Chapter 17
SITTING AT THE round table, all eyes were on me. I knew they wouldn’t make this easy on me, but to have this be so damn formal was another blow. For a moment, I felt like the enemy, a feeling I never wanted to have again as long as I lived.
“Catarina,” my father spoke, looking down at the table instead of me. That crushed me. “To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. You should have trusted us to take care of you. That being said…” He paused while inside I wanted to cry, run far away and hide. I was thirty years old, but his words made me feel like a petulant child. Even worse, I deserved them. “Sometimes we don’t make the best decisions when it comes to fear, and that is what you felt.” He lifted his gaze then, looking right at me. “I can see it in your eyes.”
I barely managed holding back the tears. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
Jag, who was at my side, grabbed my hand and held it on top of the table, showing our solidarity and giving me the comfort I so desperately needed at the moment.
“We know you are, but we need to meet like this so you understand the severity of the choices you made. The threat upon us could have been neutralized months ago. And the fact that this asshole is following you means he’s not backing down. The choices you made affect us all, and you need to realize that.”
“I do, Daddy. I was just so damn scared. It paralyzed me.”
Uncle Vino spoke up. “Fear can do that to a person, but never fear someone hurting us. As long as we stick together, we can take them out before they come after us. Information is key, and what you had was the key. You can’t hide those things from us ever again.” Uncle Vino’s orders were clear even though he put them in the most comforting way, given the situation.
“I won’t hide again.” I meant every word. This wouldn’t happen again.
“Good. Now,” my dad spoke, “have you seen anyone unusual around you? Felt eyes on you?”
“That’s the thing. No, I haven’t, and for this guy to see my every move, I would have thought I’d see something.” That had baffled me from the beginning. I had always watched my surroundings and never once spotted someone out of the ordinary. Since becoming more vigilant, I had spotted Ghost several times, but never anyone lurking out of place. How the guy had gotten so close was a mystery.
“And Scraper and your Ghost don’t know anything about this?” my father asked.
“No. I should have at least told them so they could keep a better watch on me.” I hung my head and rolled it around. I wanted so badly to leave, but the sooner I did this, the sooner it would be over.
“Yes, you should have,” Dad chastised. “That is why they are there—to protect you from this shit.” He sighed deeply. “All right, from now on, Jag wants Rex with you at all times. You are to go nowhere without him. Scraper and Ghost, as you call him, are with you, too. For the time being, you need to stick with work and home. Got it?”
“Yeah.” That wasn’t a big deal in the least. Considering the last few months, that had been pretty much all I did, anyway. “What if he finds out I told?” My fear gripped me.
“We all have protection. We will be fine.”
“Kiera?” I asked.
“She will have the same restrictions as you. Lord help you when she finds out.” Uncle Vino chuckled.
I sighed. “I know.”
“Come here.” My dad stood, and I rose and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed hard. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too, Daddy. I’m so sorry.” A lone tear leaked from my eye.
“No more of that. It’s done. You learned, and it’s over.”
I nodded into his shoulder.
He released me, and then the rest of my family bombarded me with hugs and words of reassurance, even Val.
“Come on. Let’s introduce you to Rex,” Jag said.
I nodded, leaving the room with him. Jag gripped my hand, leading me into the kitchen where Scraper, Blondie, and Hulk sat next to a huge hunk of a man.
Standing well over six-foot, his eyes were cold and focused, arms bulging with tattoos, and his dark hair was a free-for-all mess. If I was being honest with myself, he scared me a bit.
“Catarina, Rex,” Jag introduced.
When the man rose, coming closer, my nerves shook.
“Hello, ma’am. No funny business. You tell me every move you make. If I have to hunt you down, I’ll handcuff you to me. I don’t give a fuck if you have to pee. You tell me.”
Everything about him told me he was dead serious, and the last thing I would ever want was to be cuffed to his body.
“Okay.”
I looked to Jag for reassurance, and he smiled, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and holding me tight.
“Where is she?” Screeched from behind me, making me wince.
I turned to see Kiera charging toward me, her fists balled and her face beet red. I stepped forward as she stomped closer.
