Chapter 19
Istared at my screen, seeing the blur of words but not paying attention to them. Riley was on my mind, as usual. She amazed me more every day. The way she’d asked me to pull her hair, reacting so beautifully to how hard I took her, had my cock aching. Other than the day I’d dominated her in the shower, I’d been nothing but gentle with her because she brought that out in me, but knowing she might be willing to satisfy some of those dirty thoughts I’d had about her early on was tantalizing.
Deciding that the numbers weren’t being reviewed today, I rose and walked to my window, looking out at the wooded landscape behind my house. The snow left it a winter wonderland that would be the perfect backdrop for Christmas morning. Riley didn’t know it yet, but she’d be staying with me on Christmas Eve. She may have stubbornly rejected my idea of moving in with me, but there was no way I was leaving her alone that night knowing it was her first Christmas away from her brother. I’d keep her mind off him. I had already made reservations for an elegant dinner, and her gifts were wrapped and ready.
It occurred to me that I didn’t have a tree. I never paid much attention to holidays, but if I wanted to surprise her, I needed a tree. I reached for my phone, ready to call Sherry and have her find me one, when Riley’s number appeared on the screen. It was only a few minutes after ten and she was supposed to be interviewing with Thomas Ren, the manager of the boutique firm she’d initially interviewed with. It was a formality. He would hire her because I’d told him to. But she wanted to maintain her independence, so the formalities needed to be kept in place.
“Riley?” I answered, curious as to why she would call so soon.
“Can you come pick me up?” Her voice was shaking and carried a familiar tone to it—fear.
My alarms went up. “What happened?”
“I’m just not feeling well, that’s all. I don’t think I can walk back and…I don’t want to be alone.” Those words told me everything because Riley was too independent to ever admit that. Something had spooked her.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at the firm.”
“I’ll be there. Stay in the office.”
I hung up, rushing from my home and speeding into town. Every minute that passed was agonizing, and I tapped my steering wheel at each light. Pulling into a no-parking zone, I hopped from my car and rushed into the building.
“Thomas,” I greeted him, seeing the concern etched in the worry lines on his forehead.
“She’s in my office. She had a dizzy spell when she was walking in.”
I hurried past him and into his office. Riley had her head in her hands, and I kneeled before her, taking her hands in mine. They were shaking, and as she raised her face, I didn’t need to ask what had happened. I could see it in the fear that lined her eyes. I gritted my teeth, trying to maintain my calm for her.
“Can we go back to your place?” she asked.
“Of course.” I brought her up and wrapped her in my arms, guiding her out of the building and into my car.
“What happened, Riley?” I asked as I drove.
She was staring out the window, her hands wrung, and I could see the tension in her posture. I needed to know if my suspicion that Clint Randall was here was correct, but I couldn’t ask her because it was a part of her life she hadn’t told me about. She continued to push for us to know more about our pasts, but she was as unwilling to give details as I was. We were both hiding the parts of ourselves that connected us to each other.
“I…” Waiting for her to continue, I held my breath, not wanting to hear that Randall had gotten through my defenses. “I thought I saw something.”
“Something? Like what, Riley?” I was trying to keep my voice calm.
“It was nothing,” she said, and I cursed her obstinance. Why wouldn’t she let me into that part of her life?
Because she didn’t know I could protect her. She didn’t know who I was or what I was capable of—the body count that littered my past, the reason people side-stepped me, the reason they feared saying my name.
I glanced behind me, seeing Tinge trailing me with Den in the passenger seat. My men were always around me. I kept them more discreet than Riley’s brother did, but they were there. I wondered why they hadn’t spotted Randall. I’d deliberately left Den to guard her. If Riley had seen him, then Den would have. But he would have called me the minute he’d seen something, which told me Randall had only let Riley see a glimpse of him, enough to fuck with her but not enough for us to notice him.
The thing that made Bad Omens such piranha was their ability to hide in the shadows, to remain coiled and ready to strike when least expected. They were ghosts with killer instincts.
