Free Rogue (Sons of Sangue Book 4) by Patricia A. Rasey Page B

the bar. He could tell she was damn close to becoming a sobbing mess. “You can’t tell anyone, especially the Sons. Joseph would get into all kinds of trouble.”
    “They don’t know?” Which explained why he had never seen her before and why Joseph frequently requested donors in pairs. Here he had thought the vampire liked his women in multiples, much like Grayson Gabor had before his mate came along and turned him into a family man.
    She shook her head. “Joseph never told them. He was sure he’d never get the Sons’ permission to turn me, nor their approval of him and I being together.”
    “Why?”
    Draven was pretty sure if Joseph Sala had wanted a mate, the Sons would’ve approved unless they feared the woman would out them. After all, they had accepted Cara Brahnam, who wasn’t a part of the donor society and she was a detective for the sheriff’s office.
    “I was pretty young when we met.”
    “How young?”
    “Seventeen. And before you jump to conclusions, Joseph never touched me until five years later. And even then, I had to seduce him.”
    “You were twenty-two and Joseph was…”
    “Ninety-five.”
    “Only a couple of years difference.” Draven shook his head at the absurdity. Only a vampire would get so lucky at that age. “How did you become mated?”
    “You already know Joseph was a pretty private man.” She toyed with the chipped black polish on her fingers, keeping her gaze from his. “He hung with the Sons, but they never came to our house. That’s because of me.”
    “There would’ve been repercussions to be sure.”
    “It’s my fault.” She glanced back up. “I loved him and I couldn’t bear to be without him. I begged him to turn me. I wanted to be with him the rest of our lives.”
    “So why not go to the Sons? Ask for permission?”
    Brea took in a deep breath. “I’m a Gotti.”
    Draven rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. A sense of foreboding washed over him. He was pretty sure at this point, anything more she had to say wasn’t going to be good. After all, her secret was big enough that Joseph chose to keep her and their mating from his brethren, the men he trusted with his life. Apparently not entrusting them with Brea’s.
    “And?”
    “My father and grandfather got into business with the La Paz Cartel after my Uncle John passed away.”
    Draven stepped back, every curse word he had ever learned tumbled from his lips. “Your grandfather knows Raúl Trevino Caballero?”
    She nodded. “He’s been a guest at my family home many times over the years.”
    “You’ve met him?”
    Tears fell from her lashes. “He’s my godfather.”
    He wiped a hand down his mouth and chin. “Fuck me.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “It’s a phrase.” Draven grasped the bottle of Jack and poured them each a tumbler. “I think we could both use this.”
    Brea took the offered glass to her lips and quickly downed the amber liquid. She slid the emptied tumbler toward him. “Can I please have another?”
    Draven quickly obliged. “Kinky knew all about this?”
    Again, she nodded before downing another glass full. “That’s why he never introduced me to the Sons. They wouldn’t have given us permission to mate. That or he worried they would use my connection to bring down my godfather.”
    “How long were the two of you mated?”
    “Three years.” Her lips turned down, no doubt detecting his slip for the second time in referring to Joseph and their mating in the past tense.
    “What’s happened, Draven? I can feel it in my bones. Something is not sitting right in here.” She tapped her sternum with his fingers.
    “Kinky was gunned down tonight, Brea.” He gripped her hand on top the bar. “I’m sorry. Whoever did it knew what they were doing. He didn’t stand a chance. It was a kill shot.”
    Brea’s lower lip trembled and more tears fell. “No. No…” She shook her head. Shaking fingers covered her lips. Her nose leaked. As he reached for a bar napkin