Chapter Eleven
Anaheim, California
Sam punched in the gate code as Kit rattled off the numbers. He was impressed. Kit’s brother Anson had a very nice house.
“I think he could host a McKittrick family reunion,” he muttered as he drove up the long driveway.
Kit’s laugh was weary. “I haven’t been here in a few years. I forgot how huge it was.”
“I need to ask Anson for a job,” Baz said from the back seat. “The security business pays a helluva lot better than my pension.”
Kit turned around to look at her former partner. “Would you? Get another job?”
“Maybe. I’ve been bored. Marian wants to travel and go on cruises and that’s fine for her, but not for me. I need to be productive. This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
“We need to talk about your definition of fun,” Sam said darkly, because he wasn’t having any fun at all. His head hurt.
Even worse, his heart hurt, the memory of Akiko’s shock seared into his mind.
Her half brother had tried to kill Kit. Twice. He’d killed her aunt. It was mind-blowing.
But even more of a shock had been learning Ito’s true identity.
Edwin Ito was Akiko’s grandfather. The man had been the one rock in her life until she’d arrived at Harlan and Betsy’s house, had been her mentor since she was five years old.
For twenty-seven years he’d kept a life-changing secret from Akiko, and she was understandably hurt and angry.
Unfortunately, all the revealed secrets had raised so many more questions.
“Well, you know what I mean.” Baz sighed. “Not fun. But…I’m feeling…”
“Alive?” Kit asked, clearly understanding Baz’s point.
“Something like that. But I don’t want to feel alive at Akiko’s expense.”
“I know,” Kit said with a sigh of her own. “I shouldn’t have left her alone.”
None of them had wanted to leave Akiko after she’d been hit with so many bombshells that evening. But she’d insisted. She’d sit at Ito’s bedside until he woke up. Harlan had stayed with her.
It probably should have been Ricky Nicchi joining her at Ito’s bedside, but the bastard had disappeared once again.
Nicchi had been sitting with them in the private conference room they’d been given, listening to Kit’s grim retelling of Ito’s story so far.
They could assume Minako was dead, because Ito had said he “was” her father, but how had she died?
What had happened to the twin brother, Ichiro? Was he still alive?
Who was Akiko’s half brother?
Who was her biological father?
Once they’d recovered from their shock, they’d turned to Nicchi for more answers—why had Ito kept his identity a secret? What was the “danger” he was so afraid of?
But Nicchi’s chair had been empty.
Fucker was like a silent ninja. Nobody that big should be able to move so stealthily.
Asshole.
Sam pulled into one of the parking spots in front of Anson’s house. “Harlan’s with her. And your brother’s sent one of his employees to stand watch outside the ICU.” Anson himself would stay with Betsy and their current fosters. Just in case.
Sam wanted to think that it was paranoid to worry that whoever had shot Kit would attack McKittrick House, but unfortunately, it was quite possible. Akiko was at the center of this case, and the danger Ito feared—whatever it was—was quite real.
Ito’s injuries were proof of that.
Sam turned off the engine but didn’t move, his mind whirling. Kit sat staring up at the house, her expression a mix of exhaustion, anger, and fear.
He hated seeing fear on her face. She was courage personified—unless her family was in danger. He didn’t know what to say to her.
So he’d be there for her. He took her hand, and she glanced at him, her lips quivering up into a sad smile. “This is all so wrong.”
“It is,” Sam agreed. “Why didn’t Ito immediately contact Akiko after hearing that Mary was dead?”
She blinked slowly and he could see the gears of her mind start to turn. “That’s a damn good question. He was going somewhere. He had a suitcase in his apartment.”
“I’d hope he was going to Akiko,” Baz said. “It’s what I would have done under the circumstances, but then again, I’d never have kept such a secret from my granddaughter.” He opened the back door of the RAV4 with a groan. “Nicchi is a secretive SOB. I’m still not sure that he’s a good guy.”
“You and me both,” Sam said. “Let’s go inside. Baz is about to fall down.”
“You’re not doing much better, kiddo.” Baz’s sneer was indignant.
Sam chuckled. “You’re right. I need to sleep.”
Kit looked apologetic. “I’m sor—”
“Be quiet,” Sam ordered softly. “I’m exactly where I want to be. Well, on a soft mattress is exactly where I want to be right now, but you get my meaning.”
She smiled at him. “I do. Thank you.” She opened her own door and made a small sound of discomfort. “My arm hurts like a bitch.”
Sam got out of the SUV, grabbed the overnight bags they’d brought with them, and rushed to her side to help her get out. “Harlan gave me the painkillers the doctor prescribed.”
“Not taking them. They’ll make me sleep.”
