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  “I’ve loved you since you walked into that hotel room. Why do you think I lost it when they took you from me?” A lump forms in my throat. I can’t remember the last time someone told me that they loved me, and it meant something.

  “I thought maybe you were worried for my safety.” He gives me a look, knowing my answer is bullshit. “Okay, maybe I told myself that was the reason because it was too crazy to think you wanted me that badly. I was afraid that if it was true, and then I never saw you again, it would break my heart.” His hands cup my face as he pulls me in for a kiss.

  My lips part, and his tongue slides in as he shows me just how he feels. His mouth tells me he loves me, and we kiss until we’re both breathless.

  When I rest my forehead against his, I smile.

  “I should have tied you to the bed.”

  “That sounds fun. Can we try it the next time we’re at the cabin?” I tease to try and lighten the mood. He just brushes his mouth against mine again. “If anyone should be sorry about all this, it’s me. I’ve pulled you into this mess.”

  “Thank fuck,” he barks, making me jump. I let out a small laugh, and it gets me a smile—not a full one, but I’ll take it. “I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been pulled into this. I’m more than fucking grateful to be here.”

  My eyes sting with tears, and I try to blink them away. He’s so right. He never would’ve been at my place to save me, but I don’t want to think about that right now.

  “Don’t cry.” He kisses my cheeks and then my eyes. “I love you. I’m supposed to be here with you.”

  “I love you too.” I smile and let out a sigh, wishing we could stay in this moment.

  “Remember you said that when we get to my parents’ house.” He lifts me off his lap and puts me back into my seat.

  “Did you just say your parents' house?” I pull my seatbelt on as he gets back on the road.

  “My cabin is the safest place for you, but my parents’ house is a close second. We’ll go there and figure out what we’re going to do next. Handing you over to them is never fucking happening. I know he’s your brother, but you’re in this because you were trying to help him.”

  I wondered who he was calling back in the cabin. I was getting my stuff together, and he’d made hushed phone calls nearby. Before I could ask, we got in the fight about me not leaving the cabin. I knew I at least had to be closer to the city. Out at the cabin I wouldn't be able to do anything.

  “I know. It’s just hard.” I rub my eyes. “It’s not only Vivian that’s after my brother but he's deep to a loan shark too. I don’t know if this goes together, or if they’re two totally different things.”

  “I’ve been wondering that too. I remember you saying you were doing this for him. The idea that he was okay with you working at that place to save his ass is disgusting. I know that's hard to hear, but I’m saying it so you think about it before you want to go be a hero for him.”

  I have to tell him.

  “My mom killed herself when I was fifteen.”

  “Babe.” His hand goes back to my thigh, and I feel him squeeze it.

  “I want to tell you so maybe you’ll understand.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  “Jero and I are stepsiblings. I never knew my real father, and I have no idea where Jero’s mom is. No one ever talked about her.” I circle back, not wanting to get off track. “His dad married my mom when I was ten and from there we lived a pretty normal life. I thought once my mom got married, she might slow down. She worked for this fancy bank, although I’m not sure what she did. For as long as I can remember, my mom lived and breathed for work. I spent more time with babysitters than anyone else.”

  “It shouldn’t be that way.”

  I nod in agreement. “Jero’s dad was the same. He was in real estate, and that left Jero and me home together a lot. Jero took care of me. He’d cook our meals and help me with my schoolwork. He was so different back then.” I still don't understand why he seemed to stop caring about me.

  “People change sometimes.” This felt bigger than change, but he’s right. At the end of the day he's not the same person he was when we were young.

  “We weren't crazy rich or anything, but we had a nice life. Then one day the FBI kicked in our front door and took my stepdad to jail.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “Yeah, he and my mom were doing mortgage fraud together. I don’t know all the details, but I guess my mom couldn't handle the idea of prison. Dad got thirty years if I’m remembering right, and after that it was Jero and me. He kept taking care of me, and as we got older, that’s when things started to change.”

  “That’s so much for a child to go through.”

  “I could have ended up in the system, but Jero fought to keep me with him. By this time, I was sixteen, and they let him. I was about to age out of foster care anyways, and he was over eighteen.” The car grows silent. “So you see why I feel like I owe him?”

  There’s a long moment of silence before he answers me.

  “No.” I turn my head to stare at him. “Just because someone does the right thing, the human thing, doesn't give them a pass to then treat you like shit. You could have died if I hadn't shown up.” He stops talking and clears his throat as he tries to get his emotions under control. “Your death would have been on him and in no way is that the price you pay for anything.”

  I lean back in my chair, looking out the window.

  “Bambi, I know that was blunt but—”

  “You’re right,” I interrupt. “I needed to hear it, but I can’t sit around and do nothing. I don’t have to go running in and offer to hand myself over, but what are my options? Do we call the cops? We have to do something.”

  “We’ll figure all that out when we get to Mom and Dad’s.”

  I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and grab his hand. It feels good to tell him everything and to have someone to lean on.

  “Oh god,” I groan. “Is your mom going to know I was a stripper?” This day just keeps getting better and better.

