Forgiving Keven: A Stand-Alone Second Chance Romance Read online

  Pain lances across her face, and I hate that I’m manipulating her. But it’s for her own good. She might not know she needs me, but I damn well do, and I’m not going to stand idly by and watch her make the biggest mistake of her life.

  “One meeting. One hour. And then you’ll leave me alone?” Her voice shakes a little, and I know I’ve gotten to her. I nod, reluctantly letting go of her arm when her eyes flit to my hand. “Okay.”

  Air whooshes out of my mouth in grateful relief. “Take this and text me. We can make arrangements from there.” Her fingers brush against mine as she takes my fake business card, sending fiery tingles zipping up and down my arm. She jerks her hand away as if electrocuted, and I’m pretty sure she felt it too.

  We still share an intense connection whether she wants to admit it or not.

  It’s not like we ever fell out of love or lust with one another.

  My stupidity drove a stake through the heart of our relationship, but the feelings were all still there.

  “I’ve got to get back to work,” she says, looking flustered. “I’ll text you.”

  “Let me walk you,” I offer, moving into step beside her.

  “No!” Her tone is firm. “Just drop it, Kev.” Her chin tips up defiantly. “If I ever meant anything to you, you’ll do as I wish.”

  Nodding, I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans. She casts one last lingering glance my way before joining the crowds heading in the opposite direction. I watch her until I can’t see her anymore, and then I turn around and head back to Eva.

  I slide into the backseat of Kaden’s Ford Expedition beside my sister-in-law. Rick—Eva’s bodyguard—is behind the wheel, waiting on instruction. “Can you swing by Harvard, please, Rick,” Eva says. “Kade is waiting for us.”

  I slam my head back against the headrest, exhaling heavily.

  “What happened?” Eva asks, lightly touching my arm.

  “She still hates me.”

  “I very much doubt that.” Eva smooths the wrinkles out of her skirt. “She couldn’t even look at you in the restaurant because she’s terrified of how it’ll make her feel.”

  “Or she just can’t stand the sight of my face.”

  “I know you’re not as handsome as Kade, but most girls wouldn’t kick you out of bed,” she teases, trying to lighten the atmosphere in the car.

  Rick has skillfully maneuvered his way into the busy Saturday traffic.

  “I really hurt her, Eva.” I turn and face my brother’s wife. “And I still see the hurt on her face. I should have listened to you. I should have let you try and talk to her first. I just feel so helpless. If anything happens to her …” I twist my head around to the window before she sees the emotion building behind my eyes.

  “Nothing will happen to her because you won’t let it.” She squeezes my hand. “You excel at protecting those you love, and you won’t fail her.”

  I face her again. “What if I can’t get through to her? What if she really does love him?”

  “Maybe she does, but I don’t think so. She told me it was a whirlwind romance and fast engagement. She hasn’t been with him long enough to really know him, and he won’t be able to hide his true self from her forever. She won’t stay with him once she finds out.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because she’s smart and sweet and too damn good for that asshole. She’ll see the light.” Her mouth kicks up at the corners. “Especially if you give her a helping hand. Don’t let her tell you no for an answer.”

  “Is that how my brother did it?” I arch a brow.

  “That was part of it.” Her smile is nostalgic. “Mostly it was because we loved each other too much to stay apart, but Kade was relentless in his determination to win me back, and though I was scared to let him into my heart again, I couldn’t resist long-term. Prove yourself to Cheryl, Keven, and don’t ever give up. Not until you’ve exhausted every possible way of showing her how much you care.”

  After picking Kade up from Harvard, Rick deposits us at the entrance to my workplace, and the three of us step inside. I’m like a hobo in my jeans and gray Henley next to my brother in his custom-fitted suit and Eva in her tailor-made skirt and blouse. We pass through security and walk in the direction of the elevator. None of us speaks as the elevator soars toward the tenth floor.

