by Jana Leigh
“Let"s get to it.” Bear said and clapped his large hands and then looked at Rex pointedly.
Obviously, Trent had spoken to him about getting the truth out of the girls.
“Jazz, Lily, can we get you to sit down for a few minutes?” Rex said. Then waited while Lily broke away from Bear and Trent finally, frowning at them, before taking a seat next to Jazz.
“Okay, we know what happened, so we aren"t going to go on with what happened when we were shot. To be blunt, the guys noticed that while Drew and I were out, that you had a very deep conversation in the kitchen. We would like to know what it was about.” Rex said and looked at the women as they looked at each other uncomfortably.
“We were catching up.” Jazz said and shrugged.
Lily nodded her head and smiled. If Rex and the other men had not been trained in body language and stress detectors, they may have bought what the girls were saying.
They had not seen each other in years, they knew that from the extensive background checks that they did. Not that it mattered. It seemed the two women had picked up right where they left off. Best friends share everything and these two definitely had shared something important.
Rex sighed and looked at his friends. It looked like they had their work cut out for them.
Rex, however, refused to interrogate them. He was not going to treat his future wife with such disrespect.
“Now Darlin", you really need to trust us. Whatever you two are hiding, we can help you.
We already know the basics. So, out with it.” Rex said reassuringly.
Jazz looked at Lily who shrugged. “Okay fine. It"s nothing big really. At least I don"t think so, but we have just begun to dig through the papers.”
“What papers?” Drew said sitting forward.
“Well, we have to give you the whole story so you will understand. I found out some things that I didn"t know before. Stuff about my parents and Lily"s.” Jazz said.
“Such as?” Rex said and leaned back trying to get comfortable.
“Okay, it started when my father lost his job. He couldn"t find another place to work at all. Finally, my mother suggested that she look for one, she used to be a secretary.
Apparently, Lily"s mother is the one who set her up with the job. I had no clue that her parents were even involved until she showed me her mother"s diary.” Lily sat forward and frowned. “I found it a few weeks ago, in the papers in the attic. I was just as surprised when I found a box in the corner. When I saw that, the box was marked personal. I wondered why they had left it up in the attic. When I first opened it, I was surprised. On the top was a letter from a lawyer, the one that my father asked to find my birth parents. The lawyer said that my birth father wanted to have a meeting with my parents.”
Jazz grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She knew this was difficult for her. Rex watched with interest. He had the feeling that something big was coming, something that would help them in the mission. They needed to put the Digrossi family out of business. His dumbass father needed to be in jail, right alongside his half-brothers. Rex talked to Andre this morning, he was worried about Rex. Andre wanted him to come back to Colorado and stay with him and his new wife.
Rex of course, said no. He was not going to leave Jazz. Andre was turning out to be a true brother. He had his friends who were his family, but it was nothing like having the real thing. The relationship was different. His friends were the family that he chose.
He would never give them up or trade them for a second; he trusted them with his life and would do anything for them, but Andre was blood, he would never know what he truly did, that was not the type of relationship he wanted, or needed from his half-brother. He just needed to know that he had family. He thought that was the type of relationship he was watching with the girls. They were chosen family.
“Then I found my mother"s diary and things began to make a little more sense. My birth father was a rich man; he denied paternity because I was a female. I guess he thought that girls didn"t matter that much. Apparently, he came to the house once and saw a woman he wanted. So in exchange for letting my parents keep me, they had to introduce him to this woman. It was Jazz"s mom. I thought they had only been introduced, since her mom was married and that was it. Then as I read on, I realized that this man had manipulated Jazz"s father"s boss into firing him. Then, when they were desperate, he swooped in and gave her mother a job.” Lily paused and looked around the room. All the men were listening intently, but none of them understood the ramifications yet.
“He tried time and time again to seduce Jazz"s mother, but she never gave in. In fact, she was going to quit her job, because she found out that this man was into illegal shit.” Lily continued. “I let Jazz read the diary. We have been digging through the papers once we realized what my mom"s diary was saying.”
Jazz sat quietly and looked at Rex and Drew with tears in her eyes. “Her mom wrote about the day that Digrossi killed my dad. They were there; my father had reached his breaking point with his harassment. He was going to call the police and give them everything they had gathered. Digrossi must have heard about it. He came to the house and my father and he fought. Lily"s dad tried to help, but Digrossi brought his buddies.
They held him back while my mom and Lily"s mom grabbed us to protect us. Digrossi shot my dad and then threatened both of our families. Lily"s parents wanted to leave town and hide. They tried to get my mom to come with them. She sunk into such a depression that she refused to leave from the house that she lived in with my dad. After a few years, her parents could not stand the stress anymore and moved up here. They bought the house in Lily"s mother"s birth name and all the records are hidden in layers of paperwork. We are now finding documents they had to help protect themselves if Digrossi ever found them.”
The room fell silent as everyone processed what the girls told them. Rex was running through things in his mind when he got to the part where Lily was Digrossi"s daughter.
If she were his daughter that meant that she was related to him and Andre. They had a sister.
