by Tara Thomas
Kipling gave her a quick kiss after she sat down to eat pie. “Where’s my sister?”
“Bea said she walked away as soon as she got out of the car. She has a phone; I can text her and see if she is coming over.”
“Maybe in a little while. I don’t want to come across as the older brother who always has to know where she is.” But she thought he looked worried.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Do you think she wants to be here? I just assumed, but I think…”
She placed her hand over his. “I think she does, but I also think it might be difficult or at least more difficult than she thought it would be.”
“Knox said she hasn’t been over very much.”
Alyssa knew she hadn’t been. Jade had been spending most of her free time at Alyssa’s. “No, but I’m sure that will change now that you’re home.”
“This house will be very quiet soon.” Kipling looked around the kitchen. “Knox and Bea’s house is almost ready for them to move into. And Keaton and Tilly will be getting married soon. I imagine they’ll probably start looking for a new place to stay before long.”
The doorbell rang and Alyssa watched to see if Kipling was going to get up to get it. He’d just taken a bite of pie. “I’m going to be lazy and let Lena get it. I don’t feel like seeing anyone other than family today anyway.”
But within seconds they heard footsteps coming down the hallway. They both turned to see who it was and were surprised to see Jade walking behind Lena. The housekeeper looked all out of sorts.
“If I’ve told this girl once, I’ve told her a thousand times, she doesn’t have to ring the doorbell. Mr. Kipling, aren’t you going to—”
“Not yet,” he interrupted. “Have some pie, Jade.”
“I will in just a minute. First I wanted to show you both what I’ve been working on for the center.”
As suspected, Keaton and Tilly loved the idea of the center Jade proposed and had been helping her get it off the ground.
Jade pulled out her phone. “They sent a message telling me the sign was ready. I went by to get a picture so I could show you.” She held the phone out so both her and Kipling could see.
Alyssa’s hand flew to her mouth. “Jade…” she started, but got choked up. Kipling put an arm around her and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “I love it,” she finished, looking over it again.
THE ALLISON GRANT SAFE HOUSE
“Perfect,” Kipling added.
“You know that’s why he didn’t know you were my aunt. The different last names.”
Alyssa nodded. “She kept our biological dad’s name, but my mother had mine changed when my stepdad adopted me.”
“Either way,” Jade said, “I’ll never forget standing there and hearing Howard say he’d never be bested by a Benedict. I can’t believe he was actually right about something. He was brought down by an Adams.”
“Semantics,” Kipling surprised her by saying. “She’ll be a Benedict. I was just waiting for the right time to ask.”
Alyssa felt like she was in a dream as Kipling stood, turned to face her, and knelt on one knee. “I’ve been wanting to do this since I woke up in the hospital, but I made myself wait until I got home. Although I have to say I never pictured it taking place in the kitchen. I have, however, had this in my pocket all day, in case the perfect moment arrived.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stunning solitaire diamond ring. “Alyssa Adams, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
She barely got the word out before the ring was on her finger, she was in his arms, and his lips were on hers.
“About time,” she heard from the next room, along with, “Do you know he had that jeweler come to the hospital three times while you were out?” She pulled away to see her soon-to-be brothers-in-law along with Tilly and Bea smiling and clapping. She wasn’t able to return to the kiss because everyone wanted to hug and congratulate them.
But the biggest surprise came when Kipling addressed Jade.
“I’ve been talking with our family attorney and if you want—and I hope you do—he has the papers prepared to change your name to Benedict and at my request Lena has been supervising the renovation of some guest rooms for you. We want you as part of our family. Never doubt it.”
Alyssa looked at Jade just in time to see her hands fly to cover her mouth and to hear her softly spoken, “Yes.”
Kipling leaned over to whisper in Alyssa’s ear, “You can do whatever you want with my room as long as you stay with me forever.”
“I think that’s a rather remarkable deal Mr. Benedict. I accept.”
“Best one I’ve ever made or will make,” he said before claiming her lips again.
WANT MORE SONS OF BROAD?
Read on for the third novella in this swoon-worthy series by Tara Thomas
TWISTED END
CHAPTER ONE
This wasn’t the way Janie Roberts had imagined dying.
Not that she thought about such things often, but when she did, she always envisioned it occurring much, much later in life. In her sleep and surrounded by family who would reminisce about her full and satisfying life. She definitely did not picture herself drugged, tied up, and tossed in the back of her best friend’s almost-fiancé’s truck, being driven to who-knows-where and to have who-knows-what happen to her.
Her mind was fuzzy. Damn it. He’d injected her with something. Mac. Alyssa’s boyfriend. But even then, she found it hard to believe. Why would Mac do such a thing? He knew her. How was it possible he’d been the one who’d been threatening her?
It had to be him. Nothing else fit.
Her mind kept going back to why and she came up with nothing. She finally had to admit that no matter how crazy it seemed, Mac had been the man they’d been looking for. The one behind several kidnappings, and more recently, murders. The man she’d worked undercover to find. The figure in the shadows who never hesitated to tell her he would kill her.
