Chapter 8
I waited until Kiki Welsh hefted her bitch ass into a Nissan Pathfinder that had seen better days.
I waited until she slammed the door and shot away from the curb like the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels.
I memorized the plate number then turned, and when I did the breath in my lungs crystalized.
Brooklyn looked devastated.
The picture of heartbreak.
In the five years I had worked with Takeback, I’d never run into this type of situation. The people I’d searched for were victims of human trafficking. The people I’d rescued the same. Never had I run across a spoiled, selfish bitch who’d run away.
Which meant Desi Cunns had lied and that was something I needed to deal with. But first, I needed to see to Brooklyn.
“What chance do I have talking you into sitting on this information for twenty-four hours?”
Brooklyn jolted out of her stupor and answered, “Depends on if you’re gonna spend that twenty-four hours hunting Kiki down, then finding a way to turn her back into a decent human being.
Alternately, you use the twenty-four hours to figure out a way for me to tell Tally, Michael, and Letty…
that…Kiki’s…I don’t know what she is. Not missing.
That they’ve been living a parents’ worst nightmare.
That Letty’s been sick about her sister and Kiki just… ”
Tears hit Brooklyn’s eyes and she choked out a string of jumbled words I couldn’t understand.
I took in her pain-filled expression and just like that, my plan to slowly win Brooklyn went to shit.
I made short work of shutting the door, locking it, and walking to her. And once I was there I didn’t hesitate to swing her up into my arms. She buried her face in my neck and I had to take a moment to control my body’s reaction.
Five years I’d waited to touch her again.
Feel her body close to mine. Breathe in her flowery scent.
I did not however imagine the first time I held her in my arms she’d be crying.
I certainly never imagined she’d be brought to tears of heartbreak because Kiki Welsh was alive and well.
That thought made my neck muscles contract.
Something wasn’t adding up. Desi straight-out said she was with Kiki when she was taken.
The security footage inside and out of the bar confirmed they’d been together that night.
Unfortunately, there were no cameras down the alley where Desi said they’d been snatched from.
By the time I made it to Brooklyn’s couch, sat down, and settled her on my lap, I was no closer to puzzling the pieces together.
“I never knew she hated me,” Brooklyn whispered.
“Growing up we fought and after I moved in with them we bickered. I thought it was because we were close like sisters. Like Letty and Kiki argued all the time. It's what sisters do. But I love her, Letty loves her. Tally and Michael love her like crazy. I just don’t get it.”
Neither did I. I didn’t understand a lot of things people said or did.
I’d long ago stopped trying to grasp why people were assholes who thought it was their God-given right to spout whatever hateful shit popped into their heads.
I couldn’t fathom why they were thinking hateful shit.
So not understanding why people were dicks as a whole, I couldn’t begin to comprehend how a daughter could do what Kiki had done to her family.
“They’re gonna be crushed. Letty’s gonna go through the roof. I don’t know how I’m gonna tell them.”
“Sucks, baby, but I still gotta ask. I need a day to get with my team before you tell them Kiki came by.”
“Why?”
“Because Desi lied.”
Brooklyn went stiff and as she lifted her head, her nose grazed my jaw and the familiar attraction sizzled to life.
Ocean blue brimmed with unshed tears.
Fuck. I’d never forgotten those eyes.
“She lied,” Brooklyn repeated in a whisper. “Why would she lie?”
I could think of a few reasons. None of which I would share.
“Not sure, but I’m gonna find out. I know you wanna put the Welshes’ minds at ease but before it gets out Kiki wasn’t kidnapped and it gets back to Desi that we know, I need some time.”
“They won’t tell anyone,” she argued.
They would and it was natural they’d want to share with family and friends that Kiki was safe. There were a lot of reasons why they’d spread the good news; one of the reasons would be to stop the search.
“Babe, something like this has a way of getting out. Michael and Tallulah are gonna want to tell their family and even if they ask them not to say anything, someone still will. They’ll call a friend and confide in them.
That friend will call someone else and swear them to secrecy.
That’s just the way this works. We can’t risk it getting back to Desi before we get to her. ”
Brooklyn went silent. Her eyes became pleading and my gut tightened. That look didn’t bode well for me. Those Caribbean eyes coupled with her brows pulled down and her lips puckered meant I didn’t stand a chance of winning.
