In the Red Zone

by Crista McHugh

“I told Madison to take her to the nursery and stay there until we were done.”

  Kiana breathed a small sigh of relief. Whatever Tre had in store for her, at least Savannah wouldn’t have to see it. “Thank you.”

  He snapped his attention back to her, but thankfully lowered the gun. “Why did you do it?”

  “I could ask you the same thing.” She took care to keep her words calm and soothing without breaking eye contact with him. It was better than letting him know how terrified she really was.

  He curled his lip and narrowed his eyes. “I was going to pay it back.”

  At least he wasn’t denying that he took the money. With any luck, she might be able to discover the reason he felt the need to steal from their father’s foundation. “I’m listening.”

  No judgment.

  No questions.

  Just a simple phrase to let him know that she cared to hear his side of the story.

  It seemed to work. He wiped his hand over his face. “I was in trouble, Kiki,” he started, using the nickname he’d given her when they were kids.

  She kept her arms at her sides, scared that if she reached out to hug him like she wanted to do, he’d misinterpret it as an attack and shoot. “Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

  “Because…” He sucked in a breath and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes blinking fast as though he was trying to hold back tears. “My luck ran out, and if I didn’t pay Malcolm back, he was going to come after you and Savannah. That is, after he took care of me.”

  “You borrowed money from Malcolm?”

  “Yeah, a long time ago, before I knew what he was doing to you.” He sniffed and finally met her gaze again. “He’d come to the club that night to find me. I’ve been trying to find a way to get the money. I’d have a run of good luck, only to lose everything on the next card. Then, when I was let go from the team, I ran out of options.

  “The night of the gala, I came home to find him waiting for me. Said he needed the money for his medical and legal bills. But he would let it go if I told him where to find you and Savannah.”

  Her stomach knotted. Her lawyer, Tasha, had made sure Malcolm’s bail was set so high that he wouldn’t be able to post it. And yet, he had. And he was out there, somewhere, still trying to exact revenge.

  “I didn’t know what else to do.” Tre ran his hand over his face again. “I wasn’t going to let him hurt you again. Not after what he did to you before. And if I told him where you and Savannah were, who knows what he would’ve done to y’all.”

  Probably no different than what Tre was doing now. She bit back the bitter remark and nodded.

  “So I showed him the checks and asked him to wait until today. I paid him the hundred grand I owed him, and the rest, I was going to take to Vegas to see if I could win some of the money back before you realized it was missing.” He turned to her, his expression earnest like he believed his actions were justifiable. “I was going to pay it back, Kiana. All of it. And then some.”

  “Why didn’t you just ask Mama for a loan?”

  “I was too embarrassed. You know how she feels about gambling, and I was already too deep in the hole.”

  “But you know she would’ve helped you out. A mother’s love is unconditional.” Denise had shown that to her more times than she could count, and she wasn’t even the woman’s flesh and blood.

  “No. I had a plan. And it was going to work.” His voice rose in anger, and he aimed the gun at her again. “Until you decided to call the cops on me.”

  Her mouth grew dry, and she fought to keep her voice calm. “What makes you think it was me?”

  “It had to be you. No one else would’ve noticed the money was missing. I was checking into my flight to Las Vegas, and they wouldn’t give me my boarding pass. Oh, they tried to be discreet, but I overheard one of them calling the cops. And that’s when I knew you’d turned me in. You betrayed me.”

  No, Tre, you betrayed me. How she wanted to say those words, but judging by how close his finger was to the trigger, it would only earn her a bullet.

  The ringing of her phone shattered the silence, and both of them jumped. The first few chords of “Bad to the Bone” echoed through the condo.

  Frank’s ringtone. He told her that it was the ringtone his eldest brother had assigned to him, and she did the same as a joke.

  Only now, it wasn’t a laughing matter.

  By some small miracle, Tre didn’t fire the gun, but he did lower the barrel to her purse. “Don’t answer.”

  “But it’s Frank.” Slowly, she pulled out the phone and showed him the screen with the caller ID. “If I don’t answer, he’ll know something’s wrong.”

  Tre’s body rippled like a toddler in the middle of a temper tantrum, complete with the single stomp of his foot. “Shit! Fine. Answer him, but don’t tell him about me. Everything is all right here. Understood?”

  He leveled the gun at her, and the consequences to her disobeying him became very clear.

  She pressed the answer button and put the phone up to her ear.

  “Kiana, is Tre with you?”

  The urgency in his voice almost proved to be her undoing. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she covered her mouth to stifle the sob that wanted to break free. A second later, she’d gathered enough composure to say, “Yes, Frank?”

  She made her voice rise at the end so Tre would think she was answering the call rather than Frank’s question.

  Frank swore. “Are you safe?”

  “I’m sorry, Frank, but no.” She glanced over at Tre to see if he was falling for her act. “Tonight’s not a good night.”

  More swearing. “I’m coming up.”

  “No, please, don’t. I’m exhausted.”

  A gap of silence followed, and she pictured Frank putting the pieces together. “Holy shit, Kiana, does he have a gun?”

  “Absolutely.” She stared at the barrel and added, “Maybe we can get together for dinner later this week.”