  Chapter Twelve

  Angus

  I stand outside my parents’ house with Bambi, and I know my mom is watching us through the slit in the curtains.

  “I don’t like not going with you.” Bambi places her hand on my chest, but she won’t look up at me.

  We got here a couple of hours ago, and I explained to my parents why she needed to be kept safe. They, of course, didn’t blink an eye, and Mom started cooking the second we walked in the door. They had plates of food out and the guest room already set up, and we crashed for a few hours. And for the first time ever, my mom didn’t ask too many questions. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that my dad made that happen before we got here.

  I’m still a good drive from the city, but I want to get it over with. They said we had until tonight, but the sooner I have Bambi back in my arms, the better.

  “Hey.” I place both my hands on her shoulders and then rub my thumbs along her neck. “Look at me, babe.” She lets out a long breath and when those dark green eyes meet mine, I see tears. “You trust me, right?” She nods. “Then trust that I’ll handle this.”

  “I do. I’m just worried you’ll get jumped or something else crazy and then where will that leave me? I can’t be without you, Angus. We’ve only just found each other.”

  She falls against me, and I hold her close as I kiss the top of her head and tell her not to cry. “You think I’d let anyone or anything separate me from you? The devil himself would be let down because he couldn’t drag me away.”

  Bambi smiles as she looks up at me, and I wipe away her tears. “Hurry back to me.”

  “Didn’t I tell you already? You’ve given me wings.” I lean down and kiss her softly on each cheek and then on her lips. “I wasn’t alive until I saw you, Bambi. Now I can do anything.”

  I kiss her one last time and then step back to get in my SUV. I wave at the curtains
and then they part and my mom is standing there waving back at me. My dad walks on the porch, and I wait for Bambi to walk back up to where they are. I take one last look before I pull out of the driveway and head toward the highway.

  I make another phone call on the way into the city and put in the escort service Bambi told me about in the GPS. She gave me the address and told me what she could remember about Vivian, the bouncer, and how deep her brother was. I hated having to hear about all the pain she’s suffered in her life, but in a way it brought us closer together.

  Once I pull up outside the building, I get out of the SUV and make my way inside. There’s a lounge in the front with velvet couches, dark drapes, and soft music playing. There’s a reception desk with a woman behind it wearing lingerie.

  “Hi handsome, have you got an appointment?” She looks me up and down, but I keep my eyes on the camera above where she’s sitting.

  “Tell Vivian she can let me back,” I say without breaking eye contact with the camera because I know she’s listening.

  I hear the door in front of me buzz and I walk through it. The hallway is dark with doors all the way down. I hear the sounds of people fucking on the other side of those doors, but I ignore it. If I think about it too long, I’ll imagine Bambi in there against her will and I’ll lose my cool. I need to keep it right now more than ever.

  “Where’s the girl?” Vivian asks when I walk into her office.

  “She’s none of your concern.” I cross my arms over my chest and glance around the empty office. “Where’s Jero?”

  She shrugs and leans back in her chair like she’s got all day.

  “Okay then, you tell me what you want, and we can get this over with.”

  “I only want what’s owed to me.” Her smile is stretched tight, and she spreads her hands casually like she’s the queen of the kingdom.

  “Which is?”

  “Bambi was set to make us a fortune. We’ve already had someone place an order for her virginity.”

  The words come out of her mouth, and I rush forward to slam my fists down on her desk. “Never.” The word is so loud it booms through the room, and I see the door behind her desk open and Robert the bouncer steps through. I see the cast on his wrist and feel a sense of satisfaction.

  “I’m sure you can understand our financial predicament.” Vivian speaks like we’re in a business meeting. “She’s indebted to the company, along with the debt her brother Jero leveraged against her.”

  “Why don’t you ask him to join us?” I say as I straighten up.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. He’s being detained as collateral until she’s paid back what’s owed.”

  “If this was about money, you’d just ask me to write a check,” I seethe, waiting for her to get to the fucking point. “So why don’t you tell me what it’s going to cost to cut ties or give me the real reason you want her so badly.”

  “It’s not about you giving us the money back; it’s about our clients getting what they want. And they’ve paid handsomely for her innocence.”

  “Too fucking late,” I say through gritted teeth.

  “Told you he’d fuck her,” Robert says, and I glare at him.

  “Enough!” I roar. “Jero, get your fucking ass out of that room and face me.”

  Vivian narrows her eyes on me and after a long second the door opens once more and Jero steps out. He’s thin, with dark circles under his eyes, but otherwise looks totally fine. Just as I knew he would be.

  “There was never a loan shark,” I tell him, and he looks away, not meeting my eyes. “You lied to your sister so she’d get you money to fund your lifestyle of drinking and drugs. You’ve got some debts around town but nothing that couldn't be worked out.”

  Vivian sits up in her chair, and the smug look on her face is gone.

  “I might be from out of town, but I’ve got my own connections. And what I found out was that you sold your sister to Vivian. You knew she was a virgin, and you came to Vivian with a deal. When Bambi took off you realized your money train had skipped town, so you made it seem like you’d been kidnapped for the debt.”

