I frowned, and my gaze shifted to the picture on the wall of her, Blaise, and Cree. They looked happy. Perfect. As if they belonged on a television ad. I doubted she would understand the kind of emotional crap that haunted me.

  “Yes, I’m very lucky,” she said, and I turned to see her looking up at the picture I’d been staring at. “Blaise Hughes loves me. That’s the only reason I’m even alive. I shouldn’t be. My mother died of breast cancer before I was three. I barely remember her. The man who I thought was my father wasn’t. The brother I had all my life wasn’t my brother.

  “Long story short, my mom had run away, pregnant, and married a widower with a kid. Not planning on dying and leaving her child with him.” She sighed and shook her head. “I won’t bore you with all the details, but if Blaise hadn’t been watching over me, I’d have been a victim of sex trafficking, only it would have been the man I thought was my father handing me over to the men who planned on selling me.”

  My mouth fell open as I stared at her. “Oh my God,” I whispered.

  She nodded. “Yep.”

  “Where is your dad now? I mean, the man you thought was your dad,” I asked.

  “Dead. Both him and his son.”

  Holy crap. “How? I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”

  “Blaise said Huck saved you when Gage had you tied up with a gun to your head. You had been cleaning the house of a man who had wronged the family. Everyone in that house was to be taken down. You’re lucky. You knew from the first day what they were. I hadn’t. I was clueless and fell in love with Blaise before I knew he was the next boss. Anyway, they killed the men I thought were my family. Because they were going to sell me.”

  I had no words. I sat there for a moment, letting that sink in, then asked, “Boss of what exactly?”

  She laughed then. A soft one that sounded as perfect as she looked. “Maybe you don’t know what they are. I’m not surprised Huck hasn’t explained. They keep their secrets close. But you’re living in their home. Hayes was your fiancé, so you’re family now.” She shrugged, as if that made sense. “The boss is exactly what it sounds like. He’s the leader, calls the shots. The guys don’t just go around, killing people. It only happens when business goes bad. They beat all around the bush, explaining it to me, to make it sound better. I am going to just be blunt with you. They’re the Mafia.”

  I started to smile. “You’re kidding, right?”

  She shook her head. “Not even a little.”

  Holy shit. Okay. Whew. I needed a minute.

  “Horse racing is their main thing. They’re good at it, but the Hugheses come from a long line of crime bosses. They have those around them who work for them. Families pass it down from generation to generation. They’re wealthy and smart with money, but they’re powerful and connected. Those connections are how they control things.”

  So many questions were swirling in my head, and I wasn’t sure what to ask first or if she’d even answer. Finally, I asked, “And Huck is one of them? Since he works for your husband?”

  Her husband was a Hughes. That had to be it.

  “Huck and his father and his father and his father. The Kingston men have been loyal to the Hugheses for generations,” she replied. “And, yes, Blaise is who Huck answers to because they’ve also been best friends their entire lives. When my father-in-law steps down, Blaise will take his position. But until then, Garrett is the boss.”

  Huck was in the Mafia. I shook my head. Hayes hadn’t been.

  “But Hayes was a Kingston.”

  Maddy gave me a sad smile. “Yes, but their parents died when he was young. I’m sure you know that. He chose to stay with his grandparents and eventually the ministry. Huck only ever wanted this life. This world.”

  I stared at this sweet, delicate blonde in front of me. The adorable little blond boy, full of laughter, and this house, which was so clearly a happy place. How was this family not only in the Mafia, but also the head of the Mafia? I’d never imagined it this way. But then all I knew about organized crime was what I’d seen on television.

  “What Huck said today, that wasn’t like him. I was shocked and disappointed. I don’t know what is going on in his head, but he’s a good guy. He’s saved me more than once from people trying to kill me and from myself. He is someone I consider a friend. Although the words he said were horrible, the passion he said them with, I’ve never seen it from that man. He never shows his emotions like that. It was different. Don’t … don’t write him off just yet.”

  There was nothing to write off. She didn’t know that though. I was a burden he hadn’t asked for, and as mad as I wanted to be at him, his words had held truth.

