by S. M. West
It’s been said that you shouldn’t be on point or even involved in any kind of mission if a loved one or even an acquaintance is in harm’s way. I never gave it any thought because I never thought I’d ever be in that position.
Now, like a sledgehammer to the chest, I get it. I’m useless, unable to think clearly or see two steps ahead. Every breath, every thought is consumed by her. Carys. My only focus is to get her out of here.
“Well, you’re snooping around what’s mine, so I thought I’d return the favor.”
With another snap of his fingers, Anna is brought in from a side door, another no-neck holding her by the arm. What the fuck?
For a split second, all the potential scenarios of how the hell they got their hands on my sister run through my mind, some more deadly than others, and my concern for Ma and my friends at the bar sits heavily, like a stone sinking to the bottom of my gut.
Fuck, is that why Ry isn’t here? My blood pressure rises as I clench my jaw and try to get a hold of myself. This is exactly what Mari wants.
Anna’s fine, worried and a bit annoyed as she’s deposited beside her grandfather, but she glances my way, quick and reassuring—at least I think that’s what I see. Is she letting me know everyone else is okay?
Franco doesn’t acknowledge his granddaughter’s presence; his full attention is on me. His smile is now a big sneer, and he’s enjoying my discomfort. If nothing else, watching me squirm is getting him off.
“So, I’m going to ask you once, as a courtesy, because contrary to what people think, I’m a reasonable man. Why are you talking to Gianna? Why are you having her watched?”
Anna’s eyes widen, then narrow on me. I hadn’t told her that my men were also watching her. It’s for her protection. She likely thinks I’m no different than the man holding her hostage right now.
“She’s my sister. I wanted to make sure she was safe.”
“She is my business, not yours. Her safety is my concern. As for being your sister, she isn’t anything to you. I’ll give you one chance to walk away from this. Leave Gianna alone. Never talk to her again or so much as look at her and you can leave right now with your sweetness.”
His ghost of a smile and the ruthless glint in his eyes reinforce his display of pure joy at the position he has put me in. I’m caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, both options unknown and possibly treacherous.
He’s asking me to choose between my heart, the love of my life, and a piece of me I never knew was missing until I found her, my sister. Fuck.
Before this moment, hands down, I’d have said Carys. Without a doubt, I still will, but looking at the petite woman I’m getting to know, my heart jerks in turmoil. Except for her dying aunt, everyone’s neglected her. I won’t be another person she can add to that list.
Anna looks on. At first, anger swims in her gaze, but then it morphs into a frown of disappointment, as if she knows what I’m going to do, knows I’ll leave her like everyone else has. She may be wary of me, of letting me in, but she just wants to be loved, to be chosen.
Carys’s heavy gaze bores into me, loaded with so many emotions and declarations. I can read her thoughts like she’s whispering in my ear. She wants me to fight for both of them, and of course I will—there isn’t any other choice.
“Let’s make a deal,” I offer, surprising him. His eyes open wider and he pinches his lips at the turn of events.
Ry is then escorted in by another man. He only has eyes for Carys, and like me, he’s distressed and beyond pissed.
“This isn’t going to end well, Franco,” he threatens, as the man heartily laughs without a care in the world.
“Mr. Wolfe, I’m so glad you could join us. I knew things would get entertaining once you arrived. I was just telling Mr. Hart here that I’m willing to let this all go, if he agrees to leave Gianna alone. No contact, no surveillance, nothing, as if she doesn’t exist—and she doesn’t, not to him anyway.”
I observe Anna as her grandfather callously drones on about her insignificance. Her gaze is tangled with Coop’s. She’s caught in a spell as he motions with his eyes to her, telling her something I’m not able to understand.
“Not going to happen,” I interject, stepping closer, as Franco pulls Carys tighter to him. She whimpers ever so slightly.
Both Ry and I emit low animalistic sounds of attack. He’s got us exactly where he wants us.
