Page 52 of Forbidden Confessions, Volume 2 (The Forbidden Volumes #1)

Ridge

I don’t know what time it is when the buzzing of the phone on the battered desk across the room jars me awake.

Cursing the fact I fell asleep, I bolt out of bed and sprint for the device. I glance at the display. It’s nearly five a.m. But the caller’s name shocks me even more.

Ransom.

“What’s wrong? Why the fuck are you calling again so soon?” I snap since we’re only supposed to talk if there’s an emergency.

“I need out. Now.”

“What?” He’s leaving me alone on this case?

“You heard me.”

“Are you fucking serious? I’ve been working this shit for too long for you to just bail.”

“Look, I hoped we’d be done. But I’ve got to end my part in this fucking charade. I’m in love.”

The guy who hasn’t spent more than a few hours with the same woman since high school? “You?”

“Yeah. I took her to bed last night.”

“Am I supposed to congratulate you? You fucked some woman. Whoopee… You can’t be serious here.”

“She turned eighteen yesterday. She was a virgin. I willingly fucked her bareback—more than once—and she’s not on the pill. That serious enough for you?”

And then some. Whoa. For almost two decades, Ransom has sworn he would never settle down, never have more kids, and never let another woman have that much power in his life. So this is beyond significant.

“Shit. You’re not playing.”

“Nope.”

“But she’s your son’s age. You’re a grown-ass man. What are you going to do, finish raising her?”

“Fuck off. I called to give you a heads-up. I plan to dust Paul Carboni pronto so he can’t come after me again.

I can do Donzelli, too. Since I’m a ‘dead man,’ neither will see me coming and no one will suspect me.

God knows they deserve it for selling human beings like sacks of groceries.

It will also get you a step closer to getting out of this shitty mess.

What you do with the opportunity is up to you. I’m hanging up now.”

He’s got a point. More than one, actually.

I have to get out of this fucking mess right now, too.

But my brother? I’m worried about him getting mixed up with some barely legal chick who will fuck him up like his ex from high school.

“Wait! I didn’t mean to piss you off. I’m just saying Lydia did a number on you, and this girl?—”

“Havana.”

I snort. Ransom always did have his priorities in his pants. “With a name like that, I’m guessing she has a fuck-me mouth and great tits.”

“Shut up.”

“So she doesn’t?” I wait. Silence. “That’s what I thought. You can’t be into Havana for her intellect.”

“You don’t know her, so stop making assumptions.

She’s way more mature than Lydia, who had everything handed to her as a kid.

Havana has been on her own for two years.

She’s got the biggest fucking heart. She wants to be a vet.

She’s smart enough to do it, too. And by the way, I’m still here for you to bitch at because she saved my life last night.

So back the fuck down. I’m telling you I want out, and this is how it’s going to go down. ”

“Okay. Sorry. I didn’t know. It’s been a long night, and I’ve got major problems here.”

“Do you need help?”

I shouldn’t drag Ransom in deeper if he wants out. “If I do, I’ll let you know. Look, I think I speak for Rand and Rush, too, when I say we don’t want another girl to trample your heart. Does Havana really make you happy? Can you live with this girl for a month? A year? The rest of your life?”

“Yeah. I won’t say the age difference didn’t give me pause, man. I tried to resist. God, I fucking tried. But when you know, you know, at least according to Rand and Rush.”

That’s how it happened for me on New Year’s Eve.

One look, one kiss…and my heart was Kristi’s.

“They’re right. Listen, don’t touch Donzelli.

He’s mine. The truth is, I need out, too.

Like, now. I think I’ve finally got enough evidence.

” Well, not really. But Ransom doesn’t need to hear that right this minute.

I’ll figure it out. “And I have an idea. So let’s move on this. ”

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I, um…met someone, too.”

“When?” Ransom sounds both curious and suspicious.

“Recently.” I wince. I hate to admit this, but he has a right to know. “And she’s fucking here now.”

“ What? ”

Yep, he’s pissed. I sigh. “Long story. Be careful with this girl.”

“Havana,” he reminds me with growl. “You be careful there, too, bro. Stay focused. Get Donzelli done soon.”

“Tell me when Paulie is dead, then I’ll make my move.”

“Is he home?”

“Yep. It’s just Rudy, Sal, and some of the other guys. Let me know once you’ve iced that stupid bastard. Be safe. I’ve got to go.”

There’s nothing more to say. I end the call.

“Ridge?” Kristi says softly across the room, sheets rustling. “Is everything all right?”

No, but it can be. With my brother bailing and Kristi in jeopardy, I have to cash out. Not in the next twenty-four hours. Not in the next two, even. Now.

Unless I can magically find the evidence I need before then, I’ll be blowing the three long years of progress I’ve sunk into this op.

Pulling out prematurely will make my professional reputation suck hairy balls for a while, and I may lose all the clients Ransom and I have worked to acquire, but nothing is more important than the woman I’ll be spending my next fifty years with and the baby we’re having.

I text a code to an emergency burner phone and get the response I need. I’ll have backup in an hour. I have sixty minutes to solve this mess and get out.

“Yeah. How’s Sammie?”

“Asleep.”

“Good. You try to get more rest, too,” I say as I toss on last night’s discarded clothes.

Instead, Kristi stands and pads across the chilly room to me in nothing but her bra and panties. It’s the wrong time to appreciate how sexy she looks, but I can’t not notice the obvious. “What about you? It’s only been a few hours. You hardly slept.”

As much as I’d love to curl up next to the woman who stole my heart and protect her from what might come… “I can’t stay. You’ve still got my Glock, right?”

She nods. “Under my pillow.”

“Keep it handy.” Earlier, I stopped by Donzelli’s suite, where I keep a few toys stashed for special occasions, and picked up a spare.

“Hopefully, you won’t need it, but be ready for anything.

” The next hour is likely to be fast and furious and all kinds of fucked up. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Alarm flits across her face. “Where are you going?”

Donzelli gave me enough of his rope that I might finally be able to hang him.

Yeah, I could simply turn him over now and hope that justice will be served, but bastards like him have a long memory and an even longer arm.

I’m going to try like hell to figure out how to put him away and keep him from pursuing a heaping helping of revenge at the first opportunity.

I press a hard kiss to Kristi’s lips, lingering a second longer than I should before I force myself to pull away. I hope like fuck that isn’t the last time I ever kiss her. “To end this for good. I love you.”

When I turn away, she grabs my sleeve and pulls me back. “It’s probably crazy, but I love you, too. Come back in one piece. You promised me fifty years.”

“That’s a promise I intend to keep.”