12. Layla

Ireturned Tyler's shocked look. Jennifer isn't missing? Then where the fuck has she been, and why did she leave her daughter in foster care? Anger brewed inside me, but I masked my emotions so Tammy didn't pick up on them and stop talking.

My eyes shifted back to Tammy. "Do you know where we could find her?" I asked with an eager smile. I dipped a fry into ketchup and popped it into my mouth as if I didn't have a care in the world. I didn't risk looking at Tyler again because I knew I couldn't keep my cool if I did. I was feeling a bit stabby at the moment.

"Of course. She lives with her husband. I think I have the address in my purse in the back. I can get it for you," Tammy replied easily.

"She's married now?" Tyler asked.

"Oh yes. They met here, actually. Billy Skinner was completely smitten with her from the moment he first saw her and flirted with her relentlessly until she agreed to go on a date with him. After that, she was glued to his side, and he insisted on taking care of her, so she quit. Didn't see her for a few months." Tammy leaned down and whispered conspiratorily, "I think they locked themselves up in the bedroom if you know what I mean."

"New love does that to you, doesn't it?" I replied, winking.

Tammy laughed loudly. "That it does, girly. The next time she came into the diner, she was married and looked much better than before. Healthier, ya know? Married life looked good on her. I wonder why she never mentioned her little girl." Tammy trailed off and then looked between me and Tyler. I worried that she realized we might not find Jennifer's love story so endearing, but then she smiled again. "Let me go get that address for you." My recent rescue seemed to have impacted her more than I realized. It was almost as if she viewed me as some sort of vigilante Robin Hood incapable of hurting anyone. She couldn't be further from the truth.

"Let's swing by the house on the way to see Jennifer and pick up Zach and the wolves," I murmured to Tyler.

"We are going to ask questions first, right Layla?" Tyler replied. "There are all sorts of explanations one could derive from Tammy's little fairytale she told. We don't know that Jennifer was a willing participant."

"Perhaps not, but we're going to find out." I pushed my food away, too sick to my stomach from the possibility that Jennifer voluntarily left her child in the hands of monsters. If that turned out to be the truth, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Tyler didn't need to have special powers to read my mind. He always seemed to know what I was thinking. "You can't kill her."

"Why not?" She deserved to suffer as much as her daughter for abandoning her.

"Because at the end of the day, she's still Autumn's mom. Autumn might not appreciate it if you execute her," Tyler replied.

"Then what do you suggest? Let her back into Autumn's life? Lie to her and tell her that she died all those years ago? What avenue will cause her the least amount of pain, Ty?" I demanded.

"I don't know, but we can't decide that here. Fix your face. Tammy is coming back," he replied quietly. I plastered a pleasant look on my face, and from how Tyler looked at me, I knew it hadn't quite hit the mark. I put more effort into schooling my face as Tammy rejoined us.

"Here it is!" she replied, laying a scrap of paper on the table. "She doesn't live far from here. She will be so excited to hear her little girl is safe. I wish I could be there when you tell her."

No, Tammy. I really don't think you do. "Thank you, Tammy. You've been more helpful than we could have anticipated. I really appreciate it," I said instead.

"My pleasure. Anything for you. Let me know if you need anything else." She left to check on her other tables.

Tyler picked up the address and plugged it into his phone. "I should have brought my laptop," he complained.

"Don't you have an iPad in the car?"

"I have one in yours, but we took mine, remember?" he replied.

"Yes, but didn't Keith come in my car?"

Tyler's head snapped up, and I could see when his brain connected the dots. "Shit, you're right!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed lightly as I looked over his shoulder to check Keith's lunch progress. He almost had the plate cleared. I was going to let him finish eating, but the second he saw me looking, he pushed his plate away. "I'm ready when you are, boss," he said.

"Let's go," Tyler said eagerly as he dropped a couple of hundreds on the table. "Keith, can you drive my car back? I have some things I need to research on the way. We're picking up Zach and the wolves and heading to this address." He handed Keith the slip of paper and his keys.

"Yes, sir," Keith replied.