I gripped the steering wheel as I pulled up to the house. The home I kept just outside the city was a tall brownstone set in a row of others. I owned each one, and when my men weren’t on duty, they were in them, ready to move at the first sign of trouble.
Opening the door, I ushered Riley inside. My men would reinforce the perimeter of the house without Riley noticing. I brought her to my couch and sat her down, stooping before her. She was so pale that she looked fragile, and it hurt to see her like that. Riley had a strength to her that I loved. The sparkle in her eyes was missing, and I vowed I would slaughter Randall myself and watch the life flee from his body.
I tipped her chin, and she gave me a small smile.
“Why don’t you rest, baby girl? I’ll start a fire and you can close your eyes. When you’re ready to tell me what happened, I’ll be here.”
She nodded, and I rose, kissing her head before I got her a blanket. She curled into the couch as I started a fire and was sleeping by the time I finished. Leaving her to sleep, I strode to my office and closed the door, calling Den.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. Everything was fine when I was trailing her, but she started looking around the closer she got to the building. I had to step back so she wouldn’t see me, and when I got the chance to move again, she’d dropped her bag, and Tom was helping her into the building. I searched the crowd and scoured the block when she was inside, but I didn’t see anything.”
“Fuck. He’s here. I know that’s what she saw. She just won’t tell me. Somehow, he got past our defenses.”
He was quiet for a minute before he said, “Unless he’s been here the entire time.”
The claw of fear that strangled my heart was enough to steal my breath. If that were the case, he knew everything she’d been doing. Every detail of her life, including me. But that in itself should have been enough to make him back off.
I ran a hand down my face. “Make sure everyone is on high alert. If that’s the case, he’s had time to watch me and find any weakness in my defenses. Make sure there are none.”
“Yes, boss.”
I disconnected, debating on whether I cared if Mason knew right before I hit his number.
“What,” he answered.
“Always so cordial, Mason.”
“Tides, I hope you’re only bothering me because you have news.”
“We spotted your man. He’s in my city, and he seems to be hunting for something. Is there something you’re not telling me, Brinks?”
He was quiet, and his silence spoke for him.
“What’s he hunting?” I wanted to needle him. “What else is in my city?”
“Who,” he said, and I could hear how clenched his jaw was. “He’s hunting someone. Fuck. You need to let me in Bridgeville. I don’t give a shit about territory.”
I had him riled up, and I was enjoying the leverage over him, the fear pummeling him because he now realized where Riley was and that his monster was in the same place. What he didn’t know was that I would viciously kill anyone who dared lay a hand on her. I wasn’t hunting the piece of shit for Mason; I was hunting him for Riley.
“I’m not letting you in my city and don’t even think about setting foot here. Who’s he looking for?”
“It’s not your business. Let me in the fucking city, Tides.”
“Your desperation makes you sound pathetic, Brinks.”
“I don’t give a fuck what I sound like!” He was livid, and I was enjoying every minute.
“I’m not letting you in. Now tell me who he’s here for.”
He went silent for a moment before muttering, “No one. Just make sure he dies before he does any damage.”
He hung up before I could say anything more. I’d found Mason’s weakness. It was one I’d surmised he had when Riley moved here. At that time, I would have loved the position in which I currently had him pinned and I would have sent him both Randall’s dead body and Riley’s broken heart, her body soiled. But she’d changed all that, and now I would die before I hurt her.
I dropped back in my seat, running my hands through my hair. Randall was an issue, a bullet flying through the streets of my city and aimed at the woman I loved. And he’d done to her what I’d intended to do, breaking her heart, leaving her wounded, and with his fucking cum inside of her. I punched my desk, imagining the painful way I’d kill the son of a bitch for touching her.
Leaving my office, I checked on Riley, brushing her hair from her face and pulling the blanket further over her. I didn’t like how fragile she looked; it hurt too much. For the first time in my life, fear had its claws in me, and I couldn’t shake free of them. Randall had been so close to her. Close enough to hurt her before Den could have protected her. What if he did it again? As good as my men were, as tough as I was, there was still a slim probability. One I didn’t like. Randall had hurt Riley under Mason’s watch, and as much as I liked to taunt Mason, he was like me in many ways. If Randall got through his defenses, he could break through mine. I’d die before I let him hurt her, but that risk was one I wouldn’t take.
