Leap of Faith (La Flor #1) (32 page)

“You’re crazy!” Vanderson exclaims while his son continues to sob. “Sane people don’t go around tying other people up in their homes. You’re going to pay for this.”

“Now that’s where you’re wrong,” I say as I unsheathe my CRKT Ultima knife from my side. “Nothing is gonna happen to us when we leave here. After we get done with y’all, you’re gonna forget you ever knew us. If we hear anything, even the slightest whisper, of you tellin’ anyone about what will happen today, we’ll come back and kill you in the worst and most hurtful way imaginable. After tonight, y’all will leave my family alone. All ties will be severed.”

I move towards Dean’s father but Zane stops me.

“I got this, love. I don’t want you dirtyin’ your hands with these fuckers. I’m proud of you, but let me do this. I
need
to do this for Jake, for myself, and for Rylee.”

I understand where he’s coming from. I step back and watch him put the gag back on both Vandersons. And then, he starts administering justice for our Rylee. He’s setting the example—no one messes with our family without retribution.

Their muffled yells are music to my ears. Years ago, I never thought I’d be able to stomach watching two tied-up people get beaten within an inch of their lives, but now, I do. I watch and I feel a weight lift off my shoulders and a calmness spread through my body as their bones break and their blood spills.

Justice is served in my eyes.

After Zane stops, I move forward.

“Remember what I told y’all today. Y’all so much as breathe a word of this to anyone, includin’ your wife, y’all are dead. Don’t even think about it.” I point at Dean’s father. “I know everything you have ever done, and all of that will ruin you if it gets out. Before eliminatin’ y’all, I’ll make sure the world knows what scum of the Earth you are. The only reason y’all are breathin’ is because my daughter is now safe at home. Y’all are lucky she was able to get away. For that reason, y’all still exist—I do have a heart after all. Remember this night and learn from it.”

Zane takes them back upstairs and lays their bleeding and broken bodies on Dean’s bed. Our job here is finished. Zane takes my hand and together we walk out of the house and make our way home. Home to our girls.

“Somebody better fuckin’ explain to me why I just found
my
woman at that man’s house decked out in op gear. Right. Fuckin.’ Now!” Zane not-so-quietly yells in the living room of our house.

Wow—“our house”—I like how that sounds.

I come out of my musing to admire how delicious and hot Zane looks striding up and down the carpet. At the same time, I feel like a child; we’re all, meaning the guys and me, sitting in a line across the couches like troublemakers in the principal’s office.

Julia is sitting in one of the bean-bag chairs with a smirk on her face—that cow! She’s having tons of fun watching Zane lose his head at my expense. She decided to join us when Zane led our little group directly into the living room as soon as we arrived, after inquiring about the girls.

“Zane, man, don’t you think this is a conversation better had between the two of you? I’d feel more comfortable if y’all weren’t airing out the dirty laundry in front of me. So, if you don’t mind, I’m just gonna mosey on out of here.”

Duke’s announcement makes the others snicker as he stands up to make a quick escape, followed by Damon. I gasp at this betrayal while Julia laughs her ass off.

“Sit,” Zane commands and everyone promptly obeys.

“What the heck happened to ‘never leave a man behind’ and ‘we always have each other’s backs,’ huh?” I ask them.

“Well, let me put it this way,” Damon informs me. “I want to live to see my next lay. I don’t want to be torn limb from limb by this crazy fucker, so you’re on your own, my darlin.’”

“How dare y’all!” I gasp indignantly with a hand to my heart. “I would never—“

“Oh whatever, Faith,” Julia gets out between gusts of laughter. “You know you’d be the first one out in their case. The only reason
I’m
still here is because I’m your best friend and best friends are always there to watch their besties get their asses chewed out and then laugh at them.”

“You’re such a cow,” I tell her.

“I know, but you love me anyways,” she replies.

“ENOUGH!” Zane roars, nostrils flaring. “Somebody better start fuckin’ explainin’ why she was there by HERSELF!”

“Zane, baby—” I try to calm him down, but I fail.

“Don’t ‘baby’ me, Faith, not now. I’m fuckin’ pissed and I want an explanation. Right. Fuckin.’ Now! I don’t care who it’s from, I just want to know why the fuck my woman put herself in danger and why y’all”—he points at Gunner, Damon, Zeke, Jax, and Duke—“let her.”

“She did it for me, Zane,” we hear from the entrance of the living room and as one, we all turn to see Rylee leaning in the doorway.

“Rylee,” I say quickly, standing up to go to her, but Zane beats all of us to her. He picks her up and carries her to the couch, where Gunner gives up his seat to his goddaughter.

“What are you doin’ out of bed, Rylee?” Zane asks gently.

