Dangerous Redemption: A Single Parent Forbidden Romance Novel (Paths To Love Book 4)

by Grahame Claire

  “I don't care what you were or weren't doing. The bottom line is we can't have a dog. And you don't know him. Once he sets his mind on something, it doesn't go away.”

  “Then maybe I can get to know him.” That wasn't what I meant to say.

  Holly’s eyes flared in surprise. “Look—”

  “Here he is,” Gabriel interrupted, holding out his cowboy.

  “Did you build this?” I asked, impressed with the intricacy and size.

  “Yep. Mama helped me. We've started a castle too.”

  “This must have taken quite some time.”

  He shrugged. “A few hours.” I studied the cowboy with his dark blue legs that were jeans. He even had a hat and a belt buckle. Pretty cool. “You can have him.”

  My lips parted in surprise at the kid's generosity. “But he's your buddy. I can't take him.”

  “I want you to have him,” Gabriel insisted, and I blinked, unsure what to say.

  “Thanks. I'll treasure it.” I held the figure a little more tightly. I didn't want to take the child's toy, but I didn't want to give it up either.

  “Can you stay a while?” he asked, his round eyes full of hope.

  “Carlos is here to visit his sister,” Holly said, not-so-subtly telling me I wasn't welcome.

  “What time should I come over tomorrow?” I asked.

  “Six o'clock.”

  “I'll be here. You can show me your castle then,” I said, and he nodded.

  “Gabriel, why don't you tell Mr. Carlos good night and get ready for bed,” Holly suggested, though it wasn't a suggestion at all.

  “See you later, Mr. Carlos,” he said.

  “Good night, Gabriel. Thank you for the cowboy.”

  “You're welcome. I'll get my Batman book ready, Mama.”

  “Okay, baby. I'll be back there in a few minutes.” Her face softened as her son disappeared down the hallway. It didn't take much to see that her boy was her world.

  When she turned to me, mama bear was back. She led me to the front door and ushered me into the elevator lobby.

  “I don't want you to come tomorrow night,” she said firmly, crossing her arms. That drew my attention to her breasts, which were hidden beneath a sweatshirt.

  “Because that's your time with Gabriel?”

  “My time with Gabriel?”

  “I don’t mean to overstep, but I assumed your husband doesn’t live here with you and Gabriel, that perhaps he has him on certain nights or something.”

  She looked lost for a moment, distracted, almost in pain, but then she tilted her head up and looked me dead in the eyes. My God. This woman was so strong. “Do you have kids, Carlos?” She completely avoided answering my question, but I didn’t press.

  “No.”

  “Then this might not make sense to you, but Gabriel gets attached easily. He won't understand why you're here one day and gone the next.”

  “Gone the next?”

  “Look. I don't know you. I like your sister, but strangers have no place in Gabriel's life.” She took a quick breath and seemed to rise to her full height. I wanted to argue I wasn’t really a stranger, but for a single mom, I was. And by the look on her face, she wasn’t going to be welcoming me with open arms anytime soon.

  “It's a no to the pizza. A no to more puppy research. And another no to Legos.”

  She turned on her heel, went back inside, and slammed the door in my face.

  Okay then. I knew when I wasn’t wanted.

  Chapter Seven

  Carlos

  I didn't like to be challenged.

  I didn't like to be told no.

  And I was still fuming when I got back upstairs to my sister's apartment, where I found her in the kitchen loading the dishwasher.

  “Where is everybody?” I asked, the apartment noticeably quieter.

  “They’ve gone to bed,” Muriella said before narrowing her eyes on me. “Carlos, what are you up to?”

  “What?”

  “You know what. Holly.” Her tone was one glaring accusation.

  “I walked them downstairs. I can't see what I did wrong,” I said.

  She sighed, drying her hands on a dish towel. “Just . . . be careful, okay?”

  “I know when you look at me, you see . . .” I didn’t want to finish that sentence by acknowledging our father. “But I'm not him.” As soon as the words were out, I wondered if I was trying to convince my sister or myself.