The ride back to the house was silent as Tyler learned as much about Jennifer and Billy Skinner as he could before we visited them. When we arrived home, Zach, Dash, and Dire were waiting at the top of the stairs.

"What's going on?" Zach asked as he climbed inside after the wolves. I pet them both to settle them down as I filled Zach in on what we had learned at lunch. Zach looked precisely how I felt. "You mean to tell me that this lady has been fucking living it up while her daughter has been suffering?" Zach exploded. This was why I insisted on coming back for him. Zach got me.

"Allegedly," Tyler emphasized. "We don't know for certain what happened or the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. All we know for sure is that she isn't dead. If she got married, it wasn't legal. I do not see a marriage license for Billy or Jennifer Skinner."

"That doesn't mean she isn't there voluntarily," I argued.

Tyler set the iPad aside and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I should have had Colt or Drew come with us. I can't handle both of your crazies on my own. Both of you listen to me and listen closely. We cannot kill Jennifer. It doesn't matter if you think that she deserves it. That isn't your call to make."

"It's always my call to make," I interrupted.

"You're right," Tyler conceded. "It is absolutely a call you could make, but I implore you to really consider whether it is a call you should make. Autumn deserves to have a chance to see her mom again, regardless of whether Jennifer left her voluntarily or not. Autumn deserves answers, and she can't get them if you kill Jennifer."

Zach sighed loudly as I crossed my arms over my chest. "He's right, LG. We can't kill her."

I hated that he was right, but I couldn't deny it. "We may not be able to kill her, but that doesn't mean we can't make her bleed a little."

Zach and I grinned at each other as Tyler made a frustrated groan. "I really can't with the two of you sometimes."

Ryan stopped outside the address Tammy had given us, and we exited the car and went to the door. Dash and Dire were sniffing at it excitedly as Tyler knocked.

"Coming," a woman called from inside the house. When she opened the door, I was momentarily stunned as I looked at an older version of Autumn. If I had passed this woman on the street, I would have known she was Autumn's mom.

"Are you Jennifer Skinner?" Tyler asked politely.

"I am," Jennifer replied. Her eyes bounced between us and the wolves in confusion.

"Previously Jennifer Reed?" Tyler pressed.

At the sound of her former name, Jennifer paled. "I don't know who that is."

"Maybe we should talk inside," I suggested.

"I'm afraid I don't have time today," Jennifer replied. She started to shut the door, but Zach moved forward to stick his boot in the gap before she could.

"It wasn't a request," I replied, showing her the gun I had tucked into my waistband.

With shaking hands, Jennifer opened the door again and stepped to the side to allow us entry. She yelped as Zach grabbed her elbow and pulled her away from the door. We followed them into the living room, where he shoved her onto the couch.

"I've got her. Go clear the rest of the house," I instructed. I sat on the armchair across from the couch as Tyler and Zach left the room. Dash and Dire sat on either side of me, and Jennifer eyed them nervously.

"We have a lot to discuss, Jennifer," I said softly as I pulled on the black leather gloves I had brought. Fingerprints were a bitch to deny in the court of law, not that it would get that far, but it's best not to lead them to me in the first place. The alternative would be to wipe everything down, and who wants to wipe down an entire house? Not me.

"You really can't be here," she hissed. "If my husband comes home and finds out I let you in the house, he will lose his shit and kill us all!"

I tilted my head curiously. Maybe Tyler had been on to something after all. "Are you here against your will, Jennifer?"

Her eyes widened in a mix of fear and hope. "Of course not. I— I love my husband." It was such a rehearsed and standard answer only a complete idiot would have believed her.

"I can't help you if you won't be honest with me. Start from the beginning, and don't leave anything out," I ordered.

"Nobody can help me," Jennifer replied.

I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my knees. "Do you know who I am, Jennifer?" She shook her head, no, so I continued. "My name is Layla Romano. Queen of the Romano Syndicate. This is my city; what I say goes, or people pay with blood. Billy Skinner doesn't mean shit to me."

"You're actually her?" Jennifer whispered.

"I am."