“You need to sleep, Kit,” Sam said.
“Give it up,” Baz said, groaning again. He shouldered his own bag. “She’s more stubborn than both of us put together, Sammy.”
“Which is why I also got over-the-counter meds. Anson told your father that there are ice packs in his freezer. I’ll get you situated.” Sam gently put his arm around her shoulders, content when she leaned into him. “Come on. Let’s get some rest.”
She let him guide her into the house. “Hungry?” she asked, veering left from the foyer.
Sam followed her lead. “I could eat something.”
“Harlan said we’ll find deli meat in the fridge,” Baz said. “I’ll make us some sandwiches.”
The three of them ate in exhausted silence, and a half hour later Baz had already taken himself to bed, choosing one of the many guest rooms.
Sam wasn’t sure what Kit wanted to do, so he pushed his plate away and tipped her chin up so that he could see her eyes. They were more expressive when she was tired. She didn’t have the energy to maintain her walls.
He liked her like this, all soft and vulnerable, even though he hated the reason behind her weariness.
“Where do you want me to sleep?” he asked quietly.
She blushed, such a pretty sight. “I…” She closed her eyes. “I can’t…I’m not ready yet.”
He grinned, despite himself. “I didn’t think you were, but I appreciate that that’s where your mind went.”
She opened her eyes and he saw embarrassed amusement. “You don’t have to be so happy about it.”
His grin widened. “Oh, I think I do.” He kissed her forehead. “But, when you’re ready, I want to do it right. Not when you’re so exhausted. And not in your brother’s house.”
She laughed quietly. “Same. Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being so patient with me.”
“I’ve got all the time in the world when it comes to you.”
Her blush deepened. “The things you say.”
“Only the truth. Now, back to my question. Where do you want me to sleep? I can take a room next to yours or we can share. I don’t want you to be alone.”
Vulnerability replaced the embarrassment. “Me either. We can share.”
He rose and extended his hand. “Come on. It’ll be dawn soon.”
He led her to the second bedroom they came to after climbing the stairs. Baz was already snoring in the first room.
Sam kept going. “Let’s put a few walls between us and the snoring.”
“Deal.” She quickened her pace, stopping at the fourth room. “This is my favorite room. Nice soft mattress. Pretty quilt on the bed. Mom made it.”
Sam didn’t care about the decor. The soft mattress beckoned, and in a few minutes, they were both changed into sweats. Sam exhaled as he settled into the mattress, then held out his arm. “Just want to hold you.”
She obliged, turning off the light before snuggling up against him, her back to his chest. They hadn’t pulled the window shade, and the moonlight was bright.
But Sam was too tired to get up and pull the shade down.
He was pretty sure he’d regret that when the sun came up, but he didn’t think his body could move. Plus, he held Kit in his arms.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He kissed the back of her neck, his body waking up at her nearness. “Stop thanking me. I’m in this for the long haul, Kit. I’ve told you that.”
“I guess…” Her voice was small in the darkness. “I know. But it’s hard for me to…”
“To trust me?” That hurt, he wasn’t going to lie. But he’d get over it. She was here. With him. That was trust enough for now.
“No.” She rolled over, meeting his gaze in the moonlight. “I trust you, Sam Reeves. More than anyone else. I wouldn’t be here otherwise. I wouldn’t have let you near my family otherwise. It’s just hard to believe you want to be here. With me. I still don’t understand why you want me.”
That hurt even more than thinking she didn’t trust him yet. She truly didn’t see herself the way others saw her. The way he saw her. He cupped her cheek. “You don’t have to understand it. Just accept it.”
Her smile was wry. “Easier said than done.”
“Then accept it for tonight.”
She bit her lip, but nodded. “Okay.” She rolled back to her side and snuggled into him again. Then froze when her butt brushed up against the erection he was powerless to subdue. “Oh.”
He chuckled into her hair. He loved her hair, loved when she let it down like this. He loved Snarky Kit, but when she was like this, soft and open, her walls down…This was nice, too. “I can’t help it. I’m like this a lot around you. Nothing for you to worry about. I can wait, Kit.”
She said nothing, but she didn’t fall asleep. He could tell. He could almost hear her mind whirling, which was no surprise. His was, too.
“Want to talk about it?” he murmured.
“I don’t know.”
Not a “no” then. “Questions about the case?”
“Well, yeah. That too.”
He kissed her neck again and felt her relax a fraction. “Talk to me, Kit.”
“Akiko always wondered about her mother.”
“Okay.” He was afraid he knew where she was going with this. He didn’t know what to say. “Did you?”
“No. I didn’t care.”
He hummed sleepily. “Don’t believe that.”