Daddy's Boy (20 page)

“Yes.” The man said without any hesitation.

Looking up at my brother he locked his watery eyes on me, his whole face pleading with me to help him and I had to know why. “Why did you do it Jace?”

Dropping his eyes to the ground Jace shrugged his shoulders. “I love her and Adam and Mika need to be stopped, you don’t know what they did to her.”

Not what I wanted to hear. I came with the intent to kill him myself but now looking at Jace shaking and crying, I couldn’t do it nor could I let this guy do it. My little brother thought he was helping Darcy. Jace did not deserve to die because Adam and Darcy had tricked him.

“I can’t let you kill him he knows nothing, my dad didn’t tell him or Darcy.” I said making the man finally look at me. And what I saw had me gasping in shock. “Oh my God, you’re Olivia’s brother.” He didn’t answer but there was no doubt in my mind, this was Nick, he looked too much like Olivia not to be her brother.

Turning away from me, he focused his intense ice blue eyes on Jace. “What did Darcy tell you?”

“Nothing.” Jace choked out, “I swear to God she told me nothing.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t believe you and I can’t risk Olivia’s safety.”

I found myself screaming and running to Jace as Nick raised the gun and took aim. “He doesn’t know, but I do.”

Nick lowered the gun and gave me a hard look. Moving so fast I can’t even say how it happened but one minute Jace was being held up by his neck the next he was laying on the ground knocked out cold. Before I could scream at him and ask him what he had done Nick took three strides towards me, grabbed my neck and shoved his gun into my chest, right over my heart. “Jack told you?”

“Yes.”

“What the fuck did he tell you?” Nick sneered at me.

Fuck Olivia’s brother was a scary guy, the gun aimed at my heart was not helping things. “Alex hid the black book with Olivia.” I whispered.

“Fuck.” Nick said under his breath.

“I love Olivia like she is my own sister I will tell no one what I know. She saved Lucca from Darcy I owe her my life.”

“We owe her.” Denny said slowly walking up behind Nick. “Lower your gun, now Nick.” Denny yelled.

Cussing Nick eased the gun out of my chest, but quickly swung around pinning me to his chest with his arm across my throat. His gun now pointed at Denny. “Hello Denny.”

“Let her go Nick.”

“I can’t do that you both know too much. Jack should have kept his fucking mouth shut. Letting you and Rachel go will put Olivia’s life in danger. I’m sorry Denny but when it comes to picking, it will always be Olivia.”

Wavering slightly, Denny struggled to keep his gun aimed at Nick. “You know Rachel and I will never do anything to put Olivia in danger. Think about it Nick if what Jack said is true you need us; Olivia is in more danger than just you can protect her from. Even if we don’t tell anyone, soon or later this is going to get back to him. One day he will find out that Olivia has his book and he will come for her. You need us.”

“I need more than just that.” Nick hissed.

“Tell me what you need and it is yours.” Denny said urgently.

“I want physical insurance. You talk, your insurance dies.”

Without hesitation Denny lowered the gun, “Deal. Who do you want?”

Want? No. Denny couldn’t just give Nick someone.

“I want Jack.”

No.

“Done.”

No.

Removing his arm from my neck Nick shoved me away from him. “Make sure the right people know that Jack is on vacation. Anyone, and I mean anyone Denny comes looking for him I’ll kill him and no one will ever find the body.”

“You can’t just take my father.” In just a few hours I’d pulled a gun on my father and come down here to do whatever I had to do to Jace to get my son back. But just like my dad said I couldn’t actually take a life to save one, I wasn’t that person. “Take me.”

“Rachel no.” Denny shouted.

Ignoring Denny I stepped closer to Nick. “Take me.”

Shaking his head Nick moved away from me. “The deal is done. Not a word is spoken about what Jack told you or me being here.”

While Nick talked Denny moved towards me. Stopping at my side Denny brushed away tears I didn’t even know were falling. “Don’t cry baby Jack will be fine. It’s probably safer this way, we don’t know how many people know that he has this on Mika.”

Nodding because Denny was right but damn did I feel like shit. “What will happen to Jace?” I asked looking at my brother passed out on the floor.

“He is coming with me. After I’m sure he knows nothing I will hand him over to Shark.”

“What will Shark do to him?”