Picking up the phone, I resolved myself to letting my control slide for Riley’s sake.
“Where are you?” I asked Mason before he could say anything.
“Creekwood.”
He was only a few hours away, searching for Riley and Randall, oblivious that they were so close until I’d called him.
“So you’ve already set foot in my territory?” I snarled, still needing to maintain my power.
“Fuck off, Tides. I told you, Creekwood is a border town.”
“My border town, prick.”
“What do you want?” he growled.
“I’ll let you in, but only you and Raines. Since I know your cocks are attached.”
“Why you?—”
“Only the two of you, and once he’s dead, you’re out. You even think about bringing any men with you, and my men will kill each one.”
Disconnecting, I sat back in my chair. I’d done something I’d never done, but Riley was more important to me than my pride. And with two bosses hunting him, Randall didn’t stand a chance.
I spent the next hour digging back into numbers, leaving my office door open so I could listen for Riley. I had every one of my men but the two watching the house hunting for Randall. My instinct told me I should have put one or two on the road that led to Treemont, but I had invited Mason in and I knew he’d honor my demand to come with only Tyson. I would if I were in his place because the stakes were too high to take any chances. He wanted his sister, and he wanted Clint Randall dead, and I’d delivered both to him. If Mason didn’t put him in a body bag, I would. Riley was an issue I’d have to deal with. With Mason hunting Randall, he’d find her and the truth would come out. I needed to tell her everything, to confess my sins and hope she forgave me. But I needed the man who threatened her safety dead first.
“I saw someone.” Riley’s voice drew my focus, and I saw her standing in the doorway. Strands of hair fell lazily against her face, bringing out the emerald of her eyes. The blouse she wore had loosened and the swell of her breast lay exposed, the sleeves falling past her wrists. There was a wounded look to her I wanted to fix.
I gave her the silence, hoping she would open up to me even as I saw the hypocrisy in that hope.
Rubbing her arm, she said, “Someone who hurt me.” She dropped her eyes, staring at the floor as she spoke. “It happened almost a year ago. He…I thought I was in love. He lured me in, I fell for it, and he used me as revenge against my brother.” Her eyes raised and the pain in them crushed me. I saw then the damage we all wreaked, running our territories with violence and revenge, using and hurting people for our own gain. It was something we overlooked, the uncomfortableness of it, the guilt buried away after years of dulling our emotions to it. But for someone like Riley, the reality of it was shattering.
She walked over to the window and looked out as she continued. “My brother fed me lies my entire life, never telling me who he was.” Shit, that’s why she’d left. She’d mentioned lies, but I hadn’t realized it was to that extent. He’d left her in the dark and, in turn, hurt her when he’d only wanted to keep her protected. “This man used that, gaining my trust until he turned on me. He kidnapped me, beat me, and…tried to kill me when my brother found me.”
I’d left my trail of bodies and damage over my years, but never had I wanted to kill someone like I wanted to kill Clint Randall. To make him suffer the way he’d made Riley suffer. I would let her watch as I shredded every ounce of life from him until I handed the knife to her and let her plunge it through what remained.
“As painful as his hands were when he hit me, as hurtful as his words were when he broke my heart, the thing that hurt the most while I laid in that hospital bed for days was how my brother had lied to me for so many years. Never trusting me enough to let me in, building a life for me and acting like I was building it on my own, letting me believe I was getting into the college of my dreams, that I was getting the dream job, that I was making something of myself.” She turned, tears in her eyes, ones that gutted me. “When all that time I was doing none of it. It was all him protecting me. I never asked for his protection and look where it got me in the end.”
Rising, I walked to her, taking her in my arms and holding her. I didn’t know what to say, because everything Mason did was exactly what I would have done. It was what I was doing now—protecting her, setting her up with everything she needed to be happy because that’s what I knew. That’s what Mason knew.
