I found King’s listing and hit the button to connect the call. It rang several times before going to voicemail, which ratcheted up my anger even more.

“Leave a message.”

Oh boy, did I ever.

“King, it’s Jena. Two things. One, I’m sorry I said what I did last night. I’m not used to being cooped up and I know I’m not handling it well.” I took a deep breath because I wanted to scream and it was the only way I could control it. “Two, when you’re ready to stop fucking sulking and apologize for the way you reacted, you can leave a message on my fucking phone.”

It was immature and ridiculous, but I didn’t care. After his little speech last night about protecting me and making me feel like an asshole, he suddenly disappeared. It was bullshit. He couldn’t have it both ways.

Now, I was sitting at my desk, trying to hold onto my anger because it was the only thing keeping me from crying. King was such a complicated man and he’d never ignored me before. He’d always been willing to argue it out. I didn’t know what to think about his prolonged silence.

I had just picked up my cell to text him when there was a knock at my office door. I’d closed it because I didn’t want anyone to see me moping instead of working.

“Come in,” I called.

Marilyn opened the door. “Hey, Jena. I know you’re busy, but I have yet another client who asked for you specifically.” She was grinning, probably because she thought I was bringing in lots of clients.

“Okay.”

“This is Larry Clarke. He said you used to do some bookkeeping for him while you were in school.”

My blood ran cold when she said the name. I knew from working for Larry for so long that he had family with the last name Clarke.

I was between a rock and a hard place. I didn’t want to put Marilyn or any of my coworkers in danger. I didn’t know this side of Larry so I couldn’t fathom what he might be willing to do.

As soon as Marilyn stepped out of the door, my phone started buzzing in my hand. It was King, but I couldn’t answer because Larry was already entering my office.

Quickly, I chose to respond to his call via text and typed, Larry here hurry.

Since Marilyn was still loitering in the doorway, I put my phone on my desk and stood, pasting a smile on my face. “Hi, Larry. Nice to see you again.”

In his mid-sixties, Clarence Peretti was tall and well-built. In the last few years, he’d developed a bit of a gut due to his love of food. His hair was salt and pepper and deep wrinkles surrounded his blue eyes because he laughed a lot and rarely wore sunglasses.

“Jena, it’s a pleasure,” he murmured.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she shut the door to the office before we would be forced to shake hands.

I pressed my fingertips to the top of my desk, but remained standing. I wanted to say something, but had no idea how to begin.

“I’m not here to hurt you, Jena,” he began, “I’m here to talk to you.”

Still hesitant, I nodded, but remained standing.

“Jena, I mean it, I won’t hurt you. Please sit down.”

Suddenly Larry looked every one of his sixty-six years. He also looked exhausted.

Slowly, I lowered myself into my chair. He did the same. We sat across from each other, not speaking.

Finally, I asked softly, “Why are you here, Larry?”

He sighed. “I came to tell you once again that you have nothing to fear from me, Jena. I know what happened with Justin and what he was doing to you.”

“How did you find out?”

“Justin told me before he died.”

My stomach clenched as a horrific thought occurred to me. “Did you…did you-”

Larry shook his head. “No, Jena, I didn’t hurt Justin. He wanted to come work for me. That’s how I prevented your boyfriend from shoving me out of Dallas before now.”

Oh my God. Justin and Katie were both assholes of the first order. Neither of them hesitated to betray the people that trusted them.

“Before now?” I asked.

“It’s over for me, Jena. I’m finally retiring and moving Delores to Florida. She’s been on my ass about it for five years. It’s time.”

I nodded, hope blooming in my heart. Maybe it was going to really be over soon.

“I know that you probably won’t trust me when I say this, but I hold no ill will toward you. You worked for me for a long time and you are a very sweet young woman. Even if you had given King and Wick what they wanted, I wouldn’t have blamed you. I’m no saint and I know better than anyone what lengths bad men will go to in order to get what they want.”

My eyes stung at his words because this was the Larry I knew. “Thank you, Larry.”

His face became grave. “I hope you’ll listen to me when I tell you this, Jena. You need to get away from King and you need to do it soon. They don’t know what they’re bringing down on themselves. You’re going to be in danger, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

I couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious of his words. “What do you mean?”

“Wick isn’t the only one interested in the Dallas territory. There’s another man who wants to take over here and he’s nothing like your boyfriend or me. He is brutal and he will want to make a statement. I managed to hold him back because I have connections with his family, but with me retiring…I can’t hold him off any longer.”

“Who are you talking about?” I asked. “Did you mention this to Wick?”

Larry nodded. “I did, but Wick thinks he can handle Renaldo.”

Having met Wick, I honestly thought he could probably handle anything thrown his way, but I still felt a trickle of fear run down my spine.

“But you don’t?” I asked.

Shaking his head, Larry got to his feet. “No, I don’t. I don’t think Wick has encountered anyone like Renaldo before.” The smile he gave me was sad. “I want you to be happy, Jena. I may not be the best man, but I can still recognize good people when I see them.”

Unable to think of anything to say, I nodded.

Larry leaned across the desk and laid his hand on mine. “Get away from King, Jena. He’s the reason that Justin is dead.”

Speechless, I watched as he straightened and walked through the door of my office. If I could have spoken, I would have asked him what in the hell he meant.

But it was way too late.

Chapter Twenty-Five

‡

Five minutes after Larry walked out of my office, King rushed in. I was still sitting behind my desk, unmoving.

King shut and locked my office door behind him and came around my desk, crouching down next to me. “Are you okay?” he asked, looking me over from head to toe, running his hands over my arms and legs.

I shoved my chair back, pulling myself out of reach. “Y-yeah, I’m okay,” I stammered, lifting my hands. “Just give me a second. I think I’m in shock.”

King froze, then sat back on his heels. The worried expression faded from his face, replaced with anger. “What the fuck were you thinking?” he asked in a low voice.

“What?”

“Larry fucking Peretti comes to your office, you don’t sit down for a fucking chat, darlin’. You haul your ass outta here and get somewhere safe.”

I stared at him, wondering if he killed Justin. I didn’t love Justin anymore and realized I never had, not really, but I also didn’t like the idea that the man I did love might be capable of cold-blooded murder.

“Larry came by to tell me he’s leaving. Retiring to Florida with his wife,” I muttered. “He wanted me to know that I was safe, that he meant it when he said he didn’t want to hurt me.”

The rage gradually receded and I could tell King was surprised. “He told you all that?”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s over. I’m safe.”

King leaned forward, wrapping his arms around me. “I’m glad you’re okay, darlin’, but I’m not sure I believe him.”

“I do,” I insisted. “He could have hurt me when he came in today. He could have done it a long time ago.”