No. Not Finn. Not Salvatore. Oh God, I can’t take this. I can’t even think.
The tears rolled down her cheeks and his hands caressed her arms. She didn’t flinch or tighten up again. She began to absorb his touch. It felt good. He was gentle. He was big, strong, protective, and she felt herself loosen up. Her breathing began to calm but her heart still raced. She knew he would never hurt her, despite his tough, hard, serious demeanor or his reputation as an investigator for the state police. He and Salvatore were quite the law men.
“Is she okay?”
She heard Salvatore’s voice and then wiped her eyes.
“Fine,” she said. Her voice cracked.
Finn caressed her back. “Take your time,” he whispered slowly, releasing his hold around her waist. She felt the loss then wanted to kick herself for reading into his care and compassion. He was a public servant. She was a needy citizen on the verge of a panic attack and he assisted as any good civil servant would do.
She lowered her eyes, felt foolish for being weak and immature.
“I’m okay. You don’t need to be here. Really,” she said.
Finn turned her around. He had his hand on her waist. He was so big, so tall and handsome. She was so petite compared to him. To Salvatore, too.
He cupped her cheek and used his thumb to wipe away the stray tears.
“We’re here for you. Don’t push us away.”
“You should be out there at the party.”
“No, we should be here for you. It’s only been a couple of weeks. You’re pushing yourself too much,” Salvatore said to her.
Finn gave him a firm expression.
“Enough, Salvatore.”
He looked back at her. “What brought this one on?” he asked, like he did the last several times he was around when this happened.
“It was nothing. It’s me. I can’t shake the fear. Everything scares me. I should have stayed home. I shouldn’t be here ruining your good time, or Eliza’s,” she said and felt the tears fill her eyes.
Finn pulled her against his chest and hugged her. His chest felt so good, so hard and muscular. She inhaled his cologne and clenched her fingers against the material of his shirt. She loved how he smelled, and how Salvatore shared the same cologne, too.
He caressed her back and then she felt Salvatore’s fingers against her cheek and then her chin. She pulled back and looked way up at him. His dark brown eyes held hers. “We’ll protect you. We’re here for you always,” he whispered and then pressed a kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes and felt a second of calmness, of peace but then it quickly disappeared. Her mind destroyed the ideas of happiness and filled it with negative thoughts.
They are here because they feel compelled to watch over me because of what they witnessed. There are no true feelings here, just guilt for being investigators on the hunt and almost failing to get to me in time.
She pulled back and fixed her skirt. She took a deep breath and both men squinted at her, seemingly feeling her push them away as they released her and stepped back.
“Better?” Salvatore asked.
She nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Shhh. Never. Never be sorry. It isn’t your fault,” Finn told her firmly.
She turned around and turned on the faucet. Both men walked out of the bathroom. The moment they did that fearful, scared sensation began to smolder from deep within. She was losing it. She was becoming dependent on them, and on their abilities to calm her and make her feel safe. She had to do something about this. She couldn’t read into their actions as anything other than what they were, ways to eliminate their guilt for nearly failing her.
That was silly, though. They didn’t know her. Not really. The only reason they met was because of the case and when they were at Luther’s she looked over the surveillance video and pointed out Si and his buddies to Finn and Salvatore. They assisted the Hayes brothers in an attempt to find Eliza Grace, not her. There was no reason for them to feel guilty.
She finished in the bathroom and then took a deep breath. She needed to put on a happy face. She could get through the next two hours but then she would face the hours alone in her apartment. She sighed. Something had to give. She had to get through this. She just had to.
* * * *
“I wish there was more we could do for her. She’s suffering and scared, and I can’t stop worrying,” Salvatore whispered to Finn.
“Dude, I know, and it’s driving me insane. I can’t stand to look into those baby blues and see that fear and distrust.”
Salvatore ran his fingers through his hair.
“She needs time. We’ll help her any way we can,” Finn added.
“It’s not enough, and you know it,” Salvatore whispered and then looked around them. Finn did the same.
“We’ll spend more time with her,” Finn whispered.
“I like her. A lot,” Salvatore told him.
Finn looked at his brother and held his gaze. “Then you picked a hell of a time to decide to date again, or get involved romantically with another woman. Especially one as young and inexperienced as Missy Ann seems to be. Hell, Salvatore, she was abducted, beaten, and nearly raped. Ten more seconds.”
Finn stopped and placed his hands on his hips. He bit the inside of his cheek. He would never forget that day, nor would he forget the sounds of Missy Ann’s desperate screams for help. They were nearly too late and he didn’t think twice when he pulled that son of a bitch off of her and Salvatore reached for the other. They drew guns and started to shoot and he killed one and Salvatore the other. Their next thoughts were to get to Missy Ann.
He swallowed hard.
Salvatore released a long sigh and then looked away. Finn followed his line of sight and locked his eyes onto Missy Ann. She was forcing a smile and then reaching for empty plates to help her friends clear up garbage from lunch. She ate nothing, and that worried him, too.
