Page 19

Chapter Nineteen

Shae

I’d picked Tammy up so fast I didn’t think she was even fully awake. "Shh, it's okay baby," I soothed, clutching her tightly to my chest. "We're going to be alright." I could hear Drake shouting something, followed by the squeal of tires, and then gunfire. Maxie was barking frantically, and I grabbed him with my other hand. Even though I hated leaving Drake without help, I needed to get Tammy somewhere safe.

The bathroom. It was the only interior room without windows.

I dashed across the hall, Tammy's arms locked around my neck. Once inside, I closed the door and huddled in the bathtub, shielding Tammy with my body. She was awake, freaked, sobbing into my shirt.

"Drake!" I called out, praying he was okay. "Drake, we're in the bathroom!"

The noise outside seemed to be intensifying. How many attackers were there? My phone buzzed in my pocket. With shaking hands, I pulled it out to see a text from Jay:

ETA 2 mins Stay down

I heard the roar of truck engines and then the gunfire stopped. It took me a moment because the noise was ringing in my ears, but then Drake burst into the bathroom, and took a still sobbing Tammy out of my arms. I picked Maxie up and stumbled out just in time to see Jay running through the front door.

“Report,” Drake barked, and I put Maxie down and took Tammy back, rocking and hushing her.

“Two tricked-out SUVs came from the woods at the back. One gunman in each. As soon as they saw Dixie, who was the closest, they turned tail and ran. The alert will have gone to Rawlings.”

“Who’s following?” Drake demanded just as I said,

“What about Moira?”

“No one’s following,” Jay clipped out. “Our orders are to secure the house.” He glanced at me. “The neighbors weren’t a target. I have my men checking the whole perimeter but the SUVs came from the back fields not in the direction of their house.”

I heaved out a sigh, but Drake was on the phone to Rawlings, and I tuned him out. By some miracle Tammy was nearly asleep. I closed my eyes for a moment in despair. I’d nearly gotten her killed because selfishly I wanted to stay with Drake, even if I’d let myself be persuaded by the doubled security. If they’d have gotten anywhere near the house she could have been hit. Some big brother I was. Walking back into her room, I laid her in the bed. Maxie had run after us both and I picked him up and put him in her bed, and he coiled around her feet. They both needed the comfort.

I glanced around the room, and then went to the closet and pulled out one of the two small suitcases I knew was in there and started packing her things.

I wasn’t going all the way to Pink’s but I would go to the apartment.

As I got her things together, the fight we ‘d had ran through my head. Drake's jealous outburst earlier seemed so trivial now in light of what had just happened. But it also showed how precarious we were. We'd rushed into this relationship and living situation so quickly, bringing a traumatized toddler into the mix as well.

I had no idea what I was going to do about a job, and I hated being dependent on Diesel still, but I was out of options, and it was clear this wasn’t going to work. I felt a sharp stab of pain and rubbed my chest, knowing this wasn’t because of my heart. I huffed out a breath; well, not because of the scarring anyway.

Closing the suitcase, I took a deep breath to steady myself. I'd tell Drake we needed to stay at the apartment for now, at least until things calmed down. Hopefully he'd understand and come with us. But if not...well, I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. I checked that Tammy and Maxie were asleep then walked into my old room to grab some things from the dresser.

Not that I had much.

I heard Drake's voice, still talking to Rawlings, I assumed. Steeling myself, I picked up the suitcase and headed into the kitchen where he was still pacing in the living room, phone to his ear. He looked up when he saw me, his eyes dropping to the suitcase.

"I have to go," he said abruptly into the phone before hanging up. "Shae?"

I set the suitcase down. "Drake, I think Tammy and I need to stay at the apartment for a while. It's not safe here for her."

He nodded, then walked up to me, regret and indecision in his eyes. “Yeah. They’re just doing another sweep. How the hell the cops haven’t been called is beyond me, but Alec just checked Albert’s and he thinks they’re both asleep. Moira sleeps at the other side of the house and Albert takes pills.” He hesitated. “Rawlings won’t pull the protection on them, but—” He frowned down at his phone and answered it. “Danny, what—” I was just turning to get Tammy’s case when Drake’s face paled. “The fuck?” he whispered.

“What is it?” I just about felt my heart bounce against my ribs. He blinked and looked at me. “Both SUVs just exploded. All passengers still inside.” He listened as Danny spoke again, but I couldn’t take it in. That…that was crazy. Ryan had lost his ever-lovin’ mind.

