by B. B. Reid
“Not helping,” I grumbled. He opened his passenger for me and gestured me inside then got in on his side.
“Your man’s a badass, babe. What can I say?”
“Is it wrong to wish he never helped that woman?”
“He didn’t do it for her. He did it for you. Everything he does is for you. Every move he makes and doesn’t make is all because of what he thinks will make him worthy of you.”
“Except doing the right thing backfired on him. I doubt I’ll be a factor next time.”
“Let’s hope there isn’t a next time, and even if there were, you should know Keiran isn’t so easily moved. He wants you, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep you.”
I realized he might have been right and decided not to argue. Besides, my inability to believe in him is what got us into this. Keiran gave up revenge against his father for me. His ability to be good was something I would never question again.
“What do we do now?”
“Thompson says they’re after Keiran now, but they’ll likely try to get you as an accomplice. We need to work on your defense.”
“They said he confessed to Laurie.”
“We both know that’s bullshit.”
“I think I just needed to hear it from someone other than my own head.”
“What? You don’t believe he’s innocent?”
“No, that’s not it. I know Q killed Mitch. I was there. I might as well have orchestrated the whole thing. I had no idea Q felt so strongly about Mitch.”
“He doesn’t, but he owed a debt to John. Otherwise, he’d have been left dead in a dumpster or a ditch.”
“We need to find Laurie and get answers.”
“Can’t. Keiran won’t like it.
“Keiran isn’t here, and I have to know why she did this to us—to him.”
“It’s done. Going after her will only look bad. If she calls the police—”
“Take me or I go on my own as soon as your back is turned.”
I expected Dash to get angry or make threats. He simply turned his head with his mouth open slightly. I’d surprised him. “That’s some pair of balls,” he remarked. “Keiran did a real job with you.”
“Well?”
“Fine. But it will take some time to find her. She’s probably gone by now.”
Thoughts of the girls crept into my subconscious, and I began to remember the things Keiran had told me about Laurie’s husband.
“She went back home.”
Like a moth to a flame.
We had just reached the city. Dash didn’t question it. He made a U-turn, heading back toward the highway.
“Are you sure?”
I’d made nothing but mistakes these last few months, but dirty and wearing last week’s clothing, I was determined to see it through.
“No, but we’re going to find out.”
Chapter Nineteen
LAKE
“How did you know where she lived?” I asked as Dash picked the lock. No one appeared to be home. The driveway was free of cars and the house was completely dark.
“Keiran gave me the address when he first staked out the house.”
“When did he stake out the house?”
“He found the time to save your life while you ran away from him for two days.”
“You sure know how to lay on the guilt trip.”
“Because there aren’t many times Keiran isn’t wrong. In fact, I never thought he would ever be right about anything.”
“Your point?”
“You shouldn’t have run from your problems.” The tumblers clicked, and Dash pushed open the door.
Was he talking to Willow or me? I decided not to open that can of worms and said, instead, “Running was the best thing I could have done for the survival of our relationship.”
“There you go again.”
“What?”
“You keep doubting him.”
“You’re wrong. It’s not just him I don’t trust. It’s me.” He stopped walking and waited for me to explain. “Old habits die hard,” I simply said.
We couldn’t find any sign of life. Laurie, the girls, and even Robert were gone. “So what do we do now?” Just as I asked, we came to a door that we had missed. Dash pushed me back so he could enter first.
“Looks like the basement.”
We followed the old stairs down, and my eyes immediately landed on the form sprawled at the bottom.
“Fuck!” Dash rushed over to her and gently flipped her over. We both cringed at the sight of a needle stuck in her arm. He carefully lifted the needle and looked around for somewhere to dispose of it. After tossing it into a nearby trash bin, he tried to shake her awake.”
“She’s sweating and her skin is hot. We need to get her under some water to cool her down.” He lifted her and rushed up the basement stairs, taking two at a time. I followed behind him until we reached the guest bathroom. He gently placed her in the tub while I yanked on the faucet. The shock of the cold water brought her back to life with a cry of pain. When she looked as if she would pass out again, I hit her with another blast of cold water.
“Robert, no. Please.”
“Laurie, it’s Lake Monroe. Where are the girls?”
Her eyes popped open at the sound of my voice. Her eyes shifted unfocused before landing on me.
“Lake?”
“What happened to you? Where are the girls?” I repeated. The silence of the house was haunting.
“Oh God. I think he took them. He took my little girls.” She shivered, and I wondered if it was just the cold water or the thought of him fleeing with her daughters.
“Why did you go to the police?”
“B—b—because he made me.”
“How did he find you?” Dash questioned.
“I went down to Cassie’s school to pick up her homework after she was suspended, and he was there, waiting. I never even saw him until it was too late. He made me take him to the girls and after, he beat and drugged me for two weeks until I just wanted to make it stop. He even started beating Cassie until I told him about Keiran and agreed to turn him in. Oh God, I just wanted it to stop. He hit her so hard. She begged for me to help her. What was I supposed to do?” she croaked.