  Her face fell, and she rushed over to me, clutching both my hands in hers. “I know that. The resemblance is hard for me, but even with that, the two of you are nothing alike. Your eyes have a light in them that his never had.”

  “Is there somewhere we can talk?” I needed to tell her about our father, that she was free of him for good.

  “Do you have a coat?” she asked over her shoulder as I followed her to the foyer.

  “It didn’t occur to me to bring one.” To say I’d been preoccupied when I’d packed was an understatement. The weather in our home country didn't get cold enough to warrant winter clothing, and though I’d been all over the world, I'd never seen snow.

  Muriella shoved a thick camouflage jacket into my chest and slipped her arms through a decidedly more feminine coat. Out the door and into the stairwell we went, me trailing her as she climbed two flights of stairs. A rooftop deck was the last thing I expected, especially one with green grass on a portion of it.

  Crossing the large space, I leaned on the edge, looking out at the cityscape. I inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh New Year's air, even if it was tainted by the city. Muriella joined me, her arm touching mine as we observed the life going on around us.

  “It's done,” I said without looking at her.

  She tensed, a blank expression on her face. “When?”

  “Today, and though I can't atone for what he did to you, I want you to know he suffered. Had been since he came after you a few weeks ago.”

  “What did you do?”

  “It's not important. The fact he will never hurt you again is all that matters.”

  “That’s why you smelled like smoke when you arrived,” she concluded, understanding clouded with little emotion in her eyes.

  I didn’t confirm or deny the truth. How he’d died wasn’t important, and she didn’t need the image of his last moments in her mind.

  Muriella’s nose twitched, and though it had been a lot of years, I knew exactly what that meant. My baby sister was going to cry. “Don't waste your tears on that bastard,” I said, enveloping her in my arms.

  “They aren't for him. They're for me. I couldn't go anywhere without looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to find me. I'm finally free. You did that for me. Thank you, Carlos. You've saved my life twice,” she choked out between sobs.

  “If I'd have been a better man, you'd have never gone through any of it,” I said, clutching her to me. I hadn't brutally raped her, but I still felt responsible.

  “No,” she insisted, her voice strong. “No more. We move on from this. We're both free now.”

  “I have pictures of us with Mama, and I saved some of her things. But everything else is gone.”

  “Good.” She didn't ask for specifics, and she didn't judge me for what I'd done. “I'm sorry you had to do it, but I'm glad you did.”

  “This will be my only confession,” I said.

  She touched my face. “There is nothing for you to be forgiven for.” And then she looked uncertain. “He's really gone? Never to come back?”

  “Never. I would have brought you proof, but there is none.”

  Her demeanor transformed, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from her soul. Muriella had already found joy in her life, but now the dark shadow surrounding it would be gone. I'd kill him all over again to see my sister happy.

  “So what does this mean for you?” she asked.

  “I've been dismantling the business for a long time now.” Our rivals would pick up our lost business. I'd done what I could to eliminate as m
any of them as possible, but the war on drugs was a losing battle. “I have plans for the land the compound was on. A way to put people to work doing something worthwhile. We can talk about it later, considering it's half yours.”

  “What do you mean, the land the compound 'was' on?”

  “The house, the stables, everything . . . it's gone.” I shoved my hands into the pockets of the jacket and looked over the ledge of the roof. “It doesn't erase anything that happened there, but it needed to go. Too much horror.”

  My sister sighed in relief. “I'm glad. I could never go back there. I hope nothing’s left. Not even a nail.”

  “I can assure you it's been eradicated.”

  “Then you'll stay here for a while.” Even though she was younger, she was giving me an order.

  “I was hoping you'd want that.”

  “Why wouldn't I?” Her small hand came to rest on my forearm, her eyes imploring me.

  “You have your own life. A new husband. I'm practically a stranger, and you don't need anyone else in your life. Especially someone who reminds you of the hell you went through.” Once my mouth opened, all of my fears and doubts tumbled out. I'd kept everything locked up so tightly most of my life, I hadn't realized how much I needed someone to trust and lean on.

  “Not a day has gone by since you sent me to safety that I haven't thought of you. That was the worst thing about leaving. I missed you, knew you were with him, but I couldn't let myself dwell on it because I was already struggling so much. I had to pretend you were okay,” she confessed.