That was the thought finally able to snap her out of the drug stupor. Mac was going to murder her.
No. That wasn’t part of the plan at all and she’d be damned if she’d let it happen. Unfortunately, deciding that was a small comfort. What she really needed was a plan for how to keep it from happening.
She tipped her head so she could see the sky out of the window and tried to imagine how much time she’d been out of it in the truck. She felt herself drifting in space and shook her head. Whatever he gave her must also cause hallucinations. She couldn’t let herself be caught up in them.
She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on how much time had passed since he’d thrown her into his truck. Not too long, if she estimated correctly. Surely, no longer than thirty minutes. Knowing that, she tried to determine which direction they were traveling or where he might be taking her, but she eventually had to concede she had no idea.
She’d been at a police cookout with her boyfriend, Brent Taylor. He’d told her going was a bad idea, he didn’t think she should be out in such a public place. He had been worried because of the threats she’d been receiving. Pointing out that the last one indicated he wouldn’t do anything for at least a week didn’t make Brent feel any better about them attending. But she’d insisted because she was moving to Washington, DC with Brent and wanted to tell her friends goodbye. And then she once again pointed out that the madman who had been stalking her wouldn’t make a move for another week.
Right. Because deranged lunatics with homicidal tendencies are known to be people of their word.
She bit back a hysterical snort because at that second, her phone started to vibrate from her back pocket. Odds were it was Brent. She sucked in a deep breath and told herself to focus on reaching her back pocket. The deranged lunatic in question had tied her hands behind her back, but he hadn’t taken her phone. If she wiggled just the right way, she should be able to reach the button that would answer. Granted, she’d have to ho
pe that whoever it was could hear her with the phone in her back pocket, but it was better than nothing.
Her heart raced as she tried to hit the button before the phone stopped vibrating. She arched her back and held her breath. So close. She strained against the rope that bound her. Almost.
Success!
She hoped.
She couldn’t hear anyone and though she assumed it would be Brent and he’d be looking for her, there was a possibility it wasn’t. Her only hope was that whoever it was would hear what was happening and alert the police.
“Damn it, Mac!” she yelled. “Where are you taking me? Untie me!”
* * *
“Answer your phone. Answer your phone. Answer your phone.” Brent closed his eyes as he chanted, almost as if she would obey if he focused hard enough.
He looked at the woman standing next to him. Alyssa Adams. Mac’s girlfriend and Janie’s best friend, and Charleston police officer. She looked positively green. He wanted to believe she knew nothing about this, but what were the odds of her really being that oblivious?
Though she had been the one to tell him about Mac’s DNA being on the boxes that had been found in Janie’s house.
Janie’s phone stopped ringing and he braced himself for the recorded message of her voice-mail greeting, but instead he heard the rumble of a car engine.
“Janie!” he shouted into the phone, capturing the attention of several people nearby. “Janie! Are you there? Are you okay? Talk to me!”
“Damn it, Mac! Where are you taking me? Untie me!” Janie’s voice yelled, and he felt a small twinge of hope. She wasn’t dead yet. But that was the only positive observation he could make at the moment. The fact remained, she was tied up and at the mercy of a man who’d promised to kill her in a week’s time.
“Is that her?” Alyssa asked, concern etched into her features. “Is she okay? Where is she?”
Not wanting to waste time talking, he hit the speaker button. From the other side of the phone came a muted maniacal laugh. Then, as if a bit further away from Janie, Mac spoke, “You better shut the hell up if you know what’s good for you. I’m not stupid enough to untie you and you’ll find out where I’m taking you when we get there.”
Alyssa wore an expression of such horror, Brent knew she had no idea what her boyfriend had been up to. “Oh God,” she said. “I’m going to be sick.” She staggered to a nearby tree and lost her supper.
“Your truck’s a mess,” Janie said. “Did you know that?”
“I told you to shut up,” Mac replied. “Keep talking and I’ll shoot you now.”
“I have to pee.”
“Hold it.”
“I don’t know if I can. Do you really want me to pee all over your truck?”
He strained his ears to try and hear something. Janie sounded more determined than frightened. And if she was acting like she had to pee in order to try and get away, she wasn’t close to giving up. This time, there was nothing from Mac. In fact, there was nothing but the sound of the truck engine for several long seconds. Brent didn’t move, but stood frozen, looking at his phone as if he could tell where she was if he looked hard enough. Alyssa, still pale, walked back to listen.
He was getting ready to accept that he wouldn’t hear anything else, when a rustling sound came over the phone.
“Ugh, what did you drug me with? I can’t even sit up.” Janie groaned, and he heard a thump.
Brent’s blood boiled. The asshole had drugged her? “I get my hands on him, I’ll rip him from limb to limb.”
“Hey!” Mac yelled. “What are you doing? Get back down!”
Mac’s command was followed by squealing tires and a shout from Janie.
“Watch the road, you idiot!” she yelled back.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Mac said. There was another squeal of tires and a loud thump and the line went dead.
“Janie!” Brent cried. “Janie!” But there was nothing other than dead air.