I ignored her question and asked, “How did you end up in the basement unconscious?”
“After he made sure I gave the police enough information to have Keiran arrested, he locked me in the basement. The last thing I remember was him coming down here and shoving a needle in my arm.”
Dash met my gaze over her head as we shared the same thought.
This was all so fucked.
We helped her from the tub when she seemed stable, and Dash wrapped a towel around her.
“Did Keiran really confess to Mitch’s murder to you?”
“N—no. Greg told me everything I had to say.”
I shook my head as my mind filled with bitterness. “The one person who probably could have helped your daughters you put behind bars.”
“I’m sorry. I wish I could take it back.” She really looked as if she wished she could take it back.
“You can.” I bit the inside of my cheek in order to calm down. I didn’t want to traumatize her any more than she already was. I also remembered Keiran’s advice that if we wanted this woman to stay on our side, we’d need to finesse her.
“I thought your husband’s name was Robert?” Dash questioned before I could continue. “You said Greg told you everything to say.”
“Greg is Robert’s brother and a private investigator. Robert isn’t smart enough to deceive the cops.” She laughed humorlessly.
“Tell us about him.”
“Robert?”
“His brother,” Dash gritted. I knew he must have been drawing the same conclusion as I, but what could the odds have been?
“There’s not much to tell. He’s sort of a drifter. He used to do PI work with his partners until recently. They were murdered while on a case. Greg himself had been recoverin
g from an attack.” She shuddered at the memory. “I don’t understand how anyone could want to hurt him. Greg’s always so kind and attentive.”
Dash and I shared another look as she went on about him.
There was something in her eyes when she talked about him. Each time she said his name, her eyes brightened and her voice softened.
“You’re in love with him.”
“I think it’s the worst kept secret, and I fear even Robert knows. He would never chance us being alone together and kept him away from our home whenever he could. Last week was the first time I’d seen him in a while.”
“Is there anything else you’re hiding?”
“Yes… Greg is Maddie’s father.”
* * *
We took Laurie to the hospital against her protests. I ran over everything in my head during the drive, and while she was admitted, we came up with only one possible conclusion.
“We’re screwed,” Dash stated as soon as they wheeled her back. He had voiced my very thought, but a stronger part of me didn’t want to give up so easily.
“Not necessarily.”
“I don’t need to see the motherfucker to know this Greg is the same private investigator Keiran put in the hospital and who killed John.” Dash didn’t react to the news of John’s killer, so I knew Keiran must have already filled him in. “Then we get her to make a statement.”
“She’s in love with him. He’s the father of her youngest daughter. She’s not testifying against him. If she finds out Keiran was the one to put her precious lover in the hospital and killed his team, she won’t testify for us at all.”
“So what do we do.”
He sighed, leaned his head against the wall, and squeezed his eyes closed. “I don’t know.” Just then, my phone rang with a call from Q. I answered and took a seat next to where Dash was standing.
“I’m guessing I don’t have to ask if Keiran was bonded since I’m calling you,” he griped.
“They said his proven history of violence was too extensive to take the risk.”
“I wanted to let you know I can’t get leave this time.”
“I don’t think there’s much we can do. They think they have a confession from Keiran about Mitch’s murder, and our one chance at getting him out is a hopeless romantic.”
“Wait. What?”
“The PI who killed John is Laurie Finch’s brother-in-law and also her lover.”
“No, I mean why would Keiran have confessed to the murder?”
“She lied. Greg told her what to say.”
I heard him release a deep breath he must have taken and then silence filled the line. “Lake, I have to tell you something, but I need you to remain calm. Is Dash with you?”
“Yes.”
“Is he listening?”
I looked up and found Dash was indeed watching me. I wasn’t sure if he could hear or not so I said, “He’s paying attention.”
“I didn’t kill Mitch,” he blurted.
“What? But I went back—the message—and you said—”
“I only said what I said to protect you. You and I both know how vicious Keiran can get. Mitch was his kill. His sole right to revenge.”
“You didn’t have to say it. I can handle Keiran.”
“I can handle him better.”
“He could have killed you.”
“He could have tried,” he said, and I could swear I heard him snort.
“Do you think he would have wanted to kill me?”
“No, and it only would have pissed him off more. He would have found other ways to punish you. I couldn’t let him destroy the one good thing that made him human.”
If Q had been standing in front of me, and if my life weren’t crumbling around me, I might have kissed his cheek. It seemed that no one was willing to let our relationship fail.
“So if you didn’t kill Mitch, who did?”
I could already feel Dash’s stare, but then he shoved from the wall and snatched the phone from my hand. “What the fuck is she talking about?” I heard Dash demand. He started pacing as Q talked. Dash, Q, the hospital—everything disappeared as the puzzle shattered further, and I began to rearrange the pieces.
Suddenly, Dash cursed, bringing me back to reality on a tidal wave, and he ended the call. His jaw hardened as he said, “We need to go. I need to talk to Keiran.”
