by Becca Van
Now she and Kat were about to tell a deputy all about their mob boss father and his cronies. Niki just hoped that Kat still had the thumb drive with her and didn’t hesitate to pass it over.
She knew it would take time for the information to be passed along to the appropriate channels and for the police in Chicago to stake out her father’s home and his places of business, but she wished it were already over. She wanted to be able to live the rest of her life without being scared and constantly looking over her shoulder.
Niki wanted to remain free, and she was going to do everything she could to realize that dream. Being locked up and under the control of two evil men’s dictatorship was no way to live.
When she’d been young, she’d dreamed that she was a princess trapped in a tower just waiting for her prince to come and rescue her. Little by little those dreams had faded, but she’d still been trapped in the tower. Niki had begun to think that she’d be a prisoner her whole life.
She wasn’t going back.
She’d rather die than end up being caged for the rest of her life.
“Why don’t we all go and sit in the living room where it’s comfortable?” Brent suggested.
Just as Niki started to lead her sister toward the other room, the oven timer went off. She couldn’t believe she’d completely forgotten about the chili and corn bread. She turned toward the stove and was relieved to see that everything had been turned off. “Do you all want some chili?” she asked.
“You made chili?” Kat grinned. “I love your chili and since I didn’t get to eat my lunch, I definitely want some. Let me help you.”
Niki smiled at Kat and they began to serve out the still-steaming chili into bowls. She opened the oven door to see the cornbread was a light gold color on top, and it was still warm, too.
Hes and Rig set the table while Brent grabbed the coffee pot, sugar, milk, and mugs and carried them all to the dining room. As Niki and Kat took the bowls of food and the large plate of cornbread over, Brent got out some glasses and a jug of water.
Niki sat, and Kat plonked down beside her. Brent took the seat at one end of the table, on her left, and Jalen on the other side of her sister. Hes and Rig parked their asses across from them. The table was big enough to for ten people, so there were still four empty chairs.
Jalen cleared his throat. “I called Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker and explained about your situation.” He met Niki’s and then Kat’s gazes. “He and Sheriff Damon Osborn, as well as my brothers Dante and Mica, are headed out here.”
Kat frowned. “Why are so many people coming? It’s not as if we’re currently in danger.”
Jalen shrugged. “I don’t know, and I didn’t ask. Luke has to have his reasons.”
Niki had a feeling Luke had been the officer to read over the file and the email she and her sister had sent in to the Slick Rock Sheriff’s Department, but she wouldn’t be sure until she and Kat spoke to the man. She just hoped he didn’t think she and Kat were guilty of any wrongdoing or hold who their father was against them.
If he did, her and her sister’s lives were going to be even more difficult.
She prayed the sheriffs didn’t ask them to leave town.
“This is amazing, baby.” Brent smiled at her. “I never tasted chili as good as this.”
“Thanks,” she said, blushing. When she gazed at Kat from the corner of her eye, she saw her sister frowning at Brent.
“Do you know how to cook, Kat?” Jalen asked.
Kat nodded before gazing down at her bowl of chili. When Niki saw the way Jalen was staring so intently at her sister, she nearly smiled. There was so much heat in his gaze it was a wonder he hadn’t set the room on fire. Kat was doing everything she could to ignore the handsome deputy, but Niki knew her sister was very aware of his attention.
From the way she kept fidgeting in her seat and trying not to look at the other man, Niki realized that her sister was attracted to him, too, but she was doing everything she could to hide the lure she felt.
They’d all just finished eating when there was a knock on the front door. Rig got to his feet and rushed out of the room.
Niki tried to calm the nervous flutter in her belly and the raucous nerves in her system from showing as she began to gather up all the dishes. Kat rose to help and so did Hes and Brent. Between the four of them, they had the kitchen back to rights and the dishes in the dishwasher in no time. She put the leftover chili and cornbread in containers, stored them in the fridge, and started to scrub the pot.
She’d heard the other men come into the room and studiously ignored them as much as she could, but she knew she couldn’t put off the inevitable forever.
“Leave the pot, baby,” Brent said. “One of us can wash it later. We need to go to the living room. Luke, Damon, and the deputies want to talk with you and Kat.” Brent walked toward the other room with his brothers and Jalen.
Niki wiped her hands on a dishtowel and turned to face her sister. “Are you ready?”
Kat gripped one of Niki’s hands. “Are you?”
“No,” Niki said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be in this position, but I’m glad I am, that we are.”
“Me, too,” Kat whispered. “I missed you so much, Niki.”
“I missed you, too, Kat.” She glanced toward the living room and shivered when she saw all the big, muscular men sitting and standing around the room. “Do you think they’ll help us or kick us out of town?”
“You know the answer to that, sis. You’ve already seen, and I’ve told you how protective the men in this county are.”
Niki sighed. “I guess I’m just looking for excuses to waste time.”
“We could always go on the run,” Kat suggested.
Niki snorted. She had a feeling if they tried that, they’d be the ones locked up behind bars. She shook her head. Brent, Hes, and Rig wouldn’t let the officers put her or Kat in jail. They’d probably get to her and Kat before the cops did if they tried to make a break for it, too.