“It could have been anything that ended the call,” Alyssa said. Brent knew she was only trying to help, but he was mad as hell and worried to death and even though he knew it wasn’t fair, he could feel his rage begin to direct itself toward her.
“I don’t need to talk to you right now,” he retorted.
Surprisingly, she must have understood. She simply nodded and said, “I’m going to put an APB out on his truck.”
She didn’t say it, but they both knew that Mac was intelligent enough to know that’s what would happen and that he would most likely ditch his truck. Brent checked his phone again, just to make sure Janie hadn’t called or sent a text, but there was nothing.
He was at a loss as to what to do. Alyssa would start the investigation with the police. They wouldn’t welcome his help, but he’d be damned if he was going to sit around and do nothing. At the minimum, he could get in his car and drive around. At least then he’d feel like he was doing something useful.
He took off in that direction. The night sky was still lit up with bright yellows, orange, and red as a result of whatever Mac had blown up as a diversion to get Janie. He swore under his breath. How could he not know that it was Mac who’d threatened Janie? Above all, how did Alyssa not know?
The person they’d been looking for was responsible for the abduction of several women from the club Janie had worked at undercover. A homeless man, Charlie, had been killed shortly after Janie had taken him to a homeless shelter. That item fit Mac nicely as he was pretty certain Janie had called Alyssa about Charlie before deciding where to take him.
Whoever it was had also left numerous roses for Janie. Even going so far as to break into her house to deliver them. But if it was actually Mac and Alyssa kept a spare key of Janie’s, he wouldn’t have to break in.
His thoughts were interrupted by a uniformed police office he didn’t remember seeing at the cookout who stopped him. “Excuse me. Are you Brent Taylor?”
“Yes,” he said, not wanting to let himself get too hopeful. “Do you have information on Janie?”
The young man wrinkled his forehead. “Uh, no. It’s about your car.”
With those words and a quick glance toward the brilliantly lit sky, Brent knew exactly what Mac had blown up.
CHAPTER TWO
He’d pulled the truck over.
Janie wasn’t sure if it had been his plan all along or if he was reacting to her attempts at distraction. Either way, there was a very real possibility that this might be her only chance at escape and she was going to do everything in her power to get away. She only wished she’d had more time so she could have tried to untie her hands.
She went over her plan in her mind, willing her limbs to cooperate even though she still felt heavy as a result of whatever he’d drugged her with. The driver’s side door slammed and she heard him walk to the back of the truck.
Straining her ears, she tried to pick up any sound that would give an indication of either where he was or what he was doing. From the metallic clanking, she assumed he was taking the license plate off the truck. Did that mean he was leaving the truck here or changing the plates?
Not that it really mattered; neither one was a guarantee that he’d be opening the door to reach her or that if he was, he’d be opening the door she wanted him to. So many variables. And she didn’t have time to work through them all. She wouldn’t let herself dwell on the fact that so many things had to line up exactly right in order for her plan to work. It had to work. That was that.
Mac threw something in the truck bed. Not a sound for a long moment, but finally she heard the sound of gravel crunching under his feet. He wasn’t heading back to the front seat, he was moving toward the door on her side of the truck. Her feet faced the door and she prayed they’d move when she needed them.
Mac’s shadow came near her and he stopped at the door, looking down on her. He gave an evil smile and her hopes plummeted. He wasn’t going to open the door after all. He was just going to stand there. Hell, he could shoot her th
rough the window and be done with it all.
He reached for the door handle and she worked to keep her expression void of any emotion.
That’s it.
Open the door.
Come on.
The door to the truck cab swung open. “I knew you weren’t good enough to untie yourself.”
Not yet.
“Had to come and double check, just to be certain. I’ve come too far to let a worthless thing like you fuck up my plan.” He leaned closer. “But I can see I was right.”
Little bit closer, asshole.
“You’re not near the challenge I thought you’d be.” He took a step forward.
Almost.
“I’m slightly disappointed.” He loomed over her, eyes wild, and a maniacal expression that would scare her if she thought about it too much.
She took a deep breath. His next step put him exactly where she wanted him. Using all the strength she had, she screamed and lifted her legs, kicking him in the groin as hard as she could. He crumpled to the ground with a cry of agony.
Knowing she had only seconds, she forced herself to sit up and scramble out of the truck. Her legs threatened to give way as she landed on the gravel shoulder of the road, but one glance at Mac revealed the gun he had tucked in his waistband and she found the strength to stand.
“That enough of a challenge for you?” she asked, jumping past him. With one last glance over her shoulder to confirm he was still huddled on the ground clutching his balls, she took off.
She didn’t recognize anything and a quick glance revealed no nearby houses or businesses. She could be anywhere and because she wasn’t sure of what his plan in stopping the truck had been, she couldn’t trust anyone she came across.
The one thing she knew with certainty was that Mac was going to get backup and when he did, he’d be enraged and hell-bent on finding her. She needed to be as far away as possible when that happened. So, even though the road was the easiest way to travel, she ran off the road and into the surrounding trees.
