The stack of sterile dressings blurred on the counter in front of me. My hands trembled when I hit the faucets and squeezed antiseptic wash into my palm before scrubbing them. Tobias’s dressings were changed, his wound flushed pink and healing…and for some strange reason, I was proud of that.
“Little mouse!” Tobias bellowed.
My head snapped upwards at the sound.
“You better be drinking!”
My lips curled as I shifted my focus to the almost full bottle of electrolytes on the counter beside me as I rinsed, turned off the water, and called out. “Doing it now!”
“Better be,” he snarled from the bedroom. “Don’t make me spit it in your mouth.”
Oh…God.
My body pulsed after this morning, pushed to its limits by all three of them, and I was now feeling the aftereffects, especially from Tobias. The man was…insatiable.
I grabbed the bottle and tipped it to my lips. The slightly salty taste of berries slipped down the back of my throat. It hadn’t been just the sex. Tobias needed me…
Touching me.
Murmuring to me.
His love blindingly real.
And consuming.
I swallowed again and again, until my belly was heavy, then swiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “All gone!”
“About time,” he muttered from the doorway, those dark eyes fixed on the empty bottle in my hand.
I jumped with shock, staring at his bare chest and black boxers. “Jesus, T. You scared the shit out of me!”
He barely limped now, striding forward until he pushed me back against the counter. That flicker of fear always came when he looked at me like this. My stepbrother was an undeniable force. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my face. “The next time you hide your exhaustion from me will result in a spanking, got it? One that you won’t enjoy.”
Heat flushed, and my lips curled as a chuckle tore free. “Yes.”
“Good.” He wasn’t joking when he said it. Then he captured my chin, tilted my face to his, and kissed me soft and slow before pulling away. “You taste like fucking berries…and I love it.”
The sound of skidding tires invaded, making him scowl and jerk his stare to the doorway. “What the fuck?”
Rocks peppered the side of the cabin, sounding like a spray of gunshots. But the car’s engine didn’t switch off as the thunder of heavy boots descended. “They’re coming! They’re COMING!” Nick roared. “WE LEAVE NOW!”
Tobias moved toward the doorway.
“Ryth! RYTH!” Nick screamed my name. “Where the FUCK is she?”
“I’m right here,” I cried as Tobias strode out of the treatment room and slammed into Nick tearing along the hallway.
“Whoa!” Tobias grabbed hold of Nick as they stood in the middle of the hall. “She’s right there! Look!” Tobias pointed my way. “She’s right there, brother. She’s safe.”
But Nick jerked his gaze to mine. I saw fear, consuming him. His nostrils flared, those golden-brown eyes wide. “We gotta leave,” he gasped. “Now.”
Heavy steps came from the veranda outside. “Nick!” Caleb called. “What’s going on?”
“They found us.” Nick tore his gaze from me to Tobias. “They fucking found us…get whatever you can…and get in the car.”
We all stood there stunned for a second…until we moved.
Our panic was a tornado. I snatched what I could, calling out. “Rebel! Rebel!”
We were out in a blur of terror, piling into the car and slamming the doors closed.
Dust and rocks kicked up behind us, swallowing the sight of the cabin as we skidded around the corner of the driveway and hit the road. I turned around, tearing my gaze from the place that’d been a haven for us for the last few days, and looked at the road ahead.
“And he didn’t say who it was after us?” Tobias snapped, sucking in hard breaths as he lifted his gun and checked the chamber.
“No,” Nick snarled, his focus fixed on getting us away as fast as possible.
Tobias tugged his shirt down, that’d been thrown on in a hurry. His jeans were still unbuttoned, his boots barely hanging on.
The remainder of our clothes had been shoved in a bag and tossed into the back, along with the mess of pills I’d grabbed as we raced out of the cabin. I sucked in hard breaths, willing away the bright sparks of panic behind my eyes. Rebel whined and pushed against me as Nick expertly handled the car, turning hard and gunning the engine.
“Did he say if it was The Order?” Caleb asked.
“It has to be,” Tobias snapped beside me. “Who else could it be?”
My hands still shook, clutching the bottle of antibiotics I’d grabbed as I ran. I tried to process everything. Nick had gone to call Benjamin Rossi…expecting the Mafia boss to be on his way to meet us…
But it looked like that had all changed. Because now we were running.
“Those fuckers,” Tobias snarled softly, then turned his gaze to mine. “I’ll kill them all before I let them anywhere near you.”
I tried to stop the panic, but I was tipped off my axis…one step out of balance and I couldn’t get myself together. All I saw was…him. Tobias.
“And he said this warehouse is protected?” Caleb asked in front of me.
Rebel climbed down to the floor to curl around my feet.
Nick watched the rear-view mirror as the white lines on the road blurred beside us. “He said it’s as protected as we’re gonna get.”
“Somehow that doesn’t sound very convincing,” Caleb muttered, turning around to look at me. “You okay, princess?”