“All this time. All this time, you didn’t tell me! Me! You tell me everything. You tell me when you’re ragging, when you have a booger up your nose, and hell, how good Mr. Loverboy here is in bed, but you couldn’t tell me someone was stalking you and threatening you!” Her words came out in such a flurry that some sounded pretty jumbled.
She stood there, tapping her foot with her hands lodged on her hips.
“I’m sorry. I screwed up.”
“Screwed up!” She shook her head. “Yeah, you royally screwed up! I can’t believe you didn’t come to me!”
I moved closer to her, hoping she saw the sincerity in my eyes. “It won’t happen again.”
“Damn right.” She glared. “If you start acting like a raving bitch again, I swear to God, I’ll beat it out of you.”
“It killed me not to tell you. So many times, I wanted to.” I looked away from her. “I couldn’t risk you getting hurt. I couldn’t risk anyone getting hurt, Kiera. Please understand.” I looked back at her, seeing some of the fire had dissipated from her eyes.
“The only way you get hurt in this family is if you don’t talk. It’s too damn important. You know this.” She huffed out a big breath. “No more secrets,” she commanded.
“I love you.” I walked up to her, wrapping my arms around her and feeling how stiff she was. After a few moments, the steel went out of her spine, and she wrapped her arms around me, sagging into me. “No more secrets,” I whispered.
“I love you, too,” she said into my shoulder.
We stood there for a while, until Val broke the moment.
***
The day went by in a blur. Jag had to work, leaving me with Kiera. We watched movies and ate way too much. I actually felt like myself for the first time in months. I felt smiles creep across my lips and welcomed each of them.
So much had happened over the past day, but it felt like weeks had passed. Kiera made a huge dinner with lasagna, salad, and bread. It seemed the mouths we needed to feed and take care of were growing.
After setting it out buffet style, the guys would come in and out, eating and moving around the property. Rex never left my side. That man was seriously intense, and when he wasn’t watching me, his eyes were glued to Kiera. Interesting.
That night, after Jag made love to me, I drifted off to the most peaceful sleep I’d had in what felt like forever.
***
“Morning,” Jag’s gruff voice came from beside me. I was cocooned around his strong body, his head resting on the pillow and mine on his chest.
“Morning.”
His hands moved slowly up and down my arm, soothing me. “Do you need to go into the office today?”
I had spent the entire day yesterday goofing off around the house. I definitely had work to do.
“Yeah, I have money to make.”
He kissed the top of my head and rolled out of bed. “Stay with Rex at all times,” he said as his fine ass sauntered into the bathroom.
***
I had a weekend spent with Jag inside of me, and I had to say it was the best reconnection time I could have ever asked for. If truth be told, I’d never felt closer to him than I did after that weekend. The next two days, Jag had seen me off to work with a passionate kiss, Rex and Scraper on my heels.
Rex was my shadow at the office the entire week, even staying in for meetings. At first, it was a bit awkward, but after the first couple of times, it had just flowed.
The next weekend was spent with Kiera, movies, and junk food. While I knew Jag was searching for the stalker, I missed him. I hadn’t received another note from the stalker, so I was praying he had gone away.
When Jag was around, we fell instantly into the comfort of each other. Everything was so natural between us. I never had to try; it was just there. We talked and laughed. He made me happy, a feeling that I’d lost the moment I got that damn envelope.
Tuesday morning, I took phone calls and did research. Rex sat in the corner, staring blankly at the TV on the far wall. I had gotten it for him because I didn’t want him to be bored, though he never complained. Hell, he hardly ever talked, which was fine with me.
My phone buzzed.
“You have a delivery. I’ve signed for it, but it’s marked urgent,” Molly said on the other end.
“Please bring it in.”
“Be right there.”
A knock on my door came moments later.
“Come in.”
Molly strode in, eyeing Rex in the corner as she handed me the white envelope. When she turned, she almost ran into the chair, not looking where she was going.
“Thank you, Molly.” I smiled as red embarrassment crept up her neck, and she quickly left the room without another word.
Rex snidely turned to the door, watching her leave.
