece of paper and let it fall to the floor. “I’m not lying.”
JaKheel took the small square picture and looked at it. It was hard to see anything on the ultrasound picture, but it was the only proof she had.
It was the first blow, and she had to keep punching to get through. “Danie is with us and is safe. She wanted to tell you, but you disappeared on her. We barely got to her before Pool raped her.”
It was a cheap shot, but she wasn’t above using them.
“I’m not speaking on behalf of the FBI or even Miami. If it’s what you want, I can give you a new life. For you, Danie, and your baby, one away from the Blood Razors for good. On your own terms.”
For the longest time, JaKheel ignored her, and Frida feared he hadn’t heard a word she had said.
“Danie is safe?”
Frida nodded. “Yes, she is. But I won’t be able to keep her that way forever. You know her, she’ll want a life of her own.”
A corner of his mouth quirked up, so she continued. “She doesn’t know we have you, or what I’m offering. I wanted your decision before I got her hopes up. Do you want to return to the Blood Razors? If that’s your decision, I’ll make sure you’re freed tonight. But Danie will be gone. She wants more for her baby than a life in a gang and will take her chance to escape, even though she loves you. So, the choice is yours. A new life with Danie and your baby, or continue as the second-in-command of the Razors.”
JaKheel turned his back to her. “What’s the price for that dream life?”
“I want to clean house. I need you as my main witness. If you agree, here and now, Danie gets sent away, protected 24/7 until it’s over. When Kasten and Pool are behind bars, I’ll send you to her.”
“They’re the only two you want intel on?”
Despite the temptation, her heart squeezed at his tone. Loyalty was hard to smother in a man’s heart. “Whatever you have to bring Kasten and Pool down, or anybody else on the force that’s dirty. The Razors aren’t my target.”
Very slowly, the young man turned and nodded. “I want to talk to Danie. If she confirms what you said and wants this, I’ll do it.”
Frida nodded and turned on her heels. Relief mixed with anticipation flooded her veins when she headed upstairs. Mercy had listened to everything and was already talking to Shane on a burner phone, organizing for Danie to be brought to the farmhouse.
Her thoughts went to her next move. With newfound fire, Frida couldn’t wait to start building the case and bring those dirty rats down for good.
Chapter Twenty-One
Malco came awake in a rush, pain slamming into his side as he sat up quickly, making him feel lightheaded and nauseous.
“Hey, slow down.” His eyes moved to Emme, who was seated beside the bed doing paperwork. She placed it aside and assessed him. “How do you feel?”
Malco frowned. “Like you fucking drugged me,” he accused angrily.
“We had no choice, Malco. If we hadn’t, you’d have gone running off half-cocked to JaKheel with Frida and gotten yourself hurt even worse.
“Frida is with JaKheel? Are you fucking insane?” His anger was hitting altitude now as fear mixed with the pain.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” Shane growled from the door. His voice was low with anger as he glared at Malco. Malco was instantly contrite for speaking to Emme that way. She was a good boss and an even better friend, and the rational part of him knew that. Unfortunately, the rational Malco had taken leave, and the worried one was in residence.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I’m worried about Frida. She thinks she can save the world, and while I believe in her, I can’t let anything happen to her.”
Malco saw understanding flash across Shane’s face, and the anger from moments ago take a back seat.
“I understand, I do, but don’t let that shit happen again or bullet wound or not, I’ll punch you in the face.”
“Nothing to apologize for,” Emme said with a glare at Shane.
“Who’s with her?” The fog from the drugs was wearing off now, and with a clearer head, he knew Shane would never have let her go alone. His team was more than competent, but that didn’t change the fact that nobody would be able to protect her better than he could because he loved her, and they didn’t.
“I’ve been where you are, Malco, and it fucking sucks, but you have to trust your team to keep her safe. Mercy and James are with her, and Nicholas is at the safe house.” Shane pulled up a chair beside the bed
