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The world had gone bat-shit crazy when the daughter of the overlord of the Tannehill family had gone missing. The courthouse was abuzz with her disappearance. Daniel Tannehill kept a stern eye on his only child with a team of bodyguards that rivaled secret service. Nick glimpsed her a couple of days ago—surprised by her appearance because he couldn’t recall the last time she’d been in town—being bustled into a limo, and he’d pitied her. With a father like hers, her life would no doubt be short-lived.
Nick Matos would never go after an enemy through a family member, especially not a woman. His moral standards were higher than Tannehill’s common enemies. He doubted too many of them would have ethics elevated enough not to use Celia against Daniel.
“She’s probably dead.” Nick thanked his secretary for the document she handed him as she departed his office.
“Rumor has it,” his fellow lawyer and bear clan member, Mason, sat across from him and confided, “Daniel put a five mil bounty on her head.”
Holy fuck. That was some serious cash.
“On his daughter?” Nick gave the contract an abstract glance as he thought about the reward that’d been offered. Wasn’t five million the same figure as the reward for any information regarding her disappearance?
“Yeah.”
Placing a hit on his only living relative didn’t jive with the black-hearted bastard Nick regularly went toe-to-toe with. Sure, Daniel was ruthless when it came to business, but he’d only ever protected his child. At least that’s the way it’d appeared from Nick’s point of view.
“You’ve heard he murdered his wife.”
Nick elevated his eyebrows and sent Mason a dismissive headshake. “Rumors with no proof.”
Daniel had been tried for the homicide the year before Nick’s clan had moved to Covington after inheriting a large acreage of land. In the small city, some residents wouldn’t believe his innocence despite his acquittal. Nick knew the fucker was guilty of other murders, but making the charges stick was always the problem. It helped that around these parts a city judge and sheriff could easily be bought. And were paid heftily for looking the other way.
“They’re both bullshit rumors.”
Mason inclined his head. “Rumors say the judge in Daniel’s pocket seems worried.”
“Yeah, worried about his own ass.”
His buddy shrugged.
“Give me one reason why he’d put a bounty on her head.” The idea was ludicrous.
“Reese”—the Circuit Judge’s bailiff—“said she’s working with the Feds.”
Nick sat a little straighter. “How accurate is this info?”
“Reese thinks the judge is worried for his own hide and wants her found just as bad as Daniel does.”
Rumors and speculation had a way of snowballing and creating a life of their own in Covington. “In that case, if I bump into her, I’ll offer her my protection.”
He had no reason to bump into her. If Mason spoke true, Celia Tannehill was probably in WITSEC. Or dead.
Mason snorted. “More like you’ll introduce your dick to her pussy.”
Nick chuckled and picked up a pen to edit the contract. “Not unless Dex approved of her first.”
Even though he and Dex shared a bed, they weren’t mutually exclusive. He enjoyed fucking women with his partner, squishing a woman between them, all soft and sweet smelling, as they pounded into her ass and pussy... Mmm. Got his dick hard just thinking about it, and it’d been a while since they’d indulged that way.
Add Simon to the mix, and shit got even better.