Chapter Thirteen

Josh looked around the room with a deep sense of satisfaction. The whole evening was turning out even better than he'd planned. "I think that's everything. Check the wine. She likes something light and fruity."

Grim had changed into a pair of slacks and a dress shirt sans tie. They'd hurriedly gotten out of their leathers, showered and dressed, wanting to give Nicole time to pamper herself. He glanced at the clock. Twenty-five minutes more and they would go down and escort her up.

"I ordered what Liv drinks." Grim pulled the bottle out of the elegant bucket the staff had left. "This is it."

There was a well-stocked fridge with beer and soda, but he wanted Nicole's wine to be perfect.

Tonight was the beginning of the rest of their lives, after all.

"Now, we're alone so I can ask the question I've needed to ask all night." Grim turned away from the table with its charcuterie and plate of delicate cookies. Snacks to fuel an evening of vigorous exercise.

Josh sighed. He'd known this discussion was coming from the moment Nic mentioned she'd met Harlow. "Harlow wants to talk to me. To us, really. I think she's found something and wants to update us. I know she was waiting for a call. I told her we could have breakfast tomorrow. I'll find out what's going on then."

Though he rather hoped Nicole would tell them everything tonight. The words I love you had come out of her mouth earlier, and he believed her. It felt like they were finally on steady ground.

Grim didn't seem as sure. "I know you talked to her about looking into the situation, but I thought we were keeping it light. If Harlow came all the way to Austin, she's serious about this."

Josh's head shook. "She's found something, but I'm not worried about it. We talked about this. We need to know what's coming for her. Even if she's not ready for us to know. We can't protect her if we're in the dark."

"Just make sure Harlow knows the parameters of her assignment. It's not to fucking scare her off." Grim sighed and sank down to the big sofa where they would likely be all cuddled up and watching movies at some point. There was a big screen TV with all the streaming services they could want. "You know Harlow can get territorial about her friends," Grim pointed out. "If she finds out something about Nic she considers bad, she might take things into her own hands."

Josh shook his head. "I don't think so. At least not without talking to me. I'm pretty sure that's precisely why she's here. Do you want me to call her? We've got some time before we go down and get Nicole. We can find out what Harlow has on her."

Grim's head shook. "I would rather wait for Nic to tell us. I think she's close. It would be better if she never knows you asked someone to look into her at all. It'll be a breach of trust. I think she might tell us tonight."

"I do, too, but maybe we should talk about how to react. Our reactions to whatever secret she has will be everything. All right. Let's throw it around." Josh put a hand to his chest, his eyes lowering, and he gave his best Nicole impression. "Grim, I have a secret baby."

Grim's eyes rolled. "Take this seriously."

Josh chuckled. He was actually feeling pretty good. The sex had burned away his anxiety, but he knew Grim carried around a lot of it. "I am. I promise you. There's nothing in the world I take more seriously than our woman. But I want you to think. What could she tell us that would make us turn our backs on her?"

Grim shook his head. "I don't know. I want to say there's nothing, but the world can sometimes kick you in the ass. You don't understand that the way I do. The way Nic does."

He wasn't about to argue over his place of privilege. He knew Grim was speaking the truth. He'd had a great life and life had kicked Grim and Nic around. Precisely why he needed to protect them both. Especially from their own fears. "If she tells us she's on the run from a husband who abused her?"

In his head, it was the most obvious possibility. She cried out in her sleep asking someone to stop. That someone was likely a male partner. If she'd lied about her divorce, he would be happy to make it a truth for her.

"Then we hunt the son of a bitch down and he won't hurt her again," Grim replied as though he kind of liked the idea.

Josh did, too. But there were other scenarios churning through his head. "How about I have a couple of kids out there and I'm protecting them from someone who wants to hurt them?"

"Well, I would hope she wants more because I would like that, but I would accept whatever she is willing to give me, and I would love her kids." Grim seemed to relax.

This was how to relieve his stress. Grim needed to run through things. He needed plans. His world had been chaotic for so long. A lot like Nicole's. Josh knew how to be the calm center of things. His fathers had taught him. Even when the world seemed out of control, the key was to not panic. Panic was the enemy. Not fear, and fear was what they were facing. Fear of the unknown. Fear of losing her. "If she's done something and the law's after her?"

"We fix it." Grim sounded so much calmer now. "If we can't, then we run with her."

"Then we run with her." His decision was made. Though he was fairly certain he could deal with whatever was thrown his way without taking up the hobo life. Money could solve a world of troubles. It could buy the best lawyers. His connections afforded him the finest hackers who could build an identity to protect her. "It's not going to come to that."

