9
Bianca
I should’ve known the four men in this room would be more than suspicious of my sudden arrival.
I can’t blame them.
Given what I know about the mind games, blackmail, and general fuckery happening between Vaughn, Willard, Noretto, and Grey, it’s only natural they don’t trust me right off the bat.
For all they know, I could be spying for Vaughn. That’s not the case, but my reason for running is stuck in my throat, the truth too traumatic to admit in front of strangers.
I don’t know them. I don’t trust them. I’m here because they’re the lesser of two evils, given Carter’s dating my half-sister.
“Can you elaborate?” Carter asks, the vein on the side of his neck pulsing.
“Not really. Let’s say Vaughn’s been acting weird for a while, and three hours ago he crossed a line.” I pull the tie out of my hair, busying my hands with redoing the messy bun. “Let me ask you this: in the last two months, did you get anywhere near finding me and Vaughn?”
Carter opens a liquor cabinet, pours me a glass of white wine, and as soon as it’s in my hand, Broadway steps in, fixing four drinks for the guys.
“No,” Carter says, taking a seat in the wingback chair. “We haven’t stumbled across your trail once.”
“See, I knew Vaughn was acting crazy. He had us moving for stupid reasons. He’s been drinking a lot since day one, and I attributed his paranoia to that. It started with a bottle of whiskey every night, then two, and tonight, before I left, there were three empty bottles on the coffee table.”
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Broadway chimes in, a mixture of shock and amusement coating his tone.
“I’ll need more than he crossed a line , Bianca,” Carter says, his glare freezing me in place. “Your sudden arrival raises all kinds of alarm bells.”
“I understand, but I don’t know you. There are things I don’t feel comfortable sharing.”
“Did he hurt you?” Ryder asks, or rather growls, his posture tense, jaw set tight. He’s still by the door, leaning against the wall, his beautiful dark eyes boring into mine.
“He never hit me, if that’s what you’re asking, but yes, you can say he hurt me.” I take another sip of wine, chasing away the onslaught of still-razor-sharp memories.
It’s been years since I touched alcohol. Enough years that I forgot how nice white wine tastes. How it erases the events of the evening, helping me calm down.
“I’m not here on Vaughn’s orders,” I continue, addressing Carter and hoping he’ll recognize the sincerity in my voice.
I give him a long-winded rundown of Vaughn’s odd behavior, the middle-of-the-night evacuations for silly reasons, his growing paranoia and progressing alcoholism.
“I came here because I don’t know if my home is safe. Vaughn said Noretto might use me if he finds me. That he’ll lock me up again. But you...” I pointedly look at Carter, “...you want Vaughn dead and yet he never suggested you’d hurt me . I thought coming here was my best bet.”
Carter falls silent, as if needing a few long moments to compartmentalize everything I’ve said. Judging by the intensity shining in his almost black eyes, he might be wondering whether I’m trustworthy. A man of his reputation is bound to be careful.
Seconds stretch. Tension crackles in the air, so strong it physically weighs me down.
I fidget in my seat, twisting my fingers.
Ryder keeps stealing my attention, the heat of his scrutiny pulling me in as if his gravity is stronger than anything else. The cool, composed aura around him stirs my stomach.
It’s a pleasant feeling... though unnerving. The pure rage marring his face when the cab driver grabbed my arm comes back, soothing my agitated mind.
No one’s ever stood up for me like that. He’s the first person who didn’t expect, didn’t wait for me to deal with it alone. It’s oddly comforting and therefore infuriating.
I wonder what he would’ve done if he were in the hotel room with Vaughn and me tonight...
Would he whisk me away?
Would he beat the living daylights out of Vaughn?
Would he carry me out in his arms, whispering soothing words while holding me to his chest?
My head swings away from him, annoyance slithering beneath my skin. Who cares what he’d do? I’m more than capable of fighting my own battles. I’ve done it my whole life. I’m not weak and I’ll be damned if Ryder labels me as such.
He doesn’t strike me as a guy who likes a damsel in distress.
Ugh! Why do you care what he likes?
I choose not to dwell on that thought, locking it in a small box at the back of my mind. I ignore my heartrate soaring whenever our eyes lock. I ignore the heat engulfing me whole whenever he hijacks my attention, and I refocus on Carter. What if he decides I can’t be trusted? What if—?
“You have nothing to worry about on my part,” he denotes, weighing every word, his gaze boring into mine like a physical touch. Not unpleasant... comforting .
God, what the hell changed in my brain chemistry that I feel comforted by a criminal? This isn’t normal. Surely.
Still, even though I just met the man, I can tell he’s sincere. He won’t hurt me. He won’t lock me up or send me to Noretto with a bow tied around my waist.
Koby, Broadway, and Ryder nod along, silently agreeing with Carter. It almost feels like they’re pledging their allegiance.
“As for going home,” Carter continues, “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Vaughn’s unstable. From what you’ve told me, I gather he’s scared you’ll be used against him. That means he’ll be looking for you. He’ll want you back.”
“You think it’s the booze?” Koby pipes in, his voice no longer high-pitched, a cocky smirk back in place. “Drugs would better explain how effectively he’s dismantling his life.”
“So would grief,” Ryder says. “Vaughn’s been spiraling ever since his wife died.”
“If that’s all it is, then for a cop with such impressive mind-fuckery skills, he sure is a weakling,” Koby shoots back.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Carter snaps looking positively murderous. “He lost the love of his life, yet he’s still fighting. Vaughn’s many things, Koby. Weak isn’t one of them. If I were in his shoes, I’d put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger. That’s weak.”