She began to slowly walk toward the living room, Kat at her side, still holding her hand.
Niki and Kat were about to give the Slick Rock sheriffs and their deputies enough evidence to send her father and his accomplices away to prison for life.
This was a big but necessary step, and she just hoped that she and her sister didn’t end up falling flat on their faces.
Chapter Seven
Hes shoved to his feet as soon as Niki and Kat entered the room. The sheriffs were reclining in the armchairs, and the deputies were standing off to the side of the room. While the sofa was big enough for him, his brothers, and the two women to sit on comfortably, he didn’t want them to feel crowded. As soon as Niki dropped onto the sofa, and Kat sat beside her, he perched on the arm of the chair close to the woman he wanted to woo into his bed. Brent sat on the other arm of the sofa, and Rig, at the other end. Hes could have asked Niki and Kat to move closer together so he could sit on a cushion, but he kept his mouth shut and remained still.
Brent made the introductions, pointing out each man as he said their name, and then he introduced the two Gilmore sisters.
Niki shook her head, drawing everyone’s eyes. “Our surname isn’t Gilmore. It’s Russo.”
“You’re the ones.” Luke rubbed the back of his neck, shooting a pointed glance at Damon.
“We are,” Kat confirmed, lifting her chin.
“I think you should come down to the station.”
“They’re not going anywhere,” Hes stated emphatically as he jumped to his feet.
“Are you going to arrest us?” Niki asked in a shaky voice.
Luke gave them both a stern look. “Have either of you done anything to break the law?”
Niki swallowed and nodded. She didn’t realize that Kat was frantically shaking her head until she glanced at her sister. Hes felt all his hopes and dreams die as Niki admitted she and her sister had broken the law.
Kat shoved to her feet, planted her hands on her hips, and glared
about the room. “The only thing we did was protect ourselves. If we hadn’t bought false papers, we’d both probably already be dead.” She looked at her sister, then turned back again. “Or worse. If you want to arrest us for that, go right ahead, but it would be kinder to just hold a gun to our heads and pull the trigger. We’d be better off.”
“Kat, sit down,” Jalen ordered firmly.
Hes was surprised when she immediately complied. Kat was a strong woman and so far, hadn’t taken any shit from any of them. She also had a big heart. She’d talked almost nonstop when Niki had sat frozen on the floor. He’d heard the tears and worry in her voice, but she’d just continued speaking as if Niki had been listening to her. He knew that she hadn’t been about to give up on Niki. They were family and had tried to protect each other from the monsters they’d been living and dealing with. She was once more trying to protect her younger sibling from being taken to jail, but Hes knew Luke and Damon weren’t about to cuff them and take them away.
Luke shook his head. “I don’t care about the both of you having false credentials. What I care about is keeping you two safe. Is there any way your father or any of his men could know where you are?”
“It’s possible, but I don’t see how he could,” Niki replied. “I was careful and never used my real name.”
“How did you get away?” Damon asked.
Niki told them about Rosita and her help and how she’d asked the other woman to come with her.
“I’ve already sent the files you emailed to the department on to the Chicago police. Why didn’t you contact your local PD?” Luke asked but held up his hand before either woman could answer. “You don’t need to answer that. You didn’t know who to trust or who’s on your father’s payroll.”
Niki and Kat nodded.
“We couldn’t trust anyone,” Kat said. “We aren’t going to be safe until they’re all in jail, are we?”
Luke shook his head. “I think it would be best for the both of you to be in WITSEC.”
“No!” Niki surged to her feet. “That’s almost as bad as being locked up in that house. I can’t do that again. Please, don’t make me?”
Hes couldn’t take the panic he heard in Niki’s voice or the fear he could see in her eyes any longer. He rose, walked over to her, and took both of her hands in his. “We’ll keep you safe, honey. You and your sister can stay here where we can protect you.”
“Like hell,” Kat said, but Hes kept his eyes locked with Niki’s.
“Are you real?” Niki asked.
Hes lifted one of her hands and placed it over his beating heart. “I’m as real as you are, Niki.”
Hes could feel the heat of her small hand through his shirt and knew deep inside of his soul that Niki was meant to be theirs. He just wasn’t sure she’d agree with him and his brothers if they said anything. He would’ve begged her to move into the ranch where she’d be safe if he knew she’d take him up on his offer, but he wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
Hes had never felt so uncertain in his life.
Rig hadn’t had any idea of what the sheriff was talking about, and though he wanted to start asking questions, he was sure he wasn’t going to like the answers. From the frown on Brent’s face, his older brother was in the same boat. He decided the best thing would be to stay quiet and try to pick up the information he wanted to know by listening.
His decision paid off moments later when Damon piped up. “If you don’t want to go into WITSEC, your only other option is to stay with someone who can protect you both. I think you should take up the Lyndon men’s offer of staying here.”
“We have a couple of spare rooms,” Jalen said.
Rig glared at his cousin. Jalen met his gaze with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Rig knew as soon as he’d seen Jalen watching Kat that he was attracted to her, and it looked as if Dante and Mica were in accord. They’d barely taken their eyes off Kat since they’d arrived at the ranch, as well.