"Dad…your dad is going to be a problem."

His dad was always a problem. Stubborn old man, but Grim was wrong about one thing. "Do you not want to call him Dad? It doesn't dishonor your biological father. I know Dad wouldn't mind. You slip up a lot and call Pops Pops, and you often refer to our mother as Mom."

"I don't know," Grim said quietly. "I guess I worry with my background Jack might find it distasteful."

"I'm going to beat some sense into you."

A smile broke over Grim's face. "I'd like to see you try." He sobered. "I don't know. Pops is easy. Mom is… She's the best mom in the world. It's not like I don't love the old man. I went to vet school to make him proud of me."

Josh rolled his eyes because he remembered the time well. They'd been planning on taking classes together, and Grim chucked that right out the window. "You went to vet school because he didn't like the old vet and offhandedly said you might think about it because he would love to have one in the family. You did eight years of school for him."

A wistful smile played on Grim's lips. "I ended up loving it."

"And he loves you, so drop the whole your dad thing. He's our dad. You just took your time getting to meet him. You were always meant to be part of my family. Hell, sometimes I'm sure he loves you more than me."

Grim frowned his way. "No, you're just so like him you butt heads all the time, and you need to remember that when we have to tell him what's happening with Nicole. He'll handle the secret kids real well. I should know. The man likes to take in strays. The running from the law thing could be another story."

Because Jack Barnes would try to protect his family, and Nicole wasn't part of that yet. "I'll handle it. I'll do whatever it takes."

A plan was starting to form in his head. A plan to put his ruthlessly protective father in check. It was the kind of plan his dad would have come up with if he'd found himself in this position. The key with Jack Barnes was to show him there was no moving, no maneuvering at all. The king had to be placed in check and then Josh would get what he needed—time.

Because if his father didn't come to adore Nicole and embrace her like the family she was destined to be, then he didn't know his father at all. Pops was the easy one, and his mom just wanted everyone to be happy.

Now that he thought about it secret kids would soften his dad up. It had been a while since Lexi had popped out her last, and the old man loved a kid following him around.

"If something goes down with Dad, your job is to take care of Nic and make sure she stays out of it as much as possible," Josh explained. "I'll handle the parents."

A gentle chiming went through the suite.

Josh turned for the door. "Are we missing anything?"

Grim looked around. "I don't think so."

Josh went to the door. "Well, get ready because it's almost time to go pick up Nicole. She should be done by now. It won't take her long to dress since I didn't leave her underwear."

Grim shrugged. "A sensible thing to do."

It was good they were in synch.

Josh opened the door and Harlow stood there. She'd changed into street clothes, jeans and a T-shirt and combat boots. Her uniform. Though she didn't usually look so freaked out.

"Josh, we have to talk." She charged into the room after him, her cell phone in hand. She put it to her ear. "Dad, I need you to call me. Now. Before you do anything. This is my case, and you are going to fuck everything up. I'm not joking."

Josh's gut tightened. "What's happening?"

"Should I find Nicole?" Grim put down the beer he'd been about to open.

Harlow shoved her phone into her pocket. "Guys, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize my dads were looking into Nicole, too. I gave the picture you sent to my facial recognition guy. Well, girl. Ruby is an amazing investigator, but she didn't know we were keeping this on the down-low so when Dad called her, she gave him the report first. Josh, it's bad. I'm afraid they're going to call in the police. She's wanted."

Grim started for the door. "If they take her in, I'll… I don't know what I'll do, but…"

Josh followed him. "What we'll do, but it'll be bloody, and I won't care that we're family."

He raced out the door and prayed he got to Nicole in time.

* * * *

Nic finished drying her hair and stared at herself in the mirror.

She looked like a completely different person than the woman who'd rolled into Willow Fork with two hundred dollars in her pocket and a car on its last legs.

She looked well loved.

And fancy since Josh had left her a pretty slip dress and heels to change into after she got out of her fet wear. No jeans and snarky T-shirt that had seen better days for her tonight.

Was this who she could be if she found a way to stay with them? She was still Nicole. She was still the same woman, but she was more confident, more secure. Money wouldn't change her with the singular exception of not having to worry about where her next meal was coming from. When she thought about it, she could be a truer version of herself if she wasn't simply focused on survival.

What would life be like if she didn't have to suspect every human being she met?

She would go to her grave with the memory of Josh standing in front of her telling her to take what he gave her and make something beautiful with it.