“Gentlemen, you’ll forgive me, but my patience is running thin. Mr. Hart, you were saying? What deal could you possibly offer that I’d even be mildly intrigued by?”
He sounds bored, but he’s interested—he wouldn’t have pushed for more details if he weren’t. What I’m about to offer is ludicrous because I don’t know what I’m getting us into, but it’s all I’ve got. I’ve been thinking about this possibility, but every time, I’ve dismissed it because there are too many variables and unknowns. Right now, though, I’ve got to try to hook him.
I glance at Ry, then Coop, and they eagerly await my suggestion. Ever so subtly, Ry encourages me with a slight tip of his chin. They may not be so supportive once they hear my halfcocked idea.
“I hear you’re having problems with Balducci’s crew.” He visibly stiffens, his forehead creasing, as his jaw tightens and ticks. Yep, I heard right. “We could help you out with that.”
“How so?”
He’s taken the bait, and now I must reel him in. Ry and Coop keenly look on, each of them hanging on my every word and likely trying to figure out where I’m going with this. They’ll know before I get it out; it’s crazy, but I’m willing to bet the thought has crossed their minds, too.
“We could help take care of your little problem.”
“I have men to do that for me, why would I need you?” Like a cat with a mouse, he’s playing with me.
“Yeah, but you can’t. We both know the boss won’t allow it.” He abruptly pulls Carys with him as he rounds the desk, his glare hardening as he nears me.
“Go on, I’m listening.”
“We could figure out a way to solve it without any blowback on you.”
“And in exchange, what would you expect?”
Carys is only three feet from me, her eyes wide, her pulse point beating erratically, and her hands clenched into fists in front of her. It guts me to see her like this, with his hands on her.
I want nothing more than to grab her, but if I make one false move, it won’t end well. We’re outnumbered. Even with Ry and Coop’s muscle, there’s Anna to cover and we’d never make it out alive.
“Anna comes with me. You leave her alone, forever.”
Franco chuckles, shaking his head, and then he turns back toward his desk, taking Carys with him. A low, angry sound comes from Ry and he moves one step closer to me, to his sister.
“You really think your suggestion is worthy of Anna?” With a tsk-tsk, he releases Carys and his guy takes hold of her arm again. “She has great potential for me.”
Finally, his tight jaw and dark expression say it all: he loathes his granddaughter. If I ever thought there was a chance he’d leave her alone, that she’d be okay without my interference, I see now that’s not even a possibility. Whatever plans he has for her, her wellbeing isn’t a concern.
“We’d be saving you the trouble, ridding you of a problem without implication or possibility of retribution. I’d say with the way things are headed, we’d be doing you a huge favor, definitely worthy of Anna,” I counter.
“Let me think about it.” His tone is dismissive, almost bored, as he focuses on some papers on his desk as if we’re no longer here.
“Fine, but we leave now, with Carys and Anna.”
Looking up, a small, yet sharp grin spreads across his face. “Fine, but Mr. Hart, don’t kid yourself. I can take Anna and get to the lovely Ms. Wolfe any time I want. Don’t do something foolish and make me have to remind you. I’ll be in touch.”
He flicks his hand for us to get out. I take Carys in my arms, Coop grabs Anna by the han
d, and Ry leads us out of the building. Her body against mine slows both my heart rate and breathing. Relief floods my system and the fog lifts from my brain.
Before getting into the car, I cup her face and press my mouth to hers, kissing her softly. It’s brief but poignant as I try to convey how glad I am to have her back.
I hated every second of seeing her in the grasp of that man. Franco Mari, a man I never dreamed I’d want to take down, has just put himself on my shit list. He may be powerful and dangerous, but nobody is untouchable.
Now
Carys
“WHAT THE FUCK WAS that?” Coop asks from the driver’s seat. “Why’d he let us leave with both of them?”
I’m in the back, safe and secure in Evan’s arms, and Anna sits in the front passenger seat. The pounding of my heart has now steadied and I can actually hear myself breathe, but I’m still trembling, and no matter what I do, I can’t make it stop.
