Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Jake

It takes everything in me not to smash a window when I stride back into the kitchen. Was she going to use that knife on herself?

My blood is pumping ice cold. With all my carefully planned scenarios, that was never one of them.

It never occurred to me that she'd be a danger to herself.

Fuck.

Was it just this morning that I sneered at Kim and Leo and declared myself immune to feelings? I'm clearly not the brightest bulb, because I did not see this coming.

I'm in over my head and she's way more fragile than I thought.

But there is no going back now.

I'm not a man who's in touch with his feelings. I do strength. I do hate. I pepper them both with sarcasm. The largest compliment any one person gets from me is something like… you're not half bad .

That's it.

I think back to the sound of her vomiting in the back of the car. It tore me apart that I'd scared a woman hard enough that she'd thrown up in fear. And it makes me sick to my stomach too.

Because as much as I'm not sappy, I'm also not cruel. My pops could never train that into me, as much as he tried.

And she in her fear, in her fragility, she's stripping back all my defenses. Already. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I've made a mistake. Parts of this plan are just fucking mean and as much as it's meant to hurt Toni, Nia is going to be collateral damage. I know that even as I sell her safety.

Does that make me like him? Did he make me as cruel as he was? And why the fuck is that just occurring to me now?

I don't plan on hurting her myself, not like my pops would have. He'd swing his fists at any member of our family, including my mom.

I would never do that. I'd lock myself in a cell first. But I still know what happens to her after. And it isn't going to be pretty.

I thought I was fine with that. I wasn't hurting her.… I was still different. And I was doing this to protect my family. But this isn't going to end well for Nia.

Then again. Toni Carcetti would do far worse if he got his hands on one of our women. He's done worse to his own, if the rumors are true. What they say he did to his wife makes my pops look like a saint.

Is it true? That's what I'm here to find out.

I cross the room and pick up the knife. I've likely ruined the blade throwing it like that. Still, I slide the utensil back in the block and take the entire block and place my index finger over the invisible pad that unlocks one of the cabinet doors.

I let out a growl of frustration at my own stupidity. I was here, setting up the house last week. When I made myself dinner, I left the block out and never put it back.

I've used every trick in my security repertoire on this place. Fingerprint locks, cameras, digital feeds, electrified perimeter. And it's all run by a solar array I installed myself. It's apocalypse proof and what I plan to do for work when this is all done.

Sliding the block in the locked cabinet, I hear the toilet flush and then the faucet come on .

I scrub my hands down my face as I picture her with water running all down her body. Nia's beauty is another problem.

It's tempting and distracting, neither of which I can afford. I am here because no one wants revenge on her father more than me, and no man is as immune to the charms of women more than me.

It makes me ideal to coerce Nia into sharing Toni's dark secrets. The problem, however, is that she's stroking sympathies I thought long dead.

I'm going to blame the wedding. Leo looking all gooey-eyed is messing with my head.

Or perhaps I should have done this differently. Maybe I should have talked to her at the Diamond. Convinced her to run away with me instead of cutting corners.

Another rumble leaves my chest. I would have been recognized at the Diamond's bar. That's the first problem. But worse…

I would have had to charm her into leaving with me, and let's be honest…that's a stretch.

But now, she's scared in ways that are tugging on my sympathies, which is a problem I did not foresee.

How is this happening? We've been together for hours, not even days. I'm going to have to put some more steel in my spine.

Nia appears next to me, clearing her throat. "Can I get my toothbrush out of my bag? I need to brush my teeth."

I straighten up, my eyes flitting down Nia. Her long blonde hair is spilling over one shoulder, her arms wrapped around her middle, pushing her cleavage even higher and fuller while doing little to hide her stunning hourglass figure.

She makes a man ache.

Large blue eyes meet mine and then skitter away as she nips at her full lip. She looks frightened, weak, and stunning in ways that just makes me want to protect her. Christ. Why did I have to start caring now?

Her lip is trembling, and her eyes are the slightest bit watery, but her chin is high. I resist the urge to reach out and touch her.

