The Bailey Brothers Box Set- the Complete Trilogy

by Melissa Devenport

  Red nodded and left the room, not wanting to antagonize the angry woman looking to attack him. He was sure he would get enough drama in the upcoming days with Rachel stuck in his house with him.

  Heading towards the kitchen, Red pulled out his phone and looked at the screen. A few app updates and a couple of useless social media notifications popped up, but no new messages. He poured himself a hot cup of coffee before sitting on the couch and unlocking the screen. He typed up a message to his brothers, informing them briefly about the situation and the new living situation. He knew Van was on a mission so wouldn’t reply for a while, if at all, but Ace replied within seconds.

  DON’T SLEEP WITH HER.

  It takes one to know one. Don’t worry little brother, some of us have learned from your mistakes. I hope.

  Red re-locked the screen and shoved it back into his pocket, leaning back into the cushions. He took a sip of his drink and looked out the window over the city skyline. The day was still young but the sun had already lit up the blue sky. Red realized, the only reason Rachel was wearing those clothes, on a day like this, was to cover the marks which had to be running down the length of her body. He thought of her naked, underneath him from the other night. Then he thought of her damaged and crying in a corner, bruises and cuts etched into her skin. The thought shot daggers through his heart and he almost choked on his coffee and the rush of such intense emotions.

  Snap out of it. You can’t help her if you’re distracted. It may be your fault but you can’t do anything to change it now. She made it clear she wants to keep things professional, so the least you can do is follow her wishes. Keep the woman safe.

  He gulped down the remainder of his coffee and had just stood up to put the empty cup back in the kitchen when he heard movement outside the front door. Shouts bellowed in the outside hallway, followed by loud thumping on the door itself. Red quickly placed the cup down and stood at the side of the doorway in case they managed to break through. Alyssa came rushing into the room, a baseball bat held aloft above her head. Red motioned for her to throw the bat to him. She hesitated for a moment before complying. He signaled for her to go back into the bedroom. She looked like she wanted to argue but then thought better of it and returned to Rachel. Red stood motionless by the side of the door, slowing his breathing and readying himself for any possible outcomes. Suddenly, everything went quiet. He heard some footsteps receding back down the stairs and the door to the apartments slam behind. Red counted to ten before opening the door.

  “Fuck!”

  The body of the Romano man he had spoken to downstairs, lay slumped in a bloody pile. The scumbags had chosen not to use bullets, but instead left the knives inside the man as they had made their escape. Red leaned down to check his pulse but he could tell by the lifeless stare that the man was already dead. After confirming, he reached into his pocket and pulled the phone out once more. He called Pearl who picked up almost instantly.

  “The men you’ve placed here are dead. The Martinez must have swung by.”

  “Those fucking bastards. They’re really meaning it this time. What about Rachel?” anger flooded Pearl’s voice.

  “Rachel and Alyssa are fine. I was in the apartment when everything kicked off. I think they just meant to send a message this time around.”

  “Get her out of there. Now. I’ll send some boys around for clean-up. Tell the friend to go home. I’ll have someone monitor for the night but I doubt they want anything to do with her. They need Rachel to make their point. Call me when you get her back to your house.”

  The line went dead and Red strode into the bedroom. The women looked absolutely terrified as he walked in. They soon realized it was a familiar face and burst into tears. Red wanted to gather Rachel up in his arms and hold her tight but he knew now was not the time. He had to start thinking straight and putting the Romano’s plan into action.

  “Time to go. Everything packed?”

  Alyssa nodded and handed the gym bag to him. Red tossed it over his shoulder before helping Rachel from the bed.

  “Are you going to be okay riding on the bike?” he raised an eyebrow.

  “I’ll be fine. But what about Lyss?” she held onto her friend’s arm defensively.

  Red turned to her, “Alyssa, Pearl told me you need to go home. She will have someone monitor you but doubts that anyone would take action. In the meanwhile, I would recommend keeping yourself on the down low. At least until things blow over. Rachel, we really must go.”

