Chapter 13
13
Nina thought Zeke and Monty were going too far with the protection at the office, but she couldn’t shake the fear she felt and was grateful for the wall of men surrounding her. Even though she would never admit it to them.
Inside, she was ushered past the front desk and into the security of the office beyond. Zeke and Monty kept her between them and led her to Monty’s office.
Nina went to the couch and hugged her knees to her chest while Zeke detailed the whole thing to Monty.
“So you’re not positive they were following you?” Monty asked.
Zeke glanced at Nina and shook his head. “No. It appeared as though they were. They followed every turn I made, even at the last minute, turning quickly like they weren’t prepared for the turns. If I was betting, I’d say they were following us, but I can’t guarantee it.”
“Fuck. And that means they know where Nina’s staying.”
“Hard to imagine they don’t.”
“What about Monica and Star?” Nina asked.
“Samuel and Austin are taking care of them. Getting them out of the house and over to the FBI for protection.” Monty spared Nina a glance before returning his focus to Zeke. “They didn’t see anything.”
“That’s good. Hopefully it means they’re safe,” Zeke said.
Nina got the feeling the men were thinking something but keeping it to themselves. Or between themselves because the looks they both gave her said the same thing. She just wasn’t sure what that was. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she snapped.
“Like what?” Monty asked.
“Like there’s something else.” Nina stared down her brother until he sighed.
“We’ve been worried about you. We’ve talked about moving you to a safe house or getting protection around the clock.”
“I have protection. I have you two.”
Monty shook his head.
Zeke moved toward the door. “I’ll let you two talk.”
Nina opened her mouth to argue, but she realized they already had this conversation. Sometime when she wasn’t around. Sometime when they agreed what was best for her without her input.
Zeke closed the door behind himself and walked into the bullpen, sitting at a desk next to a Black man whose name Nina didn’t remember.
“You’re not safe, Nina,” Monty said. “You said she lied to you about me, but it’s obvious she knew where I was this whole time. Probably Zeke, too.”
“She didn’t know anything about Zeke.”
“She knows everything. She knows so fucking much, Nina. And she knows you do, too.”
“I know.” Nina picked at her nail, wishing she could go back and never walk out that night. Even her father couldn’t have been as bad as Gwendolyn. But Nina didn’t know that when she was seventeen and vulnerable and scared and made that decision.
Monty sat on the couch next to Nina, pulling her close.
She dropped her feet to the floor and leaned against her brother. “I never wanted you guys in danger.”
“We’re used to it. We expected it. But now that we have proof that she’s watching you, we can’t leave you so exposed.”
“I can’t go back into hiding. I can’t… I need to be free.” Tears flooded her eyes and tightened her throat. It wasn’t the same, but it felt the same. Stuck indoors, watched constantly, not allowed to go anywhere alone. Nope.
“And you will be once we find her and bring her in. But all the places you told the FBI about were empty. She’s smart. She cleaned out everything. Nothing was left behind, not even DNA that could be linked to her.”
“She’s always a step ahead,” Nina whispered.
“Yeah. But that means we need to do everything in our power to keep you safe.”
“I just want to live my life,” Nina said. “I just want to be free.”
“You will be. I promise you, Nina. I will do everything to make sure you’re free. But first, I need you safe.”
A knock on the door had Nina and Monty looking up. Monty waved for Zeke to come in.
“I was going to grab some food. Are you guys hungry?” Zeke asked from the door to the office.
Nina sat up and nodded.
Monty stood. “Why don’t you ask Berkeley to order for the office? Put it on the company card.”
“Call her and see,” Zeke said, nodding toward the phone.
“No, just go ask her,” Monty said quickly. “She gets annoyed when she feels like she’s not a part of things.”
Zeke rolled his eyes and nodded. “True.” Zeke left, heading toward the front where the office manager’s desk was on the other side of the security door.
“Should I know something about you and Berkeley?” Nina asked.
“What? No. Hell no,” Monty said without meeting her gaze.
“Are you sure? Because you’re acting like there’s something to know.”
“Nothing. She works for me. That’s it.” Monty’s tone said not to push the topic, but Nina knew her brother. It didn’t matter that it had been twelve years, she knew Monty when he liked someone. And he had a thing for his assistant, no matter what he said.