  I subtly watch my brother, smiling to myself as I watch him with his wife. He has his arm wrapped protectively around Eva’s waist, and he’s pressing little kisses into her hair. It’s a side of him I’d never seen before, but it suits him. They adore one another, and I’m glad they got their HEA.

  My boss is waiting in the hallway when we step out of the elevator. “Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy.” He walks toward them, extending his hand. “It’s good to see you both looking so well. Thank you for coming in today.”

  “I want to help in whatever way I can,” Eva says, shaking his hand.

  “We really appreciate that.” He eyeballs me. “Thank you for setting this up.”

  I nod. It’s not like I could refuse. I’m still the newbie around here, and everyone knows it.

  “Before we begin,” Kade says, leveling a solemn look at my boss. “I wanted to ask you something.”

  “Okay.” The SSA straightens his shoulders.

  “What is the risk to Eva of retaliation by associates of her former husband?”

  “Kade.” Eva’s voice is soft as she plants her hand on his arm.

  “It’s fine, Mrs. Kennedy,” the SSA assures her. “And I can’t fault your husband for his concern.” He eyeballs Kaden. “Nothing we have gleaned so far indicates there is any threat to your wife’s life. The families are too busy battling for control of the streets to concern themselves with Garcia’s ex. I believe the threat is minimal and that you have nothing to fear.”

  Kade nods, and I can almost see the stress lifting off his shoulders. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll follow me.” His smile is tight as he leads us to the large conference room at the end of the hall. The rest of my team is already seated, and I slide into the vacant chair beside Agent Cunningham. She’s the friendliest on the team. Unlike that dickhead sitting on the other side of her. Agent Wentward doesn’t even acknowledge me, getting up and shaking hands with Eva and Kaden like he deserves special treatment just because he helped them the day of the warehouse shooting. I swear, every new encounter with that douche only heightens my intense dislike of him.

  SSA Clement makes the necessary introductions, and then we get down to business. Kade sits protectively by Eva’s side, ready to jump in if necessary.

  Agent Wentward asks Eva a ton of probing questions before Agent Mead flips on the screen, pulling up the photo slideshow I compiled before I left the office last night. He goes slowly through the photos of members of the crime families and known associates of Garcia’s, asking her if she recognizes anyone.

  “Stop there,” Eva says, pointing at one particular photo, her face twisting sourly. “I know him.”

  “That’s ah …” Agent Wentward rifles through his files, but I don’t need to look at the paperwork to identify the douche on the screen.

  “That’s Jesse Roberts,” I confirm.

  “I wondered what’d happened to my former colleague,” Eva says. “I guess now I know.”

  “He’s recently started working with Daniel Stanten in his bogus legal practice,” I say.

  Agent Wentward glowers at me, but screw him. It’s not my fault he hasn’t done his homework properly. I’ve spent the past week digging into Cheryl’s fiancé’s background, and I know plenty about that asshole by now.

  “Who is he to Daniel Stanten?” The SSA directs his question at me, but it’s Eva who answers.

  “They’re friends. They went to college together, and Jesse was instrumental in the warehouse shooting. He used Kade’s
ex to feed information to my former husband, knowing what he would to do me. It was retaliation for all the times I’d rejected his advances. He’s a horrible human being and a pathetic excuse of a man with no moral compass whatsoever. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that he’s taken this route.”

  “And what about Daniel Stanten?” the SSA finally asks Eva. “What do you know about him?”

  “Not a lot,” Eva truthfully replies. “I only met him a handful of times, but I never trusted him. Jeremy almost idolized him. I think he reminded him of himself at that age. It’s only after everything went down that I realized Daniel was obviously manipulating Jeremy, and I’ve wondered why.”

  “I think I know why.” I sit up straighter in my chair, focusing my attention on the SSA. “I haven’t had time to apprise you of this yet as I only received confirmation of my suspicions just before we came here.”

  “Okay. What have you discovered?” He rests his elbows on the table.

