Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The person who’d you burn the world down for.
Zane was wrong. I hadn’t found the person. I’d found two.
You came.
Please don’t leave me.
You lied, lied, lied.
Sometimes giving your heart to someone is the scariest thing of all.
Cash.
You don’t have to worry. We’ll be out of your hair today.
I couldn’t get my mind to stop bouncing around replaying the last twenty-four-hours. Pieces of conversations. Snapshots of looks. Fragments of feelings. Everything was twisting together in a tornado of emotions making it impossible to lock on one.
We were two walking red flags.
The smart thing to do would be to ignore it, ignore her, ignore everything she made me feel and keep her safe from the shit in my head.
No, the right thing to do would be to remember Cara deserved someone in her life who knew how to love Stella, who knew how to love her, keep both of them clean and safe.
Please don’t leave me.
Fuck.
The memory of those words hit me so hard, it felt like someone reached into my chest and wrapped a hand around my heart, plugging that gaping hole that had been there since birth.
I wasn’t going to run, and I wasn’t going to let Stella leave. Zane was right about one thing; the moment Stella had taken my name she’d sealed her fate. She’d given Cara to me in a way she wasn’t taking her back.
The irony wasn’t lost on me—I was a baby daddy to a little girl I didn’t help create.
Yet, I was claiming her. And since she was mine, I wasn’t going to allow Stella to take off with her and shut me out again. I had to sort my head and while I was at it get a lock on the shit swirling around Stella. And while I was doing that, make sure I didn’t fuck up a seven-year-old little girl.
I was so lost in thought I jolted when I felt pain radiate.
The origin—my foot.
The cause—Stella.
Because, of course, the woman wouldn’t nudge my foot to get my attention—she’d stomped on it.
That was Stella—aggressive, to-the-point, and over-the-top.
And there was something seriously fucking wrong with me I found that to be a turn on.
Evidently, I didn’t pull my shit together fast enough for her even though I was turning my head to look at her when she made contact a second time.
“You kick me one more time, baby girl, you’ll be out of that chair, over my lap, and your ass will be red.”
“You try that and you’ll find just how good my right hook is while at the same learn my aim is excellent.”
I had no doubt.
And that turned me on, too.
Perhaps I was a closet masochist.
I felt my lips twitch. I saw her eyes narrow and her head tip to the side, undoubtedly plotting.
Oh, yeah, fuck yeah, she was a walking red flag.
“You think I’m joking?” she asked with more than a hint of sass.
I didn’t feel my lips twitch that time, I felt them curl up into a smile. “I know you’re not,” I assured her. “But neither am I.”
“You think you two can hit pause on the grab ass while we figure this shit out?” Zane grunted his command wrapped in a request.
“Sure,” I agreed, because the sooner this shit was taken care of the sooner I could get Stella and Cara back to my house. And tonight, after Cara went to sleep, Stella and I were having a come to Jesus.
Stella continued to glare at me. “Do you even know what shit Zane’s talking about?”
“Not a clue,” I admitted.
I’d been so lost in thought I hadn’t heard a word anyone had said.
“Does you taking a time out mean you sorted your head?” Zane asked.
It would take a lot more than a time out to sort out the mess of my life.
“About my girls? Yep.”
Stella jerked back and scowled. “What does that—”
“It means after we figure out whatever problem Kira’s talking about, we’re going home—”
“Home?”
“Home,” I confirmed then looked around the table, ignored all of my teammates giving me varying looks of surprise, and homed in on Kira. “Sorry, I zoned out. What’s the problem?”
Kira held my gaze for a few moments before she glanced at Zane and frowned. “Do you know what sucks big fat donkey balls?”
“I know a lot of shit that sucks donkey balls, KK,” Zane returned.
“Well, currently what sucks monkey balls is,” Kira huffed then continued, “I finally have an arsenal of one-liners and they’re totally useless.” She turned and pinned me with a frown. “My jokes won’t work on Mr. Blank Shooter McBlankerson.”