I held her until the tension slipped from her body. “I won’t let that man hurt you again, Riley. If he’s in my city, I’ll find him, and I promise you, I’ll make him pay.”
She snuggled deeper into my hold.
“I want you to stay with me until I find him.”
“But I don’t have clothes here?—”
“I’ll buy you clothes.”
She pushed from me, the fire returning to her eyes. “You’re not buying me more. You buy me too much. I’ll stay, but I need some things from my apartment, and don’t think this is me moving in with you.”
“Stubborn woman,” I grumbled. I needed her with me so I could protect her and moving in with me ensured she would always be in my grasp.
I tookRiley to her apartment and stood guard as she packed her things. This wasn’t the way I’d intended to have her move in with me, but this was how it would be. We were a few days from Christmas. I was hoping we’d have the asshole before then so she could have a relaxing day with me.
When we returned, I waited for her to unpack her clothes. Fingering the small box that held her final Christmas gift, I tucked it away to a more discreet spot so she wouldn’t discover it until I was ready. I wasn’t sure how she’d take the gift, but it felt right. Riley was mine, and I wouldn’t let her go now that I had her. If it meant I’d have to deal with her brother, then so be it.
“You really have a lot of suits,” she muttered, coming out of my closet. I glanced over at her. She’d changed into a pair of snug jeans that emphasized her pert ass and a low-cut t-shirt that made her neck almost too appealing not to kiss. I wanted to run my tongue along it, but I knew she was still nervous, and satisfying my desire for her wasn’t the right thing to do.
“What?” she asked, pushing a strand of hair from her eyes.
“Nothing, just thinking of how perfect you are.”
She beamed, her cheeks flushing. I held my hand out to her, intending to lead her downstairs and fix us some dinner while she sat by the fire. I couldn’t help but give her a scolding look when she yanked me over to her.
She tipped her neck up to me, saying, “You look like you want to devour me, Mr. Tides.”
Humor shone in her eyes, causing me to chuckle, and I dropped my lips to her neck just as I’d imagined doing. I pulled her against me, letting my hands trail her body. I could touch her every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it.
“Is this appropriate, Miss Brinks?” I asked, nibbling on her earlobe.
“I think it could be,” she breathed.
My phone buzzed, and I tensed.
“Can’t you ignore it this time, Grey?” she asked. And how I wanted to because making love to her was so much more tempting. But I wasn’t about to take a chance of letting my guard down with her in danger.
“Not this time. Be a good girl and get in the bed and wait for me while I take this.”
She giggled and ran to the bed, jumping on it as I looked at my phone. It was Den, so I knew it had to do with Randall. I’d sent every one of my men but a handful out to search the city for him.
“Speak,” I said, walking toward the door.
“We found him.”
My heart raced, and I stopped in my tracks, looking back at Riley. She’d worked her shirt off, her thin lace bra leaving nothing to my imagination.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “Where?”
She must have seen my expression, her brow furrowing as she sat up and climbed from the bed.
“He’s in a room in the Henly Hotel. We locked down the floor. There’s nowhere for him to go.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, knowing how adept the Bad Omen were at hiding.
“Yeah.”
My phone buzzed again, a picture loading of a man who looked very close to the picture Mason had given me of Clint Randall. He wore a hat as if to conceal his identity, but there was no hiding the tattoo that marked him as an Omen. The bottom half of it showed just below his sleeve, embedded within a large spider design—the ugly black skull with the rusted dagger piercing it. Every Omen wore their brand in a different place. This one matched Randall’s exactly.
“I’ll be right there,” I told Den. “Text me the room number.”
“Grey?” Riley asked as I hung up.
“I need to go. I have something to take care of. When I get back, I’ll explain everything.”
“What’s everything? What’s going on, Greyson?”
She didn’t know I knew anything about Clint Randall other than the minor details she’d shared, and I didn’t have time to explain it now.
I took her face in my hands. “Trust me, please. I’ll leave security outside the house. When I return, you’ll be safe again and then no more secrets. I promise you.”
Kissing her quickly, I rushed from the room, grabbing my jacket and the pistol I kept hidden close to it. I signaled for the two men watching the house to stay alert as I jumped in my car. With Randall in my grasp, Riley was safe, but I wasn’t taking a chance.
