Vow of Atonement

by Emma Renshaw

  I could give her everything. It’d never be enough, but I can sure as hell try. If I showed up on her doorstep after ten years, what would she say?

  A knock echoes in the office as the door opens. “Time to go, boss,” Dawson says.

  “Take Caleb, he pissed me off. He can have the boring assignment.”

  Dawson smirks before heading out the door as I stand to leave for the job I took from Caleb. A few hours later when I get the call from Dawson and Caleb is dead, I vow that Harper will be mine again.

  I shouldn’t have waited ten years to do it, but I’ll have to wait a bit more to get my company through the loss of Caleb. Caleb’s death rocked me and shook me awake. I can’t leave this world without fighting to get Harper back.

  29

  Harper

  “Roman, it’s been months with complete silence. Maybe he got the message,” I say, turning over and pulling the comforter up around me.

  “Or maybe he’s just waiting until I leave you alone.”

  “You’re being paranoid.”

  “I’m being cautious,” Roman argues.

  “I don’t feel well. You want to go to the gym, so go.”

  “I’ll call Kiernan or Dawson over here for while I’m gone.”

  “No, I don’t feel well, I don’t want them here. I haven’t even met Dawson yet. We’ve been arguing all morning about this.”

  He sits on the edge of the bed, running his hand over my head.

  “What if you need me?”

  “It’s just a stomachache,” I say, closing my eyes with his intoxicating touch. “Just go. I’m going back to sleep but I’ll lock the door and set the alarm when you leave. I’ll be okay.”

  “Your alarm system is a piece of shit.”

  I sigh, not wanting to have this fight again. When Roman found out the only alarm system I have was installed by the landlord who denies my request for an updated system, he was ready to pack up my stuff and move me somewhere else. I argued that he’s here until this Rafael shit is taken care of, he will be with me and he’s kind of like my own personal alarm system.

  “I’m sure it will hold up for an hour or two.”

  “Fine,” Roman grumbles. “I’ll make it quick. Can I get you anything while I’m out?”

  “Ginger ale, please.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor, Sugar?”

  “I really am fine. I think I had a little too much wine last night, I need to sleep it off some more.”

  “You and your girls are crazy.”

  I smile, thinking about the fun we had last night. Roman won’t let me out of his sight so he tagged along to girl’s night, sitting at the bar, watching us.

  “I promise I’ll be back fast.”

  “Just not too fast, I want to nap,” I say, smiling.

  Roman leans down, kissing my temple. “I’ll set the alarm and lock the door on my way out. Just stay here, Sugar.”

  I quickly fall back asleep with a smile on my face as I hear Roman leaving the apartment clicking the lock into place.

  A soft touch against my hair rouses me from sleep. I smile, turning toward Roman, resting my head against the hand on my head. My eyes fly open when I notice the scent is wrong.

  Rafael.

  I jump back, bringing the comforter up to cover my body. “Rafael, what the hell are you doing? You need to leave.”

  “Muñeca,” he says in his sultry accent.

  “Don’t call me that,” I snap.

  “I think I will. I do not feel inclined to give you what you want. He has been keeping you from me. And, that is what your father called you, yes?”

  I can’t believe Roman guessed correctly, Rafael had been waiting for this moment.

  “Yes,” I answer, looking around the bed and nightstand for phone. “How do you know what he called me?”

  “I have it right here,” Rafael says, holding up my phone. I reach out trying to grab it, but he slaps my hand away, tucking it inside of his pocket.

  “I will give it back to you in just a bit, muñeca.”

  “Stop it,” I hiss.

  “We are going to have a little chat about your father, do you not think it is fitting that I call you by his name for you? There is so much that I do know about you, I need more.”

  “Get the hell out of my apartment,” I order in my most lethal tone.

  “I know you have some questions. You know what the family business is but what you do not know is, this is your legacy, too.”

  I gasp, white noise filling my ears, rejecting what he’s saying. He’s wrong.

  “I haven’t been wondering anything,” I lie.

  “Yes, you have. You told your boyfriend you are worried what your father was involved in.”

  “How do you know that?”

  A wicked smile takes over Rafael’s face. “I have my sources.”

  “Who?” I ask.

  He ignores my question, answering another one instead. “Your father’s hands were in so deep. Your father took something that belongs to me and gave you something that is mine. The debt is yours to repay. The gift from my father belongs to me. If you give it to me, I will disappear.”

  My eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. Fear rolls around in my belly, making my nausea worse. “What are you talking about?”

  Rafael launches himself across the bed, gripping my neck with his thumb directly over my pulse point. “Do not lie to me.” His thumb presses down harder with each word that leaves his mouth. My hands are scratching his hand and arm, begging him to release me so I can breathe. He squeezes once more before releasing his hold on my neck, but his hand winds in my hair, pulling me toward him.

  I’m gasping for breath.

  “This could have been so easy for you. If you only would have agreed to be mine, I would have forgiven the debt your father owed. Instead you were a filthy whore and called the man who left you. He never loved you. He used you to get close to my father. My father wanted you to belong to Roman. It is all a game. It has always been a game.”

