Witness Protection

by Stacey Espino

  She heard the jingle of keys. “Time to go, Sophia. We need to beat the worst of the morning rush hour.”

  They walked up the concrete steps from the basement apartment. The sky was a crisp blue, massive numbers of seagulls swarming high in the distance. She pointed to them.

  “There’s a dump over there. On a bad day, it can get real ripe around here,” he said.

  Even though the neighborhood was in a sketchy area, she didn’t care. She’d been so sheltered growing up that the new people, sights, and sounds intrigued her.

  “That’s far enough.”

  A man stepped out from behind the brick wall of the building, a gun discreetly trained on Cayden, partially hidden by his jacket. She turned her head and recognized the other man from Antonio Jr.’s house. She grabbed onto Cayden’s arm.

  “Damn, Antonio can’t take a fucking hint, can he?” said Cayden. “I’m kind of embarrassed for him right now.”

  “Both of you get in the car.” There was a black sedan with heavily tinted windows parked on the street. A sense of dread weighed heavily in her gut. She was going to be sick.

  Antonio Jr. had no reason to keep Cayden alive. He’d kill him for stealing her away and force her to marry him. Then he’d murder her, too, and make it look like an accident.

  This wasn’t good.

  “You going to shoot us in broad daylight?” Cayden asked, still refusing to budge.

  “I doubt anyone would notice around here,” said the man in front of them. “I bet they won’t even call the cops.”

  The man behind them rammed the butt of his gun down on Cayden’s shoulder, bringing him to one knee. He cursed under his breath.

  “Leave him out of this!” said Sophia. “I’ll go with you quietly, but only if you forget about him. I’m the one you want.” She couldn’t live with herself if they killed Cayden. At least she knew they wanted her alive.

  “Not happening,” said Cayden. He reached for the gun in the back of his jeans as he stood back up, whipping it out to aim at the man in front of him. The other man pointed a gun at him in response.

  The first man chuckled. “Just drop it. You’re outnumbered. Kill me and you’ll both join me within seconds. You know how this works. Even you’re not that fast, Mr. Walsh.”

  She held Cayden’s outstretched arm, but he was too focused, his arm rock hard and unwavering. He had nerves and balls of steel.

  “Antonio Jr. would never approve of you killing Sophia. You go home and tell him she’s dead, that asshole will skin you both alive for ruining his wedding plans. No, this is what happens—I shoot you in the fucking face and your friend will do me the same favor. Sophia walks away.”

  “Cayden, no, stop it!” she said. Her nerves were frayed, her heart jackhammering in her chest.

  “Sophia, go back to the apartment. Just walk down the stairs and lock yourself inside. Call Hawk and tell him where you are. No one will hurt you.” He used his free hand to pass her the keys, his blue eyes never leaving his intended target. Once she was out of sight, he’d kill both men, not caring if he was killed in return. How could this be happening?

  “I’m not leaving you!”

  “Neither am I.”

  Everyone turned to the new voice. The second gunman collapsed to his knees, then fell to the ground, his neck at an unnatural angle. Hawk stood in his place, a gun aimed at Antonio’s other man.

  “Hawk!” she blurted. It was hard to contain her excitement. Both men were ready to die for her. She loved them more than she could ever express.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Baby, down the stairs. Now,” said Hawk.

  Sophia did as told, walking backwards and using the railing as she slowly descended.

  He turned to Cayden. “A heads-up would have been nice.”

  Hawk had woken up to an empty hotel suite. He had a strong feeling Sophia was with Cayden, but he had to know for sure. Just like Cayden had traced his car, he’d returned the favor and put a tracker on his Harley. It brought him here, to the old apartment where they staked out together.

  The black Mercedes had been out of place in the rundown neighborhood, so he’d shifted gears and moved in on foot to investigate.

  “I never planned to come here. It just kind of happened,” said Cayden. “Nice to see you, by the way.”

  “You know this place is hot.”

  “Like I said, unplanned. And stupid.” Cayden focused on the last man standing. “Why are you still pointing that shit at me? Toss the gun, then get your buddy down the stairs.”