“He’s asserting his power, reminding us that he’s in charge and it’s because of him that we got to leave together.” Evan’s tone is sharp, still on edge.
“He’s also toying with us. To him, this is just a game that he’s already won,” Anna adds.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Coop murmurs as he drives us back to HC.
“What happened? How’d you end up here?” Evan asks Anna.
“About five minutes after you guys left, one of Franco’s men came in and took me. He told your mother and Patrick that I was going where you were. Patrick followed us.”
That explains why I saw Tripp outside the warehouse. Ry went with Tripp and they are meeting us back at HC.
Evan pulls his phone out and has a quick conversation with Tommie. It’s not pretty, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he blamed her for what happened. It’s when he tells her to get someone on Greg that I’m pummeled with the reminder of what he did. As if I’ve been hit with a bat, my chest heaves and aches from the knowledge that he was using me.
It doesn’t change that we were never meant to be together, or that I should have never dragged it out as long as I did. The betrayal stings, and I wonder why he would do it, what he had to gain.
“Guys, can you just drop this?” Anna pleads as she turns to face Coop, glancing back at Evan and me. She waited until her brother was off the phone to make her case. Pulling me tighter to him, Evan peers at his sister with a puzzled look.
“Franco’s not playing. Carys, I’m so sorry that you had to go through this because of me.”
“It’s not your fault,” I say, leaning forward with Evan to grab her hand and squeeze, trying to impart that we’re here for her.
This is our first time meeting each other. Until now, Evan has been our connection, telling each of us about the other.
She’s exactly as Evan described her, pretty and reserved. I can see Evan and his father in her, but I’m guessing she must look more like her mother. She’s small and delicate, whereas Evan is broad and formidable.
“Don’t mess your life up for me. Just let him have me.” Her tone is stilted but strong.
“Shut it,” the men say in unison as Anna rears back, her eyes narrowing.
“Not going to happen,” Evan says. “We’re going to figure this out.”
Once in the large conference room at HC, Coop heads straight for the liquor. I willingly accept a glass of whiskey—anything to calm my nerves. I’m still shaky.
“Let me see,” Evan says, crouching in front of my chair and taking my chin in his fingers.
My belly flips and my breath catches in my throat at the tenderness in his eyes. Worry lines his forehead, his concern for me palpable. Placing the first aid kit on the table, he leans in and the heat from his body seeps into me, comforting and warm. He gently tilts my chin from side to side to inspect my skin.
“I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me. I think he just wanted to scare me.”
My fingers lightly skim along his forehead, attempting to smooth out his worry and because I want to touch him.
“Fucker,” he growls, softly pecking me on the lips as he stands. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’ve got everything I need.”
Grabbing his hand, I turn it over, palm up, and lightly kiss his salty, rough skin. He hisses and I catch the flash of heat in his eyes.
“Sweetness,” he says, his tone low, heavy with a slight warning. “Later.”
I smile, despite everything that’s happened. He makes me so happy. Just being with him fills me with warmth and joy. With his full attention on me, I peruse his body, my eyes landing on his crotch and confirming what I thought—he’s aroused. Lifting my eyes to meet his, I see his gaze is fixed on me as I wink and exhale a small sigh.
My heart swells when his crooked, charming smile forms on his lips and his eyes twinkle with a guarantee of the pleasure that’s to come.
§
Evan
TURNING, I FORCE MYSELF to walk away from Carys, to walk away before I strip her down and fuck her senseless on the table in front of everyone. My burning need for her threatens to combust and take me with it. Coming close to losing her had me walking a tightrope of terror, and I anticipated falling at any moment.
Now that it’s over and she’s safe, I want nothing more than to be with her, but I can’t. We’ve got business to tend to. First up is making sure Anna is okay. She’s staring out the office window, her back to all of us.
Quietly coming up behind her, I carefully rest my hands on her shoulders. Tipping her head back, she gives me a faint smile.
