“Rest, baby. I’ll be right back.”

I can see that her eyes are open and focused on mine, so I know she heard me.  She doesn’t answer, though.  She just smiles.

After straightening my clothes, I head out through the office to the club.  Nash and Gavin are sitting at the bar, pouring shots from a bottle of whiskey.

“Make yourself at home,” I remark smartly as I approach.

“Oh, don’t worry.  We have,” Gavin replies with a cheeky grin.

I pull up a stool and a shot, downing it in one quick swallow.  The burn is welcome.  It reminds me that there will be much pain and loss if I don’t do this just right.  The first time. There’s no doubt that I won’t get a second chance.

“I was thinking about it and I feel like the only place Olivia will really be safe is with her mother.”

“That’s what you were doing back there? Thinking about that chick’s mother?” Nash asks snidely.  “If she mentions needing a real man, send her my way.”

“Spending so much time alone with a bunch of men on a boat, I’m sure you could recommend one.”

Gavin spits whiskey across the bar.

Nash stands so quickly his stool falls over.  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I stand, too.  “It means that you even think about touching her, talking to her, so much as looking at her and we’re gonna have a big, big problem, bro.”

Before Nash and I can get chest to chest, Gavin steps between us.  Again.

“I’m not going to be able to leave you two alone at all, am I?”

He gives us each a little shove, which, coming from Gavin, is nearly enough to send us back a step. Nearly, but not quite.

Gavin pours three more shots and slides one to me and one to Nash, picking up the third and holding it up between us.  “To safety and success. Salut!”

Nash and I are still eyeing each other, but we toast to Gavin.  It’s a good sentiment, one worth taking a moment to recognize.

After a short pause, I clear my throat, saying pointedly, “As I was saying, I was thinking that the only place Olivia can really be safe is at her mother’s.  Since her parents divorced, Olivia hasn’t been close to her.  They rarely talk and I doubt anyone would be able to find her there very easily.  In fact, I’m not even sure where she lives.  Seems like I heard Olivia mention Savannah, but I can’t be sure.  At any rate, I’ll find out.”

“So you’re sending her there, hoping they won’t follow you?  And that you’ll make it back in time?” Nash asks sharply.  I grit my teeth and try not to take exception to his tone.

“No, I’m sending her with Gavin. You and I are going to be taking care of the trade tomorrow.”

Nash smirks.  “Afraid to leave her alone with me, huh?”

“Yes.  I am.  She needs protection.  Competent protection.  That’s why I’m sending Gavin.  I know he’s capable of keeping her safe.”

Nash rolls his eyes but says nothing.  At least he’s learning to keep his mouth shut.

I turn to Gavin.  “Man, I’m trusting you.”

He looks me in the eye and I try to convey all that I mean when I say that.  I’m trusting him to respect me by not touching her. I’m trusting him to keep my secrets, to keep Olivia safe, to do whatever he has to in order to protect her.  This is not a simple request and he knows it.  The fact that he pauses to really consider what I’m asking makes me feel somewhat better, like he’s not taking it lightly.

“I know, mate.  You know I’ve got your back.  And hers.  We’re brothers.”  Gavin holds out his hand, arm bent at the elbow. When I take it, we’re both agreeing to do right by one another, no matter what the cost.  This isn’t a game.  We both know that.

“Brothers,” I repeat.

“I hope he’s a better brother to you than he was to me,” Nash mumbles from the other side of Gavin as he pours himself another drink.

I ignore him.

“I’ll find out exactly where you’re taking her, where her mom is living now.  Give me a few minutes head start and then meet me at the hotel.  Sound good?”

Gavin nods.  “Sounds good.  And safe.  Just make sure you’re not followed.”  I give Gavin a look and he grins and throws up his hands.  “Sorry.  Habit.  I know you’re as careful as you can be.”

“Especially when it’s important.”

He nods again. “And this girl is obviously very important.”

I don’t answer.   I don’t know what to say. It’s true, of course.  I just haven’t really thought of it that way—of her being important to me or the exact degree to which she’s important to me.

But it’s a lot.  There’s no doubt about that.

“Just stick with the plan and do what I ask and I think we can pull this off.”  I look behind Gavin to Nash.  He’s pretending to ignore me.  “Can I trust you to do what needs to be done?”

Slowly, Nash turns his cool eyes on me.  “Yes, but when it’s over, and you and your girlfriend are all safe and sound, it’s my turn.  My turn to get what I want.”

Revenge is in his eyes.  I recognize it because I fought the urge for a lot of years.  And I lost for the most part. I just found less…violent ways to exact it.  Or at least to try.  Giving these books up will set me back years, but it’s worth it to make sure Olivia’s safe. I can start again, maybe talk some sense into Nash and get him to let me use what he’s got.  I don’t know, but I can’t worry about all that now.  Tonight the most important thing is getting Olivia to safety.  Tomorrow will come soon enough.

“Fair enough.  But right now, it’s my way.”

He looks at me long and hard before he nods.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Olivia

Rest?  While he’s out there plotting and planning with his not-dead twin brother and probably-more-than-he-seems club manager? I think not!

By the time Cash comes back in, I’m up and dressed.  Waiting.

As always, just the sight of him kindles a fire in the pit of my stomach.  His very presence touches me. It’s undeniable.

I take a deep breath, pushing those feelings aside so I can think.

“So, what’s the plan?”

Cash looks back out into his office.  “Have a seat. We’ll be right back out.”  I hear snickering that presumably belongs to the pleasant and mildly flirtatious Gavin.  I can’t imagine Nash snickering.  I can barely imagine him smiling.  I think his default mode is “menace”.

Cash closes the door and turns to me.  I can see by his expression that he thinks I’m not going to like what he’s about to say, which makes me think I won’t.

I sigh.  “This must be a humdinger.”

He chuckles.  “What? I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“You don’t have to.  That look says it all. It makes my butt pucker.”

“Makes your butt pucker?”  I nod and he laughs outright.  Shaking his head, an amused expression still on his face, Cash reaches out and pulls me into his arms, snugging me up against his chest.  “You’re crazy, you know that, right?”