7. ~Caspian~

An obscure jewelry store.

Not a place you'd expect to find a man like him.

His reputation certainly didn't account for that, but as I'd learned from Caleb's intimate association with him, there was more to him than met the eye.

There were layers beneath that extremely hard outer shell. Caleb wouldn't have been able to connect with him if that wasn't the case. He needed to be able to feel something more than mere sexual pleasure when he was fucking. He wasn't like me. Or how I had been before I'd agreed to give up my subs at Obscura.

I quietly and discreetly walked into the little store.

And there he was up at the counter talking with the owner.

I peered closer as he explained a sketched design he'd apparently created himself.

Wow. It was an edgy layered chain necklace with three black gem roses at the center of each chain with the initials, AM, KC, JK—one on each heart.

"She likes black," Asher told the owner, a lean and small man with a shock of white hair, peering at the design through his thickly rimmed glasses. "Like me," Asher said, smiling.

Smiling? Wowagain.

And he certainly did favor the black-on-black look. His appearance right now was a testament to that. Clad in designer black jeans, with a matching dress shirt and a leather jacket over the top that all blended well with his silky black hair, short on the sides and tousled on top with a whole lot of product to pull off that look.

"I can absolutely create this for you, Asher. It's stunning."

"And it'll be one of a kind."

"She's one lucky woman."

"It's the other way around, believe me."

I cleared my throat and stepped further into the store, making my footsteps known this time, using an exaggerated heavier step.

It had Asher shooting a look over his shoulder.

Surprise flickered in his eyes for a mere moment before he was able to school his expression back to the impassive, unreadable demeanor he was known for.

"Caspian."

"Asher," I returned evenly.

He took in my incognito look with my plain gray jeans and a dark hooded denim jacket, the hood still up and concealing my distinctive long hair that I'd pulled back into a ponytail. "Not here on business, I see."

"This is personal."

"Hmm." He gestured to the jeweler. "Give us five."

The guy nodded and did his bidding instantly, taking off into the back.

Asher pushed off the counter and regarded me studiously. "Why has something of a personal nature brought you to me? Or, to put it more bluntly, why have you used invasive and extremely violating methods to track me down here, rather than doing the obvious and coming to Hexwood House?"

He wasn't incorrect about the violation.

To track him to this specific off-the wall place at this specific moment in time, ensuring he was alone as well, had been no easy task. It had required a great deal of manipulation and invasiveness.

"You are aware that the Infidels was never the source of my power?" he said with a noticeable edge. A very clear warning full of malice, with ill intent just a hair's breadth away.

That was certainly the Asher Monroe I'd come to know by reputation.

However, the version of him that I needed was that which Caleb had managed to access.

The humanity beneath all the armor.

"I'm sure you're having to emphasize that a great deal right now, considering the shifting landscape following your impressive accomplishment of a few weeks ago. However, you don't need to do that with me. In fact, I will assist you with spreading the word. I am also a powerful ally who you may keep in your back pocket should the need arise down the road."

He stared at me in that invasive way he was known for, trying to see into me.

All he would see was confirmation that I was speaking the truth, that I meant him no ill will.

While he was busy doing that, I explained, "I didn't come to Hexwood House because I needed to approach you while you were alone. It's my understanding that your significant others are adamant that you continue with your recovery and avoid situations that could complicate that."

"And yet you've come to me believing you have the means to challenge that, the impetus to pull me back in?"

"I have, yes."

He arched an eyebrow expectantly. "Well? You have my attention."

"Caleb has been taken."

His face fell.

He couldn't school his reaction this time.

Pain and worry twisted his features.

Urgency spilled from him as he stepped closer and demanded, "Tell me everything."

I gestured around the shop. "It's a sensitive matter. Not here. Finish up and we'll relocate to somewhere more conducive to entertaining a discussion of this nature."

He gave a nod, then headed back to the counter, hurrying his business along.

I stood rigidlyat the side of my Maserati as Asher leaned against his Beamer with his arms folded across his chest, the two of us in a deserted parking lot several miles from the jewelry store and tens of miles from anywhere else. The blanket of night provided additional camouflage.

"Elijah Bane," Asher uttered tightly.

"I understand you've crossed paths with him briefly before."

He nodded. "A few years ago, I heard rumblings of my father wanting to ally with him, something that would have provided the Infidels with a great deal more power." He grinned maliciously. "Of course, I couldn't let that happen."

"Something I appreciate, as that alliance would have impacted me as well."

"Well, you already had your own plan in motion to stop it, I just got there first."

I started.

His grin widened off my surprised reaction. "There wasn't much I wasn't aware of back then, Caspian." He unfolded his arms and pushed off his car. "Anyway, I headed down to one of his casinos, knowing he was slated to be there. My plan was to sour his opinion of my father through my actions as his heir. I challenged him to a game of poker. Of course, being the egomaniac that he is, he couldn't resist. In fact, he made it a public spectacle, believing that he would win and he could humiliate me, and also knowing that I hate public attention. He failed. I won and took him for one of his prized yachts. As you know, he's far from being an honorable man, but he had to pay up because he'd boxed himself in by making it a public spectacle. The money I made from selling that thing is part of what's keeping me, Jonah, Aurora, and Killian afloat now."

"How did you best him at poker? He's a renowned talent. Moreover, you don't gamble—with anything. You're extremely calculating and a gifted tactician."

"It was a sure thing. I made certain of it."

The realization hit me. "Your sleight of hand."

"In essence. Suffice to say, he absolutely detests me. There's a lot of fear there too because I was one of the few he couldn't control. As you know, he doesn't do well with that."

"He's not going to take well to that in Caleb either."