  I opened my arms and waited for her to come into them. “I would very much like the chance to be your brother. That's why I'm here. To know you. To find out who my sister is now and hopefully have a relationship again.”

  “I want that too. You have family again. You have me,” Muriella said, and I tightened my arms around her, resting my cheek on top of her head. “If you want to stay here permanently, I'd like that. Daniel can make it happen.”

  “I'll speak to him,” I said, releasing her. She shivered, folding her arms around herself. “We should get back inside. You will sleep well tonight.”

  “Because you've released me.” Muriella tucked an arm through mine, and we walked back to the stairwell door.

  “I'm sorry I couldn't do it sooner. It's taken me too long, but it needed to be done right.”

  “The time doesn't matter. Mama has reunited us.”

  “I think she smiled today.”

  “Absolutely.”

  I held the door open for Muriella, and we descended the stairs with me a step behind.

  “Where was Holly's husband?” I asked innocently. My sister stopped so abruptly I almost ran into her.

  “She's not married.”

  I perked up at that news. I’d noticed she didn’t wear a ring, but not all married people did.

  “Seeing anyone?”

  “No. But Carlos, it's not only her you have to think about. Gabriel is a sweet child.”

  “I'm curious.”

  “It's been a long time, but I remember how you were around girls, Romeo,” she said accusingly. That, I couldn't deny. We continued down the stairs.

  “Where is Gabriel's father?” I needed to know what kind of obstacles stood in my way.

  “I don't know. I haven't asked Holly, but Mulaney indicated she has nothing to do with him.”

  Interesting. And then a surge of anger punched through me for Gabriel. What kind of man wouldn't take responsibility for his own child? My father's image flashed in my mind. He'd raped my sister and taught me to be a killer. Maybe Gabriel was better off without his father. Holly certainly didn't seem to need any help raising him.

  “Think you could make pizzas tomorrow night? Invite everybody over?” I asked casually.

  “Everybody, meaning Holly and Gabriel? Fine, but don't start something you don't intend to see through. Think of her son too.”

  “Do women in this country expect marriage proposals right away? She interests me. I like her son. What's the big deal?”

  Muriella swatted me as we went through her front door. “No, smarty. We don't expect commitment right away.” She growled in frustration, leading me to the kitchen.

  Mulaney was leaning against the island. She held up a hand, and hesitantly, I high-fived her. “What's that about?” I asked.

  “You, my friend, officially made my assistant nervous. And blush. To the point I thought her cheeks were going to be permanently stained,” she returned with glee. “Gorgeous, isn't she?”

  “I'll give her that.” Just thinking about that face routed my thoughts to inappropriate places.

  “She's a good woman. A fantastic mother. Does a hell of a job all on her own. Women like her aren't a dime a dozen,” Mulaney said with a gleam in her eyes.

  “I have no idea what that means, but you don't need to talk her up to me.” It was strange discussing a woman I was interested in with two other women. My relationships were never anything to talk about, and I wasn't a share-my-feelings kind of man. Although, using the word relationship was a stretch. In the world I lived in, having an attachment to a woman meant I was vulnerable. So, I’d never fully invested in women, well, nothing I’d consider long-term before. Something being a drug lord’s son would no longer have a hold over me. And having watched Vivian and Daniel, and Stone and Muriella, it was something I wanted. Perhaps I could actually have that one day. But probably not with the gorgeous, mysterious blonde a few floors below. “Do we have any tequila?”

  “We've got something better than that,” Mulaney said, moving to one of the kitchen cabinets and reaching deep into it. “I could use some of this myself.” She pulled out a glass jar of clear liquid.

  Muriella pointed at it accusingly. “Where did that come from?” She feigned irritation, but even not knowing her as an adult, I could tell she wasn't angry. I'd seen that exact expression many times when we were growing up.

  “Ruby insists the key to a good marriage is keeping moonshine behind the coffee mugs,” Mulaney explained, unscrewing the lid.