“No, she’s not okay,” T snapped, rage sparking in his eyes.
“I didn’t get everything I wanted.” The words were out before I knew it.
“What?” Tobias asked.
I turned to him. “The dressings for your thigh, I left them all on the counter.”
He scowled, then shook his head. “We’re told The fucking Order is after us and you’re worried about my damn leg?”
I just nodded. “Yes.”
Caleb turned to face the road ahead. “We’ll get you more, baby,” he assured me. “Whatever you need.”
Whatever I need…
I looked at Nick, then Tobias, whose stare was deadly. I wanted us to be safe, was that too much to ask for? It seemed it was. It seemed like the universe conspired against us. It wanted us fighting. It wanted us running. It wanted us desperate to survive.
Nick pushed the sedan harder, his focus divided between the road ahead of us and the rear-view mirror. I glanced over my shoulder to the long stretch of road behind us, and tried to breathe…as we headed back to the one place we didn’t want to be…back home.
“IS THIS IT?” Caleb glanced around.
“This is it,” Nick answered.
The loud rush of air brakes made me jump. I looked behind us at the massive grill of the refrigeration truck behind us, all gleaming chrome and polished paintwork. I turned around, staring at another towering beast in front…and three more that passed us on the way to the city.
We were sandwiched between the metal giants as we crept toward some kind of dispatch yard outside the city and, by the looks of it, the only car in sight.
“This is his, isn’t it?” Caleb asked. “Rossi’s?”
Nick just nodded, then leaned forward and turned off, nosing the car up to the security gatehouse at the entrance of the massive yard. “Yep.”
“Smart,” Caleb sounded impressed. “Very fucking smart.”
The whir of the driver’s side window filled the space and the roar of truck engines invaded. Nick waited for the guard to approach, giving his name and Benjamin Rossi’s.
“Wait here,” the guard ordered, turning and heading back inside the small hut. He returned a minute later as the boom gate in front of us lifted. “Through the gates, all the way to warehouse five. Mr. Rossi is waiting for you.”
A nod, and Nick drove through. Trucks were everywhere, in and out. Anyone else trying to get in here would stick out like a sore thumb. It seemed we were safe here…for a little while, at least.
We pulled into an empty parking space outside a massive warehouse. A ten-foot chainlink fence topped with razor wire surrounded the yard. Men dressed in neon yellow vests and hard hats walked to and from the buildings. For some reason, it made me feel a little more settled, like maybe we had a chance of survival here and Benjamin Rossi had some kind of plan.
“Princess,” Nick called as he killed the engine. “You okay?”
I glanced his way as Tobias climbed out and tucked his gun into his waistband at the small of his back. “Yeah,” I answered. “Just nervous.”
“We’re right here.” Caleb opened my door and closed his own. “We’re not letting you out of our sight.”
Nick shoved open his door and stepped out. “Rebel, come,” he called.
She jumped up instantly and scrambled between the seats to follow him out the driver’s door. We headed for the warehouse entrance, scanning the workmen as they stared, until the powerful figure strode out of the gloom and headed our way. It felt like forever since I’d seen the man my father worked for, but Mr. Rossi didn’t look like he’d aged a day. If anything, he looked even more dangerous.
“Nick, thank fucking God you made it.” He nodded, reaching out to shake my stepbrother’s hand. “Any problems?”
“No,” Nick answered.
Benjamin turned to Tobias. “Tobias, how are you, son?”
“Pissed off, if you want the fucking truth,” Tobias snarled.
But Benjamin Rossi didn’t seem at all surprised at the outburst. In fact, he gave a slow, sad smile and nodded, then stepped forward, grabbed Tobias, and pulled him close. “I was so goddamn worried.”
I hadn’t known what to expect, but the fatherly hug made me smile. Then Mr. Rossi turned that careful stare to Caleb, then to me. “Ryth, honey.”
“Mr. Rossi,” I murmured.
“Ben,” he corrected. “You’re to call me Ben. Come on, let’s not talk out here.” He scanned the yard and turned, leaving us to follow him back inside.
He led us through a mechanical workshop to a massive office in the back. The moment the door closed behind us, the deafening sound of truck motors and clanging tools dulled.
“Sit.” Ben motioned to the sofa at the end of the room, but none of us took him up on the offer. Instead, Tobias crossed his arms, scanned the desk and photographs pinned to the cork-board, and turned around.
Ben noticed, scanning us in the corner of his eye as he opened a refrigerator and pulled out cans of soda, tossing one each to the guys and an extra one to Tobias for me.
“Laz?” T asked.
Ben Rossi gave a hard sigh, aging in a second. “He’s safe. They’re all safe.”
“Good,” Nick said, setting his unopened can on the small table in front of the sofa. “Because we’re running out of options here.”
“I know,” Ben nodded.
“Do you?” Nick stepped closer. “Do you really? Because we need answers. Who the fuck is behind this and how the hell do we get them to stop?”