  Tre rolled his eyes and gestured for her to hurry up.

  Some of the dread choking her throat eased up. At least her brother had no clue what was really being said.

  “Agent Phillips is on his way. Get some place safe if you can. Savannah, too.”

  “Of course.” She glanced one more time at Tre. “I have to go. Savannah needs me, but—” Her voice caught, and a new fear surfaced. There was a chance she might not talk to Frank ever again, and she needed to tell him how she felt while she still could. “I love you.”

  She hung up before an awkward pause followed. She wanted to believe he loved her, too. It was better to cling to that hope than to be handed the contrary truth.

  “What did Frank want?” Tre asked.

  “He wanted to take me and Savannah out to dinner.” A lie, but one Tre had to believe if she wanted to get out of this alive. “I convinced him that tonight wasn’t going to work.”

  “Smart girl. Now, turn your phone off and hand it to me.”

  She did as she was told and waited for his next instructions. If she could just keep him talking until the FBI arrived, then maybe—just maybe—she would live to see the sunrise.

  ***

  Frank stared out into nothing as the cold hum of a dial tone filled his ears. A second before, Kiana’s voice had filled the line. She was alive, but in danger. But that was nothing compared to the last three words he’d heard from her.

  She loved him.

  Something squeezed around his chest when he heard her tell him that. It pressed the air from his lungs and left his head swimming.

  Kiana loved him, and he knew in that instant that he loved her back.

  Only she’d robbed him of the chance of telling her so by hanging up.

  He found Agent Phillips’s number and called him back. “Get up here now. Tre’s in her place, and he has a gun.”

  “Got it,” Phillips replied without an ounce of urgency. “We’ll keep that in mind.”

  The agent hung up, and Frank w
as left standing in front of the locked door that mocked him from the parking garage. There had to be another way to get into the building. Then he remembered the security guard in the lobby and ran for the front door.

  As he made his way through the parking garage to the street, he replayed his conversation with Kiana. She’d been smart to talk in code, to answer his questions but make it sound like something else. It told her that Tre was in the same room with her and he was listening.

  A new wave of fear washed over him and quickened his steps. He had to save her. He had to tell her how he felt about her, about Savannah, about everything. But if he waited for the FBI to arrive, it might be too late. And if Tre had been tipped off for any reason…

  That thought slowed his steps as he approached the lobby of Kiana’s building. He forced himself to walk calmly into the building as he had over the weekend with Kiana and Savannah. He waved to the security guard.

  Luckily, the same guard was on duty and waved back at him.

  First hurdle cleared. Now to the next one.

  He tried to remember the code Kiana had entered for the elevator and got it on the second try. The elevator inside didn’t have buttons. It automatically took the occupants to the floors that corresponded to the codes entered. When it stopped on her floor, Frank hesitated.

  This wasn’t like the night in the club where he’d acted on instinct and swung blindly. This time, he knew the people inside. He cared about them. And he knew the stakes involved. One misstep, and someone could end up dead.

  He considered waiting for the FBI to arrive, but as the doors started to close, he jutted his hand out to stop them.

  Negotiation. That was what this called for. Not an ambush.

  He stepped out of the elevator and wiped his hands on his jeans. What he wouldn’t give to have Ben or Dan by his side. His two older brothers had always been the peacekeepers among them. Ben was the brute, and Dan was the brains. Together, they could always break things up when things got heated or came to blows.

  He pressed his ear against the cold steel of Kiana’s door and listened.

  Muffled voices came from the other side. He couldn’t understand them, but it told him enough. Kiana was on the other side, and Tre likely was, too.

  A split second later, he found himself hoping Savannah wasn’t in the room. He’d only just met Kiana’s little girl, and he was already worried about her like she was his own kid.

  Shit, I’m in deep.

  But if he could get the two women he loved out of this, he wouldn’t waste any time letting them know how precious they were to him.

  Tre’s voice grew louder, and Kiana yelped. It was all he needed to hear. She was in danger, and he needed to act now.

  He entered her key code and rammed the door open.

  Everything around him seemed to move in slow motion.

  Tre stood a dozen feet away with a gun pointed at Kiana, who was standing in the kitchen.

  He turned to face Frank.

  Frank lowered his hand and rushed him.

  A gunshot rang through the room, followed by the sound of shattering glass. A woman’s scream followed.

  It was the club all over again.

  Only this time, Kiana wasn’t there to deflect the shots.

  Another shot rang out, and a line of fire tore across his upper arm.

  It threw him just enough off balance so he didn’t hit Tre in the center of his gut like he’d been coached to do by countless linebacker coaches. Instead, he caught Tre’s arm. He twisted his weight and held on tight, bringing Tre down with him.

  They rolled to the ground, but Frank used his size to his advantage and pinned Tre beneath him.

  A faint ding from the elevator down the hall caught his attention, but he refused to let it distract him from the man in front of him.

  A twinge of regret pierced his chest as he punched his friend’s face.

  Next, he grabbed Tre’s gun arm and twisted.

  A snap of bone vibrated through his hands.

  The gun clattered to the floor.

  Frank stared into the wide eyes of his friend and swung.