Was it that simple? Her world had been chaos for so long. The idea a life could be happy and satisfying simply because she loved her men and the family they could build seemed like a distant dream.

She heard a buzzing noise in the background. The locker room was empty. It was still early, and the club would be hopping for another couple of hours.

But her men wanted time alone with her.

Time to show her how well they could love her. Was she brave enough to take their love with both hands and trust it?

She took out the designer lipstick and brushed it over her mouth. The color was perfect, of course. Josh wouldn't screw up any details.

Would his family accept her? Even if Josh and Grim could believe her story, it didn't mean Jack Barnes would, and could she blame him?

The buzzing started again, and it was coming from the row her locker was on.

She gathered her makeup kit and moved to the locker when the buzzing noise started again. Her cell. Who would call her? She glanced at her phone's screen and it let her know she wasn't late. Josh and Grim would be waiting for her outside the locker room soon, but she still had some time.

She didn't recognize the number, but they could be using someone else's phone. She slid her finger across the screen. "Hello."

"Nic. Thank god." There was a huff that sounded like relief. "I've been trying to get you for an hour."

She thought she recognized the voice. "Heather?"

"Are you in the club?" Heather asked.

"Yes. I'm in the locker room."

"Is anyone with you?"

A knot formed in her gut. She was certain she was alone. It had been nice when she'd first entered the locker room, but now she felt a chill. "No. Uhm, what's going on? You're scaring me."

"I'm sorry but I need you to be scared right now. I found out there are private investigators looking for you, and they are in that club. I don't have a ton of time to explain but the Dawson family runs an investigative firm, and they've been looking into your background. They know, Nicole."

Her vision went slightly blurry, and she leaned against the locker for support. "They know?"

Dawson. Harlow. Harlow had been introduced as Harlow Dawson. Josh's friend knew, and she was going to tell him. She was going to tell him the woman he'd fucked was wanted for killing the last man to do that.

She was going to be sick.

"I need you to stay calm," Heather said over the line. "The Dawsons aren't people to fuck with. They won't play by anyone's rules but their own. I'm on my way in. Meet me in the lobby and I'll get you out of there."

"You're here?" It was relief in the moment. She wasn't thinking about anything but the fact that there might be a way out. Unless they'd already called the cops. "I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Don't worry about me," Heather said, and she could hear cars moving in the background. "Meet me downstairs. Grab what you can and don't stop for anything."

She was already in motion. If she had time, she would change out of the stupid silky gown that had made her feel sexy mere moments before. Now she realized how vulnerable it made her. "You need a card to get in."

"Trust me." There was a deep confidence in Heather's tone. "I can get in. Go, Nic. Go now, and leave the phone. They're probably tracking you."

Was that why Harlow had lingered? She'd read enough suspense books to know the dumbass heroine usually got her phone tagged. Tears blurred the world as she dropped her phone and stepped out of her heels. She couldn't run in them. But her sneakers would take a while to tie, and panic was stirring inside her.

With only her purse, bare feet on the hardwoods, she rushed out of the locker room. Please don't let them be waiting. Please.

The hallway was empty, though she saw a man coming from the lounge.

"Nicole? You okay?" Case Taggart was dressed in dark leathers as he strode down the hallway. "I can get Josh for you."

No words came out of her mouth. Nothing smart. Nothing to throw him off the fact that something was terribly wrong. Full-on, pulse-pounding panic fully took over, and she couldn't hear anything beyond her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.

It was everything she'd feared, and she couldn't face them. She couldn't look into their eyes as their love turned to disgust.

She couldn't go to jail because she knew damn well she wouldn't ever make it to trial. If she went to jail, they would come after her because they couldn't let her tell the truth. Ted wouldn't risk it.

Nic ran, feet pounding against the carpet that covered this part of the club.

She heard someone shout her name, but she had one goal in all the world right now. Get downstairs. Get to her friend. Heather would get her out of here.

How was Heather here? How did Heather know?

The questions were a distant bell ringing, lost amid the panic. The elevator was in front of her, but Case was behind her. She couldn't wait so she sprinted for the stairs.

How many stairs? Three flights? Four? She nearly stumbled but held on to the railing.

Josh and Grim had gone up to their suite. The dungeon was on two of the lower levels of the building. The rest were living spaces and guest suites. They would be at least ten flights up since she remembered the spectacular views of the city and the Colorado River. She'd stood there hours before, and the world felt like it was starting to make sense again.

Now she was back in the real world, and it was nothing but fear and chaos.

Her breath heaved in her chest as she made it to the first floor and burst through.

