Page 35

SIMON

“She’s so pretty.” Myra sits next to her sister on the hospital bed, eyes fused to the tiny baby tucked in Lydia’s arms.

I’ve seen plenty of babies over the years—my brothers are in the habit of making as many of them as they can—but I’m always struck by how fucking small they are. How helpless and fragile and delicate.

It’s a little terrifying.

Lydia turns to Myra. “You want to hold her?”

Myra’s gaze jumps to where I stand next to Christian, lingering just a second before going back to her sister. She bobs her head in a small nod.

I watch, unable to breathe as Lydia settles the baby into Myra’s embrace. It’s not hard to imagine this moment as a very different scenario. One where it’s not Christian’s baby my Myra’s holding.

“It fucking sucks.” Christian’s voice is low in my ear.

My head snaps his way. “What?”

He tips his head at his wife. “Having to watch them suffer. Knowing it’s your fault. That there’s not shit you can do to stop it. It fucking sucks.”

That’s an angle I hadn’t considered. But now it’s going to haunt me at night. “Thanks for the tip.”

“No problem.” Christian shrugs. “I figured, based on the way you’re looking at her, it wouldn’t be long before it was Myra in that bed.”

I haven’t told anyone about the deal I made with Myra. The agreement we negotiated. It didn’t feel like it was their business. And I didn’t want one of my brothers to try to talk me out of it.

Or kick my ass over it.

“She wants kids.” I can’t pull my eyes away as Myra gazes down at her niece. “So do I.”

Christian snorts. “You’ve wanted kids since we were eighteen.” His eyes slide my way. “It’s probably about time you got some.”

I drink in the sight of Myra holding a baby, the smile on her face making my chest ache. Everything I’ve gone through—all the pain-and-suffering and loss—led to this moment.

This woman.

“I don’t disagree.” I keep my response short and simple.

I’m not sure what Myra’s told Lydia about us. How much of our situation she’s explained. And until I figure that out, I’m not offering any of it to Christian. He’s my brother, but he’s also a husband, and I know for a fact he will tell Lydia every single bit of anything I might confess.

Reluctantly, Myra gives the baby one last look before passing her back to Lydia. “She’s perfect.”

I hold my position as Myra and Lydia say their goodbyes, letting her lead this whole experience. She’s the only reason I’m here, witnessing this private moment. It’s about Myra meeting her niece, not me getting a peek at my future.

Even if both happened.

After a few more minutes, Myra turns to me, smile wide and hopeful. “Are you ready to go?”

“I’m ready whenever you are.” I manage to stop myself from calling her Sweetheart or Baby . But just barely.

Myra comes straight to me, surprising me by sliding her hand into mine in a blatant show of connection and affection I’m not prepared for.

But I’m going to take it and hold on tight.

I don’t miss the way Lydia’s eyes track us and our intertwined fingers as we cross to the door. Myra gives her one last smile before we cross through the door and out into the quiet hall. We’re barely a few doors down before Myra’s gaze comes to me. “What did Christian say to you?”

“He said it was awful having to watch Lydia go through labor.” I don’t even consider holding back. It’s how I know Christian would tell Lydia anything I told him. Because I’ll do the same with Myra.

Myra’s brow furrows as she studies me. “Does that make you want to change your mind?”

I pull her closer as we get in the elevator, tucking her body tight against my side as a group of doctors in scrubs files in behind us.

Leaning in her ear so they don’t get to participate in our conversation, I ask, “Do you mean, have I decided I don’t want a baby because you’ll have to suffer to make it happen? ”

Myra nods up at me, eyes wide. “Yeah.”

I shake my head, sliding a bit of her blonde hair behind one ear. “No. I haven’t changed my mind.” Brushing my thumb across her cheek, I add on, “But I can’t make any promises I won’t act like a complete fucking fool when you’re suffering.”

I’ve waited so long for her. Shown patience I didn’t think I possessed. I can’t fathom my reaction to seeing her in pain.

But I don’t expect it will be remotely reasonable.

“Maybe they can give you an epidural too.” Myra pokes me in the stomach. “Or maybe just a sedative.”

I chuckle, her joke easing just a little of the pressure already building in my chest over the prospect of watching Myra suffer through childbirth. “Luckily I have a while to prepare for it.”

“I guess that depends on how long you consider a while.” Myra gives me a sweet smile before pointing out a truth that sends my stomach dropping to my boots. “Technically, I could already be pregnant.”

“I really appreciate you letting us use this place.” Butch tosses his bag and Becca’s onto one of the sofas in my fifth-wheel.

“It’s a limited time offer. I’ll be leaving in a few weeks for a job in Florida, but it gives you a little time to come up with another option.

” I feel sick just talking about leaving.

Would back out of the Florida job in a heartbeat if I could.

But they’d never find a replacement in time and the whole project would be fucked sideways.

I don’t want to leave Myra, but I’m not going to screw over a whole team of people because of it.

“Hopefully this will all be over before then and it won’t matter.” Butch drops down to sit beside the bags, catching his head in his hands. “I’m not sure how much more of this Becca can handle. She’s fucking wasting away right in front of me and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

I understand his struggle. More than he knows.

But I also understand something he doesn’t.

“I don’t know if you saw, but that little woman fearlessly smacked me across the face with her flip-flop.” I chuckle a little at the memory. “She might be struggling, but she’s not going to break.”

Butch pulls in a deep breath, straightening to lean back.

