She took the gala invitation and went to her office so she could leave it on the desk. The idea that he might want to go with her to such an occasion had crossed her mind. But the same reservation that had her turning down coffee and the chat last night held her tongue.
She should ask him though. The gala would be far better with someone by her side, helping her navigate the crowd of people and the expectations of Destiny’s offer. She would be able to get an expert read on what she’d be getting into if she joined the board of the foundation.
Kira got one of the egg bites from the brown bag, not something she had ever had before. But it was tasty, and she might even be convinced to eat bacon after this.
“He did?” Luca’s low voice sounded surprised. She liked the way it resonated through the room. A tall man with presence and the ring of authority in his tone. And yet, talking with her in the kitchen a second ago, he’d been soft and gentle.
It was an intriguing mix that told her he could be a threat if he wanted to, but chose to use his strength only when necessary.
“Did you just say Ralph Rousseau?” Pause. “Okay, thanks.” A second later, he emerged from the kitchen. Sliding his phone back into his front pocket and shaking his head.
Kira glanced over. “Is everything okay?”
He rolled his shoulders. “More like confusing.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” She took her juice cup and motioned to the living room.
Why, she had no idea. After all, it was another invitation into a part of her life where she didn’t often allow other people. But then, he was already in her home. Not exactly invading her space, but definitely shifting the atmosphere in here with his strength and presence.
He stared at her for a second, then said, “I’d love to.” He followed her and sat on the other end of the couch.
And immediately groaned.
Kira chuckled. “I did the same thing in the store. The second I sat on this couch, I just melted. I bought it right away.”
She snuggled down into the comfy seat, bending her knees and planting her feet on the seat in front of her. Just a little bit of protection, or guardedness. But she was beginning to believe she might not need it with Luca Saxon.
He looked around the room, as if seeing things in a new light.
“Is something going on with Ralph Rousseau?”
He’d already told her the man was the subject of an investigation he was conducting. What more could there be?
“That was the old mayor, Alden Jenkins.”
“The one in jail?”
“Yes, he’s awaiting trial for all those charges. My teammate from the refugee camp operation? He’s Jenkins’s stepson. Before Christmas, Hammer was the one who figured out what Jenkins was up to. Jenkins then tried to kill Sierra and Huck, Hammer’s wife and son.” He shook his head. “Rowan Wallace.”
She nodded. “Mack told me who was who, that Jenkins tried to burn the house down around them to inherit Hammer’s land. And how you were there to save them.”
“After we rescued Ralph from his captors, he told us there’s a shadow syndicate operating in town and that they’re the ones who kidnapped him.” Luca shifted in his seat, looking like he wanted to put his boots on her coffee table. But he didn’t. “I’ve been trying to get Jenkins to tell me who they might be, but he told me he wouldn’t say anything unless Mack came to see him.”
“You asked him to go see his father?”
Luca shook his head. “I didn’t want him to. I told him I wasn’t going to ask, no matter that was Jenkins’s stipulation. I guess he did, because Jenkins just called and told me that Ralph Rousseau is the head of the Shadow Syndicate in Renegade.”
“Destiny’s husband is some kind of criminal mastermind?”
“You probably aren’t interested in local conspiracy theories. Maybe you didn’t want to hear this. We don’t have to talk about it.”
She waved away his concern. “The syndicate isn’t the part I have a problem with. I actually totally believe there’s a group in Renegade who control everything.”
He blinked at her. “You do?”
She nodded. “When I first moved here, I was going to open my own private practice so I could run a business on my terms and build something that I was proud of. But I never got that far. I started to apply for permits and had so many zoning issues it was insane. When I finally got into a building, it needed renovation, because it was the only thing I could get accepted for.
“Then there were all these inspections and audits, way more than were reasonable. It seemed almost like it was coordinated. When I finally started to make progress, someone slapped me with this frivolous lawsuit about the name of my medical center.” She shook her head. “It was crazy. Clearly there was someone in local government who didn’t want me to open my practice here. But I thought it was just me. If there are criminals in town trying to control people or force people out, I totally believe it. After I turned down a position I didn’t want, the ER was the only job I could get, and that was only because Destiny vouched for me with the hospital.”