“I’m ready, Finn. I think we should talk to Billy and Antonio.”
Finn never let his eyes move off of Missy Ann. The sweet, petite blonde with the very voluptuous body had his full attention. He wanted to hold her, protect her with his life, hell, with his body and as he heard his brother’s words and thought about his brothers Billy and Antonio, something clicked.
Maybe together we can help her heal. Maybe she can help us heal, too.
Chapter 2
“Darius, you’re out of your fucking mind. Put it behind you. Your fucking brother, Carlos, knew what shit he was getting into working for Si and his buddies. He sure as shit didn’t heed your warning to get the fuck away from Si and his fucked up shit. You’re willing to risk all you have earned and everything you’re working for to kill two cops? It ain’t worth it, man. I’m telling you it isn’t,” Boston, Darius’s best friend and business advisor, told him.
Darius stared out the window of his penthouse, looking over the city skyline in New York. His heart was heavy. Three months had passed since his brother, Carlos, was killed by two cops, a detective, and a special investigator for the South Carolina state police. Three fucking months of sadness, anger, and it all got to him. His brother wasn’t the smartest guy, but he was making a name for himself. He was establishing his career in being a heavy, and working his way into the Sovolo family. Oscar Sovolo had his own hatred for cops. He would get his support in this.
“Carlos was my brother! Mine!” he exclaimed, pointing his finger at his own chest and looking at Boston with hatred and anger toward the situation.
Boston crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“I’ll do whatever you want me to do, but be smart about this. Carlos wouldn’t want you to lose everything because of him.”
Darius was breathing through his nostrils, his fists by his sides and his heart racing. Boston was right. He needed to be smart. Knocking off cops was risky business. He just couldn’t let Carlos’s death go unpunished.
“Find out everything that you can about that situation in South Carolina. Find out ab
out what went down. Find out everything you can on these two cops, where they live, where they frequent, and who they hang out with. I want everything. Then, we make a plan.”
“It’s going to take some time,” Boston replied.
“Do it. However long, I’ll be patient, because I’ll get the final laugh. I’ll avenge Carlos, and those cops, everyone they’re close to will suffer.”
* * * *
Warner Dawn stood next to Tazer Hayes. They had served together in the military years ago and even partnered on a few missions. Over the past several years a few assignments made them cross paths. Today they were at a training facility in North Carolina that took place a few times a year and was organized by men they both knew.
Since they arrived this morning they had partnered up on a lot of the activities and even now were competing against one another for the most pull ups in a minute.
The buzzer sounded and they both fell to their feet and tried to catch their breath.
“Tazer by one,” the event leader called out and the men all cheered.
“Lucky bastard. You had a half second start on me,” Warner said to him.
Tazer chuckled as he gave his friend a push.
“You’re such a sore loser. Just get over the fact that I will always be better than you when it comes to this shit. Come on now, I’ve been showing you up since Basic,” Tazer teased.
Warner laughed.
“You’re so full of shit,” he countered and they headed to get a drink.
“What’s next? I’ll beat your ass in that,” Warner said to him. Tazer knew there was no way he would let Warner beat him. This competitiveness got them through some tough shit years ago.
“So how is that sexy little number you and your brothers landed? Still sticking around?” Warner asked and Tazer laughed. He had met Eliza Grace once and then told Tazer how lucky he was to have landed such a beautiful woman.
“She’s doing great.”
“She hasn’t left you guys for younger men?”
“Screw you,” Tazer replied and laughed.
Warner laughed too then took a slug of water from the water bottle he had.
“And how is Mercedes? Still giving you a hard time about doing some mercenary jobs here and there? She seemed pissed off a few months ago when we were at that barbecue for Missy Ann,” Tazer asked.
“I don’t do much of those anymore. I stick to the local shit, or sometimes some special cases thanks to Somers.”
Tazer looked at him, squinting his eyes at Warner in surprise. “Somers? Shit, I thought he was strictly law enforcement investigation. Like violent crimes and stuff.”
“He is, but he gets picked up for federal stuff. Sometimes he needs a little extra insight into things. I help him out here and there.”
Tazer nodded his head. “You working on anything now with him?”
Warner chuckled. “Funny that you ask. Seems there’s some small connections or similarities to that case you and your brother were involved in.”
Tazer’s chest tightened. He still wasn’t over how close Eliza Grace and Missy Ann came to being raped and killed. He would remember those events leading up to their abduction. Hell, Missy Ann was still struggling and it had been nearly four months since the incident.
“What similarities?” he asked.
“Somers came across some information from a snitch he tossed. The guy was trying to get out of being charged with assault and stealing money from some federal agents working undercover. It was a big mess. But when they interrogated him he started talking about the things he knew, you know, pleading his case to get off.”
“He have anything good for you guys?” Tazer asked. Completely in investigative mode.
“Some shit that connected to those guys Si, Vic, and Daville that you and the two Connelly brothers were investigating. Seems their little prostitution ring was taken over or at least some shithead in New York is trying to do that.”
