In the Crossfire

by L. P. Dover

  “Why are we the only ones here?” I asked before we reached the table.

  Dominic lowered his voice. “It’s what Greco wanted. I overheard him saying he wanted to keep a low profile.”

  And I knew why. “Got it,” I said.

  We sat down at the table, and the waiter came over and poured me a glass of wine. It was going to be the longest fucking meal of my life.

  *

  Three hours later, things had finally begun to wrap up. Anthony made it a point not to mention anything about business. I had a feeling it was to keep Dominic in the dark. The cocksucker knew that if he let his son know about the human trafficking, he’d lose him, just like Layla. It all made me so goddamn sick I couldn’t even stomach the food. All I did was sit there and stay quiet, just like Dominic, who seemed to be hating every minute, just like me.

  It only took two seconds of sitting with Greco at the table to see that he was just as fucked up as the crimes he’d committed. The way he treated the waitresses was on the border of sexual harassment, which only infuriated me more. I envied Ian for being the one able to pull the trigger on that fucker.

  “Are we boring you, young man?” Greco asked, slurring his words like the drunken pig he was.

  I pulled out my phone and stood, relishing in the fact that he was about to get a bullet through the head. The thought made me smile. “Not at all. But if you’ll excuse me, I have a phone call to make.” I looked over at Anthony. “I want to make sure Layla’s okay.”

  I knew he’d approve that. He nodded, and I started toward the door. Isaiah opened it for me, and I walked around the side of the building. There was a hotel behind the restaurant where Ian was supposed to be. I made sure no one else was around, and then called Ian’s number.

  “Hey. What’s the deal?”

  “We’ll be out back in about twenty minutes,” I answered low. “When you get a shot, go for it.”

  “Will do, brother. I’ve already interrupted the hotel’s video feed. We should be good to go.”

  “Roger that. Be safe out there.” It felt like old times working with him again.

  “You too.”

  He hung up, and my heart started to race. It was almost time. I called Layla. She didn’t say a word about the dinner before I left, only that she wanted me to be careful. Deep down, I had a feeling she knew exactly what was going to go down tonight.

  “Hey,” she answered. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. They’re about done, and I’ll head straight home. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  “Everything’s fine here. Just re-watching a little Game of Thrones. If anyone tries to break in, I’ll go Arya on them.”

  I chuckled. “Intruders watch out.”

  “That’s right,” she giggled back. The line went silent for a few seconds, and then she sighed. “Be safe, Bryce. I love you, no matter what.”

  “I love you too.” I hung up, and walked back around to the front of the building. It was showtime. Isaiah opened the door for me, and I hurried inside, feigning concern.

  Anthony’s brows furrowed and he stood. “What’s wrong? Is Layla okay?”

  I stopped at the table but didn’t sit. “She’s fine. But I think we have a problem.”

  Dominic stood, but Greco didn’t seem to be bothered one bit. He was too sloppy drunk. “There’s a car outside,” I said which was completely a lie, “and the people inside were watching me. I’ve never seen them before. Is there a chance they could be looking for Greco?”

  Anthony’s face paled. “Shit. We need to get him out of here.” He grabbed Greco’s arm, and hauled him up. “We have to go.”

  Greco chuckled. “It’s probably nothing. No one knows I’m here.”

  “Maybe so,” I snapped. “Either way, it’s time to leave.”

  Greco waved me off and jerked out of Anthony’s hold. “Okay, okay. Let’s go. Don’t know why you’re all getting so worked up.”

  Dominic pointed to the kitchen. “Let’s go out the back door. Isaiah can get the car, and we’ll get the hell out of here.”

  And just like that, my plan worked. We hurried through the kitchen to the back door, and Isaiah walked out first into the alley, followed by Dominic and myself. Greco and Anthony weren’t far behind us, but they were still inside. I heard the door open, and I glanced back. The second Greco walked out, chuckling and rubbing his belly, a bullet thudded into his skull, silencing his laughter.