Rex looked up and saw that Drew had reached the same conclusion and was waiting for him to respond. The other guys did the same until the air in the room became oppressive.
“Digrossi is your birth father?” Rex asked quietly.
Lily sobbed and buried her face in Jazz"s neck. “Yes, but I am nothing like him. I don"t want to meet him and don"t give a shit if we are related. I would never support him in his dealings.”
Rex nodded and looked at Trent and Bear who knew where this was going. They nodded and watched as Rex struggled to stand up and then went and joined the girls on the couch.
“Lily, look at me.” He said and waited for the woman to stop crying. Jazz ran her hand over her friend"s head and that seemed to soothe her. Finally, Lily turned and Rex could not believe the likeness with Andre. How had he not seen it? Probably the drugs, but still.
“Lily, listen to me. I completely understand what you are saying, and none of us thinks you would want to hurt us. That is not what I need to talk to you about though. Digrossi is scum of the earth. He had affairs with many women, his two sons with his wife are as nasty and mean as he is. A few years ago, I had to go undercover for the FBI to try to infiltrate Digrossi"s operation. While there I found the youngest son, Andre, he was nothing like his brothers. He went to college and became a lawyer, not to bail his dad out, more like to help put him away.” Rex"s heart was beating wildly as he sat next to a woman he hoped would be happy to have family again.
Jazz watched curiously with her hand still soothing Lily who was trembling. “Andre is in protective custody after turning evidence against his brothers and father. He is in Colorado where he met his new wife. They are happy. I went undercover to make sure Digrossi paid for his crimes, I was out for vengeance. It was easy for them to accept me because my mother was Digrossi"s long time secretary. And lover. Digrossi didn"t know or care that I was his bastard son too.”
Lily gasped and
pulled her hand back and looked at her friend. She was trying to understand what he was trying to say, but it just wasn"t registering. “Lily,” Rex said softly and laid a hand on her leg. “Andre is my half-brother and yours. You will love him. Do you understand what I am saying? I am your half-brother too.” Lily started crying and flung her arms around Rex. He closed his eyes and smiled, another member of their family who was in danger. She did not know it yet, but if Digrossi found out about her and knew that, she had papers from his criminal enterprise in her possession. She had just painted a huge red target on her back. Rex looked at Bear and Trent, they said she was their future, he knew they would protect her with their life.
Jazz was crying also, she wrapped her hands around her waist and quietly let the tears fall. It took him a moment before he realized that she was crying for a completely different reason. He looked at Drew and frowned.
His friend struggled and got up also, and pulled Jazz alongside him into the bathroom.
***
Drew held her while she broke down and sobbed against his shoulder. He ran his hand up and down her back and murmured soothing words until she was finally just sniffing.
“Darlin", what"s wrong?” Drew whispered.
“Nothing.” She said and buried her head in his shoulder.
“Come on now, I know something is wrong.” He said softly.
She was silent for a few moments, testing to see if he was going to move on and leave the subject alone. When it became obvious he was going to wait her out, she sighed and pulled back for a few minutes.
Drew leaned against the counter and waited. She needed to understand the relationship that he and Rex wanted was for better or worse. They were in for the long haul.
“Why do you want to know?” Jazz whispered.
“Baby girl, did you not understand when Rex and I said we wanted you? We are not just talking about sex and whatever. Of course, that will be involved. We are talking about for long term, as in to death do us part. We want the whole package. Rex should be here, I know, when we are talking about this, but this is the cards we were dealt with so, I am speaking for him too. A long time ago, we figured out that we sucked at one on one relationships. Our job with the FBI is kinda fucked up. Even though we are out of a job, I can tell you that we will be doing something similar, but in the private sector. We set up a corporation a long time ago with our friends. It was something we felt we could fall back on in the future. There are many people who need help in the world that may not be able to rely on traditional police work to help them. We have used our vacations to take on clients, so it is an established business. That is not what this is about. This is about gaining your trust. Rex and I are in it for the long haul; we don"t care who your father is, where you came from, and hell if you have a criminal record we will work through it. That is all going to change now. You are with us. We are your future. The sooner you get used to that, the better off you"ll be.” Drew said the whole speech softly.
Jazz looked at him and thought for a moment. She wanted to belong to something so badly. Since her mom died and left her alone, she had been on her own. It sucked, no one to talk to at night, no one to hold her when she was scared. She had met these men less than three days ago and she was drawn to them, she knew something was building between them. Every time she was in the same room as them, she felt more confident.
It was like finding the missing puzzle piece she had been searching for.
She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. “It"s just, sitting in that room, are people who are related to the man who tore my world apart. I know in my head they had nothing to do with it, but still, it was their father who killed mine. Why mine? Rex said his mom was a secretary too. Lily"s mom and dad betrayed him too. Why did he pick mine? Why did he have to rip my life apart?”
Drew took her in his arms and held her while another wave of tears came over her. “I know, baby, but you can"t think like that. We have to sort out your feelings for Rex and Lily, even Andre. They are victims like you. Rex"s old man put a hit out on him too.
