Maeme was already in the driver’s seat of the golf cart when I returned. Holding the books to my chest, I hurried out to her, not wanting to make her wait any longer. I slid onto the seat, and she glanced up at me from her phone that she was texting on.

  “That was King. Seems he has plans for you this evening. I’ll bring you on back after Doc checks you out. You’ll need time to get ready.”

  She reversed the cart, then turned it around without telling me more. Not happy with myself for the fact that my immediate reaction to King coming to get me had been…a slight flutter of…something. I straightened the books in my lap.

  “Um, what are his plans?” I asked her nervously.

  Maeme glanced over at me. “Got us some horses racing in Santa Anita. They’ve got the big screen at the stables playing it today, and King thought you’d enjoy coming over to watch it. But don’t you worry. Everyone there is family. Your identity is safe.”

  I was torn between social anxiety and the desire to experience something new. Go to a party. Live outside of my own little world.

  “That’s nice of him,” I finally said.

  “He’s got a good heart. I won’t count that out, but he enjoys your company. Might be more him wanting to be around you than just a nice gesture.”

  Oh. I was about to smile, and I stopped myself. I didn’t need to be happy about that. Besides, him enjoying my company was not anything more than that. I shouldn’t even be considering anything else. It was ridiculous. For reasons I shouldn’t have to keep reminding myself.

  We were already parking in Maeme’s backyard before I could think of anything to say about that. She was his grandmother and knew more than anyone that our relationship would only ever be friends. I didn’t know how much longer I would be here, and she nor King had brought it up lately.

  Following her into the house, I waited until she led me to the library to ask her about any update. I needed to start focusing on my future instead of getting excited about a party. When she stopped at the door to the library and looked at me, I knew I had to find out what was happening. Since the storm, all I could get my television to play was Netflix. I couldn’t get the local channels anymore.

  “Maeme,” I began and gripped the books tighter to my chest, “I, uh…what is happening with my…Churchill?”

  I couldn’t call him my husband. I hated him. I feared him. I never wanted to see him again, yet if he found me, he would make me come back. He would make me pay for all he’d been through. For embarrassing him. It was a fate worse than prison.

  She sighed. “Well, he went missing. Seems he drugged his nurse and cook. When they came to, they were tied up and blindfolded in closets. He took his car, and it hasn’t been found. His bank accounts were wiped clean. The latest belief is, he fled the country for illegal activities he’d been involved in. Some believe he got mixed up with the Mafia. It isn’t concrete yet. But…they also think he might have killed his wife and hidden her body. You see, he had surveillance videos in your home. They were hidden, and the authorities didn’t find them until he went missing. Your abuse was on them, Rumor. But the men who came into your home were not. In fact, the only thing they found according to the news was the abuse.”

  I stood there, staring at her, not sure I had heard all that correctly. Video cameras? The Mafia? I shook my head. What in the world had Hill done? He hadn’t fled the country. He wouldn’t do that. He’d want revenge. He’d want to find me and make me pay. Fleeing would make him look guilty, and he never accepted blame for anything. It was always someone else’s fault.

  Was he…dead? Didn’t the Mafia kill people? Had that been the Mafia who shot him, and then when they found out he wasn’t dead, they came back to finish him off?

  “I maybe should have said that a little less bluntly. You’ve gone pale,” Maeme said, touching my arm. “I’m sorry. I thought it would come as a relief to you.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. What if…what if it was the Mafia? What if they know I was in the house?” I felt the blood drain from my face, and I let out a panicked gasp. “Oh God. What if they are looking for me? I can’t stay here. I have to go. They’ll find me. They can do that, can’t they? Don’t they have connections? It’s…it’s a matter of time.”

  I backed up until my back was to the wall as realization spread through me. I was going to die. I wouldn’t go to prison. I was going to be murdered.

  “You’ve done not a thing wrong. The Mafia ain’t coming for you. If they killed that bastard, he deserved it. They don’t go killing people who don’t need to be killed. And you were a victim. Now,” she said, taking the books from my arms, “take a deep breath. I am going to set these books in the library, and we are going to get us some Bundt cake and sweet tea. We can talk about it. Whatever you need, but I promise you that you are safe.”

  I wanted to believe her, but she didn’t know. She lived in a small town in Georgia. She owned a pecan orchard. She made Bundt cakes and cooked for a big family every Sunday morning. She knew nothing about the world that Churchill had gotten mixed up in. I couldn’t stay here and bring that kind of danger to her doorstep. At least with the police, it was me they would come after. The Mafia could kill her, trying to get to me.

  King. I had to tell King. He’d agree with me. He wouldn’t want his grandmother harboring someone the Mafia was after. Finally, he’d take me somewhere and let me go into hiding, alone, which was what I should have done all along. Not living in this dream world where nothing bad happened and I had no responsibilities and read books all day. This escape from reality was over.

  • twenty-five •

  “If she wanted to look like a fucking snack, then so be it.”

  King

  Making sure Rumor didn’t try and run had put a kink in my plans this afternoon. Moira, one of the newest in my line up of women, had been pissy about us not fucking. But she would get over it. That, or she could leave. I’d rather she sucked my dick before she did go, but right now, I had to get Rumor back to the stables and under all our surveillance.