He listened some more then hung up. “They were just about to get onto the highway, and thankfully no other cars were near.”

Dixie appeared. Clocked my suitcase. “You need a ride?” I glanced at her then back at Drake.

“This is getting way out of hand,” I said. “How did we go from amateur arsonists to a single drive-by shooting to World War Three?”

Drake looked as shocked as I was, and then scrubbed a hand down his face, and sighed, focusing on Dixie. “Who’s going to be on the apartment?”

“Jay says Danny and Kane are on their way there. Rawlings is coming here, but then tonight he’ll stay there, as will I. Emilio is on his way to the apartment as well. He’s pulled Mac in here to replace me. Jay, Alec, Mac, Tony, and Paula are on next door and the rest of the place.” She paused. “Gray has been sent to pick up Ryan Connaught, and Rawlings says you know where they’ll be if you want to join them.”

“Good, that means I don’t have to,” Drake said, darkly.

I desperately needed to talk to Drake alone, but that wasn’t going to happen. “Are you going to follow us?”

He met my gaze, the green of his eyes nearly black. “As soon as I can.”

It wasn’t exactly a promise, but I couldn’t ask anything else. Everything was so messed up, especially us. “What about Albert and Moira? Should I stop by before I go?”

He shook his head. “No, Alec says they’re asleep, but I’ll double check.” Then he marched over and took me in his arms, completely uncaring of his audience. “I’m sorry. I’m a jealous screw-up that doesn’t deserve you.”

I ignored Dixie’s snort and kissed him. I knew I had to take some responsibility for threatening to leave, even if he was being a dick. Threatening to leave played into everyone of Drake’s insecurities and I needed to stop that.

He gave the suitcases to Dixie and followed me back to Tammy’s room to get her in her car seat, which he managed without waking her up. I grabbed her small elephant and Maxie. I didn’t want a shitty long goodbye, and he seemed to get that, so he planted a fierce kiss on my lips, made sure both Tammy and Maxie were secure, and walked back inside.

I turned to Dixie. I didn’t really know her. “I’m sorry about all this hassle.” She grinned.

“That’s okay. Life was getting a bit boring. There’s only so many witnesses you can make sure sleep safe in their beds.”

Drake

It felt like I was losing them. Or had I just thrown them away? What the fuck had gotten into me? Jay came inside. He was on the phone but looked up at me. “Danny says the cops are all over the two SUV’s. It’s completely shut down the road.” He put the phone on speaker.

“Update,” Rawlings snapped out, so I knew he was on the call as well.

“I’ve watched the feed from two cameras,” Danny said, “and either the suicidal idiots had better timing than Swiss watchmakers or it was remotely detonated.”

“What the hell?” Jay whispered. “This is more like some CIA shit, not a land deal.”

I agreed. “What are Ryan’s financials like?”

“Tight,” Danny said. “Very tight. Doesn’t look like all his recent deals made the sort of money he got from Dearden. His expenses are high, designer everything and likes to party with high class escorts. He needs some urgent cash for certain. I’m looking now, and I can’t see anything except a withdrawal the day before the fire for five thousand, which fits in with what Jethro thought Lee had been given. I haven’t found another account yet, but there has to be one if he’s responsible for tonight.”

“Makes zero sense,” Jay muttered. And I agreed. I could see Ryan having his fingers in everything with two exceptions. The shooting in the parking lot which we still didn’t know if it was linked to my dad and remotely detonating two SUVs and passengers. That took serious, serious, money. He must have another bank account.

We’d checked all the property for another fifty minutes. Shae texted me to confirm they were at the apartment, and I blew out a sigh of relief. The cops hadn’t come near, and I thanked fuck that both cars had detonated far enough away. We quickly mended the fence the SUV’s had broken through and scoured the area for bullets. If the cops came nosing around tomorrow there would be no sign there had been any problem here. We were damn lucky. Apart from the fright, Jay and Dixie had reacted so quickly the SUVs hadn’t had time to do any damage. It must have been a nasty surprise to have people firing back at them.

Rawlings arrived then, his face grim. "Talk to me," he said as he strode in.

Everyone else was outside while I filled him in on everything that had happened.

“Surprised you didn’t insist on taking Shae yourself.” He knew what a protective asshole I was.

I didn’t reply, but there must have been something in my expression.

He folded his arms. “What did you do?”

I deflated. “Fucked up.”