Looking at his watch, Nick crouched down beside Jace. “Shark will keep him safe until he can go to jail for kidnapping your boy.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You have no choice.” Nick said as he threw Jace over his shoulder and started to walk away.

Don’t ask me where it came from, guess I was feeling ballsy, “Shark is working with you isn’t he?” I shouted as he continued to walk.

“Careful Rachel that mouth is going to get you killed. Make sure you and your brother take care of my sister Denny.” Before I could say anything back Nick disappeared around the corner of the parking lot.

“Go get our boy.” Denny said nodding towards the car.

Running to the car I started to cry as I saw Lucca fast asleep in a car seat. Trying to see through the tears, I picked him up out of the car and cradled Lucca to my chest and thanked God that I had my baby back.

Walking slowly Denny smiled at us, “Is he ok?” He asked in a sleepy voice, his body fighting with the drugs I’d slipped him.

“He’s fine.” I said through tears clouding my throat.

“Good,” Denny said, “now put him back in the car so I can kick your ass for drugging me.”

It shouldn’t have been funny, I’d drugged Denny and things were far from over but at that moment I couldn’t stop laughing. Shaking his head Denny took us both into his arms and kissed me hard and fast. “Oh baby you have no idea how much trouble you’re in when we get home.”

Chapter 23

We spent a couple of hours at the hospital getting Lucca checked out just to make sure he was fine. Denny slept in the waiting room after getting his thumb wrapped in a cast. It took some shaking after I parked outside the town house to get him awake enough to get him into the house. Next time I drugged him I had to remember to only use one pill.

Walking into the living room with a little more alert Denny we found Jonah and Olivia on the couch. Jonah was pale and weak looking and Olivia’s face was scrunched up in pain her left hand holding on to the cast surrounding her broken right wrist. They both looked like hell, scratch that we all looked like hell.

Dropping into an armchair, Denny pulled Lucca and I into his lap. “Jesus Olivia what do you take for your anxiety freaking horse tranquilizers?”

“They’re good aren’t they?” Olivia said sounding like she’d taken some strong drugs too. “So would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”

Denny and I both froze. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“You know why Darcy and Jace did it.”

Oh that was easy I could answer that. “Mika thought Jack knew something about his drug business, so Darcy took him. When they couldn’t get him to talk they took Lucca thinking that would make him talk.”

“So why take me then? Who was I going to make talk?”

“Darcy was going after Mika, she was going to use you against him.” Jonah said.

Paling Olivia pushed closer to Jonah. “Mika still wants me? Is it because of what Darcy said about Alex wanting Mika’s girl?”

I’m sure that was Darcy’s half of it but Mika wanted that black book. Why would Alex leave it with Olivia? He had to know it could get her killed, so why do it?

Kissing her head Jonah looked over at Denny, “we don’t know baby but Denny and I are going to find out.”

Ah shit, Denny couldn’t help Jonah if we wanted to keep my father alive. Starting to panic Denny squeezed my arm and mouthed ‘chill’.

“Has Mason come home yet?” Denny asked nicely changing the subject.

“Nope still brooding. Thinks Jace taking Lucca is all his fault.” Jonah whispered his voice so faint I barely heard what he said. I thought Jonah was going to say more but he stopped abruptly when Shark stepped into the room.

“Jace is in DEA custody. We found him half a mile from the underground parking lot where he left Lucca.” Shark said in a hard voice looking at Denny and me. It took me a minute to understand what he was doing but then I realized he was backing up the story Denny and I had told Jonah and Olivia. Jace had called saying he would give Lucca back to me as long as I didn’t tell anyone and showed up alone. When I got to the underground parking lot I found Lucca alone in a parked car, Denny knowing I was up to something followed me after I drugged him. “Where is your father Rachel?”

Looking away from him I spoke the first of many lies. “He went home. I think he is going to go away for a while. Needs a break after everything that has happened.”

“He’s leaving?” Olivia asked.

Looking at Olivia I nodded feeling sick that I had to lie to her. “Yeah.”

“Well kids,” Shark interrupted. “I have to get back to my real job. Let’s go a little longer than a month this time before we find ourselves in trouble.”

Olivia giggled and lifted herself off Jonah carefully. How Olivia didn’t pick up on the hostile vibes coming off all three men was a freaking wonder. Maybe she was on one too many pain pills.