  Maeme had been worried she was going to try and leave the moment she was alone, but I’d been watching the cottage through the app on my phone since she’d been taken back to get ready, and she wasn’t doing anything yet. Hopefully, she wouldn’t. I had known it was time to tell her where things stood, but I’d been putting it off. Maeme should have let me do it. She was too fucking blunt.

  I hadn’t even put my truck in park when the front door opened, and Rumor stepped out onto the porch.

  Motherfucker.

  That was not what I’d expected. I had come here, prepared to see Rumor in dark jeans and a hoodie with her suitcase packed, demanding I take her to a bus stop again.

  Rumor was wearing a pair of black shorts I hadn’t seen on her before. They were shorter than anything she’d worn. Too fucking short. She needed more length. The sleeveless blouse she was wearing wasn’t tight, but she had it tucked in, and it was showing cleavage. But it was the heels. A pair of red heels.

  I opened my door and got out as she walked down the steps and headed in my direction. Moving around the front of the truck, I met her just before she reached the passenger side.

  “Hey,” I said when she stopped and looked up at me.

  The uncertainty and fear on her pretty face bothered me. No, I fucking hated it. She was supposed to be happy. Enjoying life.

  “Hey,” she replied. “I, uh…I wasn’t sure what to wear. I hope this is okay.”

  This was not okay. I didn’t like the idea of the others looking. Besides the fact that she was off-limits to us all, I wanted her to go inside and put on some jeans and a baggy sweatshirt. I needed it for my sanity. But that would be ordering her around, and she’d had enough of that in her life. If she wanted to look like a fucking snack, then so be it. I’d just be the gatekeeper all night.

  “You’re perfect,” I told her.

  She blushed, and I wondered if the bastard had ever told her that. Probably in the beginning, but I doubted she’d heard it in a while. She deserved to hear it every fucking day. Several times. By a man who was good enough for her. One day, we’d be able to put her somewhere to start a new life. She’d have her chance at it. I’d stay out of sight, but I was coming to realize I wouldn’t be able to not check on her. I wasn’t going to just let her go. I had to know she was okay. She was safe. Even if she never knew I was there in the background, watching.

  “Thank you,” she replied softly.

  I took her hand and helped her into the truck, trying like hell not to look at her ass and failing before I walked back around to get in the driver’s side. Even if the boss hadn’t made it clear that she was for us to keep safe until it was time to move her somewhere and give her a new identity, no fucking her, not even kissing her, I knew tonight was going to be difficult. I couldn’t be the only one who was drawn to her. How could the others not be? At least Sebastian wasn’t in town. I didn’t want to deal with seeing them laughing together and her smiling at him. Talking about books and shit. The little fucker needed to stay in Vegas.

  Once I was inside, I noticed her hands clasped tightly in her lap, as if she was nervous.

  “You’ve met most of the guys, and you can stick by me. No need to worry about it.”

  She gave me a tight smile and nodded, but her hands didn’t relax any.

  I reached over and squeezed both small fists with my much larger palm. “I swear you have nothing to worry about. Stop with this before your nails break through your skin.”

  Her chest rose and fell with a deep breath, and she opened her fisted hands, placing her palms flat on her legs. “Okay. You’re right. It’s fine. Everything is fine.”

  It felt like she was telling herself that in hopes she would believe it. I backed up and turned the truck around, then headed back to the main road, letting her have a moment to calm down. Talking about what Maeme had told her today was going to happen before the night was over. She needed to be reassured, and I wanted to see her reaction to it all. If she was going to run, I would be able to tell. I could read her expressions well.

  “You know about the Mafia?” she asked, glancing at me.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I know, and you are safe. I swear it.”

  “You’re not worried about Maeme’s safety?” The frustration in her tone was cute.

  I shook my head. “Nope.”

  “But she’s your grandmother. I am living on her property, and they could very well be hunting me down right now. I don’t know what Hill did, but…he did something bad. Really bad.”

  Yeah, he had. He had fucking sold buildings that we owned as if they belonged to him, thinking we wouldn’t find out.

  “You aren’t him. They aren’t looking for you.”

  She let out a weary sigh. “King, you can’t know that.”

  I wanted to laugh. “Yeah, I can.”

  I looked at her before pulling out onto the main road. She was staring straight ahead, and her entire body was tense. I wished I could just tell her the goddamn truth. That we were the fucking Mafia and we had no desire to hurt her in any way. Maeme’s aim was lethal. She’d taken out more than one man fifty yards away with a shot right between his eyes. Then, she’d walked away and told us to clean up the mess. But the boss had said we were to keep our place in all this from Rumor. He had no idea how hard that was getting to be.

  “Just try to enjoy tonight. I’ll teach you about racing. You might find you love it. If so, maybe one day, you can go to an actual race with me—us.” I had to stop thinking of her as mine.

  She nodded once. “I am going to try and not think about it.”

  I’d have to work extra hard to keep her mind off it.

  • twenty-six •

  “Rumor, do you trust me?”

  Rumor

  King started to pull out onto the road when his eyes narrowed at something off to his right.