That is why he left undercover. The old man wanted him dead. Trust me when I say, their half-brothers are going to be pissed when they find out they are involved. They have tried to kill Andre several times. The blood that runs through their veins is not the problem. None of them acknowledged that bond. They have overcome it. So, you have to think of them as a separate family. Rex, Lily, and Andre are half brother and sister.
Their mothers are dead, they are orphans, and they found each other. They are their own family.”
Jazz nodded against his chest, she loved Lily. Nothing would ever change that, because she loved her, she had to set aside her birth father. Jazz had already done that, last night she thought long and hard, it was just faced with the fact that Rex was also Digrossi"s son, really sucked.
“Okay, I will try.” Jazz whispered.
Drew smiled and pulled back and looked down into her eyes. He leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss against her lips. “Wash your face, and then we will go back out.” She nodded and turned to the sink and grimaced. She was an ugly crier, she hated women who could weep and look dainty and pretty. When she cried her eyes became puffy and her nose ran. Fuck, she was surprised that Drew had even kissed her. She would not have, she looked terrible.
When they came out of the bathroom, Jazz noticed that things in the room had changed.
Lily was sitting next to Rex; she was very relaxed and smiling. The rest of the men had begun working on things on their computers.
Jazz walked over to her friend and Rex, smiled, and took Lily"s hand. “I am so happy you found family.”
Lily smiled shyly and then looked up at her. “Yeah, it is great. , but you know I already had family. You. You are my sister.”
Jazz teared up again, and smiled and looked at Rex, who was staring at her intently.
“What?” She said.
“If I have my way, you will be sisters-in-law soon. They we can all be a family.” Rex whispered and Jazz looked surprised.
Drew stepped behind her and put his arm around her waist, “Dude, maybe a little fast.” Rex smiled and said, “We will see.”
Jazz rolled her eyes and then looked at the other men in the room. “So what"s up?"
Rex cleared his throat and said, “Trent and Bear are working on making sure that no one knows about Lily or where we are. They are wiping records. Blake and Shane are working security. I am going to call Andre and talk to him. If I know my brother, he is going to want to have Lily go to Denver.”
Bear lifted his head enough to say, “No.”
Rex laughed and said, “Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, we have to finish looking in the big house and get whatever information Lily"s parents had.” Jazz nodded and said, “I will make dinner.”
“I can help.” Drew said and then grimaced a little when he moved.
“Oh no you don"t, you and Rex can sit and work, no standing. Lily can help me. Besides, I think we need some time together.” Jazz said and helped Drew back to his place and then gave him a computer. Rex settled next to them and soon they were talking about searches that needed to be run and people they could trust to connect with and find out what was going on.
Lily and Jazz went into the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator. They definitely did not have enough food to feed six he-men. They walked back into the living area and said, “We have to go to the grocery store.”
Bear looked up and grinned. “I will take you.”
Lily smiled shyly and said, “Okay.”
Jazz grabbed her purse, but Rex pulled it from her and took out her wallet. She was going to protest when she saw that Bear was doing the same thing to Lily. They pulled out their Ids and credit cards and threw them on the table.
“Blake.” Rex said to his friend.
“Got them.” Blake murmured and stood up and approached Lily and Jazz. “Here are your new ID"s and credit cards. Practice signing before you leave. I will have passports and other d
ocumentation when you return.”
Jazz looked down and saw a driver license in the name of Jamie Alexander. It had her picture, then Lily"s address. The credit card was black. She looked up and raised her eyebrows. She knew the significance of a black card. They usually had a high spending limit and were given to only those people who had more than a million dollars. She turned to her friend who was looking at her new ID"s. She looked over her shoulder and almost laughed. Lily Whitefeather. Jazz looked up at Bear who was grinning. She knew it had to be his last name.
“I have lived here for years, why on earth would I need a new identity? Everyone here knows me.” Lily protested and handed the ID"s back.
“Sweetie, get used to it. Trent and I are here to stay. We need to explain our presence.
So we are newlyweds, and Jazz and Rex are also. We snuck off to Las Vegas and had a double wedding.” Bear said grinning bigger.
“Oh really? I think maybe there should be another cover story. You and Trent snuck off with Jazz and Rex. You came to my place for your honeymoon.” Lily said smartly.
Trent laughed and said from across the room, “Uh, no thank you.” Bear laughed and turned back to Lily. “Sorry honey, already changed, and set up.” Lily grabbed the new stuff and stomped off to the kitchen. Jazz laughed and followed.
She was a little leery of the situation too, but she was going to settle this tonight in private. If these guys thought they were going to run over her, try to make decisions for her, it was not going to be a fun night.
Chapter 5
Bear drove Jazz and Lily to the next town over. They had a bigger store according to Lily, so they could really stock up. On the way, the girls made a list of things they were going to need. They figured they would stock all three cabins with food and other necessities.
By the time they reached the store, the list was huge. Each of them grabbed a basket and they set off. Jazz was not that bad of a cook, she made the basics, but Lily was much better. She had menus for the next thirty days. Good God, Jazz hoped they would be out of here by then. Or at least, ready to move on.