“Do you like the women tripping over you here?” I asked Rex, not expecting an answer.
“Doesn’t hurt.” He smirked.
My eyes widened at the sight. It was the first form of expression I had seen on him, stunning me for a moment.
I shook my head, turning back to the envelope. My name was written on the outside, but no return address. My stomach recoiled. It couldn’t be.
I opened the flap, pulling out the contents. The image in front of me made my stomach roll as bile crept up, wanting to escape. On the eight by ten sheet of paper, a blonde woman was on her knees outside of a door with Jag standing next to her. The woman’s hands were opening up Jag’s pants, and he didn’t appear to be stopping her. Moving the picture to the side, a note in bold red letters stared back at me.
You told. Now you have to die with them. You gave it all up for a man who doesn’t love you. Die, bitch.
I threw the picture and paper to the desk, not wanting to touch something so toxic. I jumped from my chair, Rex right next to me. He picked up the contents then grabbed his phone and dialed.
“She got another one and a note. Picture of your ex-wife bitch going down on you. It’s dated a few weeks ago.” He relayed the note then handed me the phone.
I took it, holding it up to my ear.
“Dolcezza, don’t believe that picture. I didn’t lie. I was with no one. That was my ex. She wanted money, and I wouldn’t give it. She thought the only way to get it was by sucking me off. I pushed her away.” His words came out rushed as he explained.
My hand trembled, shaking the phone. “I believe you. It’s not the picture I’m worried about.”
“I understand. I want you and Rex to head home. Bring the picture and note with you. I’ll call Kiera’s boys and have her come home, too. You go home and stay there, got it?”
“Yeah, we’ll leave now.”
“We are all fine. Relax.” Jag could read me so well, even over the phone. My nerves were totally shot.
“Okay. Be careful,” I pleaded.
“You, too. I’ll be there soon.”
I handed the phone back to Rex and told him what Jag wanted. I then gathered up my things quickly and asked Rex to hang onto the envelope and its contents.
Rex called Scraper to tell him where we were headed.
“He didn’t answer.”
Fear tightened in my chest. “That’s not like him. He always answers.”
“Let’s go,” Rex ordered.
He walked close to me, surveying our surroundings at all times. We entered the parking garage, heading straight for my black car. Luckily, I had an extra set of keys, which I handed over to Rex. My insides were twisting and turning, and I swore I was going to puke. I had my gun in my purse, but a lot of good it did in there. I couldn’t very well take it out in the middle of the office, though.
Rex hit the key fob and opened the door for me. I got in fast. Then, turning to Rex, I saw his whole body shaking uncontrollably as he collapsed to the ground. I screamed, opening my purse and shuffling around for my gun.
Reaching for it and pulling it out, I pointed it at the door and screamed, “Shit, Ghost! You scared the shit out of me!” I waved my gun, sucking in a breath.
“Fucker took off. Hand me your gun.” His words were so fast I didn’t realize I had just handed over my only weapon. “He’ll be out for a few minutes, and I need to get you ready.”
“Ready? For what?” Confusion sucked me in.
“To die.” He said it so casually, as if I meant nothing to him.
He reached in his pocket, pulling out zip ties. Panic flooded through me.
I reached for the door quickly. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I moved a bit just as something heavy hit me in the back of my head. I got dizzy, spots forming in my eyes. I could still hear him, but I felt so dazed.
“You had to do this the hard way. I didn’t want to do it this way, but you left me no choice. You wouldn’t go anywhere else except home and work. Getting you at home was out of the question, so I needed to improvise. I told him this was stupid, but he didn’t listen.”
“Rex,” I groaned, only half coherent.
Hands gripped mine, and I felt the bite of a tie being wrapped around them and tied a bit too tightly. Ghost pulled me out of the car. The little fight I could muster from the blow wasn’t helping much.
A car door opened, and with a loud thump, I landed on a padded seat.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. Just a little shock. I was gonna take him out, but he’s not involved with your family, so no need to. Time for you to take a nap now.”
A cloth was put up to my face, the smell toxic. I fought to move away from it, but it was no use. Everything disappeared.