  As soon as Anthony saw what happened, he disappeared back inside. One of the restaurant cooks peeked out the door, her eyes landing on the body. She screamed and slammed the door just as Dominic and Isaiah rushed past me to check on Greco.

  Dominic ran a hand anxiously through his hair. “He’s fucking dead. What the hell are we going to do?”

  Isaiah glanced up at the hotel rooftop. “The shot had to have come from the hotel. There’s no other place.”

  Dominic grabbed his arm. “Get the car and get my dad out of here. Meet me at the hotel.”

  Isaiah took off down the alley, and Dominic ran toward me. “Let’s go.”

  We went straight to the hotel and walked inside like everything was fine. Dominic took the lead, while I hung back a few steps. The last thing I wanted him to see was my twin brother. We stopped in the lobby, and he looked around. “Maybe we should try the stairs? Whoever it was is probably trying to get down from the roof as we speak.”

  “If they were even on the roof,” I added skeptically.

  He shrugged. “True, but it’s my only guess. If it’s the same men who killed my uncle and went after Layla, I have to put a stop to it.” There were two sets of stairs, one on either side of the hotel lobby. While Dominic’s back was turned, I noticed a familiar face, hidden behind a hat and carrying a suitcase I’d used a million times. It had a secret compartment that could hide our guns. He hurried out the hotel, and I watched him go.

  Dominic nodded toward the left of the elevators. “I’ll go up that way. You take the right.”

  He took off, and I smiled. Mission accomplished.

  *

  The news had undoubtedly spread about Greco’s murder by now, and thankfully, I was almost home, with no issues. By the time we left the hotel, there were swarms of cops all along the street. Anthony had paid off the restaurant staff to keep quiet, and if they didn’t, he said he’d hunt them down. I had no doubt he would, and the people at the restaurant believed him too. One of the waiters actually pissed himself. All I knew was that I had to get out of there before the cops showed up, even if Sheriff Moneta was deep in Anthony’s pockets. I still didn’t want to take the risk of getting exposed.

  I was about one minute away from the house when my phone rang. When I saw Layla’s name, I knew it was because she’d seen the news. I pulled down our street, and answered the call.

  “Hey. I’m almost home.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I was worried.”

  I pressed the button on my visor to open the garage. “I’m fine. I’m coming in.”

  By the time I parked, Layla had opened the kitchen door and rushed out. I got out of the car, and she flung herself in my arms before I could shut the car door. “What happened? I’ve been seeing stuff all over the news.”

  “What are they saying?” I asked.

  She let me go, and I followed her into the kitchen to the living room where the TV was on. It was live footage of the restaurant with dozens of police cars everywhere. Layla took a deep breath, and blew it out, her expression one of disgust as she glared at the TV. “You were right about Tony Greco. He was wanted by the police for human trafficking and murder.”

  She looked up at me, and I nodded. “He was a fucking douche.”

  Her body tensed. “Do you know what my father’s business with him was?”

  “I don’t know. I never found out. He definitely won’t be working with him now.” Gaze narrowed, she stared into my eyes. It was time she knew the truth.

  “Did you kill him?�
� she asked, her voice more curious than upset.

  I shook my head. “No.”

  Her lips pursed. “If you didn’t, then who did?”

  “My brother, Ian,” I answered. “I called him in to get rid of Greco. It had to be done.”

  She gasped. “Where’s your brother now?”

  “Probably on a plane, getting out of New York.”

  Human trafficking grew more rampant by the day. If I could save just one life, that was enough for me. I held my breath, waiting for her to reply. Over the past few months, she’d gotten to know me for who I was, but there was a part of me she hadn’t seen yet. The part that was a killer.

  “Are you afraid of me now?” I asked.

  Layla’s expression softened, and she grabbed my hands. “No. I’m just glad you’re safe. I know you go after men who deserve it and Tony Greco was one of those men.” She lifted up on her toes and kissed me. “I’m not afraid of you, Bryce. And I’m not afraid of what you do. Before you left, I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. That’s why I told you I loved you no matter what…and I meant it.”