  Tears fill my eyes from the pain where he’s pulling on my hair. His lips come down on mine in a rough kiss. I try to shove him away, but he forces himself on me harder.

  “You made the wrong choice, muñeca.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do. I know you have it.”

  “Have what?”

  Rafael’s other hand wraps around my throat again squeezing until my vision turns spotty. I’m choking and feeling weak, on the verge of passing out when he lets go and rises from the bed.

  “I have given you and your little boyfriend many warnings. You have one week to return what is mine.”

  Rafael drops my phone on the dresser as he walks out the door. My hand is on my throat and I’m gasping for breath as I leap out of bed to grab it, calling 9-1-1.

  Roman and James arrive right after the police and paramedics arrive. Roman wraps me in a hug, lifting me off the ground. “Are you okay, Sugar? Please tell me you’re okay. Fuck, this is my fault. I shouldn’t have left. I knew I shouldn’t have left. Are you okay?” He sets me down, looking me over from head to toe, clenching his jaw when he sees the bruising around my neck. “Fuck, I’ll––”

  “Roman,” I say, nodding toward the cops looking at my front door.

  “Save it,” James harshly whispers. He leans down, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. My neck is a little sore and I’m a little shaken up, but I’m okay.”

  The female paramedic speaks up behind me while taking off her gloves. “She has some bruising, but no damage to her throat. We always suggest going to the hospital for further evaluation.”

  “I’ll take her right after this,” Roman says, not letting go of me.

  “I don’t need to go.”

  “Sugar.” Roman doesn’t say anything else, just hugs me again and lays a kiss on my lips. The paramedics pack up their gear and leave my apartment.

/>   James steps up behind us as the cops approach. He whispers so softly I almost don’t hear him, but I know what I heard. “Watch what you say.”

  Roman is rock solid next to me with anger and tension rolling off of him in waves. James’ warning rings in my mind as the cops ask me to explain what happened.

  I give them a play-by-play from the moment I woke up to when he left, but I remain vague about the information Rafael gave me. Roman’s hand curls into a fist when I describe waking up to Rafael. He utters a low growl when I report to the cops that Rafael forcibly kissed me. And when I describe how he choked me, he can’t hold back constant cursing and threats to kill Rafael under his breath.

  “How do you know Rafael?” the shorter cop asks.

  “He’s the new landlord of my clothing boutique. The building recently changed ownership. He asked me out a few times and I denied his advances.”

  “So, he did this out of jealousy?” the cop asks suspiciously, eyeing me up and down as if I wouldn’t be worth the trouble. Roman growls and steps forward, but James’ hand lands on Roman’s shoulder, holding him back. I close my robe tighter under the cop’s scrutiny.

  “Have some respect,” James demands from behind me.

  “I don’t know why he did it,” I lie. “I’m only telling you how I know him.”

  “If you didn’t want him to kiss you, why didn’t you push him off? Are you sure you’re not lying so you don’t piss off your boyfriend?”

  I’m stunned into silence as I stare at the shorter cop. The taller one hides a smirk behind his hand.

  “I tried to…”

  Roman stops me. “He broke into her home, entered her bedroom unannounced, choked her, and forced himself on her. Do your damn job, find him, and arrest him for breaking and entering and assault. We’re done here. She told you what happened.”

  Roman turns me away, guiding me to my couch. James remains rooted to the spot, staring at the cops with his hands balled into fists. The cop calls out. “There’s no sign of forced entry. You must have let him in voluntarily.”

  “Motherfuckers,” Roman grits out through his teeth.

  “We’re done,” James growls, stepping toward them, forcing them to retreat through the door.

  James stands in the doorway watching them disappear. When he closes the door behind him, he brings a finger to his lips. I open my mouth to speak but Roman covers it, bringing a finger to his lips. James starts sweeping my apartment, running his hand along doorways and furniture, looking under the tables and in every nook and cranny. He thoroughly checks every room as Roman holds me on the couch, watching and waiting for James to be done.

  “None,” James says, standing in front of us with his arms crossed.

  “Thank fuck,” Roman says.

  “None what?” I ask.

  “Bugs,” James and Roman answer at the same time.

  “Like in the movies? People really don’t do that, do they?”

  Roman’s lip tilts up and he arches his eyebrows. “Yeah, babe, like in the movies. Rafael has information about you. He knew I left, it’s a possibility he had this place bugged.”

  “It’s not that,” I say.

  “What do you mean?” James asks.

  “I think it’s someone from your team, Roman.”

  30

  Roman

  One of my men?

  No fucking way, I vet each man myself. I do not have a mole amongst my ranks.

  “Tell me everything,” I angrily demand Harper.

  Harper starts trembling as tears fill her eyes, spilling more with each passing second of her story. She completely breaks down when she says her dad worked with the cartel in some capacity.

  “He said my dad was in deep with them.”

  “It’s okay, Harper. He could be lying.” I calm down a bit, trying to soothe her.

  “You don’t actually believe that,” she cries.

  I don’t answer. She knows—we both know—he was involved with the cartel. We just don’t know in what capacity. When she finishes, I’ve turned to stone, unable to move. I’m so angry I want to tear apart her apartment because he touched her. Guilt consumes me. I shouldn’t have left her alone. Fuck.

