Page 136 of Power of Shadow

“Why would I do that, Ashley? Why would I kill him?” James asks.

I should finish him off and end this whole charade. “You put a hit out on him, and when it took too long, you lost your patience. Admit it, you wanted to save face.”

“You’re right, I lost my patience,” James admits with a shrug. “Of course I had to save face when my son lost his head over you and delayed what he had to do. From what I know, you have a great understanding of this business, Shadow, so you know that million-dollar deals are no joke. Even so, I wasn’t the first to get to him.”

Suddenly, a grunt draws our attention to the other two men.

“Actually...” the younger one begins.

“Aiden,” the vice president growls. The friendly mask falls from his face.

What the hell is going on here?

James knows I’m Shadow. No one even batted an eye at that news.

Everyone knows about it, something inside me tells me.

And who the hell is Aiden?

“Ashley,” Aiden addresses me. He smiles, and two dimples appear on his cheeks. Whoever he is, I have to admit he’s a handsome guy, tall with a broad build. His short blond hair is messy, but it adds to his charm. “I’m sorry to say that James is right about this, and he didn’t kill Charles.”

“What the fuck?” I hear Ryker’s disbelief.

I swallow hard, and my breathing quickens. My heart is pounding so hard that I feel hot.

“Who, then, is responsible for this?” My voice sounds unfamiliar to me.

“You know who did it. You know who needed him gone,” he replies calmly.

Understanding dawns on me. He’s right. I know now.

Ismael... It’s his doing.

The Mexican border. Smuggling routes. Loco Muerte. Everything my father warned me about. Ismael...

I can see in Ryker’s eyes that he knows a lot more than he’s telling me.

“Ismael?” Ryker speaks the words I’m thinking. “Why the hell was his body in my warehouse?”

Aiden shrugs. “Maybe it was a warning. Maybe he had another purpose. Who knows?”

But there’s one more thing...

My eyes turn to James, who still has a malicious smile on his face. He’s enjoying this whole mess.

“We have one more unfinished business,” I say in a low, warning tone, and his eyes widen.

“Little Killer? What are you doing, baby? Put the gun down.”

Ryker’s words aren’t a request; they’re an order. But I’m not his soldier. In an icy tone, I say, “I can’t do that. Please step back.”

“What is all this? Can’t you keep your whore on a leash?” James blurts out. He’s filled with hatred and bitterness.

My man gives him a blood-curdling look. “Shut the fuck up. She’s not a whore!”

“Ryker, back off, I said!” Now I’m shouting.

“This is better than any political debate.” Aiden claps his hands, pleased with the turn of events. “Ryker, she can’t put the gun down.”