Blood for Her Read online

  EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2019 Serenity Snow

  ISBN: 978-1-77339-886-0

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: CA Clauson

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  BLOOD FOR HER

  Serenity Snow

  Copyright © 2019

  Prologue

  Dealers weren’t off the streets, but three major organizations were no longer peddling their goods in the city. However, instead of getting thanks from the DEA or the FBI, Mojo was still under definite scrutiny.

  They’d taken on domestic cases only, but that didn’t stop the government from trying to squeeze them. To make it worse a case with potential backlash had just come across her desk.

  “A woman came into my office today, and I’m still checking her story out. I didn’t agree to do anything but look into it. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get any justice for her kid sister.”

  “What’s she looking to make happen?” Darice McMasters asked quietly.

  “She says her sister was raped by the police chief and the sheriff won’t investigate.”

  “A case of drunk and morning-after regret?”

  “The girl’s dead, Darice,” Ace said grimly. “Her sister said the girl was going to press charges that afternoon. She was found dead by the side of the road the night before partially nude.”

  “Had she been raped?”

  “No, but she’d been subjected to a beating and part of her tongue had been snipped out. The client said her sister wasn’t the first girl this happened to. So, I put someone on it. We’ve found four other cases that occurred this year alone.”

  “Guys like that have a history of sexual offenses and or predatory behavior,” Darice murmured.

  “Yeah. I’m sending a girl to do the undercover, but I want you to work with her. The mayor’s niece is looking for a photographer for an event she’s hosting. I want you to take the job. We’ll make sure she comes to you.”

  “You want one of yours on the team?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I know you can deal. I want you to find out as much as you can about the mayor’s friendship with the sheriff. Sabrina will be able to wrangle a press pass into the event. She might even be able to get something herself, so check in with her.”

  “I thought you guys were laying off stuff like this. And why not try to force the D.A. to take this case? It’d be so much easier to wage this war in court.”

  “My client says she wants to sue for wrongful death. The body cam footage as well as the dash cam vid of two of the cops vanished. They claim equipment failure, and no one’s disputing it. Chances of her getting this before a grand jury are slim to none in a criminal or civil case.”

  “It’s certain the sister was stopped by a cop?”

  “Yeah. The girl called her sister and put it on video chat when she was pulled over. She called one of the officers by name, but he claims he was nowhere near the vicinity when the girl was attacked and killed.”

  Darice nodded slowly, and Ace knew she was assessing the risks as well as weighing the merits.

  And she had every right to. Darice had walked away from the danger to live a safe life as a respected businesswoman. She was engaged to a nice—if slightly timid—woman.

  “The client has the footage?”

  “Yep, but she’s keeping that under her hat. I brought you a copy because I know you want some confirmation, and I don’t blame you. But I’d never set you up.”

  “No. I know,” she mused. “It’s not that.”

  “What then?”

  “I know the feds have been on your asses. Are you sure this isn’t some kind of trap?”

  “As sure as I can be, dude,” Ace said. “Fact is, we’ve considered that and if it turns out someone put one over on us, they’re going to rue the day.”

  Darice shrugged, a speculative look in her eyes. “That’s why you came to me. You want deniability.”

  “Problem?” They were old friends, but Ace would never ask Darice to take a risk she wasn’t comfortable with.

  “Not really. Just promise me you’ll take care of Chloe if something happens,” she said. “I don’t want to drag her around the world if this thing goes to shit. I’ll fake my death and get a face job.”

  “If she wants to go, we’ll pay the price,” Ace told her. “You know that.”

  “I need the specs on the target. I’ll do some recon and see what else I can find out.”

  “I’m only asking for your help because most of the local law’s familiar with Mojo’s name, thanks to the FBI. They even have pictures of our top operatives, so I can’t put Cat on this, and Dev won’t touch it because it might end badly for us.”

  “I owe you.” Ace had protected Darice’s lover, Chloe, a while back from a threat and helped Darice give the woman incentive not to bother Chloe again.

  “I’m not collecting,” Ace told her tiredly. “I’m hiring you, which means you get the same protections any other operative does. If this goes south, we’ll make sure you vanish or get the best legal representation money can buy.”

  “So far there’s nothing to go wrong.”

  “She’s going to sue, but she doesn’t think she’ll win. She wants the chief of police dead, along with the mayor and sheriff if they’re aware of the chief’s proclivities.”

  “Not a problem,” Darice said. “Do you have a time limit on this?”

  “Can you get to him at the event? That’s in three days.”

  “Hence the risk factor,” Darice said dryly.

  “Exactly.”

  “I’ve aged, not changed,” she murmured with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

  “With eyes on you?” Ace asked skeptically. She couldn’t pull it off if she had to be in the same room behind a camera. Her forte was stealth.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get the job done.”