  They started to walk to the front door when Red saw the shadow of the body. He knew that it would throw Rachel into a bigger panic seeing it.

  “Rachel, I need you to do something for me?”

  “What?”

  “I’m going to carry you down the stairs, but you have to keep your eyes shut.”

  “Why?”

  “Just trust me.”

  She looked up into his eyes for a moment before nodding. With such a petite woman, it was easy for him to get her up over his muscled shoulders and head out the door. He felt bad that he wasn’t able to offer the same support for her friend, however.

  “Holy shit!” Alyssa practically screamed when she saw the bloody body sprawled across the floor.

  Red looked back and felt both a mixture of surprise and pride as he saw that Rachel’s eyes were still firmly clamped shut. Alyssa’s, however, were wide open and taken in the massacre around her. They both stepped over the body and made their way down the stairs. Blood trailed down the entire length, and Red wasn’t surprised to see the second body blocking the door to the apartments. He shifted the body with his leg so the door slammed shut, concealing the mess inside for the Romano men to deal with. He walked over to his bike and carefully helped Rachel straddle the seat.

  “You can open your eyes now,” his voice was soft and caring.

  Her eyelids slowly blinked opened and adjusted to the bright light around her. She looked at Red first before registering the shock still firmly planted on her friend’s face.

  “What happened?”

  Alyssa just shook her head and gave her a watery smile, “It’s nothing for you to worry about right now. You need to go with Red and get as far away from here as possible. Promise me you’ll keep her safe?”

  The pleading look she gave to Red pierced into his inner being. He nodded, hoping that he would be able to keep that promise. Alyssa hugged her friend fiercely and he let them share the farewell as tears rolled down their cheeks.

  “Keep yourself safe too. It may be best we stay away from each other for the time being, but if anything happens, just give me a call,” Rachel pulled away.

  “I’ll see you soon, okay? It’ll be fine soon. I’m sure of it.”

  Red watched the scene a moment longer before joining Rachel on the bike, hooking the gym bag onto the handlebar. Alyssa stepped back and waved goodbye as they pulled back into the traffic and back towards the house. Rachel clung around his waist, when they weaved through the cars and sped towards what he hoped would be safety. The tall buildings started to fade away as they reached the suburbs and the houses started to spread out. Eventually he pulled up outside the house and pressed the button on the remote to open the garage. He turned the engine off and walked the bike into his spot, placing the kickstand on the ground before helping Rachel get off. He grabbed the bag from the front before assisting her into the main body of the house.

  “Welcome to your home for the foreseeable future,” he helped her stretch out on the couch while he placed her bag into Ace’s old bedroom.

  When he came back, she was staring blankly up at the vaulted wood ceiling. The light hit her just right to highlight her bruised cheekbones and set her red hair alight. Even as damaged and broken as she was, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He wished he could kill the fuckers who had ever laid hands upon her.

  “Beer?” he decided to interrupt her thoughts.

  “Sure,” she smiled over to him.

  Red had grown to adore
that cute smile of hers. He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out two cold beers, popping the caps before heading back to her. He handed her one and she shifted up enough to allow him to squeeze in next to her feet. They both sipped at the cold drink in silence for a few moments, before Rachel surprised him by speaking.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sure Pearl has filled you in with enough details.”

  “She didn’t know much. Just the basics. The Martinez are absolute scum for going after you. If they have problems with me or the Romanos, they should have come directly to us instead of slinking around and harming defenseless people.”

  “I’m not defenseless.”

  He looked over and could see a mixture of pain and anger in her eyes. He realized he had touched a nerve so tried to backtrack.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say you were defenseless. I mean you’re not really one of us. You don’t get your hands dirty or cause any trouble. You just get us out of it. And it was only your first case. You had barely caused a ripple on the underworld, when they came storming along and attacked you. You don’t deserve this.”

