Turn On A Dime - Kade's Turn (16 page)

Getting up, Kade shook Blane awake.

“Wha—” Blane groaned, but Kade shushed him.

“Let’s get out of here, bro,” he said quietly. The last thing he wanted was to wake the girls.

Kade dressed, finding the buttons on his shirt more difficult to do up than usual. He had to help Blane, who he thought had drunk most of that second bottle of Jack.

They exited the hotel from a side entrance.

“That was one for the books,” Kade said, flashing a shit-eating grin to Blane. “Am I right?”

Blane laughed, scrubbing a hand across his face. “My little brother’s a bad influence on me,” he joked.

“Damn straight.”

They scanned the deserted street for a moment. “No way are we getting a taxi at this hour,” Kade said. “We’ll have to hoof it back to your car.”

The streets were silent and nearly empty. Kade knew the layout and alleys of downtown Indy like the back of his hand. He turned into a side alley shortcut, Blane close behind.

The alley was dark with shadows, meager light filtering through the blackness. Kade was as alert as he was able to be with as much alcohol in his system as he had. Which wasn’t good enough.

A sound behind him made him turn in time to see a figure fly at Blane from the shadows. Kade had no time to help Blane as another attacker came at him, catching him in the gut and making him double-over.

“You may have fucked them first, but we’re gonna fuck you over,” the guy hissed.

Kade realized it was the two guys from the bar. They’d waited for him and Blane to show? What losers.

“Fuck you,” Kade rasped. He brought his fist up, knocking the guy in the jaw. Blane was punching his attacker while Kade wrestled with his.

The darkness of the alley didn’t help and Kade didn’t see the glint of a knife until it was already coming at him. He leapt backward, but not in time. The knife swiped across his chest, leaving a slice in his shirt and skin in its wake. The cut burned, but Kade could tell it wasn’t that deep. Blood oozed a trail down his stomach.

A roar of rage made both Kade and the guy with the knife look back. Blane had caught sight of them, his attacker on the ground.

Blane’s gaze was locked on the blood on Kade’s chest, his eyes glinting with fury. He launched himself at the guy with the knife, his hands locking around the man’s neck. The guy dropped the knife to tug uselessly at Blane’s hands. Blane let go, crouching down to grab the knife from where it had fallen. The man came at Blane who, with one hard, upward thrust, buried the blade in the man’s chest.

He stared at Blane, his mouth open in surprise, then looked down at the hilt protruding from his body. The light faded from his eyes and his body dropped to the ground and was still.

Kade stared in shock, his mouth agape. It had happened so fast.

“Holy shit,” the remaining guy breathed. “You killed him! You sick motherfucker!” Scrambling to his feet, he began running down the alley.

Kade made a split second decision. Reaching down, he pulled the gun from the holster around his ankle. Taking quick aim, he squeezed off a single shot. The man dropped to the ground and didn’t move.

Breathing hard, Kade looked over at Blane who stood, looking down at the man he’d killed, his chest heaving with exertion. His hands were clenched into fists and he was shaking.

Survival instinct kicked in and Kade hurried to Blane. Careful not to touch him, he said, “C’mon. We’ve got to get out of here.” Reaching down, Kade grabbed the switchblade and yanked it from the body before flipping it closed and shoving it into his pocket.

Blane didn’t respond and Kade had to call his name twice more before it seemed to get through.

Moving quickly, they were back in the Jag in five minutes.

“Gimme the keys,” Kade said. Blane handed them over without a word.

They didn’t speak on the way home. Blane stared out the window.

The enormity of what had just happened hit Kade as he drove. The two men had been looking for a fight, not looking to die. Blane’s reaction to Kade getting hurt, the blood that seemed to set him off, scared Kade. He’d never seen Blane so…out of control.

And Kade himself had done worse. He had no excuse of blind rage or what he now suspected was PTSD in his brother. Kade had assessed the situation, had known the man would be a witness to the murder of his friend, and had done what he had to do. Kade would protect his brother, no matter what.

An officer of the law, an FBI agent, had just killed a man in cold blood.

Kade pushed the thought away, his thoughts returning to Blane, who still hadn’t spoken.

Parking in the driveway, Kade got out, going around the car and opening Blane’s door, too, when he didn’t step out. Taking his arm, he led Blane upstairs to his bedroom and sat him on his bed.

Finally, when Blane was still silent, Kade said, “Hey man, are you all right?”

Blane blinked confusedly, looking up at Kade. His face blanched when he saw the cut across Kade’s chest. The bleeding had stopped, but it’d left a helluva mess behind.

“What the hell happened to you?” Blane asked.

Kade was so surprised, it took him a moment to reply. “The…fight,” he said finally.

“Shit,” Blane said jumping to his feet and heading to the bathroom. “What have I told you about getting in those damn bar fights?” He returned, holding a small med kit. “What if he’d stabbed instead of sliced? You could be dead right now.”

Kade stared as Blane opened the kit, taking out some antiseptic wipes. Could Blane really not remember what had happened?

Blane carefully cleaned the cut, the antiseptic burning like a sonofabitch, but Kade ignored it. “You were in the fight, too,” he said carefully.

Glancing up at him, Blane said, “Obviously I didn’t hold up my side if you got hurt like this.”

“You don’t remember?” Kade persisted.

Blane sighed, pausing in his ministrations to rub his forehead. “My head hurts like there’s a jackhammer in there and all I remember is a brunette—no, wait—a blonde? I do know there was booze.” He cracked a grin at Kade. “Guess if you can’t remember the details, that must mean it was good, right?” He laughed lightly.