  “I knew there was something about Stanten’s background that didn’t add up, because the only kid of an impoverished single mom doesn’t attend Harvard Law, without a scholarship, unless he has some powerful connections. I followed a link which led me from Stanten to the Mancusso crime family in New York. It seems Stanten is Carmine Mancusso’s secret son.”

  Chapter 6

  Keven

  “Who is Carmine Mancusso?” Eva inquires, her gaze bouncing between me and the SSA.

  “He’s the capo crimini—the head boss—of an infamous New York crime family,” SSA Clement explains. “His organization is trying to infiltrate Boston in the aftermath of your former husband’s demise and the collapse of his criminal empire.”

  “What proof do you have?” he asks me.

  “I followed a few leads and found a PI he used back in the day. Guy’s a jackass. I hacked into his system in seconds. Seems he decided to go digital, and all his files are scanned onto his cloud drive. Found a ton of interesting intel, and I’ve sent the rest to the organized crime unit.”

  “Good call.” The SSA bobs his head enthusiastically, and Agent Dickhead doesn’t even attempt to hide his displeasure, scowling at me as if he wishes I’d evaporate into thin air.

  “It appears Stanten’s mom was one of many mistresses Carmine had over the years. She was paid to disappear with the kid. She’s a known prostitute around the Roxbury area with a heavy-duty drug problem. It didn’t take her long to squander the money Mancusso gave her. Stanten was basically dragged up, but he kept his nose clean. Graduated high school top of his class. I don’t know when or how he connected with his dad, but Mancusso paid for his college education, bought him a place, and he makes a healthy deposit in his bank account every month.”

  “Mancusso’s son Frankie OD’d eight years ago,” Agent Cunningham says. “He was the only legit heir to his throne. The rest of the kids he has with his wife Rose are all daughters.”

  “I’m betting Stanten isn’t the only male bastard kicking around,” Agent Wentward supplies. “So why choose him as the heir apparent?”

  “Because he’s smart, ruthless, and he looks the part,” Agent Higgins suggests.

  Eva clears her throat before speaking. “If Stanten is really the son of Carmine Mancusso, why would he align with my former husband? Aren’t they rivals?” It’s an intelligent question. One which reminds the boss that we have civilians in the room.

  “That’s the million-dollar question and something we need to explore further,” the SSA says, standing. “Thank you so much for coming in, Eva. If you think of anything else, let me know.” He hands her his card. “I’ll escort you both out.”

  He turns to me. “Stay here. We’re not finished with this discussion.”

  Kade nods in my direction, and I signal him with my eyes.

  “Wentward will really hate your guts now,” Agent Cunningham whispers into my ear, and I smirk.

  “He already hates my guts. That’s nothing new,” I reply in a low tone.

  “That’s very impressive investigative work,” she adds with a wide grin. “Boy’s obviously got mad skills.”

  I shrug her compliment off just as Agent Dickhead decides to interject himself into our private conversation. “What do you expect of someone who spent his formative years illegally hacking into financial systems and skimming millions off unsuspecting account holders.”

  “It wasn’t millions or anything close to it, and it wasn’t by choice.” I work hard to keep the anger from my voice, but I’m seething. He thinks he knows me, but he knows fucking nothing.

  “That’s what all the criminals say,” he snarks.

  “You’re coming across as an even bigger asshole than usual,” Sinead says.

  “My issues with Kennedy are nothing to do with you.” He leans back in his chair, glowering at her.

  “Tension in the office affects all of us,” she says, turning to him with fire blazing from her eyes.

  “Well, don’t blame me.” He jabs his finger in my direction. “Blame Boy Wonder over there.”

  I grind my teeth down to the molars, jerking upright in my chair. I’m not proud of my past, but I’m not going to keep quiet and let Agent Dickhead continue to hold it over me every time he feels like it. Time to put the truth out there.

