19. Zane

Chapter nineteen

Zane

D iscovering who was stealing the drugs with William is only the first step in Knox's unexplained vengeance on his own cartel. A madness seems to have taken over him, and his thirst for blood seems to have doubled. None of this fits with Lenny's report of finding himself a toy boy.

We have five men accused of wrongdoing, and I am here to judge their lives. The three capos stand ready to hear my verdict, and Knox paces like the executioner, ready to mow down his own to sate the blood lust. I think I need a meeting with Knox or his father.

"Ian Sinclair and Lucas Donovan. Both are in their early twenties and have been with us for over a year. They've been indulging in the odd sample." Marcus explains the situation of the first two guilty men.

"Victor Sterling. He's an informant, but as of late, he's not been doing much informing." Lenny shrugs off Victor's crime. Sleeping on the job is worth termination from the post, but not from existence.

"And the last two are the men William named. Derik Marley and Roger Saint." I answer my own question there. Now it's time for the sentencing. These are only my recommendations. Knox will do what he wants, but I can advise him first.

"Victor should get another chance, reporting directly to Lenny." They could both do with a little more responsibility. "The two runners just need a warning. If this isn't enough to have them piss their pants and step into line, nothing will."

I turn my attention to Knox before letting him know the final men's fate.

"Derik Marley and Roger Saint deserve whatever fate appeases this witch-hunt. William died for this information, so it's only fair that they are terminated too. But please tell me you'll stop hunting your own ranks for blood now?"

"I've got what I was looking for," Knox sighs, his tone suggesting that maybe this is just an alternative to something else going on in his life—as long as it's worked.

Knox turns and heads out to administer justice. I nod for Lenny and Marcus to go with him, but gesture for Caeo to stay.

The air is tense as I lean against the cool brick wall of the warehouse, my arms folded across my chest.

"Alright, spill it," I order, breaking the silence between us. "What's got Knox acting like he's lost his damn mind?"

"It's a mess, but everything should work itself out in the next few days," Caeo assures me. He's in his early forties, closer to my aching bones age than he is to Knox and my sons. But work wise, he's closer to Knox than anyone because he shares the same interest in guys. Nico, in particular, if I'm any judge of hearts. Nico is barely out of nappies, far too young for Caeo to make a move in my opinion. But look at the age gap between me and Jasmine. I'm fifty-six and she can't be much older than Marcus.

"He's closer to you than anyone else. Tell me if I should be worried about all of this." I question what Caeo's heard about Knox.

"No, I don't think so," Caeo shrugs off something that is clearly worrying him.

"Good. Then you can tell me everything."

"We caught some broad on CCTV lifting a brick out of the supply room over on Knuckle Alley. By the time we caught up with her, she was home with her twin brother."

"Are you telling me Knox is smitten with the brother?" I ask, the corners of my mouth twitching despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Like a schoolboy," Caeo confirms with a nod. "He's seriously considering cutting the sister loose, hoping it'll make Porter stick around."

"So he's looking for some closure elsewhere to atone for letting her go?" Men in love do stupid things. Myself as an example. Look at what I did for the girl before she even knew I existed. "Love can be a dangerous distraction."

"Or a powerful motivator," Caeo offers cautiously, watching me closely.

"Let's hope it's the latter," I reply, pushing off the wall. "We'll need to keep a close eye on this... development."

"I'll keep you updated," Caeo promises.

With so many developments, I have no choice but to notify Edward of recent events.

***

Adam, the footman slash security guard, opens the door to Edward's mansion. Who knows the job titles of half the people he has around the place? That's why I put so much effort into knowing their names.

"Welcome Zane, always a pleasure," Caroline calls from across the entrance hall. She approaches me and then carries out the ritual greeting, in which we kiss cheeks without making physical contact. I don't miss her not so subtle glance at my hands in the hope of special offerings, but my meeting today doesn't warrant any such expense.

"Edward is just in his study. Can I get you anything? Abigail has muffins cooling on the side."

