Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Boone slides an arm around me. “Ignore him. You’re gorgeous. Even if you didn’t sleep.”
His lips linger at my temple before he passes me to Chance, who kisses my forehead. “Are you okay?”
I nod, stomach flipping.
They fuss over my coffee, pour cream and sugar exactly how I like it, serve breakfast at the perfect temperature. Every day, they remind me I’m not alone.
The contrast makes me laugh quietly. “Okay, fine. I didn’t sleep. Yesterday was heavy. Give a girl a break.”
Dillon wraps an arm around me. “It’s over now. We know the truth. You’re safe. We’re good.”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “Somehow, we are.”
I imagine him with a baby for just a second and my stomach flips again.
All of them would be amazing dads.
The thought almost breaks me.
I eat what I can, then grab my water and head upstairs.
As soon as I reach the bathroom, my stomach rebels. I grip the counter until it passes.
When I emerge, Chance is there, eyeing me carefully. “You okay?”
I lie. “Yeah. Just tired.”
He doesn’t push but he watches.
And somehow, that steadies me.
No matter what happens, I know one thing for sure.
This baby will be loved.
For now, that’s enough to let me breathe.
19
BOONE
Ikeep the phone pressed to my ear long after the line goes dead, the office hum the only sound as I stare at the snowy pines outside the window. For the last few days, my gut has told me Vincent Caruso isn’t just some wannabe with muscle and a gun. My instincts are screaming that he’s dangerous.
Now I have confirmation.
The connections I’ve made over the years don’t lie. Every quiet word I gather from informants, private contacts, and people who owe us favors paints the same picture.
Caruso isn’t just a mob boss. He’s a force of nature. The Caruso crime family has been running parts of New York for decades. They’re infamous, known for their particular brand of violence and an unforgiving history.
I’ve heard stories about his father and his grandfather that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And Vincent…
Rumor has it he offed his own uncle to take the top spot. He doesn’t forgive. He doesn’t forget. When he ties up loose ends, men disappear for good. Without a trace.
In other words, he’s the real deal. The boogeyman under the bed.
I finally toss my phone onto the desk and sink back into my chair, letting the weight of it settle. This isn’t just a threat. This is a full-on storm, and Roxie is standing right in the middle of it.
My chest tightens at the thought of what could happen if we aren’t ready. Because he will come. The only variable is when.
From the sound of it, Roxie and her friend covered their tracks as well as they could. Madison paid cash for the bus ticket. They dyed Roxie’s hair so she wouldn’t be instantly recognizable on camera footage. She packed light so she didn’t stand out.
There’s nothing more they could’ve done, but the reality is this. Roxie doesn’t have many people back in New York.
If Caruso’s men are really looking, and I’m convinced they are, they’ll find Madison sooner or later. And once they do, they’ll find out about the cabin.
I pick up my phone again, urgency burning through my veins like a wildfire. “Chance, Dillon, conference room. Now.”
Within minutes, they’re both there, faces serious, eyes sharp. I outline everything I learned about Caruso’s history, his family’s brutality, the size of his operation, and how far his reach is rumored to extend.
Neither of them flinches.
“Here’s the deal,” I say, spreading the intel across the table. “We’ve got someone actively looking for her. I don’t have confirmation yet, but everything we know indicates Vincent Caruso doesn’t stop until he gets what he wants. Whether that’s now or five years from now, he will come. When he does, Roxie has to be untouchable. So does this place.”
Chance leans forward, fingers steepled. “We’ll need serious security upgrades. Cameras. Motion sensors. Full perimeter lockdown.”
“Firewalls even I can’t crack,” Dillon adds with a grim smirk. “I’ll wipe her digital footprint clean. New accounts. No traceable purchases. We might even need to pay her in cash.”
“Whatever she needs,” I say immediately. “But it still might not be enough.”
“What else?” Dillon asks.
“We train,” I say. “Drills. Escape routes. Contingencies. Roxie needs to know she’s safe with us.”
Chance nods. “I’ll map everything by dawn. But we need to be careful how we tell her. I’d lose my mind if someone dropped that on me out of nowhere.”
“So would I,” Dillon says. “I don’t want her afraid in her own home.”
Pride swells in my chest. This is what makes us work. We aren’t three guys playing house, we’re a unit. A wall.
Caruso has no idea what’s waiting for him.
I expect one hell of a fight. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who backs off once he realizes resistance exists. He’ll come in hard, and we’ll have to meet him head-on.