Nina let Monty have the lie and let him return the conversation to her imprisonment. “I know you hate it, but I don’t think I can do my job if I’m worried you’re not going to be around next time I come home.”
Before Nina could argue again, Zeke returned with visitors. Agent Lorelei Sloane and a white man Nina was sure she’d seen before but didn’t know where.
Zeke knocked again, letting himself in without waiting for an answer from Monty. “Found these two up front. Berkeley’s ordering lunch to be delivered. The agents wanted to talk to all of us.”
Monty approached them, his hand extended. “Good to see you both again. What can we do for you?”
Agent Sloane approached Nina. “Nina, this is my partner, Adam Johnson.”
Nina sucked in a breath. “Raina.”
“You know my wife?”
“You’re the ones Frannie mentioned?”
“Uh, I’m not sure, but we know Frannie.”
Nina shook her head. “Frannie said Damon’s ex was married to the man who saved her, but I didn’t realize it was you. Gwendolyn was furious with Damon for chasing Raina down. He was putting the company at risk with his actions, and she was ready to kill him herself. When he chased you two all over, Gwendolyn was tracking him. She said…”
Nina rolled her lips in and looked at the four of them. They stared at her, hanging on every word she spoke.
“What did she say?” Adam asked.
Nina closed her eyes. Telling them wasn’t part of her plan. She didn’t want to say what Gwendolyn said, but she’d gone too far. “Gwendolyn said she didn’t understand what everyone saw in Raina London. She wanted her as one of her own girls because she figured Raina had a magical pussy if both you and Damon were willing to travel all over the east coast for her.”
The collective intake of breath was shocked and angry. Lorelei scowled. Monty closed his eyes. Zeke pinched the bridge of his nose. Adam just stared back at Nina, his bright blue eyes kind.
“I’m pretty partial to my wife’s magical pussy, but I’m not very good at sharing so your former captor is going to have to go fuck herself,” Adam said.
A shocked laugh popped out of Nina. She clapped a hand over her mouth, and Adam winked at her.
“Raina will love hearing that, but it’s also going to terrify her that Gwendolyn knows who she is,” Adam said, rubbing a hand over his chin.
“If it helps, I think she was jealous. Gwendolyn didn’t like anyone else having more power than her, and Damon wouldn’t listen to anything she said because he was too busy chasing Raina. Gwendolyn would scream about him more than she would about Raina. Said he had a job to do and he was messing it up because of Raina.”
“Sounds familiar,” Lorelei said with a smirk.
“It’s that magical pussy of hers. I couldn’t help but fall in love with her while we were running for our lives,” Adam told Lorelei with a huge grin.
“She’s going to love hearing that you’re telling everyone about her magical pussy,” Lorelei said.
“If you got it, flaunt it,” Adam countered.
“Did you two come here for a reason?” Monty asked, sounding frustrated and uncomfortable.
“Sorry, yeah,” Lorelei said, containing her laughter. “We wanted to see if Nina has any other ideas about where Gwendolyn Lennox could be. We’ve searched all the properties you mentioned, and all the places we had on our list, which wasn’t many more, and we’re out of ideas.”
Nina shook her head as Lorelei spoke. She tried to think back over the last twelve years. The first house that was raided was Gwendolyn’s favorite. Most of their time was spent there. After that one, the place Nina escaped from was next, then the other four she told Lorelei about before. “There are places she would keep the girls. Different houses around the city. But I don’t know where any of those are. You could ask Star or Monica or any of the others.”
Lorelei and Adam exchanged a look, then turned those looks on Zeke and Montgomery. “That’s why they requested to be moved? Because she knows about them?” Lorelei asked.
“It’s my fault,” Nina said before her brother could fall on his sword for her. “I overheard them talking and forced them to take me.”
“Forced how?” Adam asked, his hand going to his hip.
“Whoa, no,” Monty and Zeke said at the same time. They both held their hands up and stepped in front of Nina.
“She did not force anything,” Monty said. “She’s my little sister. I couldn’t say no to her. I take responsibility for it. But she did not threaten us or force us or do anything else to get her way. Do either of you have a sister?”
Nina stared at the four people in a standoff in front of her. Zeke and Monty were protecting her from FBI Agents because she said something wrong. Because she didn’t know what her words said to them until they reacted the way they did.
She was about to say something when Adam sighed and removed his hand from his gun.