I heard Jonas snort. “He’s all snipped up and ready to drop duds.”
Before I could tell Jonas his joke was lame, Smith started in. “You can come up with something to rhyme with neuter—”
“Cooter,” Easton joined, earning him a smack to the shoulder from his wife.
“Did you seriously just say cooter?” Nebraska asked with clear disgust.
Completely unfazed, Easton nodded. “Yep.”
I glanced at Zane hoping he’d put an end to the ridiculousness, but Kira snapped her fingers drawing my attention back to her. “Retired the ammo, kept the aim.”
“Snipped but not soft,” Nebraska piped up and smiled at Stella. “Or for your sake I hope not.”
“Not that I disagree my dick is always a worthy topic of discussion but maybe we can get back to the problem at hand,” I suggested.
Kira waved her hand in front of her like she was shooing away a fly. “Someone tried to hack into our server.”
“Tried?”
“Well, technically they got in, because Garrett let them in. Now he’s playing backdoor buddy with them. He’ll have a traceback for us in a few minutes.”
Kira was wrong. Garrett didn’t need a few minutes if him walking into the conference room was anything to go by.
“The breach was isolated,” he started. “Employee records and case files for the last year. It was a grab and go, but as soon as the files are opened, I’ll have access to their system.”
Zane nodded, looking completely undisturbed. Stella caught his bland expression and asked, “That’s it?”
“That’s it what?” Garrett returned.
“No one looks concerned,” she pointed out.
“Woman, do I look stupid?” Zane asked with a smile.
“There is absolutely nothing of importance on any machine connected to the internet or Bluetooth. Employee records are bullshit. Case files are non-government contracts, low priority, easy-to-break encryption, and they’re all embedded with a virus.
As soon as the files are opened, we’ll have a location and access. ”
“Right,” she mumbled.
“Found something else,” Garrett continued. “There’s a hit out on Damion.”
“That’s not unexpected,” Nebraska shared. “Did Kira send you what she found? Damion’s in deep with Vincenzo Greco.”
Garrett’s brows winged up. “No shit.” Then his gaze slid to Nebraska. “Are you setting up a meet?”
I heard Easton’s grunt from across the table, but my attention was taken by the small jot coming from Stella.
I understood her reaction. Not only to Garrett’s question and Easton’s audible displeasure but also the hurt.
Though, Stella had brought that particular sting on herself.
She’d dropped off the radar. Her choice.
But the way she lived her life, it wasn’t a far-out assumption.
Nebraska was the closest friend she had, even if she’d kept herself closed off and distant.
Learning her friend was pregnant during a discussion and not direct from Nebraska would bite.
“I’m going to reach out,” Nebraska declared. Ignoring her husband’s glare she went on. “I’ll ask if he’s open to sitting down with Lore and Zane.”
I barely swallowed my own growl of displeasure—though my disapproval was two-fold.
I was done with this two-name bullshit. Lore was well and truly dead.
The second part was Stella would be meeting with a pissed-off mob boss over my dead body.
I didn’t give a flying fuck if the man had demonstrated he lived by a moral code that included the protection of females.
“Her name is Stella,” I snapped. “And it will be me and Zane meeting with Vinnie G or whoever he sends as his proxy.”
“I’m sorry,” Stella drawled with faux sweetness. “But have we entered some alternate universe where you think you’re the boss of the womenfolk?”
“No, baby girl, we’re living in the universe where I’m the King.
” I paused to watch her eyes flare then catch fire.
I gave it another to beat to enjoy the way her irritation darkened the blue and held her stare, knowing I was going to further piss her off which in turn would make that fire burn brighter.
“And in that universe, you might be the Queen, and the Snake might have magic, and Dove is beautiful and powerful, but I reign supreme.”
Oh, yeah, those gorgeous blue eyes burned. Anger and embarrassment mixed when it hit her I knew about the stories she’d told Cara.
