Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Matt
I’d called Darnell Sunday and asked him to come over and bring an overnight bag. He’d been suspicious but had agreed to come. While trying to figure out who to ask, I’d gone back and forth between Mika and Darnell. In the end, I’d known Darnell would be easier since Mika’s business hours were so weird. Darnell’s work hours were close to the same as mine, so our schedules meshed better.
He’d sat on my couch with a drink and listened as I told the tale of my life with a possibly unhinged stalker. I was so drained by the end of it all, he’d told me to take Monday off and if Camie was cool with it he’d drive to the Saints’ house for JJ’s session.
I’d felt horrible doing that to them, but in the end it had been the best idea. After Darnell left I’d dawdled around, my mind in the clouds, all scenarios running amuck.
Darnell’s return late in the afternoon relaxed me. When had I become so unnerved, even in my own home?
“How’d it go?” I asked as he dropped his PT bag on the ground.
“Good. His range of motion is getting there. I kept it simple today, told him some arm exercises he could do because he was curious. Other than that, easy.”
“Did JJ ask about me?”
“Of course he did, Matt. He cares—a lot of people do.” He sat on the couch, and I joined him.
“I called Officer Mendez. He said he got access to the garage cameras easily and saw someone, but there wasn’t any way to tell who it was.”
“Well, I can stay with you for a while. Hopefully they’ll catch this person, whoever they are, in a few days.”
“I hope so.”
“Okay, food, I’m starving.”
I chuckled and walked to the kitchen. “I can make something, or we can order pizza.”
“Pizza, I want that in my face.”
With a laugh, I pulled up the app and ordered.
The following day there was nothing, and by Wednesday I thought it was silly to keep Darnell here when he had his own apartment he paid rent for.
“I’m headed to JJ’s. Look, it’s been quiet the last couple of days—head home.”
“Are you sure?” Darnell tied his sneakers; he had a client this morning as well.
“I am. If I freak out, I’ll call you.”
“I don’t mind staying.”
I reached out and pulled him into a hug. “I know, you’re the greatest.”
We pulled away and smiled. “Just not boyfriend material.”
“Too brotherly.” I snickered and moved away at his attempt to slap my arm. “Have a good day. Hang on to the key I gave you.”
“Sure. Call me when you get home, at least?”
“I will.”
I walked out of the apartment and to the elevator. James was grabbing his mail, but he saw me.
“Matt, good morning.”
“Morning.”
“You have a guest over, huh?”
Were all landlords as nosy as him and Nicole? “My friend, yeah, he’s headed back today.”
He nodded. “Have a nice visit?”
I pulled out my own mail, shoving it into my bag without a glance. “Very. Have a good day, James.”
“Same to you, Matt.”
There was no note on my car, and I hated how I’d found myself holding my breath just before my car had come into view. I shook it off and drove to JJ’s, listening to some Tom Petty and getting into a positive headspace.
When I arrived, I rang the doorbell and a minute later, it opened to JJ’s smiling face.
“Matt. Hey, come in.”
Like every other time I’d entered the house, I waltzed in and went to put my bag on the ground—only this time, it was different. The living room was full of people.
“Uh, did you cancel today?”
JJ blinked owlishly. “Don’t be mad at me.” He shut the door, and I didn’t miss that he locked it.
“And why would I be upset?” I eyed the faces, all of them familiar, but never since I’d worked here had I seen them together at the same time. Even on family nights, I hadn’t joined in—I’d tried to get home when I could to gather mail and such, and those nights were the best since they had their thing. I was never gone longer than a few hours since I’d been a live-in therapist.
“We’d like to talk to you.” He swept his arm out, indicating that the brothers, their partners, and Four were to whom he was referring.
“Why is that?” I finally dropped my bag but didn’t move.
Nick stepped forward. “Mattie, I told my family what’s been going on with you. I told them everything, from the first night at The Alibi, up to you getting a note Sunday on your car in your garage…yes, I hacked the cameras. You can be angry with me, but please wait until you hear us out.”
I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, to be honest. I faced JJ. “I didn’t want anyone involved. I contacted the police. Officer Mendez is on it, I have patrols, and a friend staying with me. I’m taking precautions. The police will figure out who’s doing this.”
“I admire that you’re taking this seriously, Matt.” JJ grabbed my hands. “But, well, you see, my family, we’ve seen things. Dark, dark things.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, why do you make it sound like this is some paranormal horror fest up in here?” Nick groaned. “Tone it down.”
Everyone chuckled, and JJ continued. “Look, what I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room, Matt. If it does, it could put my entire family in danger.”
“And now it’s some Mission Impossible bullshit,” Noel muttered, earning a glare from JJ.
“I don’t know what’s going on here, but you’re sort of terrifying me, JJ.” I slipped my hands free of JJ’s grasp.
“Can I, please?” Nick asked, brows raised as he stared at JJ.
“Fine, but don’t be weird about it.”
“Me?” Nick pointed to himself. “You’re the one that went all, ‘It was a cold, dark night’ on the guy.”
“ Mmhmm ,” Angel hummed. “Don’t tell kids bedtime stories.”
“Oh, whatever.” JJ stepped away, and I watched as he sauntered to where Shep sat and dropped onto the big man’s lap.
I faced Nick; his expression was serene, and he eased the tension that had formed upon my arrival.
“I’m going to info-dump on you.”
I chuckled. “Okay…”
“Me and my brothers, everyone in here, we help those who need it most. It started many years ago when our sister, Scarlett, was murdered, followed by our foster parents and Mason’s parents. As we demolished the ring of powerful and dangerous people, Mason got kidnapped and hurt. After we succeeded, we moved here. We couldn’t stay in that town, or even near that state. We made a deal with the mayor that after we cleaned it all up, we’d leave and never return. We moved here and decided to open a bakery, Saintly Sweets.
“While it really is a business, it’s also a front. We decided to help people, like I said. Almost a year ago, JJ found Four.” He motioned to Four, who looked at me, expressionless.
“Long story short there, Four was taken as a child and raised to be an assassin. Girls were adopted and raised to be the perfect arm candy for powerful and influential people.
“JJ wanted to help Four, and so he brought it to a family meeting, where we voted to help him. In doing so JJ was taken and tortured, which is why you help him now.”
I glanced at JJ, who had a small smile on his face.
“We took apart that whole organization. Perhaps you remember Harper Reese?”
My eyes widened. I’d followed that whole storyline religiously. I remembered I was with a client, the TV was on, and a shadowed figure had come on, exposing an entire ring of terror that had been happening under everyone’s noses and from there it all unraveled, but no one had ever found Harper Reese.
“I do, but he’s in the wind.”
“No,” Nick whispered. “He’s dead.”
Holy shit. “And…that was you guys?”
Nick nodded. “This is what we do. Police can’t always help. In my sister’s and parents’ case, they were part of the problem.”
Was I going to faint? “I need to sit down.”
“Do you think he’ll throw up?” I thought that was Mason, but I concentrated on getting to a chair and sitting.
“I know this is a lot to take in.” Nick was kneeling in front of me.
I just stared at him, unblinking.
“Please say something.” He squeezed my knees.
“I…” I looked at each of the men in the room and said the only thing I could. “You’re a family of assassins.…You kill people.”