by Sam Crescent
“Good. You’re going to need that fighting spirit.”
He left the bathroom, closing the door.
“Arsehole.”
She put the plug in the bath, checked the taps for the hot water, and even found some bubble bath, which she added. While the water ran, she removed her clothes, seeing the stains from some of the food the chef had spilled on her.
Stripped down naked, she didn’t take a chance on the time and climbed into the water. After turning off the cold tap, she kept the hot water running. Closing her eyes, she dipped her head back into the water. Bliss.
She did love a nice hot bath.
Rick didn’t even knock. He walked right back into the bathroom with a chair.
“Your little boy band isn’t with you.”
“They’ve got a potential lead.”
“Yay, and you won’t need me. I’ll have a bath, and you can get me on the nearest flight. I won’t have to do anything bad.”
“We don’t want you to do anything bad anyway. We just need your help.”
“No, you want me to put my life in danger to help your nephew who has gone off the rails. You think it’s going to be easy for me. Do you want me to behave like that girl in that photo?” She already didn’t like the girl in the photo.
That girl got an easy life, and if what Rick said was true, her sister got a hell of a better life than the one she did. There was nothing to be happy about.
“I don’t want you to be the girl in the photo. I want you to be yourself.”
“Oh, right, because I’m so fucking charming.”
“No, it’s because you’re not charming at all,” he said. “Sarah was accommodating. She was easily told what was going to happen and never, not once, tried to make waves. I’m sure she was afraid but she kept it all to herself. She became a problem and my brother eliminated her.”
“You’re mistaking me for someone who cares.”
“No, that’s the point. Landon, he’s hurting. He’s confused and I think you’re going to be able to help him think straight by being yourself. Landon doesn’t need me to train you to say all the right words, or any of that shit. He needs the truth. No matter how scary it is for him.”
“Do you care about him?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Then why not leave him be? In all my experience, if a person wants to be found, they will allow themselves to be found. They won’t cause this kind of trouble you said he’s causing. He doesn’t want to come home.”
“He’s got a bounty on his head,” Rick said. “By killing his father, my brother, there was a set of actions put in motion. My brother decided that if his death looked suspicious, someone would kill the person responsible.”
“Wow, you really do have a fucked-up family, don’t you?” she asked.
“Our problems aside, the only way we can protect him and put out the problem is bringing him in.”
“From the sounds of it, he can handle himself. You can’t find him. and you’re cleaning up all of his messes. Maybe it’s time you backed off and let him handle all the rest of the issues. He’s doing a better job than you.”
“True, but we have our reasoning. You will have a good life, Tulip. You won’t have to work in a shitty restaurant again. I know it sounds too good to be true.”
“It is. There is nothing to stop this Landon guy from killing me, is there?”
Rick stayed silent and she snorted.
“See, anything that’s too good to be true often is.”
“It’s a risk, but what else do you have to live for?” Rick asked.
“My life. It may not have been everything you could handle, but it’s mine. I like my life and just because you don’t see the attraction doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it.” She’d come a long way from a girl on the streets fighting for her life, and she wasn’t about to let anyone take it from her.
“I’m going to let you finish bathing now. You’ve already struck a deal with me. I consider it a promise, and you will uphold your end of the bargain. If not, I’ll kill you myself.”
Chapter Four
Days later
Tulip was bored … again.
They didn’t trust her.
Fine. She didn’t need to be trusted but being locked up in a room with nothing to do was starting to piss her off. They had no right to keep her here against her will and the longer they did it, the angrier she got.
Pacing the length of the room, she looked at the door.
Rick had already taken her back to the bedroom. They’d brought her clothes, which another brother, Abel, scary bastard that he was, had given her. She’d settled on a pair of jeans and a long shirt with some kind of pattern on it that swirled together in the shape of a flower but it wasn’t the same color of any flower she’d ever seen. She’d pulled her hair back into a bun.
Now though, being locked up, it was starting to drive her crazy. She needed to get the fuck out of there.
Stepping up to the door, she turned the handle and paused. It opened.
Why did it open?
She moved back from the door, not trusting it. The door shouldn’t have opened. Every other time she’d tried it, the door had been locked.
Why was today any different? Had Rick left it unlocked?
She shook her head. Either way, it was a chance.
Moving into the hall, she looked left and right. Without waiting for any kind of cue, she quickly rushed in the direction that took her to the stairs. There was no guard, nothing.
When she got to the final staircase, she looked around the wall to find a guard at the door.
He paced, holding a gun in his hand. The first time she’d seen a guard with a gun, she’d been terrified. Guns weren’t on the streets in clear view back in England.
The guard got a call and she watched in amazement as he left his post. The door was all clear. This couldn’t be happening. Did Rick Denton really think she wouldn’t make a run for it?
Even so, he was a fool.