  Once they were back in Cayden’s apartment, the body in the bathtub, he tied the other man to a chair in the kitchen. Sophia was in the bedroom, the door closed, because interrogations were never pretty.

  They roughed him up a bit. His name was Renzo, and he worked for Antonio Jr., which was no big surprise. Sophia had told them that Antonio Sr. didn’t know about the kidnapping. Apparently, the old man thought the wedding was planned, and he looked forward to uniting the two powerhouses of Morenov and Baretti.

  Antonio Jr. was a fucking little prick with no self-respect.

  “Where’s he staying? Last chance to speak up,” Cayden said, pacing back and forth in front of the man.

  Blood ran from his nose. “I told you I don’t know. He only comes to the house once in a while. He only saw Sophia a few times, and then he’d leave.”

  “Someone knows,” said Hawk.

  The bedroom door opened, and Sophia came into the kitchen. He recognized the look on her face. It was the mask, the one she wore when nothing fazed her, when she had no choice but to be strong. She was a Morenov, after all.

  “Back in the bedroom, Sophia.” Cayden pointed to the door.

  She shook her head. “I’m tired of this. All of it. Ever since my father was killed, I’ve been on the run, hiding, and wondering if we’ll all survive from one day to the next. I’ve found out things that will give me nightmares for the rest of my life. I’m done.”

  “Sophia…” Hawk stepped toward her, but she put her hand up to stop him.

  “Give me that,” she said, reaching for his 9mm. He handed it to her, looking to Cayden with apprehension. Sophia pointed it at Renzo, her eyes welling up with tears, but she angrily wiped them away with the back of her free hand. “Where’s Antonio Sr. staying? He’s the only one who can end all this bullshit. I’m tired of hiding. Tired of being everyone’s pawn.”

  When the man didn’t answer, she shot him in the fucking foot, squealed, then dropped the gun on the ground and jumped back into Cayden’s waiting arms. Renzo cried out, rocking in the chair as his foot bled all over the cheap laminate floor.

  Hawk bent over and picked up the gun. “She asked you a fucking question.”

  “He hasn’t gone anywhere. The boss lives in his mansion. You’ll never get to him.”

  Sophia was broken and crying as Cayden held her close. This world was killing her. He didn’t want her to lose her unique innocence. One good thing about Vasily was his drive to shelter her from the dark life they lived.

  The louder Renzo screamed, the more Sophia retreated into herself. He ended it with a head shot. Silence settling down on them.

  Hawk pulled out his phone, getting someone to handle the mess. They wouldn’t be coming back here again.

  Sophia was right, of course. Antonio Sr. was the way to end it all. Once he realized what his son was up to, he’d put a stop to it. The so-called devout Catholic would never hear of a fake wedding, one where his son planned to kill his bride for power. It was sleazy, and the old-school gangster would never approve. Certain lines were not to be crossed. Vasily Morenov was gone, off the map, so there was no threat or opportunity left to exploit.

  Sophia was going to disappear.

  They’d keep her safe and get out of this city for good.

  “Take her in the car. I’ll follow on my bike,” said Cayden.

  He took Sophia’s hand and cautiously made his way to his car in a nearby alleyway. “You okay?” />
  She reminded him of the way she acted on the day of her father’s murder, zoning out completely. When she didn’t respond, he picked up the pace. He strapped her into the passenger seat and got in the driver’s side. Cayden was already behind him, revving his engine. It felt good to have backup.

  They got back to the hotel, the one they should have been at all morning. Cayden had really fucked things up, but Hawk’s record wasn’t the greatest, so he kept his mouth shut.

  “Now what?” asked Cayden. “How the hell are we going to get an audience with the boss man?”

  “I’ll think of something,” said Hawk. “We don’t need to do anything tonight. Sophia’s been through enough.”

  Cayden turned to look at her curled up on the corner of the sofa, staring out the windows.

  “The house sold for just under asking price. The Morenov Empire is gone, and everything is in the process of getting liquidated,” said Hawk. “Once we deal with Antonio Jr., we’re free. All of us.”