"It's good to see you, Caroline," I reply politely. "No, I'm fine, thank you." I smile as I watch her glide back towards the kitchen, her hands brushing imaginary dust from the spotless countertop.

"Well, you must let me pack you some for your gorgeous grandson. If I can't have any of my own, I won't be denied spoiling yours."

With her only offspring being gay, she's probably given up on grandchildren. I know all her hopes laid with her daughter, Carrie, but she passed away about eight years ago. Having lost Izabella, I proved a great comfort to the woman over the years.

"Thank you, they are always gratefully received."

"Edward will be right with you," she calls over her shoulder, her tone light and inviting. Adam knows her suggestive nature well enough to remain with me until the woman flows out of sight.

"Take your time," I answer, settling into the plush sofa, allowing myself a moment to imagine a life less complicated, less dangerous—a life where someone like Jasmine wasn't hidden away in fear.

The door to Edward's study creaked open, "I'm glad you're here. Rumours have reached my ears and I'm hoping you're here to fill me in on my own damn family business," he says, his voice stern as always. He closes the door gently behind us, sealing us away in his expensive office. Ironically, the man who does the least amount of work should have the biggest office of us all. But I suppose he hides away here for enough of the time to deserve to be comfortable.

"Edward," I began, sitting opposite him, "there's something about Knox you ought to know." My fingers toyed with the edge of an ornate paperweight on his desk, feeling it's cool weight grounding me.

"Knox?" Edward raised an eyebrow, the lines around his eyes deepening with curiosity. "What's he gotten himself into this time?"

"Turns out he's got himself tangled up with a pair of siblings—one of them caught stealing from us." I paused, gauging his reaction. "Thing is, he's fallen for the brother. He thinks he's in love or something close to it. He might even let the sister walk if it means keeping Porter around."

A chuckle rumbled from Edward's chest, and his eyes sparkled with mirth. "Love? That's unexpected. But it's about time he settled down." His mind is already turning, considering the possible outcomes. "I'm delighted by the news, truly."

"He's ruffled a few feathers within the business. I think he's looking for some redemption so he can sort this thing out with Porter."

"Fine. I'll smooth everything over, and we'll consider it settled."

He's taking the news better than I expected. He's never had any issue with his son being gay, but kidnapping a date is ridiculous.

"There's more," I added, my voice dropping a level, the weight of my next confession heavy on my tongue. "It's about Andrew Green."

"The porn guy?" His interest is piqued further, a lean forward in his chair signalling his undivided attention.

"There's a girl, Jasmine. She's the reason I've been... preoccupied." The words fall between us like stones in still water. "She's in trouble. She stabbed Andrew Green and I disposed of the body."

For a moment, Edward says nothing, the silence thick and expectant. Then, his lips curl into a knowing smile, and he starts laughing.

"I know. Imagine the irony!" I have done exactly the same thing as his son.

"You've always been thorough, my friend. I trust your judgement in handling the situation."

"William Harbour and Ronan Gosling were with me. I thought I could trust them, but I learned something about William today."

"Well now," Edward begins, steepling his fingers as he leans back into the supple leather of his chair, "I'll vouch for Ronan. It's not every day one finds a... partner in this line of work."

"I thought I could vouch for William until today," I sigh.

"Jasmine, you say? Pretty name." He muses, his tone light, but I knew better than to mistake it for a lack of severity. "I must admit, I am pleased for you. And you can rest assured, should any complications arise from your current predicament, they will be handled with the utmost efficiency." He pauses. Somewhere in the expanse of his office, there is only the faintest sound of a ticking clock.

"And Alexei," he continues, a softer edge creeping into his voice, "he'll benefit from having a figure like Jasmine around. Proper childcare has been long overdue." The statement holds weight, acknowledging the difficulty in finding stability amidst our difficult lives.

"Thank you, Edward," I say, the relief evident in my voice despite my best efforts. "I know that with your support, we can work through this and help Knox reach the best outcome."

"Of course," he replies, the finality in his voice sealing the promise. "We take care of our own. It's what sets us apart from the rest."