  “Why do you think it’s one of my men?” I ask, my voice rough and hoarse from anger.

  “He said he has his sources, right after he repeated something I told you.”

  “What did you tell me?” I ask, confused.

  “He knew I told you I was worried if my dad was involved with the cartel. Did you tell anyone?” Harper asks us.

  “Not a soul,” James replies firmly.

  “All my men have been briefed on the situation, every detail. Including that detail. They were digging for information about your dad and the cartel. James was asking around, too,” I confess.

  Harper pulls her hands away from mine. “How could you not tell me?” Her head swivels from me to James. “So, you have told people?”

  “No,” James says calmly. “My questions don’t involve you. The people I’m asking don’t know you exist. We’re leaving it that way.”

  “I wanted to know for sure before I gave you any information on your father. I didn’t want to upset you if he wasn’t involved,” I explain.

  “You can’t keep making these choices for me, Roman. This is my life. You being here is temporary, you have no say in what I decide for myself. We are a fling.”

  “That’s bullshit and you know it,” I explode. Leaning toward her, I stare hard into her eyes. If she calls us a fling one more time, I’ll go off like a stick of dynamite.

  “Not the time, you two. Fuckin’ Christ,” James grumbles. “Those cops were dirty.”

  I’m still staring at Harper when I answer James. “Betting they’re not the only ones in his pocket.”

  “They were assholes but how do you know they were dirty?” Harper asks.

  “After a while, you just get a sense for these things.” James shrugs.

  “When we found out Santiago’s death certificate was incorrect, I knew he had people in his pocket. It made sense to me that the cops who got here—right after he broke in—would be on his payroll.”

  “The short one was wearing a gaudy Rolex. It was real, not fake. Can’t afford that shit on a cop’s salary.”

  Harper looks at James, stunned. “Who are you?” she whispers.

  James ignores her question, firing one back to her. “Do you know what he wants?”

  “No,” she says. “He thinks I have something and that I know what it is. I really have no clue. He said we have one week and that we’ve received many warnings.”

  “Fuck.” I lean back in the couch, trying to figure out where to start in search of my mole.

  “You didn’t hear anything before he came in?” James asks.

  “No, I was sleeping, I wasn’t feeling well.”

  “He disabled your security system and used a key to get in. Y’all will need to stay somewhere else.”

  “I’ll find a place,” I say. Harper starts shaking again, looking around at her apartment.

  “I’ll never be able to come back here,” she says quietly. “How the hell did he get a key?”

  “After this is done and you’re safe, you can come back. We’ll find out.”

  “No,” she says, shaking her head. “I won’t. I couldn’t even get my stuff from the old house. James did it for me.”

  “I’ll do it again, Harp. If that’s what you need,” James says in his firm tone.

  She looks up at him, smiling. I hate that she’s gone through so much in our time apart. She’s filled me in on the situation with Savannah’s ex, everything Savannah went through and how it affected her.

  “I’ll check in later. I have an idea for a place,” James says, walking to the door. He looks back before he exits. “Don’t trust a single one of your men, including Kiernan.”

  Dammit. He’s right. I’m going to have to dig into Kiernan, even though he’s been with me for a decade. Being tight for a decade
could be the perfect cover.

  “Let’s go to the hospital. Get you checked out.”

  “I’m fine.”

  I stare at the deep purple bruises blossoming on her neck. There’s a bruise the size of thumb on her pulse point. I lean in, kissing each bruise softly. “You’re not fine.”

  “I’m only sore, nothing else.”

  “He kissed you.”

  She nods, looking down.

  “Do you swear that’s all?” I ask, lifting her chin with my finger to meet my eyes. My body is coiled tightly waiting for her answer, terrified he did something more.

  I want to burn him alive at the stake for laying his lips on her like that but I will do much, much worse to him if I find out he touched her in another way.

  “I swear, baby. That’s all.”

  We stare at each other, taking in this morning’s events. “Need to run an errand. I’d like to do it now, but if you’re not up for it and still aren’t feeling well, it can wait.”

  “I’m okay.”

  “It won’t take long,” I take her hand and lightly kiss her fingers.

  After Harper gets dressed, she manages to convince me she’s okay and doesn’t need to go to the hospital. We head out to Kiernan’s motel.

  I park the car in front of his door and jump out. I jog to Harper’s side and help her down. As we walk the few steps toward the door, I use my body to shield her. I’m on an even higher alert than before. My fist pounds on the door until I hear the chain clink.

  He opens the door with a smile that falls when he sees Harper’s neck. His hard, enraged eyes turn to me, ready to accuse me of something I would never do. The words he would’ve said as he started opening his mouth falter—when my fist lands square in the middle of his face.

  He leans back from the force of the punch, and I grab his shirt, shoving him inside the room. “Come in and shut the door,” I tell Harper.

  Harper follows behind me, shutting the door. “Roman, stop it,” she yells.

  I need to know if he did this. “How dare you fucking betray me. Betray her.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Kiernan yells, wrestling with me, but I have him pinned with my knee on his neck.