The lights of the lobby nearly blinded her after the low light of the stairwell. Or maybe it was the anxiety attack creeping along the edges of her consciousness. The lobby was an elegant construction, with marbled floors and a big welcome desk. The man on duty looked up from his high-tech computer, his eyes flaring.

"Ma'am?"

All she could see was the doors. She could get through the doors and run. She wouldn't stop this time. If Heather wasn't there, she would keep running.

There was nothing for her. Nothing at all.

She'd almost made it to the door when all the air fled her lungs as a big arm clotheslined her, dragging her back from what briefly felt like freedom.

"I'm afraid not," a deep voice said. "Time to face the music."

Fear choked her, and she pushed against the arm.

"Mr. Dawson." The lobby attendant approached like he was dealing with a dangerous wild animal. "Should I call the police? Does Mr. Taggart know what's going on?"

Dawson. The Dawsons knew. Heather had told her, and she hadn't been fast enough.

"I'll make that call later, Glen," the man behind her said. "And there's no need to contact Case. We're going to ask Ms…Mason a few questions. That's all. We're taking her to a place where we can talk."

And suddenly she was turned and facing another man. He was tall and built, with deep blue eyes and dark hair. He looked her over with a frown, though his words were meant for her attacker. "After all these years, you finally learn, brother." He turned Glen's way. "You do need to call Mr. Barnes-Fleetwood and Mr. Burch. We're going to all sit down and have a talk and then we'll decide what to do with our little Miss Murder."

Her stomach churned. It was her every nightmare made real. They knew. They all knew. "Please. Please let me go. I won't bother Josh or Grim anymore. I'll disappear."

How had she made this mistake again? Did she never learn?

The man shook his head. "Can't do it."

The elevator doors opened and Case Taggart strode out, a fierce look on his face. "What the hell is happening, Chase? Are you running some kind of op in my fucking club?"

"What they're doing is making a huge mistake and getting in the middle of my op," a familiar voice said. "Which I never planned to run in your club. I thought she would be safe here, Taggart. Let the girl go."

"Holy shit." Case's jaw actually dropped. "Solo?"

Heather was true to her word. She'd gotten in the building, but she looked totally different than her casual, happy friend. Her blonde hair was pulled back, and she was in all black. "I don't go by that name anymore."

"Shit," the man behind her said. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Look, Nicole, I need you to call off your friend. I didn't realize you had a bodyguard." He took a step back, dragging her with him as he spoke to Heather. "We're all going to sit down and talk this situation out. My name is Ben Dawson and that's my brother Chase. We seem to have walked into something we don't understand."

Who was Solo? Nic was so fucking confused. And scared. She was scared because she was surrounded by predators.

"Look, lady, I don't know who you are, but this is a private club and I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Chase Dawson said, turning to Heather.

"I will as soon as you let the girl go. We'll leave and you won't have to worry about the situation again. Tell Barnes his precious boy is safe." Heather flicked her hand and a baton appeared. "I'll take her back to Bliss with me and he can pretend he doesn't have a past."

"Or I can escort you out myself," Chase offered.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Case warned. "We should all go up to my office and discuss the situation."

"You might be out of practice, Taggart. I'm not." Chase swaggered over to the blonde. "Let's see if we can find the exit."

"Dumbass," Ben hissed. "He doesn't recognize her. Nicole, we're going to back up so when my brother gets his ass kicked, you don't get hurt."

She wasn't sure how that was possible since Chase Dawson had a hundred pounds of muscle on Heather. Heather was tall and had a slender strength about her, but Nic knew it didn't matter how strong a woman was. Physically a man could hurt her. No amount of going to the gym had ever saved her from Micah.

Chase went to grab Heather's wrist. She brought her arm up and around, breaking the hold before she kicked her knee back and up and right into the big man's balls.

Chase went to his knees. Ben groaned behind her and relaxed just enough to let her wiggle out of his hold.

"Damn it," Ben said as though he was the one who'd lost his manhood.

Heather had Chase in a chokehold, and it didn't look like the dude was getting out of it.

"Case." Chase managed to croak out a plea.

Case's head shook. "Dude, I'm smart enough to not fight the ex-CIA operative. She might not go by Solo anymore but she sure acts like her."

"Nicole, get behind me. My car is on the street," Heather who wasn't Heather ordered.

Who would she be getting in the car with? Definitely someone who'd lied to her. It was all falling into place. Ex-CIA operative? Who had Micah's family brought in? Nic took a step back.

"Nicole…Nora," Heather began. "I am here to help you. I've reviewed your case and I don't buy it for a second. Please come with me."

