Deep down, I knew Brad was the best, as Shannon had said. I wanted to rush into his arms because I knew I would feel safe with him. The problem was, Keith was waiting for me in the parking lot, and I couldn’t chance him seeing Brad.
I’d tried to rush out of there but failed. “Are you running again?” he’d asked.
“I didn’t run before,” I’d pointed out. I had wanted to tell him everything, but once again, I was stuck between him and my brother.
“Then how did you end up here?”
My chest ached to answer him, to tell him that my own brother had drugged and kidnapped me, but I knew that once he found out the truth, everything would change.
“What’s wrong with you?” Keith asked as he drove us toward Jeff’s.
“Nothing,” I muttered.
“How much did you make today?”
I sighed. “None of your business.”
Keith, of course, didn’t get a job. He swore he was looking, but I knew the truth. Why would he get a job now when he had me? What he didn’t realize was that even before Brad showed up, I wasn’t going to give Keith a dime. I only needed to work one more week to get my first paycheck and make enough in tips to get back to Vegas.
“I need money for gas. I’m driving you back and forth to work every day.”
“Fine,” I huffed and dug into my purse for a few bills to give him. “Here.”
“And you’re buying dinner.”
“Whatever.”
The next morning, I was antsy. I didn’t sleep well, but the lack of sleep wasn’t holding me back from what today would bring. Unless, of course, Brad didn’t show. I didn’t want to think that. I couldn’t think that. After everything, I had to hold out hope that things would finally go right for me.
“Ready?” I asked Keith as he sat up on his air mattress.
“I really wish you would drive yourself.”
I paused for a moment. This could be my chance. I did know how to drive, and I could make it so Keith didn’t need to pick me up, but as I thought about telling him that I would drive myself, my palms became sweaty, and my heart sped up. I just couldn’t do it, even if it meant freedom. “Well, I don’t want to, and I’m going to be late. Let’s go.”
He stretched and yawned before getting out of bed. “Let’s go, and give me ten bucks for coffee.”
“Ten dollars?” I whined.
“Yeah, I need breakfast. Price for driving you.”
“All right. Let’s go.”
I walked into Dovie’s five minutes before my shift started. The opening waitress was already waiting on a few tables. “Morning, Jane.” I waved.
“Morning, Krystal. You seem to be in a good mood.”
“It’s going to be a good day.”
“Yeah, it is.”
I went into the back, put my purse into my locker, and put my apron on. Then I got to work and waited for Shannon to arrive. I didn’t have to wait long. When I saw her walk through the door, I waited to see if Brad followed. He didn’t, and my shoulders fell.
I rubbed the back of my neck as Shannon tied her apron around her waist, and then I went to grab the coffee pot for a customer. “Hey, Shannon.”
“Morning, honey.”
“No, uh, son today?” I asked nervously.
She grinned wide. “So you’re interested in my son?”
My cheeks flushed. “How could I not be?”
“Well, lucky for you, he’s coming in for lunch again.” She winked and walked away to grab the table that just sat.
Every time the door opened, and the bell above it sounded, I looked up. Shannon saw me a couple of times and smiled at me. She thought she knew the reason, but she didn’t—not entirely. I was anxious and excited, and every other emotion that made my palms sweat. Finally, the bell sounded again, and when I looked up from the table I was waiting on, my gaze locked on the man I wanted to see. I muttered an excuse me, and then I rushed to him, my arms going around his neck when I made it to him.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I confessed into his neck.
His arms went around me, and he pulled me tighter. “I’ve missed you too, princess.”
I pulled back and looked up into his dark brown eyes. “I go to lunch soon, and I want to tell you everything.”
“Good.”
“Just let me get this order in, and then I’ll see if your mom can take the table. She usually does when I take lunch.”
“Do what you need to do. I’m not going anywhere, Krystal.”
I nodded and walked back to the table, apologizing before taking their order.
When I went to give the order slip to the cook, Shannon walked up to me. “Bradley said there are some things that he’ll explain to me later about you two.”
I nodded, not sure what else to say. After all, I couldn’t be sure what he’d told her.
“He also asked if I would cover for you.”
I cringed nervously. “Yeah? Would you mind?”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but that’s my son, and I’d do anything for him.”
I nodded a little and took a deep breath. “I know, and I promise that you’ll get answers.”
“Okay, but before you go to lunch, just answer me one thing.”
I swallowed. “Okay.”
“Did you already know him?”
“I did. It’s a long story.”
“Okay. Well, take as long as you need.”
I smiled warmly. “Thank you.”
“I’m ready,” I stated to Brad as I walked up. He slid off the stool and followed me to the back. Once we were outside, he closed the door, and I rushed into his arms again. I needed to. Not only did I miss him, but he made me feel safe—as though everything was going to be okay.
“What’s going on, Cassie?”