She ran to the door and was shocked to see no more guards. Heading off toward the gate and to her freedom, she ran like crazy, even out of air, she kept on running. The gate was open and as she burst through, she felt victorious. She was out of the house, out of her prison, and running home free. She had no reason to return or even to stop.
Now that she was free, she kept on running.
Whatever reason they had for letting her go, she was going to take it.
She didn’t know how long she ran for, but she came to a stop outside of a shop. Glancing at the time, she saw it was a little after eleven.
Then, what she’d just done came rushing back to her. She’d run from Rick Denton, out in the world, in a land with no passport, identification, or money.
“Fuck!”
That was why Rick had done this. She’d walked right into his trap and she’d done so willingly.
He’d done it on purpose because he’d known she would leave. Only now, she’d messed up. She didn’t have a single chance out on the streets.
“Fuckety fuck.”
****
“You’re just going to let her get away?” Jacob asked.
“It’s all part of the plan.”
“I thought the plan was to use her to lure Landon out. Not let her escape.”
“Tulip’s a clever girl.”
Gabriel snorted. “I wouldn’t agree with you. She ran out in the street with no money. She’s on her own.”
“Exactly. There’s nowhere for her to go. She’s in a different country. She’s open, exposed, and it’s going to be easy for Landon to find her. I’d say this is perfect.” Rick smiled as he sat back.
He’d thought about this plan long and hard. Luring Landon under false pretenses would never work. Trying to make Tulip act like Sarah wouldn’t work. She didn’t have what it took and Landon would see it.
No, this was the only way to guarantee getting to Landon, or least keeping him pre-occupied long enough to deal with the bounty.
<
br /> He once loved his brother, but Maddox had crossed the line killing Sarah, and for that, Rick wouldn’t ever fight for him or stand by his side. He was a disgrace to the Denton name. Now, he worked at picking up the pieces in the hope of bringing this family back together in some way. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he was determined to do it.
****
The girl, whoever she was, had escaped. Landon had tapped into some of the security feed from the house. He didn’t get a good look at her but either way, he couldn’t allow this girl on the streets.
“You’re going out there again in broad daylight? Are you asking to get yourself killed?” Jade asked.
“I’m asking to get myself a girl who has some inside information about what they’re up to. I need to keep an eye on the situation.”
“It’s not them I’m worried about. You’ve still got the bounty on your head. Every single time you go out there unnecessarily, it’s a danger. I don’t … I can’t go back. I don’t want to go back and you’re the only person who can protect me.”
He turned toward Jade. “I’m coming back. I won’t be gone long.”
“What if you don’t come back?”
“I’ve given you all the means. If I’m not back by tomorrow morning, take the cash, the passports, and run. As far as your family is concerned, I’ve killed you. For now, you’ve got a shot.” He pulled out his cell phone. “All of the contacts you need are in there. They will help you. Just tell them it’s for me.”
“Is your sister’s number in there?”
“No. I will never give you her location. It’s for both of your own goods.”
“If she’s safe, why can’t I be safe there?”
“And risk exposing both of you? Not happening. You had your chance, Jade. You asked to stick it out with me.”
“That was before you were willing to risk your life for some girl, Landon. You know your brothers are doing this on purpose.”
“Yeah, I do know. I’m not going in blind. My woman was taken from me. There’s no one else, which is why I’m curious as to why they’ve brought another woman here. No one can tame me. No one can bring me in.” He opened the door. He was done arguing.
In her own way, Jade was just trying to protect him, but he grew tired of her constant interfering. He should just deliver her back to her parents, but that wasn’t happening. They had a deal and even though it would be easier for him to give her up, he wasn’t going to turn his back on her.
There was no way he would ever become his father. That man didn’t even deserve the title. He didn’t deserve any of it.
Leaving the property, he pulled down his hat, covering his face, and made his way in the direction of the small row of shops situated between several built-up neighborhoods. He started off at a steady jog, so he looked more like a runner than someone attempting to stay hidden.
Uncle Rick had taught him a great deal and he was using all of those skills now. Being a killer meant cutting off all feelings. Not allowing yourself to feel pain or even to feel sorry for the victim. Landon found killing easy. Easier than he thought. He enjoyed it. Hearing the screams, the pain as it filled the air.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he came to a stop as he recognized the woman’s dark hair. He checked the street for any sign of his brothers’ men or women.
No one stood out.
The woman in question, she was … sexy. No denying that. The jeans she wore enhanced her curvy ass. The shirt kept lifting up, giving him little glimpses of her body as she moved around, especially when she touched her head. He wondered what she was thinking.
Suddenly, she turned toward him, and he got to see she had a nice set of tits on her. The shirt did nothing to hide her body. Some might consider her fat, a little on the chunky side, but she was a looker.
Landon stopped as he got to her face. He fucking froze.
Hell no.
It couldn’t be.
It was like staring into a nightmare.
Sarah, only it wasn’t her. No, this woman looked a little like Sarah but it wasn’t her. The hair was different, the only part of her that was. Her eyes were the same color, but these weren’t smiling or filled with humor and love. They looked angry, fierce, pissed-off.