Kade forced a smile. “That’s right, brother,” he said. “Hey, I’m gonna hit the shower, then the sack. I’ll catch you in the morning.”

“Afternoon, more likely,” Blane said with a snort.

Kade didn’t reply as he left the room, closing the door behind him. Going downstairs, he went into the den, closing the door behind him. Pulling his cell from his pocket, he dialed a number. When they answered, Kade said only four words.

“Blane needs your help.”

“What happened?” Keaston asked once he’d slid into the passenger seat of Kade’s car. He hadn’t wanted to discuss anything over the phone, agreeing to meet Kade instead.

Kade quickly explained, ending with how Blane had no memory of the incident with the men in the alley.

“Did anyone see you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Kade answered.

“Did you take the knife?”

“Yes.”

“Are the bodies still there?” Keaston asked.

“Probably.”

“Okay, here’s what’s going to happen,” Keaston said. “I’m going to have the bodies taken care of and we’re not going to speak of this again. You will never, ever tell Blane what happened, do you understand?”

Kade swallowed. “Yeah.”

“In return, I want something from you,” Keaston said, his eyes narrowing as he studied Kade.

Kade’s brows lifted in surprise. Blane’s uncle had barely given him the time of day over the years, tolerating him solely for Blane’s sake. It hadn’t escaped Kade’s notice that Keaston thought Kade was a blight on Blane’s life, and he’d helped convince Blane to go along with Kade’s request to not tell people that they were brothers. Blane hadn’t wanted to do that, but Keaston had taken up Kade’s argument for the secrecy and eventually Blane had reluctantly agreed.

“What do you want?” Kade asked.

“I want you to quit the FBI and come work for me.”

Kade had spent too many years knowing that people wanted to use him to think that this was going to work in his favor in any possible way. With a sinking feeling, he asked, “Doing what?”

“You’re a smart man, Kade,” Keaston said. “A clever and dangerous man. The skills you have, the additional skills you could acquire, would be extremely...useful...to me.”

“Why me?”

“Because you have nothing to lose,” Keaston answered flatly. “And a lot to gain. Agree to do this, and I’ll take care of this problem for you with Blane none the wiser.”

“And if I refuse?” Kade asked.

“Refuse, and I can’t help what’ll happen,” Keaston said with a sad shrug. “Two dead bodies are hard to run from, especially when there are witnesses to an altercation you had earlier with them. Blane will be caught, as will you.”

“I can say I did it,” Kade replied. “I killed them both.”

“And do you really think Blane will believe you?” Keaston asked. “You and I both know he’ll figure out the truth, maybe even remember it. Then not even I will be able to stop the wheels of justice from turning.”

“He’s your nephew,” Kade protested. “Why do I have to do anything? You’d really let Blane go down for this if I don’t do what you want?”

“Perhaps,” Keaston said, his calculating gaze glittering in the near darkness inside the car. “Are you willing to take that chance?”

Kade stared at the man. The same blood ran in their veins and for the first time, Kade recognized some of himself in Keaston. A ruthlessness and coldness that Kade had tried to pretend didn’t exist in his own soul. The only person who’d ever looked beyond that, had seen something else inside Kade, was Blane.

“All right,” Kade said. “I’ll do it.”

“Excellent.” Keaston smiled, his lips thin. “Do you have the knife?”

“I ditched it,” Kade said. “And the gun.”

“Good thinking,” Keaston replied. “I trust somewhere they’ll never be found?”

Kade nodded.

Keaston smiled again. “Get Blane back to normal, then I’ll be in touch,” he said, before getting out of the car.

Watching Keaston walk away, Kade felt as though he’d just agreed to a deal with the devil. Everything he’d wanted, dreamed of—it was all dust now, collateral damage from the choices he’d made tonight.

But better Keaston destroy Kade’s life than Blane’s. Blane deserved nothing but happiness and success, and if Kade had to be the darkness lurking in the shadows to make sure that happened, then he would.

Kade had emailed his resignation to the FBI that very night, breaking the news to Blane the next day. Blane had been stunned, then furious.

“Why the hell would you do something so stupid?” he’d raged at Kade. “You just threw away your entire career!”

“It’s my life,” Kade replied stonily. “And there’s no money in law enforcement. You know that.”

“If you need money, then just say so,” Blane said.

“I don’t want your money.”

“What’s mine is yours. I’ve been telling you that for years—”

“I don’t want to live by the rules, Blane,” Kade interrupted, grasping at straws. “It’s boring. You may be able to handle it, but I can’t.”

Blane was quiet for a moment. “What do you mean?” he asked finally.

Kade glanced away, unable to see the look on Blane’s face. “People pay a lot of money for the stuff I can do,” he said.

“Please tell me you’re just talking about hacking,” Blane said in a low voice.

Kade didn’t reply and Blane cursed.

“Hunting people for a living is not a career,” Blane argued. “It’s a death wish.”

“I’ve made my choice,” Kade said flatly. “I’m not ten anymore. So you can either accept it, or throw me out. Which is it going to be?”

Blane had studied him, his lips pressed tight together. The disappointment in his eyes had pierced Kade, but there was nothing Kade could do about it, nothing he could say. He couldn’t tell Blane the truth, so he just met his gaze and waited.

Blane sighed. “You’re my brother, no matter what,” he said. “Even if you’re making a shitty decision.”