“Yeah, I have a sister. And I get it. I’d do anything for her,” Adam said.
“Poor choice of words,” Lorelei provided, peering between the men to Nina.
Nina nodded. “I’m sorry. I wanted to see them. I… I thought we were friends. They didn’t agree.”
“I’m sorry,” Lorelei said. “And for the record, none of the locations they’ve given us have turned up anything, either.”
“So now what?” Monty asked.
“Now we try a different plan,” Adam said, looking at Nina.
“What plan?” Zeke asked.
“We offer something Gwendolyn can’t resist,” Lorelei said.
“What can’t she resist?” Monty asked.
“Getting me back,” Nina said.
All four of them turned to her, but only Zeke spoke.
“Fuck no.”
Zeke saw red. Fucking blood red with black slashes through it. Angry, evil, claw-like slashes he felt in his chest at the thought of Nina being anywhere near that monster. His chest was tight, his fists already curled, ready to attack.
“What he said,” Montgomery growled. “Not happening.”
“Look, we know—” Adam started.
“You know? You know. You know what she’s been through. You know what she had to do to survive there. You know about the drugs and the rapes and the beatings and you still think this is a good idea?” Montgomery shouted.
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Zeke was happy Montgomery said it because he felt all of it. Every word, every thought, every piece of that truth. Nina already risked her life. She already walked away and ended up in the clutches of that demon. There was no fucking way he was ever going to let it happen again.
“It’s my choice,” Nina whispered.
“You can’t possibly be considering this,” Montgomery said, turning his ire on his sister. “No. It’s not happening, Nina. I’m not going to let you.”
“You’re not in charge of me, Monty. I love you, but I need to make my own decisions. I need to be able to choose what I do.” Nina stood and faced him, her hands in tight little balls of fury that would do nothing if she swung at Montgomery. Or anyone. She couldn’t defend herself. She would be gone, disappear again, and this time, she wouldn’t call him to come get her. She’d be in the morgue. If she was ever found.
“Why this?” Montgomery asked. “Why would you risk it? Why would you even consider going anywhere near her again? You know she’ll kill you.”
“She’s going to anyway,” Nina said.
“No. No, we’re not going to let that happen. We’re going to keep you safe.” Montgomery wiped the tears from his cheeks.
“As long as she’s out there, I’m not safe. I’ll never be safe. She knows I talked. She knows I’m a risk. She’s not the kind of person who offers forgiveness. She shoots first and asks questions later.”
“And you want to go back to her?”
“No!” Nina laughed mirthlessly. “Hell, no. I want to stop her. I want her dead. I want her to end this hell she’s put so many people through. His wife, her, all the others Frannie told me about. So many more no one knows about. Women who’ve been sold off, who were killed, who will never have a life to go back to. Why would I want someone like that running around free and I’m trapped in a house and hiding for the rest of my life, hoping and praying she doesn’t find out where I am? You don’t know what she’s capable of, Monty. No idea. She’s evil. She will kill anyone she thinks will cross her. Why would I not do everything possible to stop her?”
Zeke heard the words, but it was Nina. It was the woman he loved. It was the most important person in the world to him. If it was someone else, anyone else, he might agree it was the right thing. He might understand.
But it was Nina.
Montgomery was silent after her outburst, and Zeke’s gut sank.
“You can’t possibly be considering this,” Zeke growled at his best friend. “We already agreed!”
Montgomery looked at Zeke. It was all right there. All in his eyes. The truth and the guilt and the acknowledgement that he was going to say yes.
“No! Fuck no! I’m not letting it happen. I can’t.” Zeke turned to Nina and grasped her hands, forcing her to look at him. “Don’t do this. Don’t go to her. Don’t leave me again. Just stay. We’ll leave. We’ll go on the run. I’ll protect you forever. I’ll never let her get to you, and when they find her, we can come back.”
Nina shook her head as Zeke spoke. “I can’t do that, Zeke. What if they never find her? What if she hurts someone else? What if someone dies because of me? I can do something. I can help. I can draw her out. She’ll be stopped. She’ll be done. People will be safe.”
Zeke shook his head, unable to believe his ears. They were all looking at him, all dismissing his thoughts. All acting like this was no big deal. No concern, no worries. She would be fine.