His gut tightened.
His heart raced.
His dick fucking thickened.
This woman, whoever she was, it was like she awakened something in him.
Mine.
There was no stopping the need flowing through his entire body, and he was hungry for her.
Without thinking, he walked over to her and grabbed her arm. He didn’t wait for an invitation. Cupping her cheek, he sank his fingers into her hair, tilting her head back. He didn’t know how it was possible, but the feeling flooded his body.
This was his woman.
His love.
His everything.
As he slammed his lips down on hers, she cried out. He growled, plunging his tongue into her mouth and feeling her melt against him.
“Perfection,” he said.
She was everything.
He cried out as pain erupted from his knee.
“I don’t know who you think you are but you don’t go around kissing people without asking first. Who the hell do you think you are?” She tried to get away from him and in the process, she knocked the baseball cap from his head.
He turned his gaze toward her, and she paused.
“You’re him. You’re Landon.”
He didn’t have time for this. “Yeah, and this is going to be the one and only time for this. I really am sorry.”
“What?”
He hated himself as he knocked her out with one hit.
This was the last thing he wanted to do. Hitting his woman, or whoever this person was, made him feel sick inside but he didn’t have a choice. He had to get some answers.
He caught her before she landed on the ground.
Lifting her up, he grabbed his baseball cap and started back in the direction from where he came. He had to stop a couple of times, and he had no choice but to haul her over his shoulder and carry her.
“You’re going to be so pissed at me, but you know what? It’s going to be worth it. I don’t know who you are but we’re going to find out.”
His lips still tingled from where he kissed her. His body felt on fire and a surge of energy erupted within him that he couldn’t even begin to describe. He was going to take it though because right now, he had a reason to live and it made no sense.
Sarah died. He felt that pain. It was so acute that he’d tried to end his life. Only that feeling had been dwindling with every single passing day.
He didn’t want to die. He had a reason to live.
He had to figure out what all of this meant before she was taken from him. His uncle and brothers had a plan. He needed to figure out what it was before them.
****
For the third time in a matter of days, Tulip woke up in a different place, only this time, her face hurt.
Everything came rushing back at her. Running from Rick, the kiss, Landon, and the son of a bitch punched her. Oh, he was so getting kneed in the balls next time. How dare he hit her?
The kiss was out of order, but hitting her? Wrong, on so many levels, and it pissed her off even more.
“You’re awake.”
She looked up to see she was in some old house. There was a pine-fresh smell but underneath it all, the smell of decay and mold was easy to detect. She knew her gross smells and this place had seen much better days.
“No thanks to you. You know a single punch to the face can kill a person.”
“I was careful.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve got a really bad headache.”
“Who are you?”
“A woman and an earthling. Who are you?”
“Why are you working with my brothers and uncle?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right, you’re Landon, right? Hey, Landon. Let me the fuck go.” She was tied to a chair. “W
hat is it with you people and tying me up?”
“Why are you here?”
“That is a question humankind has been trying to figure out.”
“Stop trying to be cute.”
“It’s in my nature.” She wriggled a little more. “Let me go.”
Landon didn’t answer her. He grabbed a chair and dragged it across the ground. The sound only made her head worse.
“Great, you’re an arsehole just like your family.”
“You’re from England.”
“Ding-ding. Someone get this guy a chocolate bar.” She rolled her eyes.
“You’re not Sarah.”
“No, I’m not this precious someone.”
“Then who are you?”
“Why don’t you tell me?” she asked.
“I have no idea. You look like Sarah, but you’re not. You’ve got a mouth on you and you clearly don’t look happy to see me.”
“Why would I be happy to see a madman with a bounty on his head? Some idiot misses, I could be the target.”
“So you do know who I am?”
She sighed. “Look, up until a couple of days ago—I don’t know how long because your stupid uncle likes to drug me—I was all alone in this world. I believed I was the one and only me, but now, I’ve been dragged from my home, brought over here, and told that I could be used to help bring you home. That I’m some kind of connection to you through this dead chick.”
“You be careful.”
“What’s the matter, the truth hurt?”
“You should show some respect for the dead.”
This made her laugh. “You think I should show some respect for a dead girl. Fine, let me put it bluntly to you. I’ve seen a picture of this girl. I’m not an idiot. I see that we’re both the same. You know what I think? Mommy and daddy didn’t want me. No, I got shipped off to foster care with no concern about what happened to me. From there, I was pushed around from one home to another. Never considered for adoption. Sure, I had foster parents, and some of them, believe me, you wouldn’t want to be alone in a room with. My life was shit, Landon. Complete and total shit, and now I’m told I had another half who had a great spiffy life. So don’t you fucking dare tell me how I should feel.” She screamed the last part. “I have no feelings for that woman, so don’t even think to try and force any kind of mourning. It’s not going to happen.” She glared at him.