3. Tiberius

3

TIBERIUS

I tear off my suit and change into jeans and a tee. After fastening my biker boots, I release a frustrated growl. I don’t know what the fuck to do about sweet, innocent Kinsley.

I glare out of my bedroom window, my gaze settling on the house across the lake. I open the door and step out onto the balcony. It’s sparsely furnished, with just a table and two chairs, plus a comfortable chaise lounge chair. I’ve spent many summer nights asleep on it. The outdoors has always called to me, just like the Lake House has.

Memories always swamped me whenever I dropped in on Jude and his family. In recent years, my brother had become uneasy about those visits, which made me wonder what he might have been hiding.

As I rest on the balustrade and gaze out once more across the lake at the house, I wonder what Kinsley is up to. It’s something I’ve wondered for a while now whenever my eyes caught on the house. Thoughts I should never have, even now. At first, it was innocent curiosity about the girl I knew my brother hadn’t fathered. But over the past couple of years, I found myself unable to stay away. I’ve never been introduced to the girl until now. I made sure I always stopped by when I knew she wouldn’t be home.

Kinsley grew up rather quickly and became a stunner. I shouldn’t be obsessed with her. It’s wrong. I know that what I’m feeling would be considered acceptable in the real world, if it weren’t for the age difference. I’m not really her uncle. Never have been. Never will be. She doesn’t know that yet.

One look at me covered in tattoos would disgust her. My brother never liked ink. Neither had my mother, which is why I have so many.

Kinsley doesn’t remember, but when she was told about her parents’ deaths, I showed up at the house. She was in shock, so I took charge of her. I held her while she stared into space. I held her some more when her tears finally came. I held her while she slept.

I should have stayed with her so she wasn’t alone, but I was dealing with my own grief. Not only that, but I also had to deal with the cops and make arrangements for Jude and Anna. I took my grief and anger and went after the crew who had forced my brother’s car off the road. His brakes had been cut, and as the crew chased after them, Jude wasn’t able to slow down on the sharp bends of Snake Pass.

I saw the bodies and wish I hadn’t. The only bit of luck that evening was that the car hadn’t burst into flames.

One crew member was still at large. That was my fault. I lost it with the three my men and I had found. The last one died before he could give me a name. However, I did get one name from the other two. Cannon Edge.

That bastard would pay one day.

I turn my head at the sound of booted feet moving down the hallway outside my bedroom.

“Boss,” Salem shouts, knocking on the door. “You in here?”

“Outside,” I yell.

He strides out and comes to rest beside me, his gaze following mine. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I don’t have a fucking clue.”

He snorts. “I haven’t seen you this fucked up before.”

I glare at my friend. “I’m not fucked up.” My eyes stray back to the Lake House. “Edge is going to come for Kinsley.”

“He won’t get her. Between you, me, and Jock, we’ve handpicked all the men who will be around the house. She will be safe.”

“Tell the men they don’t touch her. Make sure they know she’s my family and I will personally kill anyone who causes her harm.”

“Yes, boss,” Salem drawls, mirth in his voice, which I ignore.

“Prick!”

“Edgar has the weasel in the basement. You wanted to talk to him.”

“I want to do more than fucking talk,” I snarl.

“Who is he?” I ask Edgar.

The man tied to the chair, with blood and sweat running down his face, is not familiar to me.

“Brinkley,” Edgar growls. “I overheard him bragging about knowing where Jubal is hiding out. Why the fuck he’d do that is anyone’s guess.”

I narrow my gaze and clench my fists. “He’s either stupid for flapping his jaws or doesn’t know shit, which also makes him stupid.”

The man spits blood on the floor. “Fuck you! I know who you are, and you and that bitch will be next.”

Before the asshole can blink, I slam my fist into his face. The chair wobbles and then crashes backward.

“Where the fuck is he?”

Although the man laughs, fear sets in. I see it in his eyes and the piss stain on his jeans.

“I lied.” He laughs. “I fucking lied. I don’t even know who Jubal is.”

I crouch beside him as I wipe my hands on a cloth. “You see, I don’t believe you. With both mine and Edge’s men looking for Jubal, it would be fucking idiotic to lie about knowing him.” I glare at the piece of shit and force myself to stand. To Edgar, I say, “Find out what you can. Then turn him over to Edge.”

“No way.” Brinkley tugs against his bindings, struggling to break free. “He’ll kill me.”

Edgar laughs. “Beckett didn’t say you have to be alive when I turn you over to Edge.”

Pure fear erupts on Brinkley’s face.

I walk away. Salem, who had kept to the background, says, “Something doesn’t add up with that asshole.”

That is what I’ve been thinking since Edgar brought him in.

Five minutes later, my phone beeps with a message from Edgar. I read it twice before sharing the info with Salem. “Edgar sent the location Brinkley gave him to Prez to get the murdering asshole.”

“Fucking hell! Brinkley really was an idiot.”

I trust Prez to find Jubal now. All I must do is wait. Something I’ve been doing since Jude died.

“Make sure the bikes are loaded on to the truck. I don’t want to be traveling back and forth between the houses for now.”

“They’ve already been loaded. When do you want to leave?”

“Now.”

Salem heads off to round the men up while I stand outside in the fresh air. In truth, I don’t want Kinsley in this world of mine, but whether I do or not, it doesn’t matter anymore.

Kinsley’s life is now tied to mine whether she likes it or not.