CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

brAXTON

W ell, this is awkward as fuck.

I might not know these men as well as they know each other, but I feel like I'm pretending to not be me, while pretending to be Braxton Rossi but pretending I'm not Braxton Rossi.

Jesus, I'm confused.

We're all acting and I'm highly impressed by the girls not slipping up. I was worried, but I shouldn't have been. I don't give these guys enough credit. They would never let their women do anything to mess up a mission. Or put them in danger.

Not that Gianna is a danger to them.

Despite Mia's tears.

Jesus, it even touched my heart, and I only met her a week ago.

I didn't realize they knew each other as well as they do.

I'm starting to understand the feelings Mia's been struggling to hide since the beginning. She knows how important it is to get Amy home, and yet there's a friendship and history between them which must be difficult for her to betray.

Especially when Gianna is innocent.

I think.

My mind feels like a ball of fusion with all its contrasting thoughts.

I can feel Gianna growing emotional beside me and want to pull her into my arms and tell her I will protect her.

But there is only so much I can lie.

All evening, she's been looking at Mia like she won the lottery. If I was a jealous man, I'd think it was Connor.

Take me with you when you leave.

What I really want to know is if she wants a ticket out of Gangsterville or if she wants me.

I'll never know the answer.

And I can't ask for it.

"Men," Connor says, pushing his chair back and letting out a sigh. "How about a cigar or two on the balcony while we let the girls talk?"

"Count me in." Decker tosses his napkin on the table.

Mack and Nathan do the same.

"Oh good. We can hear all the gossip about how you and Braxton met." Sienna grins.

"Make me sound good, sweetheart." I smirk, kissing Gianna on the forehead. Her big eyes lift to mine as I stand, and it almost takes my breath away.

Fuck me.

This woman just wants to be loved. And turns out I'm the sucker who seems to be falling.

For a moment I'm furious as fuck with Amy. Why the hell couldn't she have contacted me and told me she needed help? Or my parents. Or my brothers.

Anyone.

Instead of getting involved with the wrong kind of people and getting herself kidnapped. Then guilt almost cripples me as I consider she might be dead or worse.

My smile fades and Gianna notices.

I'm hurting her and hate myself for it.

"Back soon." I grunt and follow the Dark Kings outside.

When the door clicks behind us, I let out a long breath.

"Jesus fucking Christ," I say, and Decker slaps me on the back.

"Take a seat and chill for a moment. Trust me. I know how hard this is," he says.

I flop into one of the wicker armchairs and lean my head back. They all give me a few minutes.

"So," Mack finally says. "What's going on?"

"Shit." I lift my head and run my hand through my dark hair.

Great question.

Here's what I have—which I don't say out loud—I think I'm falling in love with Frank Baldassare's daughter. I'm about to see my first live human trafficking shipment. My cousin might be one of them, and I'm not sure how either of us will react if we see each other.

I don't know what the fuck I am doing.

I might be a US Marine, but I'm starting to wonder if I am truly equipped to do this.

Also, I might be losing my mind.

No, I can't say any of that. I need these Marines to know I'm confident in what I'm doing and will take care of business.

"I'm being taken to view the cargo tomorrow night," I say, leaning forward on my knees. "Amy could be in there. Or not. Soon find out."

"What time?" Connor pulls out his phone and I figure he's updating Agent Scott.

"After dark. That's all I got. No location. Nothing."

"Shit," Decker says.

"He needs backup," Nathan says, as if I'm not sitting there.

Connor taps his phone and nods.

Then he glances up at me. "How do you want to play this?"

My head drops and I study the tiles under me, knowing what he is asking. I could report back afterward, or we could extract the women when I'm there.

Both are risky.

If we wait, they could be moved, and we might never find them again. If we do it at the time, lives could be lost, including mine.

Including Amy's.

But if we don't try, this has all been for nothing.

I know what the answer is. What it has to be.

And it means saying goodbye to Gianna in twenty-four hours. Forever.

"We take them down tomorrow," I say.

"I'll have some of my top guys standing by," Connor says.

"You'll be adding me to that list," Mack says, laying his arm along the sofa cushions.

Connor turns to him. "You going to run that past Summer first?"

"No. She knows I'd only do this if it was important. Brax is a Marine. I'm not sitting at home knitting while his life is on the line."

"You knit?" Decker asks and Nathan snickers.

"I'm also sitting right here." I lift my hand. "And I don't expect any of you to risk your lives. You've already done enough."

"Semper Fidelis," Nathan says.

"Semper Fidelis." Mack nods.

"Semper Fidelis," Connor repeats, and my chest tightens.

"Yeah man. Semper Fidelis." Decker slaps me on the back.

Semper Fidelis.

Forever Faithful. Always Marine.

These Marines were never going to let me do this alone. I was a fool to ever think they would.

It's not how we work.

It's not how we were trained.

"Well, looks like I'm about to get divorced," Decker says, lifting his foot onto his knee with a loud sigh. "But at least it's not the Mexicans this time."

Mack snorts.

"Let's knock out some plans before the women join us," Nathan says, mirroring me and leaning forward on his knees. "You'll need to tell them you have to phone your buyer. That they are awaiting your call. That he has other options and time is of the essence."

Good idea.

