Harper is slamming down hangers on each rack of clothes, grumbling to herself. The smile spreading across my face is unstoppable. It’s been a week since we started doing whatever it is we’re doing. Harper forgave me just enough to not dislike me as much as she did. I’m still not her favorite person, but I’ll get there.

She proposed that we have fun until it’s time for me to leave again. I have no intention of leaving. She doesn’t trust me enough to believe that, and I think if I told her, it would send her the other way. We’ll play this her way. For now. Then we’re doing it my way. She wants casual, easy, no feelings and no strings.

I’m going to pull her feelings from her one by one and make her realize how in love with me she actually is. The past week, she’s been trying to rip off my clothes and seduce me. It’s killing me and my balls not to give in to her. She’s so close to needing it the way I need her. Each slam of the hanger and each grumble gets me that much to closer to her. To her heart. To be being able to slam back inside of her.

I hold back a groan, running my hand down my face. Memories and fantasies of her blur together in my mind, making me impossibly hard behind my zipper. We’ve been making out like teenagers every chance we get, but I haven’t let it go any farther than that. I’m jonesing to work off some of this excess energy. My first choice would be to exhaust myself inside of Harper while listening to her scream my name. That’s not going to happen, though. She’s the reason I have all this excess energy in the first place. Back in Tennessee, I would lose myself in field work when I wanted to distract myself, but I’m not willing to leave Harper at the moment.

Kiernan’s out running surveillance on Rafael. He wants to bring in a couple more guys to cover some of Rafael’s crew. I don’t currently have the manpower to run my operations in Tennessee and here.

The chime on the door distracts me from my thoughts of Harper naked, spread out on a bed. James walks in, towering over everything in Harper’s store. He takes off his sunglasses, giving me a nod as he makes his way over to Harper. Jealously swirls through my gut as she hugs him tightly around his middle. My knuckles crack as I squeeze my fist tighter when he leans down to lay a kiss on the top of her head, and Harper gushes a hello.

“Harp,” James says, never willing to give more words than necessary. Harper told me she didn’t really know James all that well until Savannah’s ex-boyfriend got released from prison, and James and Liam didn’t let either girl out of their sight. She got to know James during those weeks. He’s Savannah’s best friend, according to Harper. I don’t know how Liam does it. I’m using every ounce of restraint I have not to rush across the shop and rip his arms away from Harper.

The bastard smirks at me over Harper’s head, probably following my thought process. He hugs Harper tighter before letting her go. He never laughs or cracks a full smile. I’d bet all my money the fucker’s laughing at me in his head. I narrow my eyes, staring at the huge arm he has draped over Harper. She turns toward me with a smile, happy her friend is visiting during the day.

My scowl leaves his arm and settles on his face. “I’m not sure Harper carries dresses in your size.”

He arches his brow as an answer. Harper looks at me, a bright, stunning smile resting on her face. “Did you know he was coming?”

James answers before I have the opportunity. “Nope.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I study his face, wondering what he’s here to lay on me. “What’s up?”

“Office.”

James and Harper start walking toward me, and when she’s close enough, I grab her hand and pull her to my side, not letting go of the grip I have on her hand. She chuckles softly. James follows behind us into the office. Harper rounds her desk, taking a seat at her chair, and I sit down on the edge of her desk, facing James.

He’s stopped in her doorway, staring at the chairs in front of the desk. I run a hand over my mouth, concealing my smile. “Sit down, man.”

He looks directly at Harper with confusion on his face. “They’re pink.”

“Aren’t they gorgeous? The velvet is so soft.”

I bite my tongue to hold my laughter as James approaches the chair slowly as if he’s worried it’s going to explode into a ball of glitter. He stands next to it, staring at it before slowly sitting and adjusting himself several times before he can comfortably fit.

A camera shutter has me turning toward Harper. She has her phone out, taking a picture of a disgruntled James. My eyes shift back toward him, barking out a laugh at the frown he has on his face. He’s glaring at Harper.

“Savannah is going to love this.” She smiles, looking down at her phone. She throws her head back in laughter when her phone chimes a moment later. Her eyes meet James across the desk, and she chokes out her words through her laughter. “Savannah says you look like a pretty princess waiting for tea time.”

James doesn’t say anything, only crosses his arms over his chest, grumbling and staring at the wall as he clenches his jaw.

“I’m just kidding, James. What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Turning his head back toward us, he slowly nods, looking at me. His intense, penetrating gaze flicks to Harper and back to me as he silently wonders if he should speak in front of her. I nod, letting James know he can speak. Dread fills my stomach; I hate that she has to hear any of this shit.

James dives straight into his intel. “Word is Santiago wasn’t grooming his son to take over.”

“What do you mean, take over?” Harper asked.

“Usually, second in command will fill the leader’s spot if something happens,” James says.

“No,” Harper whispers. “Are you saying that Santiago was part of a cartel?”

“No, babe,” James says. “I’m saying for all intents and purposes, Santiago was the cartel, at least on this side of the border.”

Harper’s mouth is agape while she processes the information.

“Sugar,” I say quietly, reminding her that she knew Rafael is the leader of the cartel.

“I know. I just didn’t realize Santiago was, too. I guess that was stupid of me.”

I reach over, taking her hand and squeezing it. Before I can reassure her more, James starts speaking again.

“Rafael kind of appeared out of nowhere and took over the cartel when Santiago was murdered. His reach is fuckin’ far, extends everywhere, including DEA. His guys never go down. He’s untouchable.”

“Murdered,” Harper gasps. “No, I was told it was a heart attack.”

James looks at me, then back to her before quietly breaking down more of the life she thought she knew. “He was murdered. Execution style.”

“How did I not know about this? Who did it?”

James shrugs as I pull out my phone to text Kiernan. His death certificate says he died of a heart attack, so I didn’t have Kiernan dig any further because it was the same as what I heard.

“How do you know?” I demand. “His death certificate says heart attack.”

James stares at me without answering—but that’s all the answer I need. He won’t give up his sources.

“My guy says Rafael appeared shortly before Santiago was taken down, tensions were thick between him and the old man. Rafael didn’t let anyone question the fact he would take over once Santiago was dead. Shit ain’t good.” James shakes his head. I wait for him to expand, but of course he doesn’t.

“What do you mean?” Harper asks, wiping tears from her eyes.

James takes a deep breath. “Santiago’s crew ran smooth as butter, from what I hear. Treated his men like kings. Rafael takes a different approach and it ain’t good.”

“What approach?” My voice is rough and lethal.

“That’s all I know.”

“What trade?” I ask.

“Mostly drugs. Typical shit from south of the border.”

“Anything else?”

James sighs when I ask my question, his penetrating stare only leaving my glower for a second to look at Harper and back to me. He flicks his eyes to Harper one last time before closing his eyes. Then he opens them and gives me the answer I was dreading.

“Don’t know for sure. Rumor is Rafael took up a new trade after his old man died, could be rumors. Girls.”