“At least let me tell Letty.”
Shit, goddamn.
“I know you don’t know her,” Brooklyn rushed out. “Well, you don’t know me either but I promise if you ask Letty not to tell her parents, she won’t. She’s a vault when it comes to secrets.”
“That’s a big secret to ask her to keep,” I returned.
“As big as the one you’re asking me to keep.”
“Touché.” Then just like I knew I would, I gave in. “I’ll go back with you to the bookstore to tell Letty and I’ll call Wilson on the way.”
“Just like that?”
“It’s not like you weren’t gonna tell her anyway.”
Brooklyn’s eyes darted to the wall and she looked perfectly adorable trying to hide her grin.
“Not even gonna deny it?” I joked.
“I have a philosophy about lying.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s your philosophy?” I asked when she didn’t continue.
“Not to do it.” She shrugged.
I tried to fight it but I lost the battle and my body started to shake, then my amusement peaked and I belted out a laugh.
“Good philosophy to have,” I said through a chuckle.
After a beat of silence, she smiled and I was reminded of the first time I saw her.
She was staring at her laptop, typing something, with a sexy grin tipping up her lips.
That was what had caught my attention—her alone, typing, smiling like she was totally comfortable in her own company.
Then I’d sat with Wilson, Asher, and Davis at our table counting down the minutes until I could make my approach.
I’d barely listened to Wilson’s brief, all my attention riveted on the beautiful woman in the booth next to me stealing glances when she thought I wasn’t watching.
“I’m really glad you found us,” Brooklyn murmured.
The space around my heart constricted. Regret burned in my stomach. I tightened my arms around her.
“So am I.”
“I promise—”
“You’ve already explained and apologized multiple times. I’ve explained I don’t blame you. No more of that. Let's move on from here.”
Brooklyn’s chin dipped, her gaze held mine, and she studied me.
She did this for a long time, long enough for me to slip back to the night I met her.
The feel of her hand as it slipped into mine.
I’d felt the spark before we’d made it back to my room.
Ten minutes later, that spark had ignited into something surreal.
The feel of her straddling my lap, taking my cock, pressing her body to mine had opened me to a whole new level of connection—then and now—that awoke a savagery I’d kept leashed.
It wasn’t a protective instinct—it went beyond that.
It was barbaric, uncivilized, rude, and obscene.
And I felt the power of it again with her innocently sitting on my lap now.
I had planned to move slow, dig in until I was rooted in Brooklyn’s life, in Remy’s. But now I understood that wasn’t going to work. I had a great deal of patience. I was good at the long game, silently hunting my prey until the time was right to strike.
Except now with Brooklyn, need overshadowed patience.
“Are you going to take Remington from me?” she whispered, and my body jerked, taking Brooklyn along for the ride.
“Fuck no!”
Her eyes flared at my violent response before she completely relaxed in my arms.
“You said you didn’t want to be a part-time dad,” Brooklyn reminded me.
The time was right to strike and I was really fucking glad she was still on my lap. I wanted her close, wanted to feel her body’s reaction to what I was saying, but the bottom line was I simply liked touching her.
“I’m not gonna be a part-time dad. I’m also not going to take a boy away from his mom and family. I’m gonna stay in Idaho and be present in his life and in yours.”
I waited for her to stiffen but instead, she sagged into me.
“What else is weighing heavy on your mind?” I continued.
“It was just that.”
“Bullshit.” At that, Brooklyn went solid.
“As soon as we walked into your place you went wired. And when I started looking around you got antsy. So, tell me, Brooklyn, what else is on your mind? We’ve got a lot to catch up on and the only way we get past this is if both of us just let it hang out.
All of it, babe. You can tell me anything and I’ll repay the favor. ”
“There’s not enough hours in a day for me to tell you all the things that have been running through my head since I saw you again.”
Brooklyn was right about there not being enough hours. We needed to get back to Smutties and talk to Letty before she had to go pick up Remington from school. And I had no idea what her work schedule was but I reckoned at some point in the day she needed to work.
“Fair enough. So how ‘bout we start with something easy? Why were you nervous when we got here?”
Brooklyn let out a long exhale. Then she shocked the hell out of me and did exactly what I’d asked—she let it all hang out.