  “What about my job?”

  “What about it?” she countered. “You kill bad people for a living.”

  I brushed a hand down her cheek. “I need to get back to it. I just don’t want you thinking I’m like your father.”

  She leaned into my touch. “I know you’re not. I’m surprised he’s not on your list.” Guilt racked through me, but the truth wouldn’t come out. I couldn’t tell her. She kissed my hand, and her lips pulled back into a smile. “If you need to get back to work, I’ll help you. Might be good to travel around a bit. I can be Layla Chandler again.”

  Hearing that name made me smile. “You’d do that?”

  She nodded. “In a heartbeat. I just hate I didn’t get to meet your brother.”

  “About that,” I said, letting out a heavy sigh.

  She let my hand go, and pressed a finger to my lips. “No need to explain. I get it. You don’t want your family near my father. One of these days though, I want to meet them.”

  I was about to speak when another breaking news story echoed from the TV. As soon as I heard the words Jackson Hole, Wyoming, my heart stopped. I walked over to the couch and sat down, wishing that what I was seeing wasn’t real. A woman’s picture flashed across the screen, and I recognized her smile, her golden hazel eyes, and the way she wore her chocolate-colored hair. Her name was Grace Myers. I’d never met her personally, but Ian knew her well.

  “Oh yeah, I watched something earlier about that woman,” Layla added. “Apparently, there’s been several people who’ve gone missing in Wyoming.”

  I’d been too busy in New York to notice that the people in my hometown needed help. Most of all, my brother was going to need it, and I had a feeling he had no clue that the woman he was interested in had been abducted.

  “It never ends,” I said, muting the TV. “And speaking of Wyoming, I think we should head out there in a couple of days. I know a guy who has some horses you’ll like. Didn’t you say you wanted some?”

  Her face lit up and she sat down beside me. “Really?”

  I patted her leg and did my best to smile. “Why don’t you start packing? I’ll book us some flights.”

  She jumped up and kissed me on the cheek. “Can’t wait. I’ve always wanted to go out there.” Once she was upstairs, I unmuted the TV and watched more of Grace’s story. Ian had lost a girl he loved once before, a long time ago, and I was right there with him to help him through. I couldn’t leave him alone now.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bryce

  “What do you want for dinner tonight?” Layla asked, still reeling from our hike.

  We’d just gotten through hiking the Jenny Lake trail in the Grand Teton National Park. I didn’t realize how much I missed Wyoming until I stepped off the plane a few days ago. The weather in May had always been my favorite, but there was still some snow we had to hike through. Layla loved it.

  “How about we go out?” I suggested. “There’s a really good steakhouse not far from our cabin.”

  Her stomach growled. “Perfect. I’ll take a quick shower when we get back.”

  The cabin I rented was only about three miles from my family’s ranch. It was similar to the one we had in North Carolina, but the mountain view here was way better. Everywhere we went in town, everyone was talking about the missing people, not only in Wyoming, but Montana as well.

  It’d been a week since I had seen the news about Grace. Every time we’d driven by the ranch, Ian’s truck was nowhere to be found. At least, until now. I drove past the entrance, and there it was.

  When we got to the cabin, Layla went straight to the shower. I knew it’d take her a while to get ready, so I took a quick shower in the other bathroom and dressed in a pair of gray pants and a white button-down shirt. Grabbing my keys and phone, I walked into the bathroom, and could barely see from all the steam.

  “Layla?” I called out.

  She opened the shower door and peeked her head out, eyes widening when she saw me. “Did you take a shower in the other bathroom?”

  I nodded. “If I stayed in here with you, I wouldn’t have been able to control myself. There’s somewhere I need to go really quick.”

  “Where?” she asked, brows furrowed.

  “It’s a surprise. I’ll tell you everything as soon as I get back.”

  She blew me a kiss. “Okay. Be careful. I’ll be ready to go soon.”