  A chime went off, and Maddy stood up. “Uh, someone is here.”

  We were two women, alone with a kid.

  We had passed a mansion on our drive back here that she had referred to as the big house. But we were about a mile away from that house.

  I stood up to go with her. She went over to one of the paintings of Cree on the wall and opened it like a door. My eyes widened as she pressed in a code, and another metal door opened. She reached in and pulled out a gun.

  Oh shit.

  She glanced back at me and smiled. “It’s probably nothing. Whoever it is got through the guards at the main gate, mansion, and our gate. I’m just being careful since the guys are gone.”

  I managed a nod, but no words were coming out. She walked casually back through the house and held the gun at her side. I stayed back, unsure of what I should do. When she got to the door, she opened another secret compartment on the wall behind what looked like artwork, and a screen appeared. On it was an attractive, well-dressed guy with dark hair standing outside the front door.

  She laughed and shook her head. “Nosy,” she muttered, closing the artwork and going to answer the door.

  “What are you doing? Why didn’t you call first?” Maddy asked as she held the door open for him to come inside.

  The guy walked inside and looked down at the gun in her hand. “Nice. You’ve gone all badass. Have a baby with the future boss and start answering the door with a Glock in your hand,” the guy drawled, then winked at her.

  Maddy closed the door and rolled her eyes. “Trinity, meet Trev Hughes. My brother-in-law and oftentimes a smart-ass.”

  Trev was dark, where his older brother was light. He also didn’t look intimidating, or maybe it was that he didn’t have an air of power radiating off him.

  “Trev, this is Trinity. My house guest,” she informed him. “I’d offer you wine, but it’s almost gone.”

  Trev gave me a crooked smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Trinity,” he said. “Like she said, I’m the better-looking brother.”

  I laughed, and his grin spread.

  “Come on in and join us. You knew she was here, and you’re being nosy. Admit it,” Maddy said as she walked past us and back toward the great room.

  “Maybe I came to see my little buddy,” Trev said, then winked at me this time.

  Major flirt. But I liked him.

  “Cree has been in bed for two hours. You know that,” she said as she put the gun back in its hiding place.

  Trev walked over to the nearest leather chair and dropped down into it, then turned his smile on Maddy. “You might almost be finished with the wine, but what about Blaise’s whiskey stash?”

  “You know where the bar is,” she replied and sat back down on the sofa.

  I walked over and returned to the spot I’d been in before Trev arrived. He was watching me.

  “Tell me, Trinity, how is life with the guys?”

  I shrugged. “Fine,” I lied.

  “You need to work on your lying skills. That sucked,” he told me.

  That was a touchy subject I wasn’t about to venture into.

  “Trev, don’t stir the pot, please,” Maddy said. “Huck isn’t Blaise.”

  He didn’t seem concerned, and truthfully, he didn’t need to be.

  “How old are you?” he asked.

  “Twenty-one.”

  “Just one year older. I like older women.”

  Maddy grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. “I am serious. Stop.”

  Trev held up his hands. “I was just making small talk,” he said. “Trinity, how do you feel about Grand Theft Auto?”

  Did everyone know what was on the background check? My face heated, and I dropped my gaze to stare at my hands in my lap. Apparently, the family had passed around the details of my past.

  “Did I say something wrong? If you don’t like video games, it’s cool.” Trev’s voice sounded concerned.

  Video games? Oh. He wasn’t asking me about the real thing.

  I laughed then and lifted my eyes up to meet his. He had an unsure look on his face as he stared at me.

  “I like video games. I used to play with Hayes sometimes,” I told him.

  He nodded and kept looking at me. “Did you think I meant real grand theft auto?” he asked.

  I pressed my lips together, unsure of how to explain this. I didn’t want them to know that I’d been arrested for it, although I hadn’t been charged.

  Trev leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees as he held my gaze. “Holy fuck. You’ve stolen a car.” Then, he threw his head back and laughed.