  Chapter One

  Chloe Driver reached for her glass of wine and took a sip as she cast another glance around the small restaurant. The tables were nicely spaced, allowing for private conversation, and the linen cloths, along with the intimate lighting, ensured the expensive dining spot was perfect for a date.

  A man seated at the bar winked at her, and Chloe rolled her eyes and looked away. Still, it felt as if he might be watching her. So, she glanced back to find him still watching, his gaze sliding over her in the low cut dress she’d pulled on.

  “I’ll take care of it tomorrow,” Darice, her fiancée said into her phone’s speaker.

  Chloe looked away, feeling uncomfortable. Darice’s gaze snared, hers and heat rose in her belly, making her heart beat faster despite her irritation.

  “No problem.” Darice’s calm tone was at odds with the slight irritation in her eyes as she set her cell phone on the table.

  “Important?” Chloe asked.

  “I’m sorry about that, Coe,” she said using the nickname that Chloe had come to love. “I’ve turned it off, so we can enjoy the rest of our evening in peace.”

  Chloe gave her a smile, Darice’s beautiful brown eyes full of apology. “I’ll forgive you if you dance with me.”

  Darice grinned, and Chloe’s heart flipped over. She had fallen in love with Darice slowly, but the feeling inside her was so strong it made her head spin e
ven now.

  “Why don’t we go take a spin now?” Darice asked as she pushed back her chair.

  “Darice,” Chloe admonished. “I was kidding.” They were both out, but Chloe hardly thought the people in this restaurant would approve of two gay women on the dance floor.

  “Come on,” Darice insisted and moved around to her side of the table. Darice leaned down and soft lips grazed her ear. “You know I have no shame about having you in my arms.”

  “People will stare,” she said looking up into warm brown eyes so filled with humor Chloe had to laugh.

  “Let them.” Darice pulled out her chair.

  Chloe stood, and Darice took her hand, fingers sliding through Chloe’s as she led her past several tables to the round dance floor where a few other couples were already dancing to a slow tune.

  “I really enjoy showing you off,” Darice murmured as she tightened her fingers on Chloe’s waist.

  “You’re a better dancer than I.”

  “It’s not about the dance. It’s about how good you look in that dress.” Darice grinned. “Every man in the place wants to be me.”

  Chloe felt the color rise in her cheeks. “Darice.” The woman had a way of making her feel so attractive and so wanted, it left her dizzy even now.

  “You’re gorgeous,” she said softly, and her eyes held a light that set Chloe’s heart racing.

  “Thanks,” she replied breathlessly.

  Darice spun her around and drew her back into her arms. Their eyes met, held, and the love in Darice’s stare washed over her, making her weak in the knees.

  She rested her head on Darice’s shoulder allowing the warmth of her body to seep into her. Chloe got lost in the strength of her lover’s embrace, thinking how lucky she was to have found someone like Darice.

  The song ended, and Darice led her back to their table.

  “Freaks,” a man muttered as they passed his table.

  Darice gave him a withering look and was about to reply when Chloe rubbed her arm, snagging her attention.

  “Honey, ignore him,” Chloe said. “There’s no reason to ruin our evening.”

  “Listen to her,” the man retorted, and Darice gave Chloe a smile that looked more like a grimace before leading her back to the table.

  “Idiot,” Darice muttered. “Guys like that are just stupid.”

  “I know,” Chloe replied. “So, forget about him and focus on me.” She smiled, and Darice chuckled before brushing a kiss across her lips.

  “You’re right.” Darice caressed her cheek.

  ****

  Across the room, a pair of eyes watched them, and lingered, as anger burned her stomach like acid.

  “Bold, aren’t they?” Collier, the chief of police, said, with a hint of disgust in his tone. “I remember the days when they kept it in the closet.”

  “A lot of things were kept in the closet,” Marie St. Claire said, tearing her gaze from Darice and her simpering little rat. The woman stared up at her with doe eyes as if she was a goddess and the sun rose and set out of her ass.

  She’d love to see them both suffer the way Darice had caused her business to suffer. There was also the humiliation she wore like a transparent second skin that made her the butt of jokes.

  No one said anything to her face because her father had built a name and left her with a legacy that still had people clamoring to be in her inner circle. They knew she still had power to throw around despite the investigation going on into her business.

  “I heard about the problems you’ve been having,” Marie murmured as she lifted her glass of wine to her lips. “Are the mayor and sheriff backing you?”

  The chief of police set his glass of bourbon down and studied her through hooded eyes. She never knew what he was thinking, but the man was a good friend of hers, and she felt for him. Marie knew how it cut to have someone vindictive bring trouble down on your head.

  “I’m not sure what they’re going to do,” he finally said. “So far they’re standing by me. Your cousin, though, is another matter.”

  “My cousin?” she asked with a frown.

  “He saw the girl that night. I think he’s involved with her murder. Have you talked to him?”