  “And then what?” asked Cayden, keeping his voice low so Sophia couldn’t overhear.

  “No one read fairy tales to me. All I know is Sophia wants a different life than this, a cute little house, security, and apparently both of us fucking her.”

  Cayden’s jaw clenched. “She wants the happily ever after, and she needs to paint again.”

  “You’re right,” said Hawk. “We’ll finish this and give her what she deserves.”

  It was unnerving how they thought so alike. Hawk began to realize he wanted Cayden to be part of their lives. He wanted their triad to work.

  They both kept turning to check on her.

  “And us? Her whole fantasy with the three of us. You think that’s realistic?”

  “I can’t say no to her.”

  Cayden nodded. “I’m not fucking you, if that’s what you’re hoping for.” He smirked.

  Hawk shoved him. “Keep your dick to yourself.”

  “So, we’re doing this. Okay,” said Cayden. There was a new air of acceptance around him. The usual resistance was nowhere to be found. “We’ll have to get eyes on the mansion. Tail the family. Let’s give it a couple days. Sophia’s been through too much.”

  “I’ll get in touch with my contacts. And we have some girls working for the Barettis.”

  “This morning has been a bit of heaven and a bit of hell. I’m taking a shower. Can you order pizza?”

  ****

  Cayden wouldn’t say anything to Hawk, but he was getting used to the high life. Living in the posh hotel for the past couple days was growing on him. He couldn’t complain about being holed up with Sophia, and the constant stream of room service was his kind of living. It was better than his empty fridge and fending for himself every day.

  They needed a couple days to get things together, to devise their plan to deal with Antonio Jr. once and for all. Now the waiting was almost up. They’d had two nights in the suite. Everything was coming together.

  He didn’t want to go out in a blaze of glory any more. Cayden had something to live for. Purpose. Love. People who understood and accepted him. Maybe Sophia and Hawk could be his unorthodox family.

  “Tomorrow’s the day,” said Hawk, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed.

  “In broad daylight again?”

  Hawk shrugged, leaning against the kitchen counter. “We know his routine. He’ll be at the gym at ten in the morning. It’ll make it easier to get to his father.” He wiped at apple on his shirt and took a bite.

  “When did we get fruit?”

  “I ordered it. Money talks,” said Hawk. “We’re not in the ghetto anymore.”

  He would tell him to fuck off, but he had no more desire to deprive himself. After opening up to Sophia, he realized a lot of his actions were fueled by self-hatred and the inability to grow and move on. He had to put his nightmares to rest if he wanted to enjoy the rest of his life.

  Sophia came out of the bedroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel. “What are you two talking about?” she asked. She sat on a kitchen chair opposite Cayden. He could smell her sweet shampoo wafting in the air.

  Hawk spoke up. “We were talking about making this threesome official.”

  Cayden looked at him but didn’t say anything. He waited and listened.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “You said you want both of us. Forever. No?”

  “Of course.”

  “You love both of us?”

  “With all my heart.”

  “Then you know what that entails. We won’t know for sure if it’ll work until we share you,” said Hawk. He took the last bite of his apple, acting too casual when Cayden’s heart was already racing. Would he even be able to go through with this? He’d fucked around a lot, but he’d never had a threesome, and certainly hadn’t shared Sophia.

  “Now?”

  He tossed his apple core. “Why not? We’ve both kept our hands to ourselves the past two nights. I guarantee Cayden feels the same way.”

  She turned to him, her dark eyes questioning. “Do you? Want to do this, I mean?”

  Hawk had already set things in motion. He was right about needing to test the waters. Sex could make or break their well laid plans. Cayden wouldn’t be a pussy and back out. And it would be a lie if he hadn’t been thinking of Sophia naked and under him every hour of every day since coming back to the hotel.

  “Getting cold feet?” he asked.

  She shook her head.

  “You may be getting more than you wished for. Get on the bed. Lose the towel and robe,” said Cayden.

  Sophia glanced at both of them one more time before returning to the bedroom and closing the door behind her.