"Why me? Why would you help me? You don't know anything about me." Jennifer honestly looked perplexed. Her dreams had just been answered, and everything seemed too good to be true. In her experience, when it felt like it was too good to be true, it was. This time, it wasn't.

"Because I was recently given guardianship over a little girl named Autumn, and she told me that her Mama would never leave her voluntarily. I'm hoping that she is right."

Jennifer crumbled at the mention of Autumn—any fight she had in her dissolved into tears. "You have Autumn?" she sobbed.

"We rescued her from a human trafficking ring almost a month ago," I replied. Tyler and Zach returned to the living room at that moment.

"House is clear," Zach said.

"What did you do to her?" Tyler asked.

"Rude. I didn't do anything to her except tell her that we were here to help her and that we had Autumn," I replied. I stuck my tongue out at him to punctuate my response, and he rolled his eyes at me as he knelt in front of Jennifer.

"Autumn is safe, Jennifer, and we'd like to reunite you with your daughter, but you're going to have to dry those tears and tell us what happened first. I hope you understand that we have to protect Autumn in every way that we can, and that includes whether we let an unfit mother back into her life." His kind tone broke through her emotions and helped her rein them in.

"I didn't leave her intentionally. I wasn't given a choice," she sniffed, starting her story. "I met Billy at the diner I worked at. He was so... kind. It wasn't the charm that drew me in; I'd seen plenty of charm in my life. It was his kindness. He flirted, yes, but he did it in a way that made me feel like I was the only person he could see. I was all that mattered to him, and I had never felt that from someone before."

Her eyes got a faraway look, and she wrapped her arms around herself in a self-soothing manner. Zach sat on the arm of my chair while Tyler rose and sat on the couch beside Jennifer.

"I agreed to go on a date with him, and it was a proper date at a fancy restaurant. The night was going so well that I agreed to return to his house with him. I wasn't often treated as more than a whore when it came to intimate happenings, so this was all new to me. When I stepped through the doors of this house, I thought to myself how happy Autumn would be here. I was getting ahead of myself, of course, but keeping the daydreams of giving my daughter a better life at bay had been impossible."

Jennifer looked around the house bitterly, unable to view it through the rosy lens she had when she first walked through the door.

"Of course, I had no way of knowing that I was stepping into a prison until it was too late. I woke up a few hours after we had made love to go home to Autumn, but I couldn't find my clothes, purse, or shoes anywhere. That was when Billy stirred and told me I wasn't going anywhere again. I pleaded with him that I had a daughter and she needed me, but he told me that the only person who needed me anymore was him. Nobody else mattered, and my old life was over."

She met my eyes, the desperation for me to understand her clear within them. "I never wanted to leave Autumn. By the time I had gained Billy's trust enough to be allowed out of the house, Autumn had already been put into foster care, and I thought that it was probably for the best. She'd have people to give her the life I couldn't before and certainly couldn't now."

"Why didn't you leave? If you could leave the house, why didn't you go to the police and get help?" I asked. "Your daughter needed you."

"If I tried to escape, Billy would have killed me," Jennifer replied. "There wouldn't have been a safe place for me to go, and then I would have also put Autumn at risk. I couldn't take that chance."

I barely refrained from telling her she had already been at risk. Now wasn't the time to continue pointing that out. Right now, we needed to get Jennifer out of here and deal with Billy. I still wasn't sure how I felt about Jennifer, but her story seemed genuine. Until I found out for sure, she wouldn't be seeing Autumn. "Jennifer, why don't you pack a bag," I suggested. "Grab anything important to you because we won't be coming back."

Jennifer paled. "I can't leave," she replied.

"What the fuck do you mean you can't leave?" I asked. My patience was coming to a swift fucking end with this woman. "I just told you that we rescued your daughter from a trafficking ring. You admitted that you were being held here against your will. Why the fuck can't you leave?"

"Billy would never let me. He'd find me," she replied. I sighed and looked at Zach and Tyler. She was afraid. I could understand that.

"Jennifer," Tyler said gently, "You never have to worry about Billy ever again. We're going to protect you and make sure that he can never hurt you or Autumn. You do want to see your little girl, right? I know she desperately wants to see you."