  I locked the door behind me, and hopped in our Ford Expedition rental. My heart raced the whole way to the ranch. I didn’t know what I’d be walking in to when I got there. If Ian was in bad shape, it’d kill me to have to leave him. Luckily, his truck was still in front of the house when I pulled down the road.

  I parked beside his truck and looked around. Everything was quiet. The front door was unlocked, so I walked in, and found nothing. No movement anywhere. Then I heard a familiar sound at the back of the house. I went straight to the kitchen and peered out the window over the sink. My horse, Charger, was in the field, galloping around like he owned the place. His midnight-colored coat was shinier than I’d ever seen it. A whistle caught my attention, and Ian appeared at the barn door. Charger trotted over to him, and Ian guided him inside.

  Grabbing a glass out of the cabinet, I poured a little water in it and chugged it down. I set the glass in the sink and started for the back door, only to be stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around my neck and a soft body pressing against me. Before I could respond, the woman kissed me.

  “I don’t care what you are or what you do. I’m in love with you.”

  I stiffened in her grasp, and she stepped back, clearly realizing her mistake. It wasn’t until I got a good look at her that I realized who she was. She didn’t have any makeup on, and her dark hair was wet, but I recognized her.

  “Bryce?” she gasped.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Grace?”

  Cheeks flaming red, she nodded and moved back further. “I am so sorry. I thought you were Ian.”

  “And I thought you were dead. How are you here? I’ve seen the news. Last I heard they hadn’t found you.”

  Her gaze saddened. “I escaped a few days ago, but no one knows I’m alive. Ian’s keeping me safe.” She squeezed my arm. “Again, I’m so sorry.”

  My lips tilted slightly. It was a huge relief to see her alive. “I’m glad you could tell the difference. Most women can’t.”

  “I knew you weren’t him the second I kissed you.”

  “That’s nice to know,” Ian said, his voice clipped. Turning around, I faced my brother, who stared at me with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing here? It’s not safe.”

  I nodded. “I know, but I had to see you. When I saw the news about Grace, I thought you’d need me.” A harrowing look passed across his face, and the room fell silent. There was obviously some tension there that needed to be handled. I glanced back and forth between them both
and then focused on Ian. “I’ll be outside. I only have an hour.”

  I walked past them to the back door, and went straight to the barn. The second I saw Charger, he whinnied and blew out a huff. “I know, boy,” I called out. “I’ve been gone a long time.” I went straight to his stall, and he bumped me in the shoulder with his nose. Leaning my head against him, I rubbed a hand down his neck. “I’ve missed you too. Soon, you’ll be with me in New York.” I snapped a picture of him with my phone to show Layla later when I surprised her.

  I could hear Ian approach, his footsteps crunching against the gravel. He stopped in the barn doorway and leaned against the frame, staring at me curiously.

  “I never got to say thank you for helping me,” I said, “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.” I rubbed a hand down Charger’s snout one last time.

  Ian sighed. “You’re welcome. Thanks for coming to check on me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Grace hadn’t escaped.”

  “I take it she knows what we are?” I asked, leaning against the other door frame so I could face him.

  He nodded. “She needed to know. There’s no way I could be with her and not tell her the truth.”

  His words reminded me of what Logan had said. That a smart man would’ve told Layla the truth. Unfortunately, Grace and Layla’s situations were completely different. “I get it,” I replied, wishing I could have it as easy as him. “You’ve wanted Grace for a long time.” I used to think he was a fool for wanting to love again after he’d lost so much. But I was wrong. He was happy, and rightfully so. All I had to do was pray like hell for Layla’s forgiveness if she ever found out the truth about me. My phone beeped with an incoming text from Layla, and when I opened it up, it was a picture of her sticking out her tongue with her eyes crossed. She always had a way to make me smile.

  “Something you want to tell me, brother?” Ian asked.

  Smile fading, I tucked my phone back into my pocket and walked out of the barn. “It’s Layla.”

  He followed closely behind me, and I didn’t have to see his face to know there was an utter look of horror on it. “As in Layla Corsino?” he spat.