“Whatever you decide to do,” Luke began, “I don’t want you two left alone. Your father is the mob boss of Chicago and has a long reach.”
“He’s a fucking mob boss?” Brent asked incredulously.
Everything fell into place when he remembered Niki had said her and Kat’s surname was Russo, and all the blood drained out of his head and face. If he hadn’t taken a few deep breaths, his knees might have buckled. Thankfully, he was a trained soldier and was used to hiding his emotions. When he gazed about the room, he sighed with relief because he didn’t think anyone had seen his moment of weakness.
“I’m sorry,” Niki said.
Hes moved aside when Brent walked over to the sofa. When he offered Niki his hand and she grasped it, he helped her to her feet again. Then he quickly sat and pulled her onto his lap. “You can’t help who your parents are, baby. Please don’t apologize for that. I agree with Luke and Damon. It’s too dangerous for you and Kat to live alone. We have two spare rooms that you’re welcome to stay in. We’d love having you here and under our protection.”
“You would?” Niki asked.
Brent nodded. “Yeah. We’d do everything we could to keep you safe. We’re trained Marines and know what we’re doing.”
“We were in the Marines, as well,” Dante said. “We’re trained for combat and know what to do if those assholes come to Slick Rock.”
Niki couldn’t believe that Brent and his brothers, as well as the new deputies, wanted her and Kat to stay with them after they’d found out who they really were. She’d expected the Lyndon men to ask her to leave and tell her not to come back when Luke had let the cat out of the bag and told everyone their father was the mob boss of Chicago.
She’d been living with fear and rejection her whole life, and now it seemed she and her sister had someone to stand by them, someone to lean on, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it, of them.
She was emotionally exhausted and wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold herself together. She snorted. That was a joke since she’d already lost her marbles.
Kat was staring at her as if she’d never seen her before, and while she wanted to make sure her older sibling was on board with moving, she didn’t think her sister was going to agree. Niki loved Kat more than anything, but she wanted to feel safe and the only way that was going to happen was if she accepted the offers of the deputies or the Lyndon men’s invite. Since she worked for Brent and his brothers now, it only made sense that she stayed with them. There would be no need to commute from her sister’s apartment or the deputies place out to the ranch. All she had to do was wake up, shower, dress, and walk out of her room and she’d be at work. How convenient was that?
“I want to stay here,” Niki whispered to Kat but knew Brent heard her as the tight muscles in his thighs relaxed. She had no idea why he was so tense, but she would worry about that later.
“You can do whatever you want, honey.” Kat smiled at her, but Niki knew it was forced since it didn’t reach her eyes. She faced all the men watching her and said, “But I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying in my apartment.”
“Like hell you are.” Jalen stepped toward her.
Kat shoved to her feet and stormed toward him. She poked him in the chest. “You have no right to tell me what to do or how to live my life. There is no fucking way I’m letting you or your brothers control my life. I’ve had that since as far back as I can remember, and I’m never letting another man rule over me.”
“That’s not how the men in this town work, Kat,” Luke said as he rose. “We might appear to be a bit overbearing, but we set rules in place to keep our women and children safe. No men in this county want to make decisions for their wives, their girlfriends. They just want to protect them.”
Kat sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. “I know. I’m sorry, it’s just that…” She waved her hands in the air. “None of you know what Niki and I lived with, what our lives were like. We never left that house unless we had a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment. We had t
utors, so we got an education, but we were prisoners. I’ve only had my independence for a year. Niki for less than two months. Do you know what it’s like to be locked in a room for hours, days, weeks on end? We didn’t go to school and never had the chance to make friends. We were under that asshole’s control from the day we were born.
“We didn’t have a life. We had an existence.” Kat sobbed.
Niki was about to get off Brent’s lap and go to her sister, but before she could move, Jalen tugged Kat into his arms and held her while she cried. Kat wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him tightly as she sobbed. Dante and Mica moved closer, caressing her arm and back. Tears were rolling down Niki’s face, and though she tried to stop them, they just kept coming.
Brent pulled her tighter against his chest and started rocking, all the while murmuring nonsense to her. He was so warm, and she felt so safe in his arms she never wanted to leave. But the heat and comfort he was giving her weren’t the only reasons she wanted to stay where she was. She was highly attracted to him and his brothers, yet she wasn’t sure they felt that way about her.
The tears stopped, and she glanced toward Jalen, his brothers, and her sister when she heard whispering. Niki couldn’t see Kat’s face since it was pressed against Jalen’s chest, but her sister was nodding her head. Finally, Kat drew away from Jalen’s arms and sat on the sofa next to her.
“I’ll stay with Jalen, Dante, and Mica,” Kat conceded. “But I’m not giving up my job and my only independence.”
“No one expects or wants you or Niki to give up your freedom, Kat,” Damon said.
“Understood.” Kat nodded.
“Do you still need us to come to the sheriff’s department?” Niki asked.
Luke shook his head. “I don’t think that’s necessary since we already have everything we need. I’ll type up both of your statements, though, and send one of my men out later this afternoon or tomorrow morning so you can sign them.”