“And are you going to un-fuck it or is Shae finally going to see sense and dump your sorry ass?”

My head shot up and I glared. What the actual?

“For some unknown reason, Shae loves you. I have no idea why because you’re a sorry stubborn bastard who doesn’t know a good thing when he sees it.”

I opened my mouth to retort but he talked over me. “Just do me a favor, do us all a favor. Make up your fucking mind, and if you’re walking away, this time stay gone.”

I didn’t reply. To say I was hurt was putting it mildly. Rawlings leaned forward. “That boy is like a son to me. I liked you for him. He needs a steady hand, not some kid that fucks off when he finds out Shae isn’t a party boy. Someone that’s already been around the block and can protect him. I thought because he needed you, you’d step up. If I didn’t think you felt the same way I’d have never sent you to get him the day you got back.” Rawlings looked at me like I was something he’d scraped off his shoe.

But he was right. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I know."

"Good. Now that we've established that, let's focus on the immediate problem. This is escalating way too fast. Ryan's desperate."

I blinked because going from business to being reamed out for being a crap boyfriend to business again was tying me in knots. I took a breath and focused on what I could at that moment. "I guess the thought of sixty mil makes you do stupid shit. But he’s gone from sloppy amateurs to Rambo wannabees."

Rawlings nodded. “We need to work that out and find out where the hell they came from. We’ll meet tomorrow and we’ll try to hash everything out. Jay says everything is secure.”

“I’m leaving after I check on Albert and Moira, and before you ask I’m going to the apartment and I’m going to grovel.”

Rawlings smirked. “About fucking time.”

I stood in the empty kitchen for quite some time after Rawlings had left because this time, I really thought I’d screwed up permanently. I also needed to go check on Albert and Moira and I hoped they didn’t answer. I hoped they were both asleep and I couldn’t believe the stress I’d brought down on them both. I should sell my place just for that, except I knew without me as some sort of backup, they’d both be too exposed.

I didn’t bother taking my truck. I needed the air. I grinned at the far paddock they rented as I walked past. It had the outline of six horses in there and one small donkey, and I couldn’t help the chuckle. Everything seemed dark so I assumed they were asleep as it was well after midnight, but I still knocked and tried the kitchen door. Locked. They must be in bed, so I slowly walked around the back of the house to double-check everything was secure, then started to walk away just as a light came on downstairs, then quickly shut off again. Frowning, I walked back around to the kitchen door and knocked again. “Moira, it’s me. We had a bit of excitement, and I wanted to check you were okay.”

I heard the door unlock and it opened slightly, revealing Moira clutching her robe. I smiled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” I hesitated and took in her pale face. Shit, she’d been awake, and it had frightened her. “Everything’s okay,” I soothed. “We’ve stepped up the security. No one’s getting in.”

She swallowed and didn’t say anything. “Moira?” I took a step to try and go inside. She didn’t look too good, but then someone yanked her backwards and before I even thought about it, I went for my gun.

Moira cried out and I took in the man standing behind her with a gun raised to her temple.

“Lower your weapon or grandma here gets her funeral a little earlier than she might have wanted.”

The voice came from someone else, so there were two, and another guy appeared from behind the first one and aimed a semi-automatic at me. Shit. If I tried to duck, Moira would likely die. And then I heard the click behind me and knew I was out of options, and lowered my gun, only to be pushed forward into the house and have my Glock taken. Moira sucked in a sob, and we were both pushed forward into the living room. Albert was sitting on one of the chairs, and I sucked in a breath at the unhealthy gray pallor of his skin, but then my attention was taken by a grunt of pain, and I saw Ryan on his knees, a fourth man holding a gun to his head. Sweat trickled down his temples and I didn’t need to see the damp patch on Ryan’s trousers to know he’d pissed himself. I could smell it.

Then I looked to the other large chair, knowing who I was going to see and cursing myself for dismissing it earlier. Of course, Ryan wouldn’t be running around with a team of trained guys with semi-automatics.

The man was in his eighties, at a guess, his black short hair liberally mixed with gray. He wore a meticulous suit, and shiny brown leather shoes. He tipped his head up to look at me, his steely brown eyes taking me in.

“Mister Starr,” he almost purred. “Or may I call you Ringo?”

I looked at Carlos Garcia, leader of the Los Reyes del Silencio drug cartel, then back to Ryan. “You stupid prick,” I snarled. “What the fuck did you do?”