She wouldn’t be fine. Zeke knew how these things went. He knew even if she survived, she wouldn’t be okay. Not with the devil staring at her. Gwendolyn Lennox was not going to play fair. She wouldn’t follow the rules.
And Nina was not going to be the same if they went through with the plan.
Zeke looked around the room and had to walk away. They weren’t going to listen to him. He had no authority. He wasn’t the boss. He wasn’t her brother. He was just the man who wanted to love her forever. He didn’t count.
They all called after him as he walked away, but Zeke didn’t stop. He didn’t care what they had to say. He was not going to change his mind. He was not going to approve the whole thing. He just couldn’t. He couldn’t.
He slammed his way into the bathroom, stopping short when he almost hit Samuel with the door.
“Whoa. You good?” Samuel asked.
“No,” Zeke growled, ignoring his friend and pacing the bathroom in front of the stalls. He punched a door, enjoying the slam of it hitting the wall and bouncing back. He punched another one. Then another.
“What’s going on?” Samuel asked in that way of his. The way that said he’d been around and seen some shit and probably knew exactly what to say to make you feel better.
Zeke didn’t want to feel better. He wanted to stew in his anger and be pissed off at the world. Because he was terrified. She was going to walk away from him again, and he couldn’t stop her again.
“Want me to guess?”
“No,” Zeke blurted. “Fuck no.” Samuel came up with the worst guesses. Weird ass shit that no one wanted to hear.
“You finally worked up the nerve to tell Mont you’re in love with him and he wants to run away together?” Samuel asked.
Zeke laughed at the absurdity of it. “I think that would be easier.”
Samuel’s brows went up at that comment. “Okay, that’s not what I thought you’d say.”
Zeke shook his head slowly. “They want to use Nina as bait and draw out Gwendolyn Lennox.”
Samuel stared at Zeke, waiting for the rest. When Zeke didn’t continue, Samuel narrowed his eyes. “Are you surprised by that? I mean, that’s an easy option. And with a case like this one, it sounds like a really good option. I know she’s the boss’s sister and all, but…”
Zeke glared at Samuel, not liking the look Samuel was giving him. “What?”
“You want a vote but can’t get one unless you admit you love her.” Samuel was too on the nose for Zeke.
“She wants to. She said she’ll do it. And she convinced Mont that it’s a good idea.”
Samuel whistled low and long. “She’s one tough cookie, isn’t she? I can understand why you fell for her.”
“I fell for her before. When she was too young and I wasn’t allowed to be in love with her.”
Samuel shrugged. “She’s still strong. Sounds like she was pretty strong to walk away when she did, back then and now, even if it was bad. Only problem is now you’re involved with her and haven’t told Mont and can’t think like you need to because you’re too in love with her to see what makes sense.”
Zeke scrubbed a hand down his face, relieved to finally talk to someone about Nina. “Yeah.”
“The hard part is you loving her doesn’t change anything.”
“The fuck it doesn’t.”
Samuel shook his head. “It doesn’t. And if it was any of the rest of us, you would be saying that. Yeah, you love her. Yeah, you’re sleeping together. Maybe she loves you. But there’s still a threat out there. A very real one that’s coming for her. She’s in the crosshairs every day. She will be until this is over.”
“So she should just stand out in the open and pretend there isn’t a mark on her?”
“No, but she has to handle it. And if she wants to, you telling her no is not going to win you any favors.”
“Fuck favors. I need her alive.”
“Even if she never speaks to you again?”
Zeke felt that same slice of fear as before. Like he was gutted with one swipe of the monster’s claws. “Fuck.”
“It’s not easy. None of this is easy. But you trying to control everything and standing in her way of doing what she thinks is right isn’t going to make things easier. All it’s going to do is drive you apart.”
“But she’ll be alive.”
“You don’t know that. I wish I could agree, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Gwendolyn Lennox, it’s that she’s evil. She’s not stopping until she gets what she wants. And right now, it seems she wants your woman. So you have to decide if you’re willing to trust Nina or if you’re going to be the big bad hero and lock her up in your basement and not let her out until you’ve scorched the earth to protect her.”
Zeke didn’t like those options. Why wasn’t there another one?
“Think about it.” Samuel clapped Zeke on the shoulder and left the bathroom.
The sound outside the door reached Zeke for a moment before silence returned.
Zeke sank to the floor, put his face in his hands, and tried to decide which outcome he could live with.