  “I should never have got involved in this lifestyle in the first place. I always promised myself I’d be on the straight and narrow and protect the good in the world. All I want to do is start my own firm and live an honest life, helping people who deserve it. Now look at me! I’m stuck between two rival gangs and for what? Because I idolized my uncle to the point of sainthood that I forgave all his wrongdoings? For a bit of respect from the mafia? For a cash injection that I barely worked for? I have had my life shattered for nothing at the end of the day and I only have myself to blame.”

  Red shifted so her legs were propped up on his lap as he moved towards her and grabbed her hand.

  “Don’t blame yourself for this. Don’t you dare! Blame the twins, blame your uncle or blame me, but don’t ever blame yourself. You got sucked into this world without consent. Now it’s my job to protect you from it,” he stared deeply into her eyes while speaking.

  She pulled away from his grasp, “I’m not one to avoid my problems, Red. Ultimately, it was my choice to take on your case and it was me who got you out of jail time. That’s what has pissed off the Martinez gang and that’s why they’re after me. Every action has a consequence and this just happens to be mine.”

  Red looked at her, the pain settling in behind her emerald eyes.

  None of this is your fault. If only I could make you see it.

  He drained the rest of his beer and shifted her legs to the side, allowing him to stand up. He placed the empty bottle in the kitchen and returned to her.

  “I think its best I freshen up the room you’ll be staying in. My brother, Ace, moved out about a year ago after he got married, so you’ll be staying in his room. You stay here and relax, I’ll be right back.”

  Red had to get away from her. He couldn’t bare looking at the wounds and bruises that his actions had subsequently inflicted on her. She was so pure and innocent and he had brought her into this world almost as much as her uncle had done.

  He strode into the empty room and looked around. Finding some fresh sheets in the linen cupboard, he swiftly made the bed. Afterwards he wiped down the sides of any dust that had gathered and fluffed the pillows one last time. He took another look and considered the state of the room worthy for his new guest. He wasn’t one for making much of an effort, but this was the least she deserved. She hadn’t chosen any of this.

  When he returned to the great room, he was surprised to see her missing. Her empty beer bottle was standing next to his in the kitchen and she was nowhere to be seen. He looked around the house, but all the rooms were empty. Finally, he made his way to the garden and saw her standing on the patio, staring up at the blue sky above. The day was cloudless and the sun shone brightly from above. Once again her hair was aflame in the light, he wanted to reach out and touch it like he had the other night. He wanted to feel her writhe beneath him in pleasure as they both found their ecstasy together. Even the thought made him hard. He adjusted himself before heading over to join her.

  “It’s a beautiful day today. I wish I could go out to the park,” she breathed, her gaze still lingering on the sky.

  “I wish I could take you, but it’s not a good idea. We have to keep a low profile with everything going on. I don’t want the Martinez gang catching wind of where you are. Pearl would slaughter me, if she knew I was doing anything risky.”

  “So you’re planning to keep me cooped up in here for however long?” she turned to face him, “Am I just meant to hide away forever? What about my job? What about Alyssa?”

  “No, just for the time being. Things are still pretty hot, up in the city, and I don’t want to stir the pot any more than we have already done. The Romano twins are dealing with everything and I’m sure they’ll have everything ironed out pretty soon. Until then we should hold tight. Your job can wait, it’s not like your uncle is going to fire you and he is well aware of the situation. If anything, he should be giving you a promotion for all the sufferings you’ve been through. As for Alyssa, she’s a strong woman from what I can tell. We have someone on watch at her door but the Martinez have no reason to go after her. From what I’ve seen and what Pearl has told me, they’re pretty keen on getting to you. That’s why it would be better that they have no idea as to your location.”

  Rachel looked deep in concentration. She was about to say something when she fell forward, her leg coming loose beneath her. Red caught her and swept her up in his arms, holding her in the air.

