Chapter 19

nineteen

. . .

Cross

I heard the little yip of fear as the echo of the gunshot bounced off the walls. What the fuck was that? No one should be down here. Hell, no one knew about this place except Walker, and he was passed the fuck out after yet another night of drowning his sorrows over River.

A low growl of frustration escaped as I realized I was going to have to check the noise out and leave clean up for later. Wasn't like this asshole was going anywhere.

Frantic footsteps reverberated through the underground passage. The sound, mixed with soft, feminine whimpers, pulled me out of the room. There was only one woman on this property, and she didn't belong down here.

Shoving open the door, I caught the flash of her hair and knew I needed to run damage control. What was she doing up? It was nearly three a.m., for God's sake.

"River?"

She let out another soft cry and picked up her pace.

"Goddammit." The words were bitten off, but they bounced down the corridor as if I'd shouted them, tucking my gun back into my jeans as I took off after her.

"Stay away from me, Cross."

I should let her run. I'd wanted her to stay out of my way, but I hated the idea of her being afraid of me. After what she'd just witnessed, how could she be anything but? I didn't just shoot that guy. I'd tortured him. Who knows how much of that she'd seen? I had to find out. I had to make sure she kept her fucking mouth shut.

Maybe it was best she was scared, after all.

If she was afraid of us, she'd stop digging. She'd get the hell out of here and leave us be.

If she leaves, that bastard could buy us out at public auction...

River Adams was a liability no matter where she went. But which was worse? Her getting caught up in my family's business, or her being the reason we lost it all?

"Stay away?" I spat, closing in on her as she continued her mad dash to the exit.

I didn't need to let her in on the fact that the other end of this tunnel opened up under the stables. She wouldn't get past me anyway.

I snagged her by the elbow, spinning her to face me and halting her progress.

I'd expected fear but ended up facing fury. If looks could kill, I'd be nothing but a husk. She was a constant surprise. Chest heaving, eyes bright with emotion, she didn't cower but held my gaze. Christ, she was beautiful. I'd almost forgotten what the two of us were doing when her words brought me back.

"I saw what you were doing to that man. You... he's dead, isn't he?"

He was, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping my brother safe. Her safe. She could have so easily been collateral damage that night. She didn't have a fucking clue about the devils breathing down her neck. About the danger her connection to us put her in.

I intended to keep it that way.

Clenching my jaw, I forced in a long, slow breath and tried to ignore the little voice in the back of my head telling me to kiss her. To claim her.

"You don't need to know any more than you already do, sparrow."

"Don't pretend like you're trying to protect me. You're scared."

I scoffed. "Scared of what? You? Unlikely."

"Scared of what I can do to you. I have your balls in my hand, and all I have to do is cut them off with a flick of my wrist, Danny. I could walk away and let this place burn."

That was the last thing I could let her do.

I tugged her closer, my voice dropping to a furious whisper. "You don't know a fuckin' thing."

"I know enough. More than enough to go to the police."

"That's an empty threat, and you know it."

"Wanna try me, Cross?"

The challenge in her was like a careful dance between us. She moved, I moved. We were playing a game, and I was never quite sure of the rules. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a thrill out of it. With her, fighting felt a helluva lot like foreplay.

"I don't have to. We both know anything you say to the cops will ruin you as much as us. Don't you get it, sweetheart? You are Twisted Cross Ranch now. Senior saw to that. You wanna take us down? You'll topple right down beside us."

Her unease wasn't as strong as I'd hoped. I wanted fear to flash through those green irises. I needed it, because then I'd trust she would act to protect herself, if not us. Truth was, she'd left us all behind with no love lost, and she'd probably be happy to watch us burn, even at the cost of her reputation. We certainly hadn't given her a reason to want anything else. But maybe there was one more card I could play. Because she might hate the Cross men, but she loved her parents, and the Adamses' legacy was tied to ours. Even in death.

It may have been ten years ago, but I'd heard her thin voice on the phone when she'd called to check in after she couldn't reach them. That awful day when I'd stood next to my father as he told her they were dead and that she couldn't come back for the funeral.

She wasn't the kind of girl to get over that crushing grief. I bet it controlled her still. In fact, I was counting on it.

"It'll ruin your precious daddy's reputation."

She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening.

Bingo.

"That's right, sparrow. Your daddy's hands were just as dirty as ours."

"I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual. Now climb your ass up the ladder and get out of my hair. If you know what's good for you, you'll go to bed and forget this tunnel even exists. You hear me? Unless you want to help me clean up my mess. Or should I say, our mess?"

"You're a monster." Her voice was low and controlled, fury burning behind the words.

"Yeah, well, you're the one who spread her legs for me. What does that make you?"

Her palm was a blur of motion as she slapped me across the cheek. I'd earned that one. Hell, I wouldn't put it past her to smother me in my sleep at this point, but if we stayed enemies, I didn't have to ever lose her. Wasn't that how it worked? You couldn't lose what you never had in the first place.

But you did have her.

Once.

I rolled my head from side to side, letting the sting of her strike radiate through me. Oddly, it hurt less than my memories. If anything, her hand on me only fueled my desire for her. Fucked up, I know, but I was hardly going to judge myself for having an honest reaction. I was a violent man; it was only natural.

"Feel better?"

"No." She slapped me again.

"You about done?"

"Fighting you? Never."

Her fire had me hard as stone, and I hated how I reacted to her. Not just physically. Emotionally. She had me tied up in knots, and I didn't have fucking time for this. I had a dead Russian in my storeroom, a still unresolved hit on my brother, and a shipment going out soon I was certain would be sabotaged. My empire was literally falling apart, and she stood at the center of it all.

"So what you're telling me is I should haul your ass up that ladder. Because the only way you're getting out of here is with me right behind you."

"You just want to look at my ass."

"I don't need you on a ladder to do that. Now go."

She followed my instructions without arguing for once, and I'm not ashamed to admit I did stare as she climbed. For a second, I worried she'd try to close me in before I could get up and into the office, but she didn't. She was waiting for me, leaning up against the desk.

"Happy?" she asked.

"Not remotely."

"Any other secret kill rooms hiding under the house?"

"If there are, I'm sure as fuck not telling you."

"I'll just get the blueprint from McCreedy."

"Who says we put the secret rooms on the blueprints?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "One way or another, I'll uncover all your dirty laundry, Cross."

"I'm sure you'll try. But remember, yours is just as dirty now."

"We'll see about that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I shouted after her as she turned and stormed out of the office.

It took everything in me not to chase after her and demand she answer me. But I was in no shape to traipse through the house. As it was, I'd just earned myself extra cleaning time making sure that asshole's blood hadn't found its way into my father's office. Fuck, she riled me up like no one else could. She made me sloppy. I couldn't afford that. I needed to keep my head in the game, not lost in her.

So, with a heavy sigh, I pulled out my phone and made a call.

As soon as the call connected, I simply said, "I need a deep clean. ASAP."