He handed me my phone, and we headed for the elevator. Once inside, he stabbed the button for the parking garage a little too hard. I could feel his anger building and filling the space of the elevator. I could only imagine how Keiran would take the news.
The elevator opened, and I ran to keep up with Dash’s strides as his long legs ate up the concrete. I started to call out to him—to tell him to slow down. Neither of us was aware of the danger until it was too late.
When he froze, I slammed into his back and nearly toppled, but placed his hand behind to catch me just in time. He positioned me so his body completely blocked mine, but also prevented me from seeing what made him stop so suddenly.
“The last time we saw each other, it was under different circumstances.”
Oh, fuck. I recognized that voice.
“The last time you were wearing a chair.”
“Don’t get cocky. It’s just you, me… and the pretty blonde behind you. Oh… and this gun I have pointed at your head, I suppose.”
He had a gun?
I tried to get a look at him, but Dash was too tall. I’d need to stick my head out, and I had a feeling it was exactly what Dash didn’t want me to do. At least Greg couldn’t see me…
I could maybe call for help.
My phone was already in my hand, so I quickly pulled up the group message, sent a text, and prayed. Faintly, I heard Dash’s own phone vibrate in his pocket. It was my single beacon of hope. I took one more action for insurance and then hid my phone.
“Now that the pleasantries have been exchanged let’s get down to business. Move.”
The determination in his voice made my own blood run cold.
“We’re not going anywhere with you.”
His chuckle echoed around the nearly empty level. “I don’t want you. I want the girl, and I was only going to ask once.” I recognized the sound of the hammer being pulled back.
Dash…
I tried to push him out of the way and give myself up, but he was too heavy, and it was much too late. The sound of the gunshot rang out. Dash crumbled to the ground and I screamed.
I screamed, and I screamed, and I screamed, but none of it did any good so I fell to my knees to try to help him. I moved to turn him over—he was so still—but a painful tug of my hair kept me from reaching him.
“You little cunt,” he breathed. “Looks like you got your little friend killed poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“What do you want?”
“I know you mean something to someone I want dead, and I think you know exactly who he is.”
“No,” I cried. He yanked me further and further away from Dash. I just needed to get to him.
“Oh, don’t worry, sweetie. I won’t touch him. I’ll let prison kill him. I bet he’ll make someone a nice piece of ass in the meantime.”
I decided to ignore that. Keiran was no one’s bitch. “What do you want?”
“I want him to confess to the murder of his father.”
“But he didn’t do it!”
“I know he didn’t. I did.”
“What?” I stopped, but he only dragged me harder. His fingers dug into my skin causing me to hiss and glare at him.
“The bastard promised me money for killing his brother and didn’t deliver so I killed him for his debt.”
* * *
For John.
That’s what the message on the wall meant.
It all clicked into place. Q had lied to protect me, which meant Greg must have followed us that day. I don’t believe it was a mere coincidence. All I had to do was confirm it.
Wherever Greg took
me, it wasn’t far. When he forced me into his car, he had run his hands down my body—looking for my phone is what he said. My skin still crawled from his touch. A bag, shielding my eyes had come next, and then he tied my hands.
“We’re here,” he singsonged.
“I’m being kidnapped,” I reminded dryly. “I don’t need a running commentary.” My head kept replaying the sight of Dash lying there so still. The agony of not knowing had consumed me since I was forced to leave him.
“You have a lot of mouth. I wonder how your little boyfriend shuts you up. I bet he sticks his cock in that pretty little mouth of yours. Keep it up, little girl, and I’ll do the same.”
The last thing I wanted was for him to touch me again. Unfortunately, he had to in order to get me from the car. He walked me up short steps, and then I heard a door open followed by another. I guessed he took me to a house and I prayed it wasn’t his. If I got out of this alive, I’d be scrubbing my skin nonstop for at least a week.
The bag was suddenly snatched from my head, and I immediately looked around for an exit. He had me in a room that was surprisingly clean. “Sit,” he ordered and remembering his threat, I didn’t hesitate. “She obeys. He’s trained you well.”
Trained me? Am I a dog?
I decided to keep the retort to myself and held still as he removed the zip tie. I was surprised he was taking chances. Maybe he wasn’t used to kidnapping. Either way, I intended to use my freedom of movement to get away first chance I got. With as much subtlety as I could muster, I looked around for anything that could be used as a weapon.
“Don’t think about it, or I’ll kill you as soon as I have what I want from your boyfriend.”
“Aren’t you anyway?”
“Maybe. Or maybe I’d hate to see a pretty thing like you go to waste. I always thought you were sexy. I wanted you in the worst way.”
“We’ve only met once.”
“I’m sure your boyfriend knew,” he said, ignoring my response. “I’m sure it’s the real reason he tried to bash my head in with a chair. He probably couldn’t care less about his precious niece.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. He wouldn’t kill you because I wouldn’t want him to, but he’d chop your heart into little pieces for her.”