  “It seems you’re always falling for me,” he joked.

  “It’s not funny. My legs are killing me. Do you think you can take me to my room? I think I need to lay down for a bit.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he smiled.

  She gripped around his neck as he carried her to the bedroom. Carefully he placed her on the bed and helped to remove her shoes. She made herself comfortable among the pillows and laid her head back. When he made no sign of moving, she looked over at him.

  “Do you want to talk about something?” she questioned.

  “Do you? I know you said you didn’t want to, but I can tell whatever they did to you was really bad. You can’t keep it bottled up forever. I should know what that feels like.”

  “It sounds like you have something on your mind too. Do you want to share?”

  Red look startled at the conversation being flipped on him before coolly replying, “You know what, forget it. I shouldn’t have asked. I’ll let you rest up while I make us something to eat. I have to warn you, I’m not much of a cook though.”

  Before waiting for a response, he left the room. He headed towards the kitchen and started pulling food from the cupboards, all the while thoughts playing through his mind.

  I wish I could tell someone about the things I’m hiding away. I wish she would tell me about what she’s hiding away. It must have been something truly traumatic. How ironic, two broken adults thrown into a house together to help each other. What good can come of this?

  He made mac and cheese from the packet. As he had told Rachel, he wasn’t used to cooking and even if he had wanted to, he hadn’t bought the provisions for it. Living off takeaway and microwave meals meant the house wasn’t the best stocked. He served the sludge in bowls before heading back into the bedroom.

  “You ready to eat?” he leaned on the door frame.

  When she turned to face him, he could see tears twinkling at the corners of her eyes. Her cheeks were wet and he knew she was in pain. He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and stroked her hand idly. She watched him trace the lines on her palm before pulling away and wiping the tears from her eyes.

  “I can eat, I’m famished.”

  Liar.

  “Let me help you up.”

  He assisted her with getting from the bedroom to the kitchen table where she gratefully took a seat. He caught a glimpse of disgust when she looked into the bowl and he almost bu
rst out laughing.

  Clearly, she doesn’t appreciate my fine dining experience.

  Grabbing two cups and some orange juice he plonked them down on the table before ungracefully slumping down on the opposite seat. She daintily picked up her fork and started picking at the food. He wolfed his down within minutes but she still looked unimpressed.

  “I’ll make you a deal. You eat as much of this as you can and we can order in later. Then maybe tomorrow I can go out shopping and you can teach me how to cook. You can laugh at me burning boiled eggs.”

  She almost choked on her food as she burst out laughing. Red felt incredibly happy in that moment, it was the first time he had seen her genuinely smile since the incident. He was glad that he was the cause of it.

  “You have yourself a deal.”

  They chatted for a bit while she managed to shove down about half the bowl. Once finished, she pushed the dish away and leaned back in her chair. Even though she was speaking, he could tell, there was something hidden away behind her words. If only he could get it out. He stood up and cleaned away the dirty dishes as she watched him.

  Afterwards, he helped her back to the couch where he switched on the TV. He grabbed some beers from the fridge and they sipped while watching some crappy reality show. As she was distracted, he kept looking over at her, taking in her beauty. Her face was diamond shape, drawing into a cute little chin beneath her cherry cupid lips. Her adorable pixie nose added to her overall aesthetic, combined with her shocking emerald eyes and bright waves of red tumbling over her shoulder, a full fringe sweeping her eyebrows. It was difficult for him to pull his gaze away from her, but she looked over at him and he quickly diverted his eyes.

  She grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels until she eventually ended up on a movie channel. He looked at the screen blankly before his sister-in-law popped up on screen.

  “I love Jennifer Jacobs. I’ve heard she’s going to be a mother soon. I still love hearing that she settled down with a normal man and started a family. I always thought fame would go to your head, but she seemed really down to earth in all her interviews. Have you watched Demon Hunters before? You might like it, there’s a lot of action.”