  “Not about that,” she answered carefully. Her cousin was a bit of a sadist, but not a true dominant.

  “I’m investigating him and his partner quietly, but I hope nothing turns up.”

  “He’s not that violent,” she said with a laugh.

  Collier lifted a brow at her. “I know you’d like to protect him, but I may not be able to do anything,” he replied gravely.

  “But you’re the one accused, not my cousin,” she said. “Why would the woman make such an error?”

  “Her sister was a cop-whore,” he said with a shrug. “She wanted me, and I turned her down. This would be a good way to get back at me, ruin my career.”

  She nodded as her gaze drifted across the room to where Darice was leaning toward that woman.

  “I know what you mean,” she said softly. Some things needed to be safeguarded, no matter how violently. “How can I help?”

  Chapter Two

  Two days later

  “You came highly recommended,” Rebecca Shaw said, her blue gaze assessing. “But I’ve checked you out, and your work is incredible. Magazines and commercials. You have quite an illustrious career, Ms. McMasters.”

  “Thank you,” Darice said. “Who may I ask recommended me?”

  “Veda Price. She said you did great work for her family’s company. Magazine ads and a commercial of late.”

  Darice smiled. Veda had hit on her a few times, but that was before Veda met Sabrina, an old friend of Darice’s.

  “Veda is a savvy woman,” Darice said.

  “Yes, she is. I love seeing black women do well, and her advice has been invaluable to me.”

  “You’re a business owner?”

  “I have a small store,” she said with a sheepish smile. “It’s still getting off the ground, but Veda not only gave me great advice, but some product.”

  That had been a good business decision that was obviously disguised as aid to an acquaintance.

  “I’d be more than happy to do a print ad for you or a commercial,” Darice said.

  “My budget is small.”

  “Nonsense,” Darice said congenially. “I’m all about promoting women’s businesses. After we’ve taken care of fundraiser business, we can meet about your ad or commercial.”

  “I would—that would be so great,” she gushed, reaching across the table to briefly touch Darice’s hand.

  “So, tell me more about the fundraiser?” Darice said in an attempt to steer her back on course.

  “Oh. Sorry. My mom is on the Founding Daughters Committee and this is one of their projects,” Rebecca told her. “It’s the Policeman’s Ball. They haven’t had one in years, so the committee thought it was time to reinstate it as the fundraising event.”

  “What’s the money going for?” Darice asked and looked up when the waiter, clad in black with a white shirt, cleared his throat. She gave him a vague smile, and he set their drinks on the table.

  “Are you ladies ready to order lunch?” he asked.

  Darice shot Rebecca a glance. Her brown eyes were alight with excitement making her wonder if that was excitement for the event or something else.

  “Miss Shaw?” Darice asked.

  As Rebecca gave him her order, Darice’s gaze drifted across the room to where the mayor was being seated with none other than the sheriff. She watched them for a few more minutes thinking they both looked a little tense then ordered when the waiter prompted her with an, “and you, ma’am?”

  “Shall I bring you ladies a bottle of red with your meal?” he asked Rebecca after Darice gave her order, who smiled.

  “That would be lovely, Jean.”

  He gave her a nod and faded away.

  “The food here is so great,” Rebecca said. “Do you eat here often?”

  �
��I’m not a member,” Darice replied. The fees could be better spent on her expense account for wining and dining clients. Better yet, that money was put to better use on her lover.

  “Why on earth not?” Rebecca asked, aghast. “You’re too successful not to be where the influential members of society are.”

  “As enchanting a notion as that is, Miss Shaw, I’m more intrigued by the fundraiser.”

  She chuckled. “Type A personalities just don’t know when to quit, do you?” she teased.

  “Not by far,” Darice agreed congenially as she darted a quick look to the mayor and sheriff wondering what they were discussing.

  “My sister is working with the committee to plan the event. She’s an event planner, and I’m just part of the committee doing what I’m told.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, the goal is to raise funds for some new equipment.”

  “Oh, really? What kind of equipment? Body cams? I heard about that girl who was recently killed during a routine night traffic stop.”

  “I know, that was awful,” Rebecca said leaning toward the table. “My uncle is the chief of detectives, and he said that girl was a liar. The chief never touched her. She was just upset that he wouldn’t date her after a one-night stand. She’s a police groupie, and she’ll sleep with any cop who gives her a second look.”

  “Wow,” Darice whispered. “I can’t believe it. Her sister is certain she was killed by the police. Why would she be?”

  “The girl said she was pregnant as a result of the rape, but she probably wasn’t. Don’t you hate women who try to trap a good man?” She made a face. “Well, the night she was killed, two cops on patrol had stopped her to tell her her taillight was out. She was so upset, they decided to let her off with a warning.”

  “Too bad the cameras malfunctioned,” Darice said in a whisper. “Those guys’ reputations and records are being called into question.”