"How did it come to this? Where did you drop the ball? It's you, Caspian. You're feared and revered in equal measure for a reason. Always steps ahead."

I'm tired. So fucking tired.

I tugged at my ponytail. "What should have been a former threat wasn't dealt with in a timely manner by the person I'd tasked with his extermination and said threat was able to connect with Elijah and pass on classified information to him that enabled Elijah to both evade my apprehension and to then abduct Caleb and Bastian."

"What's his status?"

"His name is Jeremy Wheeler. He's off the grid. Ex-military. Trained by one of the best."

"The guy you'd tasked to hunt him?"

"Yes. Frank Bennett."

"Your woman's father?"

"Correct."

"Devious. Is she aware that you put her father in jeopardy by pulling him from his active black ops activities and setting him on this guy?"

"No. It will only complicate matters. At least until results are obtained, or he finally makes contact. As it stands, they're both underground."

"And now you need to rescind your kill order, while not being able to reach Bennett, because you believe this guy has information on Caleb's whereabouts?"

"Yes."

"All right," he said calmly, firing up a cigarette.

He was quiet for several moments, clearly thinking on it and analyzing everything I'd told him.

"I can put out word to those who run in their covert circles to rescind the order." He pulled out his phone and typed rapidly, then told me, "Done."

"Just like that?"

"Despite you owning some illegitimate operations, my entire life was this sort of thing, beyond underground and illicit. This is my forte." The corner of his mouth turned up. "That's why you hesitated on bringing me in right away, yes? It concerns you?"

"We're beyond that now."

"You're afraid that Elijah will break Caleb?" He scoffed. "No."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You would be too if you'd remained close with him over the last two years."

I started toward him.

He held up his hand. "I'm merely saying that Cal has several tricks up his sleeves that he didn't before he left Rossun. He'll endure. I have no doubt." He winced. "The other one, though? The Prince of the City… he's another story. His weaknesses are also well-publicized. He's not a loner and therefore not an enigma like Cal. He's an open book and that doesn't bode well at all with this sort of thing."

"He's more resourceful than anybody has been made aware of."

Asher cocked an eyebrow. "How so?"

It wasn't the first time Bastian had been kidnapped. Of course I'd had him take precautions after that. Luke and I had schooled him well should it ever befall him again.

"It doesn't matter."

"I need to know what we're working with in order to develop this search and rescue op."

I shook my head. "You've already helped me with what I came to you for. I'd envisioned it taking a great deal longer, you having to connect with these people in person, hence my concerns that your loved ones would be resistant to you assisting me, believing you'd have to step back into all of this shit."

"I ensured I obtained a solid foothold with these covert forces as a precautionary measure. My achievements of late have also garnered me a very favorable reputation with them. They respect me and many of them wish to keep me happy should they require my special brand of assistance in the future."

"And you were able to gain introductions via Aaron and your woman's father."

"They assisted initially, yes."

"An incredibly smart and calculating move. It will serve you well." I held out my hand. "Thank you for your help. It's much appreciated."

He waved my handshake away. "I'm not done here, Caspian. I can assist you a great deal more that calling off a kill order."

"Again, appreciated, but I'll handle the rest."

I turned to go, but his next words pulled me up short.

"How about you drop the faux politeness and niceties and we'll really get down to business."

I spun back to him. "I don't have time for this. The clock is ticking." Fucking constantly.

"I agree. You don't have time. Not for this bullshit, nor for this denial you're entertaining."

"Excuse me?"

"You're really going to refuse my help because you can't stand me or the fact that I fucked around with Caleb?"

Hell. "Us working together is only going to—"

"Get the job done a hell of a lot faster? Not to mention, you're far too emotionally invested."

"And you're not with Caleb being involved?"

"I can check it. I'm nowhere near as sentimental as you are. You need my special brand of stoicism, my mercilessness, and strategic know-how that rivals yours."

"Asher—"

"I won't see Caleb suffer, especially not longer than he fucking well needs to. With you and I pulling together, he won't, they won't, you won't. You're tired, Caspian. I can see it all over you."

"And you're not after what you just dealt with, after dealing with the likes of your demented father for years on end?"

"I thrive on this sort of thing, you don't. You never wanted this. Aside from The Jackals escapades, you wanted King to be fully legitimate, to cast off the underground operations and the down and dirty of it eventually. But that time never came, did it? Because you can't just touch it, you see. It gets its claws into you. The poison spreads. And because you're not built for it, it's a hell of a lot more taxing on you than it is on the likes of me."

Son of a bitch. "Fine. Yes, I could use your help."

He stepped up close to me, completely breaching my personal space. He was a couple of inches shorter than me and with less bulk and muscle mass but his indomitable presence transcended that utterly.

Unfortunately for him, he wasn't dealing with just anyone.

I saw him smile at me not even flinching with what he was putting out there.

"Hmm, this is going to be interesting, King."

I merely glared back at him steadily.

"To do this, we need to actually work together. I understand that you're in the headspace of being willing to do anything to get your boys back, but can you handle that?"

"Whatever it takes."

"Very good."

He stepped back, took one last drag of his smoke, then dropped it and butted it out with his shoe. "All right, we'll get Caleb and your other boy back. It's just me, though. I won't allow Jonah, Aurora, or Killian to be pulled into this."

"Understood. I'll manufacture a cover for you that you've been invited to meet with me regarding a very lucrative business opportunity. One I'll create as compensation for your assistance."

"That's not necessary. I'd do nothing less for Caleb."

I swallowed down the bite that his words caused me, memories of those photos and all the details of his intimate relations with Caleb threatening to breach the surface.

I had to rise above it. I needed his help.

And getting my boys back mattered more than all the rest.