I raced to the hotel in the center of the city and bolted up to the room, ready to enact justice on the fucker who had hurt Riley. I’d bring her his dead body and explain it all to her—the truth from start to finish—and hope she overlooked the fact that I was just like her brother. That she’d run from one mob boss to another, one web of lies to the next. Then I’d make her mine forever.
Den and several of my men stood outside, ready to pounce and awaiting my lead. I kicked the door in, and it splintered in half with the impact. This was my hotel, and the door was collateral damage that was easily repaired, unlike Riley’s heart.
The thought of her loving him, of him touching her and fucking her, burned through me like a red-hot flame and I threw him against the wall, only then seeing that it wasn’t him. There were striking similarities, but I’d ingrained the image of the bastard in my head, and this wasn’t Clint Randall.
I punched him and pushed his shirt sleeve up, looking for the mark and finding it exactly where I’d seen it in both photos, but that didn’t make sense. No other Omen would have their brand in that exact place. They strategically placed each one in a unique spot so there was no pattern to where they were, and they went undetected by most.
“Where the fuck is Randall?” I growled, putting my gun to his temple.
“He said to tell you he’s playing with your pretty thing,” he said. There was a nervous shake to his voice, one no Omen would have. I grabbed his arm again, rubbing the tattoo, which smudged with a small amount of pressure.
“Fuck, he’s a mark,” Den said, meeting my eyes.
Marks were people desperate enough to sell their soul to a family for something they needed. Whether it was money, protection for a loved one, medicine for a sick child, they forfeited their lives, the family paying out their wish once their deed was done. The families rarely used them unless they needed a sacrifice, a distraction from a crime, or in this case, from a target. Randall had found a mark who was close enough in appearance to fool even me—a change of hair color, a few days of facial hair, and we didn’t notice from a distance. That explained the lethal mistake my men had made. The same I’d made by leaving Riley alone.
I knocked the mark out with the blunt end of my gun and glared at Den. “Dispose of him, and then you can explain why you fell for their trap after I kill the fucker.”
“But boss?—”
“Just do it!”
I didn’t wait for a reply, running out of the hotel and tearing back to my house. I should have brought men with me, but my mind was only on Riley. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely breathe. Images of Riley in fear, of her hurt, of her dead invaded my mind. I’d promised she was safe, and I’d left her to the wolves.
Not bothering to turn my car off, I drew my gun, running into the house. I found one of my men down with a gunshot to his head in the foyer. I didn’t have to question if Randall had taken the other out.
“Fuck!” I rounded the stairs, seeing where the struggle had taken place. Riley had run to the bedroom and tried to shut herself in, but he’d broken through. I stood in the center of the scene, spotting the splatter of blood on my bed sheets as if he’d hit her hard enough for the blood to travel.
My world came crumbling down, and I grasped at where to find her. She was out there with an enemy. One who would use her to crush both me and Mason because he knew how valuable she was to both of us.
I searched the rest of the house, running out the back to find the bloodstained snow where my second man had fallen prey to Clint’s gun.
“Fuck!” I screamed.
Running to the front of the house, I stopped and scolded myself for letting my emotions take over my rational thinking. Riley was smart. She was Mason Brinks’ sister, and even if he hadn’t included her in the life he led, she was calculating like he was. She had run from him, hiding her tracks so even he couldn’t find her. That said something about her.
I ran back into the house and to the room, looking for clues. Someone had violently removed the lamp from the wall, and it was on the floor on the other side of the room. Riley had used it to defend herself. I scanned where she’d been unpacking her things, remembering how she’d dropped her phone and keys on the dresser.
I searched, finding the keys but not the phone. Taking my phone out, I held my breath, pulling up the tracker I had on hers.
“Good girl,” I muttered, seeing the mark that was moving quickly through town. She’d snuck her phone somehow, and now I had a way to find her.
I bolted back to my car, driving faster than I should have on the icy roads. My only thought was getting to Riley before the bastard hurt her more.