“You okay?”
“Sure,” she murmurs, looking back out at the fading sunset. “Evan, I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
Squeezing her shoulders, I tip my head down and whisper for only her to hear, “You’re not trouble. You’re my sister and I love you. I will do anything to help you. We all will.”
Anna’s breath stalls and she trembles at my words. I said it quietly because I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, not because I didn’t want the others to hear. I do love her. She’s my flesh and blood, and I won’t let Franco Mari get her, no matter what.
Turning, she peers up at me, tears welling in her eyes, her small smile wobbly but genuine.
“Why?” she whispers with a bewildered expression.
Her question hurts more than it should. The fact that she asks, questions why a brother would want to protect his sister, makes me sad. She’s never had family. Sure, there was her aunt, but I sense that while the woman loved her, there was no affection shown.
“Because you’re family.”
I enfold her in my arms, drawing her into me. She willingly sinks against my body. The tension leaves her body and she sighs. Casting a glance sideways, I spy Coop with a strange look on his face. He’s been moody ever since Leanne, and the bit of headway I thought I was making has gone to shit since that woman fucked with him.
Ry and Tripp finally arrive with Greg between them. That fucker. He’s gonna wish I never laid eyes on him. With a rub to Anna’s back, I release her and place myself in Greg’s face.
“You better start talking, now. Explain yourself.”
My fists curl at my sides and it takes everything in me not to beat the shit out of him. The warmth of her body is my first indication she’s close, and then she places her hand on my arm. Lifting my forearm, she curls my fingers and entwines them with hers.
Greg’s face is covered in fear and regret. Carys pays him no mind as she pulls me along, distancing us from him.
“You heard him,” Ry snarls. “Talk.”
With a shove, Greg collapses into a chair and Tripp moves in front of him. We circle around him, including Carys. If the fucker wasn’t scared before, he is now.
“Carys…”
“You don’t speak to her, look at her, or even fucking think of her,” I warn through gritted teeth.
With a jagged breath, he worries his hands. “My sister, Elizabeth, went missing nearly three years ago. She was last seen at one of
the clubs owned by the Cavallo mob. At the time, I tried to get answers and wound up face to face with some mob guys. Franco was there when I was brought in. He saved me from a beating, only to then make a deal with me. He likes to make deals.”
He looks up at each of us and swallows hard. Ry hits the back of his head and I fume. I’m losing my patience with him.
“Keep going,” Tripp grinds out.
“Franco knew who you were.” Greg looks directly at me. “He wanted to know where you’d disappeared to. So he needed me to become Carys’s friend and find out if she knew where you were. When I wasn’t getting anything, I tried to get out of it. He wouldn’t let me, told me my sister would be dead if I didn’t cooperate.”
Not one to mince words—one, because I don’t care for the asswipe and two, because we don’t have the time—I tell him like it is. “Your sister is likely dead, was already dead when they brought you in.”
Greg hangs his head and exhales a low, angry growl under his breath. Pulling at his hair, he faces us and nods. “I know. I mean, I don’t know for sure, but after a while, I figured he was just playing me and that he wasn’t going to help me. I have to say that my intentions may have begun as a way to get information, but…” He’s staring at Carys.
“You used me,” she seethes.
“Not all of it was a lie. I did fall in love with you. I do love you and I did want to marry you.”
Both Ry and I are on him, each of us taking an arm as we order him to shut up, but Carys is louder.
“Stop,” she interjects. “I don’t want to hear any more.”
Folding her arms around her middle, she walks to where Anna still stands at the window. In some unspoken understanding, Anna takes her hand and holds it. A hint of a smile emerges on Carys’s lips, her gaze softening at my sister. Briefly, warmth spreads through me to witness this moment, but then I’m reminded of Greg and it evaporates.
“I always thought you were a schmuck, and now it makes sense.”
Even though I can empathize with him for wanting to find his sister—I’d likely have done anything to find mine—he fucked with my girl, in more ways than one.