  I glanced at Maddy, worried she’d think I was a bad person to have in her home, but she was smiling at me. Did she know about my history? Had Blaise let her read my background information?

  “Blaise knows the truth,” she said softly. “The real truth.” Her smile was reassuring.

  “We’re going to the game room. It’s time to see how good your skills are. Maddy sucks at it. Don’t let me down,” Trev said, standing up and holding out his hand for me.

  I glanced at Maddy, and she nodded. Standing up, I put my hand in his, and he held it up in the air.

  “Come on, you naughty little felon. Let’s go play.”

  Eighteen

  Huck

  The past forty-eight hours had been all work. Pulling through the arched entrance of Hughes Farm was a fucking relief. I’d get some sleep. After eating and taking a shower, I might not get up until tomorrow.

  Blaise was out of the passenger side of the Escalade the moment I put it in park outside the stables. He’d been texting with Maddy, and she was working in her office inside the stables today. Maddy had wanted a job, and working on the ranch was the only thing Blaise had been willing to let her do. I would have gladly let her work at the shop, but she was his, and that made her a weakness to the entire family. Having her out there, available for any attack, wasn’t smart. Here, she could work and be safe. When it came to the woman, Blaise Hughes was owned.

  In the past forty-eight hours, Blaise had scared the literal shit out of a man twice his size. That was a first, having a grown-ass man shit his pants, but then when Blaise turned on the crazed look, it was impressive. He’d also tortured another man for information and put a bullet in a few others. Yet he was so damn pussy-whipped that he couldn’t get to his woman fast enough. I wondered if she’d mention the blood splatters on his shirt. He hadn’t even taken the time to change.

  Stepping out of the vehicle, I headed into the stables. Maddy had only said that Trinity was with her. I had to pick Trinity up and take her back to the house. Gage and Levi had been talking about her cooking since we had headed home this morning. If I didn’t bring back their cook, they’d lose their damn minds. The stables were busy, but that was typical this time of year. I nodded at one of the jockeys, stopped to talk to Kye about a follow-up we needed done with one of our high-end dealers, then headed toward Maddy’s office. I didn’t get far when laughter stopped me.

  It wasn’t just the pleasing sound of the laughter, but also the feminine huskiness in the voice. I recognized it even if I’d never heard that laugh myself. My body suddenly felt on edge as my teeth clenched, grinding together as I walked toward the sound. Trinity had never laughed for me. I hadn’t given her a reason to, but it still didn’t sit well.

  “I will not!” She let out a squeal.

  She was fucking squealing too. What the hell?

  My hands fisted at my sides as I turned the corner. Whoever the fucker was making Trinity laugh like that had messed with the wrong man. I wasn’t in the mood for this. I needed goddamn sleep. Not another damn dick trying to get in her pants.

  Then, I saw them.

  Trev motherfucking Hughes was smiling from ear to ear as he pointed a water gun at Trinity. Shit. It would have to be a damn Hughes. Did the kid have to flirt with every woman he met? Yes. He was a playboy. Why hadn’t Maddy warned Trinity about him?

  “Fair is fair,” Trev called out, making Trinity laugh more.

  Why was he so damn funny? I wasn’t fucking laughing. Nothing about a water gun was that damn hilarious.

  “I’m sorry. Truce!” she cried, holding her hands in front of her face as she turned to run. Her eyes collided with mine then, and the smile that had lit up her face vanished, and she stopped.

  Just the sight of me could turn her mood. I hated the way that sat in my chest like a damn ton of bricks.

  “And the rodeo squad is back,” Trev said.

  The kid had no fear. Stupid fucker knew he was untouchable.

  Trinity frowned, glancing back at him.

  Trev dropped the water gun and walked up to stand beside her. He nodded his head toward me. “When Maddy met them all the first time, she called them the rodeo squad. It stuck.”

  “No, it didn’t,” I snarled. “You’re the only fucker who uses it.”

  Trev shrugged, grinning at me.

  “Time to go,” I said, turning my gaze back to Trinity.

  “Okay,” she replied. “My things are in Maddy’s office.”