  “Stop!”

  At the sound of Kiana’s voice, he froze, his fist inches from Tre’s face.

  Footsteps pounded behind him, but he only cared about one person in the room.

  Kiana stood in the kitchen, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stretched her hands out in front of her. “Everyone, please, just stop.”

  Frank relaxed and lowered his fists.

  A pair of agents pried him off of Tre and swooped in to make an arrest, but he never took his eyes off of her.

  She was alive, and that was all that mattered to him.

  The FBI agents dragged Tre toward the door, clearing the space between Frank and Kiana.

  He ran to her and pulled her into his arms. “Where’s Savannah?”

  “In her room with Madison.”

  “Thank God.” He hugged Kiana so tightly, he worried he might crush her. She was soft and warm and so very alive.

  “Frank, you’re hurt.” She pushed him away and pointed to the growing red stain on the sleeve of his shirt. “We need to get you to the ER.”

  “I’m fine.” He wiped away the tears on her cheek.

  “No, you are getting checked out, and don’t you dare try to argue with me.” She lifted her chin in that stubborn little way of hers, and he couldn’t help but smile.

  “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  A hesitant smile formed on her lips. “You love me?”

  “Would I risk my life to save you and your little girl if I didn’t?”

  Her smile widened, and she made a sound that was a mixture of a laugh and a sob. “I don’t know, Romeo. I’ve heard about your reputation for starting fights,” she teased.

  “Just shut up and kiss me before I throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed.”

  She laughed even as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. “Gladly.”

  Their lips had barely met before Agent Phillips cleared his throat behind them. “I’m going to need statements from both of you, preferably before the medics get here.”

  A warm trickle flowed down his arm, and his bicep started to throb as the adrenaline waned. He was about ready for those medics and their pain meds. “Sure thing, Agent Phillips.”

  “Just let me check on my daughter.” Kiana dashed toward the back of the condo.

  Agent Phillips trailed after her. “There were other hostages?”

  Savannah’s prattle filtered in from down the hall, and his last fears ebbed. Both of his girls were safe.

  And once this was all behind them, he was going to make sure they knew how much they meant to him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kiana smoothed the wrinkles out of her crisp cotton dress as Frank pulled into the winery in Woodinville, Washington. The July sun beat down on them through the car windows, so contrary to the rainy weather she’d always associated with Seattle. “Do I look okay?”

  “Honey, you’re always lovely, no matter what you’re wearing.” Of course, the heat in his eyes told her he found her most lovely wearing nothing at all.

  “But I want to make a good first impression.” They were here for the wedding of his older brother, Dan. She got out of the car and opened the back door to get Savannah, only to find Frank had beat her to it. “This is the first time I’m meeting your family, after all.”

  “And I keep telling you, they’ll adore both my lovely ladies.” He tickled Savannah as he released her from the car seat. “Isn’t that right, Sugar Pie?”

  Savannah wrinkled her nose with a grin at the sound of Frank’s nickname for her and reached for something inside his jacket. “Pretty.”

  “Yes, you are.” He guided her hand away.

  “No! Pretty!” Savannah pawed at his jacket again. “Now.”

  Kiana rushed to them and took her daughter before the two-year-old burst into a full-out temper tantrum. “Any idea what she
wants?”

  Frank gave her a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head. “Well, I was going to save this for after the wedding, but…”

  “But what?”

  “Pretty!” Savannah insisted and reached for his inside jacket pocket again.

  Frank pulled out a small velvet-covered box and handed it to her. “Okay, I guess we can give it to your mama now.”

  Savannah grinned and passed the box to Kiana.

  “What is this?” she asked, not sure if she was ready for what could be inside.

  “Something Savannah helped me pick out.” He crossed his arms and tried to look smug, but the pink tips of his ears revealed his uncertainty. “Open it.”

  She set Savannah down, her gaze never leaving the small square box. Her hands shook as she opened it. Nestled inside was the most perfect diamond solitaire ring she’d ever seen. Her breath hitched. “Frank!”

  When her gaze shifted from the ring to him, she found him kneeling on the ground, hugging Savannah. “I already have her permission. What do you say to having one of these wedding things for ourselves in a few months?”

  Her eyes stung with unshed tears, and her voice choked on the flood of emotions rolling through her. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

  “No, I’m asking you to plan a wedding for me,” he teased. “Of course, you’d have to be the bride, and I’ll be the groom, and Savannah can give you away.”

  A twinge of regret coursed through her. Her father was gone. Tre was in jail for embezzling funds from the foundation, shooting Frank, and holding her hostage. But she already knew Denise adored Frank and would walk her down the aisle. “You’ve thought this all out, huh?”

  He rose and pulled her into his arms. “I’ve been thinking about it for months. The hardest part was convincing your daughter that I’d be good to you.”

  “You always have been.” She pressed her forehead against his. “And yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “That makes me the luckiest guy in the world.”

  His lips brushed against hers in a tender kiss that was interrupted by a pat on her leg and a small voice going, “Pretty.”

  Kiana laughed and took the ring from the box. “I’d better put this on before Savannah tries to steal it for herself.”