  He stood up, his chair legs scraping the tiles. Cayden braced both hands on the table. “I don’t know if I can fucking do this,” he attempted to whisper.

  Hawk paced, unbuttoning his shirt. “Relax. We’re doing this for Sophia. We love her, not each other. I don’t plan on crossing swords with you.”

  “Good to know.” He pulled off his t-shirt and rolled out his shoulders. “One rule.”

  Hawk cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “You stole her virginity from me, so I’ll be taking her ass first.”

  “Fine. I can play nice.”

  Cayden got everything they’d need. They approached the master suite. Would she be scared or naked and waiting? If this all fell apart, he’d have nothing. No woman. No family. Nothing.

  He’d gotten a taste of a life without feeling unworthy, lonely, and rejected. Cayden didn’t want to go back to those days.

  Hawk turned the handle.

  Cayden gave the door a little push. The room was dark, only the lights from the other downtown hotels offering a soft wash of light from the window. It took a minute for his eyes to adjust.

  She was sitting on the bed, only her face visible from under the white duvet.

  “I thought I said to take your clothes off,” said Cayden.

  Sophia unfolded the blanket to the side, revealing her sitting cross-legged in the nude. Her nipples had pebbled. “I did as told,” she said, her voice faint.

  Hawk finished removing his shirt, setting in on the back of the lounge chair. He began to unbuckle as he approached the head of the bed. Cayden followed suit, kicking off his jeans, leaving him in just his boxers. Sophia watched his movements.

  “Are you afraid, princess?” Cayden asked.

  She shook her head. “I trust both of you.”

  “Can you fit two cocks in that tight little body of yours?” asked Hawk. He climbed on the bed behind her, kissing her bare shoulder.

  Sophia closed her eyes and bit her lip.

  “You’re both so big, but I’ll try.”

  “She knows the right things to say, doesn’t she?” said Cayden, climbing towards her on his hands and knees. He wrapped his lips around her perfect sloping tit. She gasped but didn’t move.

  He expected this to be more awkward, but once they started exploring her body�
�kissing, touching, sucking—it felt like the most natural dance in the world. They moved like a team, working together to pleasure their woman.

  Cayden removed his boxers, no longer caring that Hawk would see him naked. He was way beyond caring. They lowered Sophia to her back and both of them parted her at the knees.

  “Such a pretty pussy,” said Cayden.

  Hawk ran his finger along her slit. “Look how wet she is. She wants to get double-fucked.”

  Cayden couldn’t hold back. He lowered his face between her legs and lapped at her folds, fucking her with his tongue. Hawk suckled her tits, his hand on her stomach to keep her grounded. She writhed on the sheets, moaning, and begging. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever experienced.

  “Who do you belong to?” asked Hawk.

  “Both of you.”

  “Anyone else?”

  She shook her head. Cayden looked up from her pussy. “Say it,” he said.

  “No one else. I belong to both of you.”

  “That’s right. No other men will know this body.” He suckled her clit until she bucked off the bed, squealing for relief.

  Hawk pinned her arms to the side of her face, forcing her to accept the pleasure, kissing her to drown her moans.

  Cayden continued to eat her pussy, careful not to let her go over the edge just yet. Cayden twirled his tongue around her tight little asshole, making his cock even harder. He could already imagine how tight she’d feel when he speared her virgin hole.

  Next time he glanced up, Hawk was kneeling by Sophia’s head, his cock down her throat. She worked him up and down as Hawk directed her actions with a hand secured in her blonde hair. He wanted to feel that same pleasure.

  Cayden got to his knees and joined Hawk at the head of the bed, on the other side of Sophia. “Don’t tease Cayden,” said Hawk. “He wants your mouth, too.”

  She turned her head and opened her mouth, waiting for his dick. He nearly came on the spot. Her eyes were glassed over, her nerves faded to nothing. What really impressed him was Hawk not trying to control this party.

  The moment her hot, wet mouth covered the head of his shaft, he groaned aloud, grabbing the headboard for stability. For being innocent, she had a talented tongue.