  “Go on out to the Escalade. I’ll get them,” I told her, then shot little Hughes one last warning glare that only made the fucker grin bigger.

  Trinity glanced back at Trev. “Bye. I had fun.”

  What kind of fun had she had with Trev? He was a damn kid. Had they done more than this stupid water gun shit? Where the hell had Maddy been when this was going on? Trinity was too old for him … fuck. Trev was twenty. It was hard to remember that. In my head, he was still a teenager. She was only a year older than him. Yeah, no more of her coming to stay with Maddy.

  I waited until she headed toward the exit, and then I turned to go into Maddy’s office to get her things. The door was open, but Blaise had Maddy up on the desk, and he was standing between her legs, kissing her like he was about to eat her alive. I cleared my throat, and Maddy pulled back, breaking the kiss. Blaise kept her face cupped in his hands and his eyes on her.

  She blushed as her eyes met mine. “Hey, Huck. Did you find Trinity?” she asked.

  I nodded. “Need her things.”

  She started to move, and Blaise put his hands on her thighs to stop her.

  “He can get them. You’re not moving.”

  Maddy shifted her gaze to Blaise and scowled at him, but it was only a second before she softened again. “They’re behind my desk,” she said to me.

  I didn’t say anything or look at them again. Blaise wanted me out of here. I grabbed the bag that Trinity had brought with her and headed for the door.

  “Remember the cameras,” I said before locking, then closing the door behind me.

  When I reached the Escalade, I opened the door to the back and tossed her bag in, then climbed into the driver’s side. Trinity looked tense. Nothing like the girl I’d walked up on a few minutes ago with Trev.

  I’d had two days to think about what Blaise had said to me back at the house. When we hadn’t been torturing traitors, I’d let my thoughts go to Trinity. There was a lot I had assumed about her because I didn’t trust easily.

  Especially someone who looked like her but had been engaged to my religious younger brother. That pairing made no fucking sense. The way she had reacted to her squirting on me wasn’t an act. She’d been as shocked as I was. One minute, I got the feeling she was naive, and then the next, she was a willing piece of hot ass. I couldn’t figure her out.

  Once we were on the road back to the house, I glanced over at her. She wasn’t going to talk—that was clear. I’d said some hard shit, and I knew it had hurt her. Blaise had had a point. I needed to find out some things about her.

  “Tell me about the fraud,” I said, keeping my eyes on the road.

  “Is that what it was described as?” she asked softly.

  “It said you stole your stepmother’s identity to get credit cards that you maxed out.”

  I heard a deep sigh. “She claimed that, but I wasn’t charged with anything because once it was investigated, they found most of the charged items were in her possession or there was evidence she’d been the one on the trips where the cards were used. Tabitha had gotten herself into a financial bind and decided to blame me so she wouldn’t have to pay her debt.”

  Motherfucker. I knew I hated that bitch. She’d been fucking evil at the funeral. However, that was the one thing on the background check that I’d overlooked. If Trinity had committed fraud with that woman’s identity, I would have commended her. Not judged her. I’d met the woman.

  “You don’t believe me,” Trinity said with a trace of annoyance in her tone.

  I wanted to smile, but didn’t. I had more questions.

  “Tell me about the book theft.”

  She shifted in her seat, and I was tempted to look down at her legs and see if those shorts had ridden up any further. At least these covered her ass. I wasn’t sure where she had gotten them, but I was damn thankful there had been no asscheek showing when I showed up to get her.

  “Roy is Tabitha’s son,” she said, then paused. There was something in the way she had said his name that bothered me. As if saying it was difficult for her. “He needed money and sold all the rare books from Tabitha’s library on eBay. They were to go to him at her death one day, but they weren’t necessarily his yet. Anyway, when Tabitha found them missing, she accused me, but when I had no idea what she was talking about, she dropped it. Then, the next thing I knew, Roy had filed a police report, claiming I had sold his rare first-edition books. Since Tabitha had already tried to charge me with something I hadn’t done, my guess was, they thought it might work better if Roy did it. But again, no proof that it was me. Charges dropped.”