“Any names?”
Warner chuckled.
“I had a feeling you might be interested. I don’t have much right now and my services aren’t quite needed yet, but Somers and I get together for drinks and shit. My brothers and his brothers get along fine, so we hang out.”
“You hang out with Somers and his brothers. They’re fucking nuts.”
“Says the man who was known as the bad ass psycho in your field.”
“Yeah, and what about you? You jumped out of fucking planes and till this day, cliff dive with a parachute to capture the enemy.”
Warner laughed. “You were right by my side doing that shit only two years ago.”
Tazer smirked.
Warner got serious again.
“I don’t have names yet, but I told Somers that I wanted to be involved and kept abreast of the situation. He knows about what happened to Eliza Grace, and about Missy Ann. How is she doing? Any better than when we saw her at the barbecue?” Warner asked.
“Not too good. Missy Ann is taking it hard. She can’t seem to bounce back and adjust, but it will take time. I know she’s looking into getting back to work.”
“That sounds positive. Maybe being around people again and getting back to normal might help.”
“She has her MBA and enjoys business management. She’s been looking into different companies that need managers, and even restaurants and hotel management because she likes that sort of thing from what I know. She doesn’t quite feel safe enough to travel outside of Chance where more opportunities are for that field. The few interviews she went on weren’t a right fit for her, or so she claimed. I think she still suffers from anxiety and panic attacks,” Tazer explained. Even Eliza Grace was trying to help Missy Ann find something she liked.
“That’s understandable. What she went through was scary and traumatic. It’s going to take a long time to recover. It’s good she has Eliza Grace as a friend. How about Finn Connelly? He and his brothers stake a claim to Missy Ann yet, or do they think she’s too young and too fearful?”
“I think they’re being patient. It’s going to take a lot longer than any other relationship. There is a big age difference, and also it was Finn and Salvatore that got to her first when she was being assaulted, and that experience has remained with them. We all heard her screams. We didn’t know what we were going to break into. But they were swift.”
“Lucky they didn’t get shot how they stormed into that room. I heard all about it.”
“Like you or I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
“Shit, even if those two dicks that beat her and tried raping her didn’t pull a gun I would have taken them out,” Warner said pretty seriously.
Tazer laughed.
“It could have been worse. I really hope Missy Ann can come out of her shell and start feeling safe sooner than later.”
“She will, Tazer, with time and with the right support.”
“So what things made this case you’re keeping on top of seem similar to ours?”
“Well, besides the possibility of a high-end prostitution ring, some names popped up. Somers is more familiar with them but said they were big shots. Guys connected to some Ukrainian money men. They look to be all legit in businesses, you know like multi-million dollar companies, but they dip into other illegal businesses,” Warner explained.
Tazer squinted his eyes at him.
“Other businesses like the prostitution rings we helped to destroy? Like the one at Luther’s and Clover’s?”
“High end prostitution disguised as escort services for foreign businessmen visiting certain states, from what I gathered from Somers. I don’t have much more right now but I did ask Somers to keep me in the loop because of the similarities to the case. He knows who Finn is. Saw him in action on some case a few years ago and was impressed with his swift abilities,” Warner told Tazer and gave a wink.
Tazer smirked. “Fucking Finn. He’s a crazy bastard when he’s on the hunt.”
“Says the man who does crazy pretty damn good himself,�
� Warner teased.
Tazer squinted one eye at him as he heard the training coordinator say the next event was starting.
“Crazy enough to beat your ass again in the next event.”
“Not this time, old man.”
“Old man?” he asked, shocked at his words. Warner was only a couple of years older than him.
Warner laughed. “I got this one. Just you wait and see,” Warner continued as they walked.
“Not happening. You’ll never show me up. Ever,” Tazer said and prepared himself for the next event as Warner continued to talk trash and get him all riled up. He was a good friend, and he trusted him. But Tazer had that funny sensation in his gut. He didn’t like thinking there was still some sort of prostitution ring connected to Si going on. He hoped it wasn’t true. But if it was he knew he wouldn’t be the only man interested in continuing to take those men down. Salvatore and Finn were going to be just as pissed off as he was. Maybe Somers would be calling Finn sooner than later.
* * * *
Week fifteen. She crossed off the day on the calendar. Another week of recovery, of building up the strength to not be fearful and to move on with her life. Missy Ann smiled at the markings and stood back to look into the mirror. She tossed the black marker onto the vanity and smiled at herself.
Her eyes were brighter, the circles faded and most importantly the scars were faded, too. She wore a cream colored camisole and placed the baby blue light sweater over the top. It brought out the color in her eyes and made her feel happy and upbeat. She smoothed her hands down the slim fitting knee length skirt in beige before she stepped into the high-heeled wedges. It made her stand a little taller, giving her five feet three inch height about an extra two inches.
Town of Chance: Attacking Innocence [The Dare Series 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2