“Cash—”
“Not to mention,” I cut her off. “In that universe, not to mention this one, your name is Stella Phillips. You might’ve given yourself that name, but it’s mine, and being that, it means you’re mine.”
“That’s straight up ridiculous, Cash.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But it doesn’t make it any less true.
” When she looked like she was going to continue to argue I pulled out what I hoped was my ace.
“But beyond that, there’s Cara. And I don’t give a fuck about rumors, morals, rules, codes honorable men live by—I don’t personally know the man.
What I do know is, whether he likes to be called it or not, he’s mafia.
He’s the boss. Which means he’s dangerous.
There is no scenario, and I mean none, Stella, that puts you at a table sitting across from him.
You can bitch. You can assert your feminine power.
You can remind me of your skill, your training, and your kill count and none of that changes my mind.
And it won’t, because none of it trumps what you mean to Cara.
She is the priority. She comes before your pride—”
“You’re right. Cara comes first,” she seethed. “But the over-the-top caveman shit is totally unnecessary.” There was a pause, then, “And annoying.”
I didn’t bother arguing with her.
She’d learn to live with it, or she wouldn’t and I’d find a way to pleasurably remind her she liked my over-the-top caveman.
“I’ll call Vinnie and ask for the meet,” Nebraska said, then zeroed in on Stella. “Would you mind stepping out with me?”
There was something in Nebraska’s voice, not to mention the formality in her tone that had my hand darting out to wrap around Stella’s forearm, stalling her from pushing back from the table.
“She’s not going to eat her, brother.” Jonas chuckled.
I didn’t find anything funny.
I knew damn well that in most cases women were the more dangerous sex. Add to that, two alpha females with the experience and skill both women had, there could be bloodshed.
Nebraska turned her attention to me and smiled. “Girl talk, Cash.”
That didn’t make me feel any better.
It wasn’t until Stella’s hand under the table found my thigh and squeezed did I drop my hand.
Zane waited until the women were out of the room and Garrett was settled in the open chair next to Kira before he launched in. “You might be the smartest dumbfuck out of the group, pulling your head out of your ass as quickly as you did. But you’re still a dumbfuck.”
He’d get no argument from me, so I remained silent and let him have his say.
“Next time you feel a case of dumbfuckery closing in, keep your mouth shut and find me.”
I felt my lips twitch and nodded.
“There’s so much love flowing from bossman I wouldn’t be surprised if unicorns and rainbows started shooting out of his ass,” Smith quipped.
Zane flipped Smith the bird and continued.
“Kira, Garrett, get a lock on the hack. Theo, Smith, I want location for Damion. Easton, Jonas, back to Lore…Stella’s place.
Camera’s down, everything salvageable packed up.
Coop and Myles are around, take them if you need to.
Cash, get your woman and girl home; you’ve got groveling to do.
No time like the present. My suggestion: beg.
Another suggestion: do it on your knees. ”
I heard Jonas snicker. “I think I have some knee pads in my kit, might be down there for a while, old man.”
“Fuck the knee pads,” Smith started in. “He’s gonna need a back brace when Stella’s done with him. And maybe stitches.”
At the reminder of stitches, I was done with the shit talk.
“Right. With that, I’m going to get my girls and go home.”
Seven sets of eyes landed on me. Seven varying looks from astonished (Theo) to worried (Jonas) to something that looked like fatherly pride (Zane).
It was Zane’s gaze I wasn’t going to dissect—I’ve never had a father, never had anyone openly share they were proud of a decision I’d made, and if I wasn’t careful Zane’s look would penetrate, and I didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to process how good it felt.
I pushed back from the table but halted when Zane called my name. “You’re straight?”
He framed it as a question. What it was, was a reminder to call him if my head got twisted again.
I might’ve been a dumbass, but I wasn’t stupid. I’d already dug my grave; the last thing I needed was Stella sealing the coffin closed on the last dregs of hope I had.