"Of course," I answer, and she turns toward the bedroom as I follow. She was going to the airport, so I doubt there are any weapons in her bags but our little incident with the knife has me on high alert.

She unzips her small bag and pulls out a case. I'm in the doorway and I hold out my hand, opening the bag and checking the contents. Again.

I'd already looked when I brought them into the room. It's the task I was completing when she managed to smuggle the knife into the bathroom.

"How come there are two twin beds in here?" she asks as I give her the bag back, not so much as a nail clipper inside.

She's not going to like the answer. With a shrug, I start for the kitchen. "How do you feel about chicken tacos?"

"What?"

"Chicken tacos. You need to eat, and I know you were on your way to Mexican when I picked you up."

She doesn't answer as I head to the kitchen, making quick work of an easy meal. When she reappears, I'm slicing an avocado to add to the dish.

"I don't think I'm hungry," she whispers, standing on the other side of the counter.

I have a choice here. I can insist. Demand she eat the food I've provided. I'm a-hole enough to do it.

If she were one of my nephews, I'd tell her she was an idiot and then leave it. But you can't speak to ladies like that and then gain their trust. This is one of the many reasons I don't date. Women are so much more…complicated. And I don't trust myself. Never have.

But I have to try. Trust is crucial here, and I've got to start building some if I'm going to accomplish my goals. I don't think about after I've gotten what I want. "You've got to be hungry."

"I'm not?—"

"I meant what I said, Nia. I'm not going to hurt you. If you let me, I'll take care of you."

I see her shoulders sink. "You should have taken my sister. She'd like nothing more than to be held in the loving…" she says the last word on a sneer, "embrace of your family. "

I know Nia's sister. Unlike Nia who remains mostly out of the public eye, Jessica spends as much time as possible in it. She's like most women who fill Vegas. Thin as rails except for the fake boobs, lots of makeup, hair dye, and surgery. A carefully crafted fa?ade that takes massive amounts of money and effort to keep up. Those women have never been my thing.

But Nia… "You think she'd want to be here with me? In the middle of the desert outside of Vegas? Would she run away?"

Nia shakes her head. "She wouldn't run away. But she'd join another family in an instant."

So Toni doesn't have the loyalty to either of his daughters. See? Conversation is already gaining me valuable information. "Something tells me that Jessica would not suit me."

Nia shrugs. "What woman suits a kidnapper?"

One corner of my mouth tilts up because I like a bit of sass. "Fine. You don't like me. But I will not hurt you and think of it this way: if you're going to outwit me, you'll need your energy." And then I push the plate closer.

I see her eyes dart to dish, her desire for the food clear. "It's safe?"

Safer than knives in the bathroom. "Sweetheart, if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't drive hours to then poison you with dinner."

She nods as though that makes complete sense and then she slips onto a stool, heaps some avocado on her taco, wraps it up, and takes a big bite.

I feel like I just won some major victory as I grab the other plate and take a large bite myself.

She eats the entire taco without a word and then looks up at me. "Can I make myself another?"

I sigh, realizing we need to be clearer on the arrangement. "The food is yours to eat as much as you want as often as you want. Tomorrow, I'll show you the workout space and the library."

"There's a library?" she asks, her eyes brightening like I've just told her it's Christmas. Beautiful, sassy, and smart. I shouldn't even notice.

I take my last bite of taco, and chew thoughtfully, wanting to insert a slight pause in this conversation. When I've swallowed, I watch as she eats her second taco, some of the color returning to her cheeks.

Opening another cabinet, I pull out the bourbon and pour two short glasses. "Drink?"

She hesitates. "I'm not much of a drinker."

I take one glass and wave it under my nose, inhaling. I'd like to have about five of these, but I've got to keep my wits. "A sip will help you sleep."

She looks skeptically at the glass, licking her lips like she'd like to try it.

I'm deeply invested in making certain this woman is happy and healthy while she's here. Comfort is key to the plan. "Nia. I told you…think of this as a vacation. Eat, sleep, read, relax. Drink. You are safe here and no one is going to hurt you." Silently, I add the words, no one is going to find you either. Not until I want them to.