“Just let me tell you everything before you interrupt me.”
“On one condition.”
I pulled my head back. “What’s that?”
“That no matter what, you tell me the truth.”
“What if you don’t like the truth?” I whispered.
“I’m a grown-ass man, Cassie. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
“But what if you think less of me?”
He thought for a moment. “I don’t think that’s possible, but if you’re in trouble, I will help you.”
I blew out a breath and stepped back. “Okay.” Then, as I paced, I told him everything from the moment I realized it was Keith and his friends robbing The Velvet Box, how I had nothing to do with it, to my mini panic attack at the wedding because I thought he might be a cop, until I got a job at Dovie’s using a fake name to make money to get back home.
When I stopped talking, he breathed out, “Fuck, princess.”
“I know.”
It was his turn to start to pace, and he did it for a good five minutes without talking.
“Are you going to say anything else?” I asked, hating the awkward silence.
“I’m thinking.”
“About what?”
“About what to do, Cass,” he exhaled.
“Just take me home,” I pleaded.
He stopped pacing and put his hands on each of my shoulders. “It’s not that easy.”
“Why not?”
“Because we have to go to the cops.”
I sucked in a breath and started to walk back and forth again. “I can’t go to the cops.”
“Why not?” He furrowed his brow.
“Because he’s my brother!” I flailed my arms.
“You know you have to tell the police, Cass.”
I did know, and I knew Brad was right, but I didn’t know if I could actually go through with it. “I can’t turn in my brother.”
“He’s a criminal.”
“I know, but that’s my brother. He’s my only family.”
He grabbed me again, placing his hands on my upper arms once more. Looking into my eyes, he said, “Blood may be thicker than water, but family doesn’t do this
shit to family. Not only did he rob from a job that you loved, but he fucking drugged and kidnapped you.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“And I don’t know the legal shit, but him selling the stuff he sold with you in the car, might put a nail in your coffin too.”
“Seriously?”
“I don’t know. I need to call Seth and ask him.”
I swallowed. “I might go to jail?”
He pulled me against his chest. “I don’t know, but it’s better if we talk to Seth since he’s a friend. He’ll know what to do. Hopefully, he can work out a deal or something.”
“A deal? I didn’t do anything. I was kidnapped by Keith.”
“I know, and that may be true, but we need to talk to him.”
“Okay.”
“You can stay with me at Mom’s until we know what’s going to happen.”
I stepped back. “Don’t you think that Keith will wonder where I am?”
“He won’t find you.”
“Yeah, but he’s already scared that I’m going to rat him out, and if I don’t keep this up, he’ll run.”
“I’m not letting you go back to your brother.”
“What if he runs again, and then I’m stuck being accused of this?”
“When I call Seth, I’m going to tell him that Micky was the shooter. He’ll arrest him.”
“But that still leaves me in the car at all the pawnshops.”
He sighed. “I know, but let’s not focus on that right now.”
“I really think that he’ll get spooked and leave again, or he’ll come here and drag me out the door.”
“Fuck,” Brad groaned and rubbed his hands down his face.
“I know.”
“Let me call Seth and see what he says. Maybe he can get the cops to pick your brother up now.”
“Okay,” I agreed. I didn’t like it, but I needed to think about myself and remember what Keith had done to me since our parents died. If anything, this was going to be payback for taking my life insurance money. “I need to eat real quick and get back to work.”
He stopped me from walking to the door and pulled me into his arms again. “I just want you to know that everything that has happened between us was real. I never thought you had anything to do with the robbery, and when I found out that you were missing, I was so fucking worried.”
“If I knew your number, I would have called you from one of the motels.”
“It’s okay.” He kissed the top of my head. “You’re safe now. I’m not going to let anything happen to you again.”
I smiled up at him. “I know.”
And just like when we were dancing at the wedding and I was in his arms, Brad’s lips came down on mine, and everything around us disappeared.
It was just him and me.
While Cassie went back to work, I called Seth and told him everything she told me. “Okay,” he said, “let me contact the lead detective on the case and relay the info. I’ll have him call you.”
“Call me? Why?”
“Based on what I’ve heard about the case and what you told me, they don’t have the evidence to make any arrests. They’ll need to know the names of the pawnshops where everything was pawned at, and once they have what they need, they’ll be ready to contact local PD and make an arrest.”
“How long will that take?” I questioned.
“A day or two, maybe more.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. We don’t make it a habit to make arrests based on word of mouth.”
I rolled my eyes. “I understand, but I don’t trust her brother. He fucking drugged her and then drove her across the country. What if he does it again?”
“It might not stick, but for now, we can get him on kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and because drugs were administered, it’s an assault charge.”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
“Cassie will need to report it. Is she willing to do that?”
“Maybe. She knows she needs to turn him in for the robbery.”
