Read Online Cole: Black Bear Outlaws #3 (Mating Fever) by Kenzie Cox - Free Book Online Page B

don’t you tell me what happened?”
    “We struggled. I got away. He didn’t.” She swallowed and cleared her throat, though it did nothing to help her rough voice. “I kicked him in the balls, and because of that, a gator got him.”
    I frowned. “A gator?”
    “A giant one,” she said on a yawn. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion and I wondered if she was hallucinating.
    “He fell overboard? Is that how you got away?”
    “No. I fell into the boat because of the shackles and when I did, I think the jarring movement caught the gator’s attention. Because right after that, he surged up and chomped down on Jackhole’s neck. A second later, they were both gone.  I got the motor started, but after I went a few yards, it died. I don’t know what happened. I was just drifting until you arrived.”
    “You’re saying a gator ate him?” It certainly wasn’t unheard of, but it was rare for an alligator to attack for no reason.
    “That’s what I’m saying. He did smell like dead fish. Maybe that was the draw.”
    “Dead fish?”
    “Yeah. It was disgusting.” She snuggled into me, her eyes closing. But then she suddenly jerked awake and with surprising alertness said, “He told me Brex Holt hired him.”
    “What?” That had to be a mistake. Brex would never do such a thing. He was one of us.
    She shook her head. “He said Holt, and when I asked if it was Brex Holt, he got really angry and upset like he didn’t want me to know that. I don’t think it was a lie.”
    “You’re sure?” I asked, a sick feeling taking up residence in my gut.
    “I’m positive.” Her eyes filled with tears as she peered up at me. “I don’t know why. I just want to go home.”
    “You got it, princess,” I whispered and started making plans.
    ***
    H olt Enterprises’ offices were on the twenty-first floor of a sleek office building in downtown L.A. The firm was rumored to hold thirty percent of the market share in celebrity protection services. If that was true, a shit ton of money flowed through their halls.
    And Brex Holt had a lot to lose.
    I was happy to be the guy to make that happen. Once Amberly had been coherent enough to replay her conversation with Clive, it hadn’t taken Chase long to track down the evidence that tied him to Holt. He’d found proof Holt had hired him to send the bomb and to abduct her. The only questions were: why? And did he have anything to do with the attacks Amberly had suffered before she’d relocated to Louisiana?
    Holt had been a family friend. Someone we’d thought we could count on. Someone we would’ve laid down our lives for if necessary. The betrayal had blindsided us. But today we were going to get answers.
    Flanked on either side by my brothers, we strode into the plush office space. I paused at the receptionist’s desk to ask about Holt and was told he was in a meeting.
    “Thank you,” I said to her. “We’ll wait.”
    Despite her protests, we took off and headed straight for his office.
    “You can’t go in there,” his assistant warned as I was already opening the door.
    “Looks like we can. Excuse us.” I held the door open for my brothers and gave her a tight smile before joining them inside.
    “Doucets? Jesus, what the fuck are you three doing here?” Holt asked, a grin breaking out on his face as he slammed the phone down, jumped out of his chair, and started tucking his shirt in.
    “Settling the score, apparently,” I said as I stopped right in front of his desk.
    “What?” His smile vanished at my tone. He frowned and glanced at Cyrus. “Want to tell me what your little brother is talking about?”
    “Want to tell me about Clive Folsom?” Cyrus countered.
    “Who the hell is Clive?” He stared at Cyrus in confusion. “And why is everyone so pissed off?”
    “Clive is the skinny guy with curly hair. The one who used to clean the shop after hours,” I supplied, ignoring the second part of his question.
    He rubbed his jaw, and then his brow smoothed