If there had been anything kind in Ben’s eyes, it died away…leaving something menacing behind.
“Was today The Order?” Nick’s stare was fixed on the older man.
“I’m not sure.” Ben shook his head, earning a snarl from Tobias. He winced at the sound, glancing at T before he continued. “I have men watching the compound, and more on the ground listening for anything that sounds even remotely like they’re hunting. For all we know, it could be Killion. The bastard is ruthless and sneaky.”
I flinched at that name, my blood running cold.
“What I do know is that this is no longer business.” His voice turned colder. “It’s now personal for those men. If they can’t get Ryth back, then they’ll set an example of her. Make sure no one else tries to take what they feel belongs to them.”
“I’ll fucking kill them before they come anywhere near her.” Tobias’ words were devoid of emotion. But I knew the rage that burned under the surface, and so did everyone else in the room.
“You said Ryth’s father was working for you.” Nick tried to find some sense in the mess of threads we had. “All the information we’ve found said he stole a shipment of drugs.”
“Lies.”
I flinched, my heart thundering as Ben met my gaze. “Yes, your father worked for me and had done for years. He was loyal, to a goddamn fault, and I consider him one of my closest friends. I need you to understand that…all of you.” He sounded almost desperate. “Because he did not steal from me. Not a fucking dollar, not a gram of cocaine. That weekend he left to go south, he wasn’t working for me.”
I stiffened as a phantom sting lashed my cheek, still burning from the imprint of a hand. “So, everything my mom told me…”
“More lies.” Ben’s gaze was fixed on me.
“And every time I saw your man drive past our house?” I whispered as pieces started to fall into place.
Ben’s voice softened. “And at school. We were trying keeping an eye on you, making sure you were safe…until your mom…”
“Burned down our house,” I responded, the truth finally hitting home.
He didn’t answer, because he didn’t need to.
“What was her father involved with?” Caleb enquired.
“I don’t know. He was handling private matters.” Ben looked away. “Ones he didn’t confide to me.”
“Are you saying he was working for someone else?” Caleb tried to read between the lines.
“Working for, or with.”
“Who?” Nick asked.
Ben just shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Mr. King,” Caleb whispered, staring at nothing.
But the name alone made Benjamin Rossi flinch and scowl. “What did you say?”
There was a second, one where Caleb tried to think. “That night…when he saved my goddamn life, he called those bastards at The Order and he said a name…Mr. King. He said, I’ll have the FBI and the CIA on your doorstep by morning, well before Mr. King can get to you.”
Caleb narrowed in on Ben, we all did.
“Who the fuck is King?” Nick asked.
Ben shook his head slowly. “I don’t—”
“Bullshit,” Tobias snarled. “You fucking know.”
“No.” Ben shook his head again. “No one does. I know the name…and I have the good sense to stay away. If you’re smart, so will you.”
Tobias strode forward, glaring at Rossi. “Kind of hard for us to do that, don’t you think?”
“Whoever he is, he’s the one who they’re afraid of,” I spoke slowly. “He got my father in there to save me, so he can get him out, right?”
“It’s a dangerous game your father’s playing now,” Ben answered carefully. “But I’d say yes, if King got him in there, then he could also get him out.”
“Then he can get to Hale,” Nick added.
“If my son doesn’t kill him first.”
“What?” Tobias narrowed in on him.
Rossi held his stare. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, the reason why I was away and couldn’t help sooner was because Lazarus seems to have fallen head over heels in love…with Katerina VanHalen.”
Nick paled. “Hale’s fiancee?”
“Yes.”
Nick winced. “Fuck.”
Silence filled the space while we tried to piece it all together. “So Hale and this Mr. King are at war, somehow my father was pulled into this mess…and I’m—” I whispered. “The cause of it all.”
“You’re one piece of a puzzle” Ben answered. “A very important piece.”
“Of what?” I needed to understand.
“Only your father knows.” Ben murmured.
“And your mom,” Tobias added, meeting my stare. “She fucking knows.”
Ben nodded. “We’re looking for her. Believe me, the moment we find her, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Right now, we need somewhere safe to stay, and protection.” Nick raked his hand through his hair.
Ben turned and headed for his desk, grabbed a set of keys from a stack of paperwork, and tossed them through the air. “This will get you somewhere safe, and inside you’ll find all the protection you’ll need.” The Mafia boss met my gaze. “I’m going to get your father out, Ryth, trust me on that, and I’ll find your mom. We’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll keep you safe.”
“No.” Tobias shook his head. “We’ll do that. You get us a way out of this…and we’ll take care of our stepsister.”
“Deal,” Ben nodded, grabbing another set of keys. “Something a little sturdier and faster, new phones, clothes, and money are in a bag inside. Keep your phones on you. I’ll call as soon as I know anything…and guys.” Ben was deadly serious. “Stay the fuck alive.”
“Gonna do our best.” Nick glanced our way. “Believe me on that.”