  When no one answers me, I know that the information Rogue gave me was spot on. I was sick to my stomach hearing it and had to pull over and throw up when he told me. The thought of someone, anyone, putting their hands on my Bambi made me physically ill.

  “All right, let’s make a deal then,” Vivian says, back to business. “We move the debt to Jero and cut ties with Bambi.”

  “Hey, wait, that’s not part of the deal,” Jero protests.

  “How much?” I ask, and the room turns to face me. Vivian slides a piece of paper across her desk. On it is the sum of what she stood to make on Bambi. I stare at it and then let out a humorless laugh. “You don’t even know her true worth.”

  I reach in my back pocket and pull out the zipper bank bag I brought with me. I take out the stack of cash that’s twice what they thought they'd make on the love of my life and place it on the desk between us.

  “This is a severance package.” I look at Vivian. “We are done with all business concerning Bambi.” She nods, and I look at Jero. “And you will never see or speak to your sister again. There is no room for negotiation.”

  “But—”

  “No,” I bark, and he shuts his mouth. “Never. Ever.”

  He huffs as he looks away, and I straighten. Vivian grabs the money and quickly puts it away.

  I take the empty zipper bag and turn around to leave the office, but I feel movement behind me.

  “You’re not keeping me from my sister.”

  When I turn around, he’s right behind me, but he’s at least a foot shorter and isn’t half my weight soaking wet.

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing.” He opens his mouth to protest again, and I’ve had enough. I grab him by the throat and march him backwards until his head cracks against the wall.

  I can see out of the corner of my eye that Vivian gets out of her chair and backs up while Robert stands in front of her.

  “You are dead to her.” I raise him off the ground so his feet dangle for purchase. “And if you come around her ever again, I’ll make sure you’re literally six feet under. I’ve got a shovel and a lot of land to hide a body.” His eyes are bloodshot, and his face is purple, but I squeeze harder as rage overtakes me. “Make a sound if you understand me.”

  His choking gurgle is enough for me, and I drop him to the floor in a crumpled heap. I turn and face Robert and Vivian and point my finger in their direction.

  “I won’t lose a second of sleep putting you two in the ground beside him.” Vivian nods as she moves from behind Robert and smooths down her business suit. “And by the way—” I take my phone out and hold it up for them to see. “This is being recorded by some close friends of mine that have all the right connections. So in case you have any smart ideas about coming back for more money, know that I’ve got friends that will make sure you’re taken care of.”

  Jero coughs on the floor as he tries to catch his breath, and I kick him in the balls on the way out. I hear his choked cries and Vivian berating Robert as the door closes behind me.

  I’m done fucking around with this shit, but I’ve made sure to lock up this part of Bambi’s past and throw away the key. Never again will their filth touch her, and I’m going to make damn sure the rest of her life is spent living for our future. Together.

  * * *

  Chapter 13 Bambi

  “You sweet girl.” Julie engulfs me in a hug. A real one where you hold on tight and don’t let go. I hug her back the same and realize I’m already a little in love with Angus’s mom.

  “Let the girl breathe, honey,” I hear Mitch say.

  “Mind your business,” she sasses back at him, making me laugh. She lets me go, her hands coming to my cheeks. “This world has not been kind to you, but you’re still as sweet as can be.”

  I smile back at her, my eyes filling with tears. “Thank you.”

 
; “No, thank you.” She steps back, sitting down at the table with me. We’ve been here for a while. With the amount of food she keeps trying to get me to eat, I think she might be trying to fatten me up.

  “Why are you thanking me? It's all of you who helped me. I don’t want to know where I’d be right now if it wasn't for Angus.” It’s such a terrifying thought and one I never want to think about again. Angus is mine now. He’s in my life, and he’ll never let anyone hurt me.

  “And I’m not sure where our Angus would have been five years from now without you.”

  “He’d be a lumberjack,” Mitch answers, walking by to go into the kitchen.

  “Likely. He’d be up in that cabin all the time alone. It’s a beautiful cabin, but no one should be alone that much. Angus never could find a girl that turned his eye though.” I feel my face warm. “I’d always poke him because, well, that’s what moms do. He said he wasn't settling. So when you picked up the phone the other night, I knew he’d found her. You.” Julie’s smile is infectious. She couldn't be happier that Angus and I are together. Even with everything that has happened.

  “That’s really nice of you to say. I do love him.”

  “I know. It’s all over your face.” Julie picks up the teapot and fills my cup. Mitch walks back in and hands his wife a cardigan that she slips on without either of them saying a word.

  “He knew you were cold?”

  “Yes, he can read me better than I can read myself.” Angus’s parents are too good to be true. I’ve never met a family like theirs before. It’s clear where Angus gets his looks since he and his dad could almost be twins. Although Angus is a touch bigger than his father.

  “That’s really sweet.”

  “All my boys are well trained.” She winks at me.

  I think Angus grew up with parents that truly love each other. I’m sure it made them want the same thing, and that’s why he wasn't willing to settle. It warms me to think I give that to him since he’s given me so much already.