  “I found out the man who raised me wasn’t my bio dad the day I turned eighteen, and it sent me into a tailspin,” I start explaining, capturing the attention of everyone around the table. “Then I lost my girl and sunk even lower. Got caught up with a bad crowd, racked up a huge amount of gambling debts I couldn’t pay without involving my family, so I made a stupid deal instead. Those lowlifes I owed money to gave me a list of powerful, wealthy names, and I skimmed cash off their bank accounts as payment in kind. It wasn’t my finest moment, and I hated every second of it, but they weren’t the type you double-crossed.”

  A muscle clenches in my jaw as I stare at Colin’s unyielding face. I don’t think even the truth will alter his poor perception of me. “It wasn’t millions although it might’ve been if my dad, James, hadn’t figured out what was going on and paid my way out of the mess. He loaned me money to pay off my debts and repay the money I’d siphoned out of the bank accounts. When I got my trust fund last year, I paid him back.” I eyeball Colin, challenging him to continue fighting me on this. “I fucked up, but I tried to make it right.”

  He snorts. “Yeah, by using your trust fund.” He shakes his head, his mouth curving into a sneer. “You have been sheltered and mollycoddled your entire life. You’ve no business being here.”

  SSA Clement returns to the room at that exact moment, and he wastes no time hauling Agent Wentward out of the room for a private chat.

  “Are you okay?” Sinead asks me.

  “I’m fine,” I clip out. “He’s not the first guy with a chip on his shoulder because of who I am and where I come from, and I doubt he’ll be the last. Once he doesn’t interfere with my work, he can think whatever the fuck he wants about me.”

  The two men return to the room, and Colin slithers into his seat like the slimy snake he is, avoiding eye contact with me, which tells me all I need to know.

  The SSA continues with the briefing. “This new intel changes things. If Stanten was cozying up to Garcia, it can only mean he was a plant. He’s still involved with those associates of Garcia’s who are fighting to maintain control of their patch. Most likely he’s feeding information back to Daddy Dearest and they must be planning something big.”

  He walks to the whiteboard, scrubbing it clean, before scribbling new content. When he’s done writing, he faces the team, jabbing his finger around the room. “Higgins and Mead, stay the course with the DeLucas. We can’t forget or underestimate the rivalry between the Boston families. Garcia eliminated DeLuca’s second in command, and they didn’t have a chance to retaliate before he died, but I doubt they’ve forgotten. Agent Cunningham, you cont
inue to liaise with the organized crime unit here and in Federal Plaza, explore any and all leads.”

  He turns to Wentward. “You’re assigned to Stanten. Shadow his every move. If he stops to take a piss at the side of the road, I want to know about it.”

  The SSA stands, gesturing me forward. “Kennedy, I’m altering your assignment. Come with me.” I stride after him to his office. “Sit,” he commands, dropping into his chair while I claim a seat in front of his desk. “Ignore what I said before. I want you on this full-time. Continue to dig up whatever you can on Stanten, and feed it to Cunningham and Wentward. I trust that won’t be an issue?”

  “It won’t be an issue for me.”

  “I’ve spoken with Colin, and it won’t be an issue for him either.”

  That’s laughable, and completely unrealistic, but I bite my tongue.

  “And I want you to reconnect with your ex. Ingratiate yourself back into Cheryl Keeland’s life. Gain access to that house, and see what you can discover.”

  I sit up straighter. “Hold up. I thought you said I was to stay away from her in case it jeopardized the case?”

  “I know what I said, but I’ve changed my mind.” He pulls out a file and starts leafing through it. “You have an in and we need to use that.” Glancing up from the file, he drills me with a deadly look. “She can’t know you’re FBI.”

  Not a problem. I gave her a card which seemingly confirms I’m a freelance technical consultant. It’s the same line I told my family to feed anyone who asks. I don’t want anyone outside my immediate circle to know I’m working for the Feds. Especially not certain undesirables from my past. It took a lot of effort to extricate myself from the mess I got myself into a couple years ago, and I’ve no desire to rub shoulders with any of those assholes again.