She couldn't trust anyone. Not a single person.

Ben got hold of her arm again. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist she comes with us, though I'm willing to discuss the situation once we have her secured."

"She's not going anywhere except upstairs." Case stepped in front of her. "You've all forgotten something. This is my fucking kingdom."

Four men moved from all sides of the lobby, guns drawn.

Heather released Chase, her arms coming up to show she wasn't holding a weapon. Ben backed away, doing the same.

Chase sat up, a mulish expression on his face. "You're not going to shoot us, Taggart."

Case frowned. "I'm not going to kill you, but I think you can survive losing a couple of toes, Dawson." He turned to Nicole. "Ms. Mason, I'm so sorry this has happened to you here. We're going to go upstairs and figure this problem out."

"I want to leave," she said.

"Yes, we'll go," Heather agreed.

"Alone." She couldn't trust anyone. "I want to leave here but I'm going to do it by myself. I won't bother any of you again."

The big man's features softened. "I'm sorry. I know that you're scared, but you don't have a reason to be."

"You don't know who she is," Ben countered.

"I know she's a sub in my club and you were manhandling her," Case accused. "We've been friends for years. If you want to keep it that way, you'll get your asses up to my office and you'll start explaining."

The elevator doors opened, and her horrible night was complete. Josh stormed out, not seeming to notice there were guns pointed all around. He simply walked right into the middle of the dangerous scene while Grim rushed past him toward her.

She could see Harlow behind them. She rushed to Chase, who was just starting to get off the floor.

Before she could say a thing or take a step back, Grim hauled her up and into his arms.

"Uncle Chase, you better fucking stand down right now. I know my father put his nose right into my business, but I won't have it. You lay hands on her again and I'll forget we're family." Josh's whole body was tight.

"You don't know who she is," Ben said, joining his brother, and now Nic could see they were perfect twins.

"She's not who they think she is," Heather insisted. "Let me explain."

"In my office," Case said, obviously irritated. "Believe it or not Austin is not so weird that a standoff in a lobby that anyone from the street can see is going to be brushed off. Also, my wife is going to have my ass if she misses this. Gentlemen, please escort the Dawson brothers up to my office. Don't underestimate them. They're old and a little soft, but they used to be Navy SEALs. And don't even try to fuck with Mrs. Kent. She could kill you all and not break a nail, but I think she might behave herself."

"I want a chance to lay out what I've discovered," Heather explained, sounding reasonable now. "This situation is far more complex than it looks, and I'm worried she's in real trouble."

"It's going to be okay," Grim said, cuddling her close. "You're safe, baby."

"You should let me go." She felt hollow inside.

"Never," Grim promised.

She had to force this moment. She couldn't stand to be in this place where he was loving her and Josh was fighting for her and they would both hate her in mere moments. It was making her ache in a way she'd never before. "I'm wanted for murder."

Grim's brow rose, but it was the only sign that he was surprised. "Did you do it?"

Of all the ways he could react, she hadn't imagined that one. "No."

"Then that'll make it easier to get a lawyer." He looked up at Josh. "We're going to need to call Uncle Lucas. But for now, let's get her somewhere warm and figure out what the hell Dad's done."

"He's fucked everything up. Meddling old man," Josh said as he approached. "You okay, baby? Did they hurt you?"

"I didn't hurt her," Ben protested. "And your father is trying to protect you."

"And I'm going to protect her. Everyone needs to understand that here and now," Josh announced.

"They say I murdered my husband." It was obvious her men didn't understand what was happening. Not her men. Josh and Grim. She needed to put some distance between them. "Grim, let me down."

"You're not wearing shoes," he replied and started for the elevator.

"So the ex isn't the ex. The ex is a corpse." Josh followed right beside her. "You sure he's dead? I have to ask because it happens more than you would think."

"He was on the floor with a couple of bullets in him. Yes, he was dead." Now she was even more confused.

"Excellent," Josh announced as though pleased. "Then we don't have to worry about him. Let's get the lowdown and figure out how to proceed. And who your friend is. She looks different."

Case joined them in the elevator. "That sounds like a plan. If only the Dawsons had thought so far ahead."

"I've found the older generation is overly dramatic," Josh said as the doors closed. "Probably trauma or something. I hear a lot of crap about the eighties, man."

"Josh." Why wasn't he taking this seriously?

He reached out and took her hand. "It's going to be okay now, Nic. I'm glad this happened. We're going to drag whatever is haunting you into the light."

But they didn't understand. And when they did it would all fall down around her. The reprieve seemed cruel, but then Nic knew the whole world was.