She still looked apprehensive. She wanted to believe us, but years in captivity had her well-trained. "Of course, I want to see Autumn," she said.

"Then go get your stuff, and we'll get out of here," Tyler prompted. He followed her upstairs, leaving me and Zach alone in the living room with Dash and Dire.

"You believe her?" Zach asked.

"Yes, but... I don't know. I don't have a right to keep her from her daughter, but at the same time, I want to make sure that she's in the right mindset before reintroducing them," I replied. I stood and began snooping through their belongings. Everything was neatly organized, likely because Jennifer would catch a beating if it weren't. The house was missing that lived-in feeling. It was almost like a TV set. It looked good but wasn't very functional. "I wonder if Billy has another house that he lives in," I pondered out loud.

"And this is just his play house where he keeps his wife?" Zach asked.

"It all seems too perfect, right?" It was so perfect that it made me itch, so I moved things around a bit.

"It had to be perfect," Jennifer replied. I hadn't heard her or Tyler return. She stood in the doorway with a small bag. I'm surprised she found anything she wanted to keep. If it were me, I wouldn't have wanted anything. "If it wasn't perfect, I was beat. It didn't take me long to learn to keep everything in its place."

"Fair enough," I replied. "Do you have everything?"

"I do," she said. Seconds later, we heard a key in the front door, and Jennifer started to shake. "He's home early. He's going to kill us all."

I rolled my eyes as I pulled out my gun. Tyler quickly moved Jennifer out of view of the door and pushed her behind the couch before drawing his weapon. Zach chose to lean against the wall just inside the door. Dash and Dire weren't sure where to go and finally settled on sitting halfway between Zach and myself.

The door swung open, and Billy saw Zach immediately. "Who the fuck are you, and why are you in my house?" Billy demanded. He took a few steps toward Zach, coming into view, and pulled his gun out. "Jennifer?" he called.

As soon as they saw the gun, the wolves were alert and growling. They stalked forward, ready to take care of the threat. Billy's gun swung towards them, and I had a moment of panic.

"If you shoot my wolves, I'll make sure you die a slow and painful death," I warned. Drawing his attention, I felt immense satisfaction when I saw the recognition in his eyes, and he paled. That was good. He knew who I was, which would cut out a lot of the chit-chat and explanations.

"Miss Romano, what are you doing here?" he asked, lowering his gun.

"I came to collect something that doesn't belong to you, Billy," I replied. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that kidnapping is wrong?"

Tyler helped Jennifer to her feet, and Billy's fear transformed into rage when he saw her holding a bag. "Jennifer, get your fucking ass upstairs. I'll deal with you later."

"She will do no such thing," I told him. "She will be coming with us."

"Like hell, she will. No offense, ma'am, but what happens in my house between me and my wife isn't your concern," he sneered. He lifted the gun again, this time pointing it at Jennifer. "Jennifer, I gave you a fucking order."

To my utter delight and Billy's surprise, Jennifer squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "I don't follow your orders anymore," she told him firmly.

Before he could squeeze off a round, Zach disarmed him, shoving him against the wall. "You heard the lady. Your control over her life is over."

"We'll see about that," Billy sneered. "She'll come back, or I'll hunt her down and drag her back."

"Oh dear," I replied. "You seem to be under the impression that we'll let you live. That's a little awkward. Tyler, bring Jennifer to the car, please."

Zach tossed Billy further into the living room and away from the door, allowing Jennifer to pass without getting closer to Billy. When the front door closed, I moved to stand beside Zach. "Yedinorog," I said. I wasn't interested in conversing with him further. There wasn't anything that he could say to me to avoid his fate.

Dash and Dire struck immediately, sinking their teeth into Billy and ripping flesh from his body. Billy screamed at the top of his lungs as he was savagely torn apart. Blood was spraying everywhere, and Zach pulled me back so that we didn't get hit with it. I could still hear Billy's faint moans when the wolves began to feed. We let them eat their fill before calling them off. I went into the kitchen and wet a couple of hand towels so that Zach and I could wash the worst of the blood off them before joining Jennifer and Tyler in the car.

"Where is Billy?" Jennifer asked.

