“Why not? It makes perfect sense?”
Malco folded his arms and glared back, not willing to back down. He leaned in close to her face as he spoke. “Because it’s fucking dangerous, and I’m not prepared to take any risks that might mean I lose you when I just fucking found you.”
Malco watched her face go from furious to soft in an instant. Her hand moved to his cheek, and she cupped it gently, suddenly understanding his deep-rooted fear.
“Okay, honey.”
Shane looked at them and shook his head. “You need to teach me your skills, man. Emme never backs down.”
“Hey.” Emme poked her fiancé in the belly, and he hooked his arm around her, pulling her close.
“Malco is right, though, we need another plan.”
“What about tracking his phone?” Emme looked up at Shane.
“That will tell us where he is, but if he’s with her, it won’t tell us if he’s there by choice or not.”
“It’s a start.” Malco moved toward the laptop on the desk. His fingers flew over the keys as he accessed the program that tracked the team during work hours, which was basically all the time.
The screen came to life, showing the team members in various colors. Alex was indeed at Rina’s house, which told them nothing.
“He’s with Rina.”
“Damn.”
Frida placed a hand on his shoulder as he typed, and her touch soothed the burn that had begun to pain him as the painkillers from earlier wore off completely, and the wound in his side began to hurt like fuck. His face must have shown the pain because Frida moved to her bag and came back with Tylenol and Ibuprofen tablets. He took them with a smile and chucked them back dry.
“Thank you.”
Her smile lit the sky when she replied. “My pleasure.”
The alarm on the outside gate sounded, and Shane pulled up the camera. “Ward is here.” He released the button and called him in.
They watched as Ward walked to the entrance and stopped at the locked door. Shane lifted the phone and asked King and Caitlin to be ready to bring JaKheel through as Ward entered.
Malco walked to the front door and unlocked the door letting Ward in.
“Thanks for coming, Ward.” Malco watched his reaction as the door opened, and King led JaKheel and Danie through. Ward tensed, and Malco watched, waiting for JaKheel to notice him. When he did, the reaction was not what he expected. JaKheel moved fast, and Malco and the others tensed ready to move, but Ward moved first, and then JaKheel was throwing his hand up to Ward.
Ward grasped his hand and held tight as the two-faced each other. “Thank you for looking after her while I couldn’t.”
Ward’s face was solemn when he nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job, brother.”
JaKheel shook his head. “Not your fault. This is on me. I should’ve listened to you.”
“Some lessons can’t be coached, only lived,” Ward spoke with sincerity, and Malco was convinced from the exchange that Ward was indeed innocent in every way and just another victim of greed.
Malco stepped forward. “Ward, we need a word if you have a minute.”
Ward looked at him with an open face and nodded. “Of course.”
King led JaKheel and Danie to the kitchen to get food, Caitlin, with her loyal beast at her side, following. Anyone willing to try anything with Killy around was indeed an idiot. Malco didn’t think JaKheel would. Just being around Danie, he’d changed, dropping the hardness he’d worn and allowed the soft around him. Malco had no doubt he was still a killer, but he wasn’t evil, just wanting to do the right thing and having lost his way in the process. Danie and this child could very well save this young man from certain death.
“I was that boy once,” Ward said as they entered the conference room with Frida, Emme, and Shane, his eyes on JaKheel and Danie as they walked away.
“What happened?” Malco asked, taking a seat, and indicating Ward do the same, his interest genuine as he waited for Ward to reply. Shane excused himself, and Malco knew he was going to try and figure out the Alex situation.
“I found a woman worth getting out for. She changed everything, saved my life in every way.” Ward looked to his clasped hands on the table as he spoke, and Malco could hear the love, but he also heard the sadness.
Malco leaned back slightly to make himself more comfortable. “What happened?”
Ward looked up at him, and the pain in his eyes was almost tangible; it was so raw and so fresh.
“She died.”
Malco closed his eyes on a long blink, hating that the man had been through that. “I’m sorry.”
“Was a long time ago now, but I miss her every single day.” Ward gave a humorless laugh. “The grief almost pulled me back again. Back into the darkness of the gangs where only killing and fucking mattered, but I knew she’d be so ashamed I let her down, and I’d done that enough when she lived. I wouldn’t do it after she was gone.”
Malco nodded. “Saving you even then.”
Ward looked up sharply, and his eyes locked on Malco as understanding passed between them.
“Exactly. But you ain’t got me up in here to discuss my past. What’s on your mind?” Malco took the laptop that had screenshots on it of Ward’s account and turned it around.
“Do you know what these are?” Ward leaned in, and Malco watched as anger made his friend’s jaw lock before he looked at Malco.
“You know damn well I don’t.”
“Do you know a woman by the name of Rina Flores?” Malco changed tack wanting to see if Ward knew something he didn’t realize.
“No, never heard of her. She do this to me?”
“We don’t know. We need to do some more digging, but we’re short on hackers right now.”
Ward’s eyes went wide, and then he grinned. “Have you spoken to Danie? The