“You need to talk to her. In the meantime, I’ll tell Metro that there’s a lead, but I also need to know the cities where the pawnshops are.”
“Yeah, I’ll go talk to her and get back to you.”
I hung up the phone and went inside the diner, coming face to face with my mother. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
I blew out a breath. “I want to, but that’s for Cass—Krystal to decide.”
“I didn’t raise you to lie to your mother.”
“No.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “You raised me to do what’s right.”
She narrowed her brown eyes. “If it’s the right thing, then why can’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s complicated.”
“Are you in danger?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not.”
Mom patted my cheek. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s that you were born to protect people.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I took a step.
“But when whatever this is is over, you need to tell me everything.”
“I will.”
My gaze landed on Cassie as I walked out from the back. After everything she had been through, she was still smiling as she waited on a table. As though she could sense me, she turned her head and looked at me, and we smiled at the same time.
“… you’ll meet a woman who you’ll start to care about, and then before you know it, you’ll never want to go a day without her.”
Fuck.
I slid onto a stool at the counter and waited for Cassie to come to me. Was I falling for her? I could deny it all I wanted, but seeing her again—knowing she was alive—made my heart swell. I’d never had strong feelings for someone like I had for Cassie. Was it love? It was crazy to think that, especially since all I had done was kiss her, but I knew that if something were to happen to her, and she wasn’t in my life anymore, it would crush me.
“What did Seth say?” Cassie asked as she stood on the other side of the counter.
“Well, it’s complicated.”
“It is?”
I lowered my voice. “You need to turn him in for kidnapping you. He’ll get arrested—”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s my brother. It’s already bad enough that I’m willing to tell the cops he was part of the robbery, and I’m only doing that because I don’t want to go to jail.”
“Exactly, princess. You need to tell them everything, to tell them that you weren’t involved, and how he kidnapped you, and while he drove here, he sold the jewelry, and you had nothing to do with it.”
She stared at me for a beat. “Can I think about it?”
“What’s to think about? There’s no time to waste. Every moment that passes makes you look guiltier. I want to take you to the police station now and have you file the report. Then he can’t skip town, and you won’t be in any more danger.”
“He’s my brother, Brad.”
I reached out and grabbed her hand, rubbing her knuckles. “I know that, but do you think that he’d think twice before blaming you?”
She tilted her head to the side. “Honestly, no. He’s involved me in all of this.”
“See?”
“Is that my only option?”
I hesitated for a moment. “No. Seth needs to know the names of the pawnshops, or at least the cities where the jewelry was pawned, and he’ll tell the lead detective back in Vegas. It will take a few days for them to gather the evidence, and then they’ll make the arrest.”
She swallowed. “I’d rather do that.”
“Cassie,” I groaned.
“Please?” she begged. “I know it sounds stupid, but he’s my brother. I will tell the police everything, but I just need time.”
I blew out a breath. “Fine, but you’re staying with me at Mom’s.”
Cassie’s blue eyes w
idened. “I can’t stay at your mom’s house!”
“I’m not letting you go back to your brother.”
“We already discussed this. What if he runs?”
“I talked to Seth about it, and it comes down to your safety mattering more to me. The cops will do their job, and once they know who was behind the robbery, it will only be a matter of time before they catch up to him here or in some other state.”
“And your mom is okay with me staying at her house?”
“She will be, but we’ll have to tell her the truth about everything, starting with your name.”
“What if I get fired?” She frowned.
“Do you really want to stay here? I thought you wanted to go back to Vegas?”
“I do.”
“Then you don’t need to work here because we’ll be on the first flight we can get on. I’ll have Seth overnight your real ID.”
She sucked in a breath. “An airplane? I can’t—”
“Hey. You can do anything you want. Look at all the shit you’ve overcome, and you’re only twenty-two.”
“I know.” She shrugged. “This just sucks.”
“You have me, princess. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this.”
Her gaze connected with mine, and she gave me a warm smile. “Good.”
“Oh, and Cass?”
“Yeah?”
“Mom doesn’t know I’m an escort. Let’s keep that between us.”
Mom returned from lunch about thirty minutes later. She walked up to where I was sitting at the counter. “Did you eat?”
“No,” I admitted. Food hadn’t been on my mind.
“What can I get you?”
I thought for a moment. “Strawberry fields salad with chicken.”
She balked. “A salad?”
“I need to watch my figure, Mom.” I smirked.
Her gaze moved to Cassie as Cassie wiped down a table. “Uh-huh.”
My phone buzzed on the counter as Mom walked away to ask the chef to make my salad.
Seth: Investigation is underway.
Me: Thanks. Let me know if you hear anything.
Cassie had given me the names of the cities where they’d stopped and pawned the jewelry, and I had texted Seth all the information. She wasn’t sure if she remembered all of them or not, but it was enough to start Keith’s takedown.
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