“It’s not that I’m worried she’ll break.

Becca’s just different. She analyzes everything.

Picks it apart to the point she’s driving herself crazy.

She doesn’t eat. She doesn’t sleep. Her brain won’t shut off, and it’s going to push her over the edge. ”

I go to sit on the other couch, lowering to the cushions. “Has she found anything?”

Butch doesn’t respond.

“Fuck, man.” I scoff. “You still want to keep secrets?”

Butch scrubs a hand over his face, scratching at the shadow of growth lining his jaw.

“I don’t want you guys to be any more tangled up in this than you already are.

” His hand goes to his hair, raking through the dark waves.

“I thought I could just break into one of the vacant houses, hunker down knowing there were cameras everywhere, and you wouldn’t even suspect we were here.

I didn’t plan for you guys to ever know what was really happening. ”

“So why didn’t you? I told you which place was empty. You could have just gone in there and laid low.” Even as I say it I know it’s not true. Someone was checking that house every day to see if Butch was back. He would’ve never gone unnoticed.

It’s the same conclusion he must’ve also come to.

Butch laughs, the sound a little bitter. “Are you trying to tell me you guys didn’t have eyes on that house twenty-four-seven after I accidentally broke into Myra’s place?”

“Then why come back here at all? This can’t be the only place you have to go.” We obviously weren’t a huge part of Butch’s life. Not the way we all thought anyway. Surely he had friends and family—real friends and family—who could have helped him out.

Butch looks me over, hesitating just a second before admitting, “It wasn’t all a lie, Simon.

Most of what I told you guys about myself was true.

” His head drops. “You were my first undercover assignment. The department was trying to take King down, so I assumed when he went to prison I’d be reassigned.

Instead they kept me in place because they wanted me to start investigating all of you.

” Butch shakes his head. “I couldn’t do it.

I understood how you all ended up where you were, and there was no way I could let them—” He sucks in a breath, straightening.

“I tried to turn their focus to The Horsemen, and for a while that worked. When King got involved with them, I thought I was in the clear. That you were in the clear.” He runs his tongue across his teeth.

“But then King was killed and they pushed me right back on you. I kept telling them there was nothing. That you guys were all clean.” He stands abruptly and begins pacing in the small space.

“I would manage to get moved to another assignment, but they always dragged me back here. Kept trying to make me give them a reason to take you all down.”

“But we haven’t done anything in years.” I reconsider. “Well…”

“It didn’t matter. My boss had a fucking hard-on for you guys and he wouldn’t let it go.

” Butch shakes his head. “It never made sense.” He stalks past the kitchen.

“I stayed in the department as long as I could, but then shit started going sideways and I—” He turns to me.

“I don’t know who they might try to send in to take my place.

” He walks toward me. “Don’t fucking trust anyone.

Not a single fucking person, understand? ”

I swallow hard. “You think they’ll still try to take us down?”

“I don’t know what they’re capable of.” His eyes drift in the direction of Myra’s house where she and Becca are hanging the curtains Myra and I bought on our way back from the hospital yesterday.

“I never would have thought they’d be caught up in something like what’s going on with Becca and her sister, but here we fucking are. ”

I shake my head at him. “You can’t take this on by yourself.

I’m sure you’re capable of shit I don’t even know about, but one man is still only one man.

” I lean forward, trying to catch his attention as he continues pacing.

“And if this group has connections in the police department, they’ve got them other places too. You need help. Let us help y?—”

“No.” His rejection is sharp and immediate. “You guys aren’t getting in the middle of this.”

“Okay.” I drag the word out slowly. “What about Christian’s friend? Zeke. The one who works for that security company. We could call him and?—”

Butch comes straight at me, grabbing me by the front of my shirt and hauling me upright. “Don’t you fucking dare call them about this.”

I grip his wrist, holding it as tight as he holds me. “Calm the fuck down, man. Zeke’s a good guy.” Good is relative, but still. “He can help us figure this?—”

Butch gives me a little shake, expression teetering on the edge of unhinged. “I said no .” His eyes drop to where he holds me, widening like he hadn’t even realized it. Letting go, Butch steps back, putting space between us. “I think they might be a part of all this.”

“You’re kidding.” I can’t imagine any of the men I met when Zeke and his team came here to Memphis needing help from Christian, would have anything to do with a human trafficking ring, let alone one kidnapping underage girls like Becca’s sister.

“I meant it when I said don’t trust anyone.” Butch snaps.

“Fuck.” I blow out a breath. “Is that why you were out in the woods that night? You were trying to figure out what we were up to and if you could still trust us?”

Butch’s brows pinch together. “The woods?”

“The night you broke into Myra’s place. You were in the woods earlier. We both saw you.” It was what brought me into Myra’s home.

Into her bed.

Butch barely shakes his head. “I didn’t come through the woods. I hopped the fence behind her house.” His skin pales. “And that was the first time I’d been here.” His eyes hold mine. “If someone was in the woods, it wasn’t me.”

My whole body goes cold, the chill sinking straight into my bones. “I’ll be right back.”

Butch is right behind me as I turn for the door. “I’ll come with you.”

It’s the middle of the day. Even if someone was watching in the woods, no way would they be?—

A woman’s scream cuts through the air and my already fast pace breaks into a run.

Because I recognize that voice. It’s the one that’s going to be singing my babies to sleep.

And I’ll gut anyone who tries to stop that from happening.