"Puppy chow," Zach grinned.

Her eyes widened, and she looked at the wolves with fear. "Don't worry. They only attack when protecting me or ordered." I assured her. "Billy won't be able to hurt you or Autumn anymore."

"Thank you," she replied. I had worried that his death might have affected her negatively and was pleased to see it hadn't.

"Where to, boss?" Ryan asked from the driver's seat.

I studied Jennifer carefully. I hadn't planned on bringing her home right away, but after seeing her stand up to Billy, maybe she was ready to be a mother again. "Take us home, Ryan," I replied.

"Yes, ma'am." We pulled away from the curb, and Jennifer didn't bother looking back as the house faded from sight.

"Maybe I should go to a hotel first," Jennifer said nervously. "Give you a chance to prepare Autumn."

"You've spent enough time without her, Jennifer," Tyler replied. "I know you're nervous, but Autumn is a smart kid. Just tell her the truth, and she'll understand. She might be angry at first, but she will come around. She loves and misses you. Let's not make her wait any longer."

"I don't have any way to care for her," Jennifer replied. "Where are we going to go?"

"You'll stay with us until you get back on your feet," I replied.

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

I reached forward and took Jennifer's hands in mine. "You wouldn't be imposing, and it isn't just for you. Autumn is settling into a routine with us. I don't want to disturb that. Staying with us makes sense."

"Thank you," she replied. Some of the tension in her body was released as that worry was eliminated.

"Did you let the others know what's going on?" I asked Tyler.

"I shot a message to the group chat," he replied. I guess if I ever checked my phone, I would have known that. We pulled up to the house, and Sean and Colt were waiting outside.

"Have a good lunch?" Colton asked as we exited the car.

"It was productive," I laughed. "Much more than expected."

"I see that," he replied. He kissed me hello and then introduced himself to Jennifer, who was staring nervously at the house.

"Is she ready for this?" Sean asked after accepting my kiss. I wrapped my arm around his back and leaned against him as we watched Jennifer and the others.

"She's nervous, but I don't see the point in delaying it. Waiting won't make it any easier for them," I replied quietly. "Where are Drew and Autumn?"

"Drew is keeping her busy at the gun range," he replied. "We thought it would be best to distract her so that Jennifer could get her bearings before the reunion. Cordy made cookies for the occasion."

"They better not have oatmeal in them," I grumbled.

"No oatmeal. I think Cordy took your warning to heart. She made chocolate chip, and they're delicious," Sean replied with a light chuckle.

We all went inside and headed straight to the kitchen. "Cordy, I'd like to introduce you to Autumn's mother, Jennifer. Jennifer, this is Cordy." At my introduction, Cordy rushed forward and embraced her in a tight hug, whispering words of comfort to her that I couldn't make out. "She's basically the house mother around here. If you need help with anything, she can help you. If you need to purchase anything, talk to Tyler; he can get you whatever you need. If you ever need to go anywhere, just let someone know, and we will arrange a car for you. You aren't a prisoner, but you will have a security escort whenever you leave. We're in the middle of some shit right now, and I don't want you to get caught in the crossfire."

"Thank you," she replied. "Where's... where's Autumn?"

"She's having a shooting lesson in the basement with Drew. I'll get them. Make yourself at home." I left her in the kitchen with Cordy and my guys and went downstairs to the basement. I stepped into the outer room of the firing range and watched Autumn aim at a target and empty a clip into it. The way the gun kicked up in her tiny hands was almost comical. I was impressed that she could hang on to it with a short recovery time before she had it lined up to take her next shot.

I had a flash of intense possessiveness as I watched her. I wanted to keep her for myself. She was mine, even if she wasn't. I pushed the feelings aside as she placed the gun down and stepped back, looking up at Drew for approval. As much as I wanted her to be mine and only mine, she had a mother upstairs waiting to see her. Autumn deserved to be reunited with her mother. I took a deep breath and opened the door. The smile Autumn gave me when she saw it was me was like a shot to my heart. Steeling my resolve, I returned her smile.

"Hey, squirt. I have something important I need to talk to you about," I told her.