Setting his glass aside, Carter lifts both hands to massage his temples. “As I was saying, going back to Cleveland isn’t a good idea, Bianca. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“Vaughn’s a fifty-year-old man in a wheelchair,” I heave, downing the last of my wine. “How dangerous can he be? I can handle him. I did it once, and I’ll do it again.”
“Don’t underestimate a desperate man. He’s desperate enough that he kept you hidden for weeks. Desperate enough to sacrifice the relationship he’s been rebuilding with Hailey to get you out of Noretto’s. Besides...” Carter leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “...Vaughn’s not the only one who might want you back. Noretto now knows you’re good leverage. If you’re unprotected...” He lets the rest of the sentence trail off.
It’s a great scare tactic, I admit.
My imagination flares, conjuring a dozen different scenarios, each more chilling than the last.
“There are too many moving parts in this game,” Carter continues. “Too many agendas and power-hungry men looking for an upper hand. You’ll be safer staying in Columbus. Preferably with me and Hailey.”
My anxiety spikes, a big ball of frustration swelling low in my tummy. “I didn’t come here to live with you!”
“Then why did you come?”
“I... I don’t know! I thought you’d say Vaughn made everything up, that no one will use me, that it’s safe to go home!”
“Sorry to disappoint. You’re not safe, Bianca. Going home is out of the question. It won’t take long before either Noretto, Grey, or Vaughn come knocking.”
Tears well in my eyes, blurring my vision. I haven’t cried this much since I was a little girl. Waterworks will make me come across weak. Helpless . My frustration mounts, intensifying the tears. It’s a vicious, closed cycle.
“So, you’ll keep me here against my will?” I grind my teeth, inhaling through my nose to get a hold of my emotions.
I’m not a blubbering mess. Ever. I’ve been the only person I can count on since I was eight. Squaring my shoulders, I picture my helplessness as a drop of water. I shudder, shaking it off before meeting Carter’s unwavering control with defiance.
“How does keeping me captive make you any different from Vaughn or Noretto?”
The only indication that my words hit a nerve is the way his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“Noretto kept me safe. Locked up, but safe. He didn’t hurt me.” Crossing my hands over my chest, I lift my chin. “I’m not staying with you and Hailey. No offense, but I don’t know you.”
And as tonight proves, family ties don’t mean shit.
His mouth parts, undoubtedly ready to deliver another lecture about the threats lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to let my guard down.
Ryder beats him to the punch, his level tone slicing through the heavy atmosphere.
“Cleveland’s two hours away,” he says, grasping the backrest of Koby’s couch.
Should my mind be focusing on the way the veins on his forearms snake up to his elbows, the biceps bulging under the fabric of his white shirt? I doubt it.
Should I feel like I’m spiking a fever when he stares right through me? Definitely not.
“I can set surveillance and alarm systems in her apartment,” he says. His words are aimed at Carter but his eyes are locked on mine. “I’m sure you can send someone with her who’ll keep her safe.”
The implication of his last sentence tears my attention from the ink peeking above his collar.
“A bodyguard?!” I snap upright. The wine coursing through my veins makes me wobble.
“I’m not forcing you to stay in Columbus, Bianca. If you insist on going home, I can accommodate it, but do you honestly expect I’ll send you on your merry way without protection?” With a flick of his wrist, Carter orders me to sit back down. “While I understand your frustration, you’re a target. You’re Hailey’s sister, and because of how much my pretty girl’s been dying to find you, you’re not just leverage over Vaughn, but me too . ”
Now he’s the one rising to his impressive height. He pulls a packet of cigarettes from the drawer, leans against the wooden desk, and before he asks, Broadway throws a lighter his way.
The office fills with smoke, gray clouds hanging in the air.
“You?” I ask, one eyebrow raised. “I don’t think I follow.”
Koby chuckles, masking it with a cough and a groan. “Boss here gets a bit... restless when Hailey’s upset.”
Carter ignores the jab, filling his lungs with another drag of his cigarette. “Both Noretto and Grey are aware there’s not a thing I won’t do to keep Hailey happy. They put her through hell and I’m never subjecting her to that kind of stress again.”
I don’t miss Koby’s purposeful eyeroll behind Carter’s back. Despite his initial overstep, I have a feeling we’d get along fine given the chance.
“If Noretto, Grey, or even Vaughn threatens your safety, if they take you away again, Hailey will rain hellfire on me. I’ll have no choice but to comply with their demands to ensure your security and keep my girl happy, so... Work. With. Me. Either you’re staying in Columbus, or you’re going home with two bodyguards and a heap of security systems for both your apartment and your flower shop.”
“How do you know about—?”
“I told you there’s not a thing I don’t know about you.” He looks over at Ryder who’s still gripping the back of the couch. “How long will it take you to wire both places?”
“Normally, a day, two tops, but I have a few additional things in mind, so I’d say about three.”
“Alright,” Carter nods, moving his attention back to me. “Do we have a deal?”
“You don’t give me much choice, do you? It’s like telling a child to eat fruit, and when they refuse, you let them choose between apples and oranges.”
He smirks, adjusting his wristwatch. “What will it be, Bianca? Apples or oranges?”
“Oranges, if that’s the option that gets me home.”
“Oranges it is. Now, I’ve kept my girl waiting long enough. It’s time you two meet.”