  “Why the coffee mugs?” Muriella asked, and Mulaney shrugged, taking a sip straight from the glass container.

  “Hell if I know, but she and Price have been married since time began, so I'd say it works.”

  Mulaney passed the liquor to me, and I took a healthy drink, clearing my throat after I swallowed. “That's some strong shit.”

  I held out the jar to my sister, who refused with a shake of her head, so I took another swig before I placed the jar in Mulaney's outstretched hand.

  “Hey. Did y'all break into that without me?” Stone asked, sauntering into the kitchen. Mulaney played keep away with the moonshine for a second but eventually gave the jar to her brother. “That stuff will put hair on your chest,” he declared after he downed some of the liquid.

  “Are you about ready for bed?” Muriella gave Stone a heated look. I was happy for my sister, but I didn't want to think about what she and her husband did behind closed doors.

  “Been waiting all day,” Stone replied with a wink. Mulaney took a swig of the moonshine. “Good night, y'all.” He took my sister’s hand and led her out of the kitchen.

  “And then there were two,” Mulaney said. “You sticking around or just here for the holidays?”

  I hadn't spent much time with Mulaney, but I'd already learned she didn't mince words. Sometimes she was too abrupt, though I'd take that over evasiveness any day. “I'm here for as long as my sister will have me,” I said firmly, and she gave me a knowing grin.

  “Imagine two grown folks relying on their siblings for somewhere to live. Never thought I'd be under the same roof as Stone again.”

  “Neither of them seems to mind. I can’t say I’d feel the same if the roles were reversed.” Except I had no home. I hadn’t for a long time and certainly would never have brought Muriella back to the house of horrors.

  She swiped the moonshine from my hand and drank. “Why haven’t you had anything to do with y
our sister until recently? She seems pretty damn happy to see you.”

  My stare was hard, but Mulaney didn’t cower. “For reasons no one should have to understand.” I stole the liquor back and poured some of it down my throat.

  “Better take it easy. That stuff will catch up to you in a hurry. First time I had it, I thought I was such a badass. Got into a drinking contest with the boys. I won, but that shit made me so sick, it almost put me off liquor for good. Ruby made me drink some of it the next day. Turns out she knew how to cure a bitch of a hangover,” Mulaney said, and I snorted.

  “Then leave some of it for tomorrow.” After one more sip of moonshine, I wiped my mouth with the back of one hand. “And then there was one.”

  “You're quitting on me?” she huffed.

  “Yep. Good night, and thanks for the drink.”

  My body was warm as I ambled toward the bedroom. Once inside, I closed the door and locked it out of habit. That wouldn't keep anyone out, but it could give me enough time to prepare for an intruder . . . except I wasn't in immediate danger anymore. There were people out there who wished me dead, who were looking for me, but they didn't know I was here.

  I went to my bag and pulled out a Glock, ensured it was loaded, and then stashed it under the mattress, where it was within easy reach. Quickly, I undressed and climbed into bed. I said a prayer for Mama and my sister, just as I did every night before I went to sleep. God wouldn't listen to a man like me, yet I did it anyway.

  Holly and Gabriel flashed into my mind. Gorgeous blonde hair and troubled green eyes. An energetic little boy, who was curious about the world around him. I was compelled to say a prayer for them too.

  With my eyes closed, I waited for sleep to overtake me, but my soul was restless. Behind dark lids, there was smoke and fire. I smelled the stench of death, a sea of corpses all around. None of them had a face I recognized, but I had killed them all—some with bullet wounds, others decapitated or sculpted with my blade, and yet others choked with rope. I'd been an equal opportunity angel of death. When I had the time, the punishment fit the crime. When I didn't, it was a gun or a knife.

  My eyes snapped open. I couldn't take it. There were too many bodies to count. I'd done it all in the name of justice, but what if I'd needed to sate something sick inside me? What if I was as evil as my father, just in a different way? In place of the relief I had immediately felt after ridding this world of him was this sense of being lost. I'd accomplished what I'd been plotting for over twenty years. Now what? Did I actually have a future worth living? No. I wouldn’t think that. I’d paved the way to live, and it was time I worked out what that meant.