  “GET DOWN!” he shouted as he reached over and pushed my head toward my lap. “ON THE FLOOR!”

  My heart slammed against my chest, and I unbuckled quickly, then sank down to the floorboard, pulling my knees up to my chin. It was then that I heard the gunshot. I screamed, and my eyes swung up to King.

  “Motherfucker,” he hissed and reached behind him to pull a gun from the waistband of his jeans. “Don’t move,” he warned me, then rolled down his window and took a shot.

  I heard more gunfire, but it seemed farther away.

  King opened the door and got out, barely glancing at me. “Do not move,” he repeated before slamming it shut and leaving me alone.

  I sat there in horror. I’d imagined this. Feared this. And it was happening. They’d come for me. Someone was going to get hurt because of me.

  Where was Maeme? Had they checked on her? Oh God, what if something had happened to her?

  I needed to run. Get out. Take the danger away from them. They’d wanted to help me, and this was their reward.

  What if King was shot? I’d let him just jump out of the truck into open gunfire. What had I been thinking? He couldn’t die for me.

  I moved then. I had to get up. He’d said not to, but I wasn’t going to let him die. I didn’t want anyone hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to him or his family. Grabbing the door handle, I started to get out when King was there in front of me, blocking my way.

  “I said not to move,” he reminded me.

  My eyes scanned him quickly for any sign of blood. He appeared to be fine.

  “Maeme,” I told him.

  We needed to get to her. Check on her. Then, he needed to let me go. Far away from here.

  “Maeme is just fine. Everything is okay. It’s handled. Get back in the truck,” he told me, placing his hands on my hips and pushing me back.

  I shook my head. He wasn’t going to tell me what to do. Not anymore. “I need to leave. This is my fault. I did this. I have to get away from here. I can’t let something happen to you…or Maeme or anyone.”

  King grabbed my shoulders and stepped in between my legs. His eyes bored into mine as he moved in closer. “This isn’t your fault. It has nothing to do with you. I swear. You aren’t going anywhere, Rumor. You’re staying here.”

  I stared at him, trying to decide if he was attempting to lie to me to make me feel better or if he truly thought that the gunshots weren’t the Mafia coming for me. Why else would someone show up and start shooting at us? This wasn’t some big city. We were in the country. I was the reason the guns were fired. They wanted me dead.

  “Rumor, do you trust me?” he asked.

  I blinked. Did I trust him? I wanted to. He’d saved me. He and his family had been more than generous to a complete stranger. Yes, I trusted him. I did. I had no reason not to. He’d proven himself trustworthy.

  “Yes.”

  He looked relieved. “Then, please stay in this truck. I have to make a phone call, and”—he pointed down the road, where I saw another vehicle and several people—“I have to go talk to Thatcher.”

  My eyes stung. He was asking me to stay. I couldn’t do that. Didn’t he understand this? “I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you or…or anyone.”

  The corner of his lips quirked up. “It won’t.”

  I threw my hands up in frustration. “We just got shot at!”

  He leaned closer to me and grabbed my chin with his thumb and pointer finger. “It wasn’t the Mafia. I swear to you. What just happened had nothing to do with you. It was someone trying to sneak onto family—” He paused and clenched his jaw. “The ranch. It happens. There is security, and it was already moving into place. We just showed up in the middle of it. All is taken care of. Now, please, sit back. Let me handle this.”

  It wasn’t like I could run off alone without any of my things. I had no choice. I’d let him go talk to Thatcher and then make him take me back to the cottage. I had to leave, and I was out of time to figure out a plan. I didn’t think there would ever be a successful one. That was impossible. I just had to go.

  • twenty-seven •

  “I was just another evil in her life.”

  King

  Shoving one hand into my hair in frustration, I held the phone to my ear with the other. This hadn’t been what Rumor needed to witness right now. She was convinced the Mafia was after her. I didn’t know who the fucker was that Thatcher had shot and tied up to take underground, but I knew the bastard wasn’t Mafia.

  “King,” Blaise Hughes came over the line.

  “Boss. Thatch said you wanted to talk to me,” I replied.

  “Is she gonna bolt?” he asked me.

  “Seems like it, but I’m going to watch her,” I assured him.

  “Do more than that. She needs to stay put for a while, and I have other shit to deal with. Fuck her. Use that charm shit and charm her.”

  My hand tightened on the phone. “Did you just say I was to fuck her?”

  “Is there a problem? Thatcher seemed to think you were the one she’d want and that Sebastian would be the next choice. You rather I tell him to do it?”

  Not what I’d expected to be told to do, and there was no way I was letting Sebastian do it. “I can do it, but is it necessary?”

  “Are you questioning me?” he asked, his tone sounding as deadly as I knew he was.

  “No, sir,” I replied.

  “Good. Now, handle it.”

  The call ended, and I stood there, staring back at the truck, making sure she wasn’t going to open the door and bolt.

  How the hell had it gone from no one touch her to me being ordered to fuck her?

  “You don’t look happy about it,” Thatcher drawled, and I turned my head to see him standing a few feet behind me with a cigarette in his mouth and a smirk on his face.