“We still need to talk Shark.” Jonah said as Shark pulled Olivia gently into his arms. If Jonah wasn’t suffering from blood loss I’m sure he would have killed Shark right then.

Still holding onto Olivia Shark shook his head. “We’ll talk but not right now.” I knew Jonah wanted to argue back but he kept his mouth shut as Shark kissed Olivia’s forehead then left the room.

Needing to know about my father I handed Lucca to Denny and took off after Shark. “What is Nick going to do with my father?” I asked once the door shut behind me.

“Nick doesn’t have him, JD does.” Shark said without stopping or turning around.

Like a light clicking on I knew why JD had been with me. “You and JD were always going to take my father away weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

It had been a while since I truly hated someone but I could honestly say I hated Shark.

 “You’re not even going to let me say goodbye to him.” Or tell him how sorry I was for giving him up so I could get Lucca back and Nick wouldn’t kill Denny and I.

Shark said nothing so I guess I had my answer.  

“You won’t hurt them right?”

“No harm will come to your father as long as you and Denny keep your mouths shut.”

“What about Jace?”

“Goodbye Rachel.”

Standing outside the town house as the World began to light up with morning I wondered if I’d ever see Jace or my father again.

****

It had only been a short time but putting Lucca to bed had become one of my favorite times. I was just kissing my baby boy on the head when Rachel bumped my shoulder and whispered, “I knew he would be ok.”

 “How did you know that?” I whispered back.

“Because,” Rachel said simply “he’s Daddy’s boy, he can survive anything and everything.”

Standing up straight I gave Rachel a long deep kiss.

“Careful now kissing like that will have Rachel pregnant again.” Jonah said coming into the room followed by Olivia.

Standing with my arm around my girl, my baby boy sleeping in his crib, and my brother and my future sister in law at my side I couldn’t help but think I was no longer the man watching from the outside. Before this moment it was my experience that beautiful things never lasted. From the moment I met Rachel I knew it would end bad. There was no other end for the son of a drug lord. Vinnie sealed my fate the moment he chose to raise a son in the Denver underground. Jack was the reason I walked away from Rachel when I did but all it would have taken was one look at Lucca’s blue eyes and I would have walked away myself. Lucca and Rachel didn’t belong in the drug world. Lucca would never see the ugly this World had to give, the ugly I lived in for far too long. My boy deserved nothing but the best from this World. And the best was exactly what he and his mother were going to get from now and forever. For unknown reasons I’d been given a second chance at love and a life with the family I had wanted from the moment Rachel ordered a drink at Club Risk. Loving Rachel while I was still in the drug business was a risk I took because I was selfish, a risk that ended badly, and a risk I should have never taken. Leaving her was a risk I had to take, a risk I took because I had no choice. Loving her again, finally being the family we were meant to be and standing right here watching Lucca sleep peacefully was the best and last risk I would ever take when it came to loving Rachel and Lucca.

We still had things to work out, I still had to find away to move past Vinnie and deal with my pain, Mason was in bad shape after killing Darcy and would need our help and then there was Shark, Mika and the damn black book. But right now all that could wait while we watched Lucca sleep.

Reaching for Olivia’s good hand I squeezed it tightly. “Thank you for saving my son and my brother.”

Smiling Olivia shook her head, “Your thanks isn’t needed I’ll save them every time they need it.” Squeezing my hand back I saw a devilish glint light her eyes as she turned to Rachel. “Although I don’t need thanks I will take Rachel’s thanks by her being a bridesmaid and helping me plan my wedding.”

Rachel and Olivia did some girl jump and hug thing before pulling apart. “I’d love to Olivia.”

“Excellent because I know just the place to have the wedding.”

“Where’s that?” Rachel asked.

A blinding smile spread across Olivia’s lips and those devil eyes glowed bright as Olivia said, “Heaven’s Ranch.

Chapter 24

Six weeks later…

Rachel and I were lying on a beach, I had a drink in my hand, Rachel was completely naked and the setting sun was bathing us in reds and oranges while the ocean tickled our feet. Beautiful, it was absolutely beautiful. The reds and oranges blurred together as a God awful noise screeched through the air and a hand smacked me in the face.