"Lean on the timing thing and remind them you are the middleman. So, it's not your decision and that it's not negotiable." Decker adds. "Make something up about time zones. Most people have no clue."

He has a point. I wouldn't have a clue what time it was in Spain or Germany right now.

"I haven't said where in Europe, so that gives me flexibility." I tell them.

If this was legitimately my business, I would be telling them the least amount possible.

The less you say, the more power you hold.

In any negotiation.

"Good," Connor says. "We'll be down the road, and the feds will arrange a tactics team to be near the Baldassare compound by six tomorrow evening. Once we see you leave, we'll tail you."

Mack holds up his finger. "But the more you can message us, the better prepared we can be."

"Think we should put a tracer on him?" Connor asks.

"No," Decker and Nathan say as one.

I shake my head.

I haven't been searched, but there is every possibility they might, given they're about to share the location of their human damn slaves with me.

I would if I were the bad guys.

"Track my phone. I can't guarantee they'll let me take it with me, but I'll use the buyer as my reason for needing it."

Mack nods. "That should work."

"So, what the fuck was that about killing the guards before?" Nathan asks, leaning back in his seat.

Huh?

"It's his magic tongue," Mack says.

What?

I frown as I stare between the two men, and Connor barks out a laugh.

"Okay, start from the top," I tell them.

"You don't want to know." Mack laughs. "But yeah, you are one hell of an actor. If I didn't know you were undercover, I'd think you were in love with that woman."

I rub my jaw and consider my answer.

"Oh, hell," Decker says.

"No. It's fine. She's not what I expected, that's all," I reply, shaking my head. "We're fucking like rabbits. It helps to pass the time."

When I glance up, Connor is staring behind me.

Oh, fuck.

I turn and Gianna is staring at me from the doorway. Her usual sparkling eyes are dimmed, and I know she heard me.

––––––––

T HE DRIVE HOME is quiet .

I'm so sick of lying, I can't force another sentence out of my mouth.

I want to apologize but I'm concerned if I start talking, I won't stop. When you have feelings for someone, lying feels bitter in your mouth.

I try to remember this woman isn't mine and I owe her nothing. Her family steals humans and profits from them. Then releases them to other evil motherfuckers who use them as slaves.

Still, the look on her face when she overheard what I said to the guys is weighing heavily on me.

Gianna sits quietly in the passenger seat as I drive the Ferrari through the dark streets back to Scarsdale.

Behind us, her guards follow us, and I wish they would fuck off. I wish I could have her to myself for a few hours and just be me.

Braxton Ashford.

I wish I could tell her that I didn't mean what I said. That being with her, despite the situation, and having her in my arms are some of the happiest moments of my life.

It makes no sense.

But looking into her eyes, I see love.

I see hope.

I see a future with a woman I could love.

I wish for a lot of damn things, but none of them are possible. Ten minutes later, something in me snaps.

I pull off the side of the road and Gianna gasps. "What are you doing? Braxton."

"Stay in the car." I order her and climb out.

I stride to the black SUV and James rolls down the window.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"I need you two to fuck off!" I demand. "I need an hour alone with my fucking date. Go."

James shakes his head.

I pull my gun out of the back of my pants and point it at his head.

"Either you do it or her father does." James shrugs, unperturbed.

Fuck these gangsters. I want to kill them all.

"I'm happy to do it." I warn him.

"Jesus." Guard number two—I don't know his name—grunts.

I heard Gianna's door open and James glares harder at me. I put myself in his shoes. He's right. He can't just show up at the Baldassare estate without her, so I need to get creative.

"Park a block away and she will message you when we are near. One hour." I pull my gun away. But not completely.

"You going to kill her?" he asks point blank.

"No, I'm going to fuck her, and I don't want you perverts watching."

Guard Two makes some groaning noises in the passenger seat while James shakes his head.

"No one wants her more alive than me." I glance at the Ferrari and watch as she climbs out. "Gianna, get back in the damn car!"

"Fine," James says. "One hour. You hurt her. I will kill you."

"One hour," I say, tucking the gun away, ignoring his threat. He wouldn't be able to kill me if he tried.

He has no idea I'm a US Marine.

Although a bullet in the back of my head isn't something I could stop.

Lucky for me the don wants to do business with me, so I'm confident I will stay alive tonight.

Gianna spots me returning and climbs back inside the Ferrari. When I close my door, her guards take off without us.

"Where are they going?" she cries.

"I don't give a fuck," I say, taking her face in my hands and kissing her for a long damn time.

"Oh, so you want to fuck like rabbits some more to pass the time?" She nudges my chest.

I grab her hand.

"Men talk shit. You know how I feel about you," I rasp, instead of what I really want to say.

"No, I don't," she whispers.

"Well, I'm going to show you." I grab my phone, search for the location I'm after, then pull the Ferrari back out onto the road.

"Brax," Gianna says, looking at me.

"You're safe. No one is going to hurt you and I will have you home in an hour."

"If you don't, my father will kill you," Gianna says softly. It's not a threat. She just needs me to know.

"A few hours ago, you were asking me to kidnap you." I reach out and take her hand.

"If you did, it would be the last thing we ever do." She sighs.

That's if he found us.

But I don't say that.

Tonight, for the rest of the night at least, I just want us to be Braxton and Gianna.

No surnames.

Just me and her and this damn pond of hers.