She just gives him a smile and starts to speak.

“Zane, I could hear you from my room and decided to come see what my Momma did now. Whatever she’s done, it was for me and to make sure I’m safe. Once she’s like that, there’s no changin’ her.” She turns to me and continues, “It’s what you do, Momma. It’s what you’ve done since Daddy died. Everyone gave up one thing or another to rally around us the day Daddy died.” She looks at everyone sitting on the couches before focusing on Zane. “Please don’t be angry, Zane.”

“I’m not angry, Rylee,” Zane tells her gently.

“Well, you could’ve fooled me with all the yellin’ that was comin’ out of your body.”

We all chuckle at her words, and send up a thankful prayer to the Lord that she still has her spirit intact.

Zane smiles at her. “Sorry, Rylee. I didn’t mean to scare ya. I’ll keep it down next time. It’s just your mother . . . well, your mother just . . . well, you know.”

She laughs. “You didn’t scare me, Zane. I was just wondering what Momma had done this time.” At her words and my offended huff, everyone except me laughs.

Rylee turns to me. “You know I’m right, Momma. You used to drive Daddy up the wall at times with how overprotective of me you were from the very beginnin.’ Remember when I started school and you were worried about the big kids pushin’ me around at break, and how you told me that it was okay to trip and ‘accidentally’ have my foot meet their shins or my fist their face—where do you think I got the advice for Skylar? There was also that time you bought me my first pocketknife and hid it in the secret compartment you made into my backpack—for protection you said—and I’ve always carried one. Except for that night,” she finishes sadly, but then perks up. “Or when you convinced Uncle Duke to teach you how to grapple. ‘You never know when you’ll need to know how to fight from the ground, just in case we’re attacked,’ you explained to Daddy when he walked in to find Uncle Duke in a headlock close to passin’ out, because you
just had to know.
Or that time—“

“Okay, okay, we get it, Rylee,” I interrupt before she can continue on with more stories of my finer moments.

“As I was sayin,’ Zane,” she says. “I wasn’t scared. I’m not afraid of you or my uncles because I know y’all would lay down your lives to protect us.”

At her words everyone lets out a sigh of relief. We feared Rylee would have a lasting fear of men or contact after Dean’s attack, and we’re happy to know she’s comfortable and feels safe to come into a room where there’s yelling coming from such a huge man, because let me tell you, my Zane isn’t small.

“Zane, why don’t you call me baby girl, like everyone else?” She asks him.

Zane looks at her in surprise for a moment before speaking. “Because that’s what your father called you, Rylee. I don’t want to overstep any boundaries or seem like I’m tryin’ to replace him. I don’t want to offend you.”

“Well, don’t be scared,” Rylee informs him. “You’re part of this family now, Zane. You love my crazy and wacky mother. You treat my little sister like a princess. I’m pretty sure you just did something illegal for me tonight. You’re not my father, but you’ve fallen into the role of father-figure since the moment you met Skylar and me. You’ve taken on a responsibility that you didn’t have to take up, but we’re lucky that you did without any regret because you’ve made my momma happy again. You make her smile that smile she used to smile when Daddy was alive—back when we were a whole family.

“No one will ever replace Daddy because he was a man larger than life in my eyes and my hero—I was his little princess and Momma was his queen. But, he was taken from us too early and I know he’s now in heaven, smilin’ down on us. Because you’re here with us now and takin’ care of us. You treat Skylar like Daddy treated me and you look at her with eyes full of love. She never got to meet him and she never got to experience what it’s like to be Daddy’s little princess, but now she has you and for that, I’m forever grateful. Because you love my Momma, you love us, you put up with our crazy extended family, and because Momma is still breathin’ after you found her doin’ whatever crazy momma-bear thing you found her doin.’ Because of all that and because I love and respect you, when you feel comfortable, I want you to please call me by the nickname Daddy gave me.”

“Okay, baby girl,” Zane tells her, his voice thick with feeling.

Rylee looks at him.

“I won’t ever be able to call you Dad or Father because that was all Daddy and I’m sorry,” she says, “but I wouldn’t mind introducin’ you as my stepfather and if Skylar ever decides to call you Daddy, Dad, or anything like that, I won’t be upset. You deserve all that. I’m just sorry I can’t do that for you—I was my Daddy’s little princess and one half of his world, Zane. Please understand.”

“That’s okay, Rylee,” he answers. “I understand and I’ll be honored to have you as a stepdaughter.”

“Okay.” She clears her throat and gives him a hug. “Now it’s time for you to deal with my Momma. Y’all should talk without an audience. Aunt Julia,” she says, looking at her, “can you come with me to my room and give them space? I don’t think they need you laughin’ at Momma’s expense.”

“You’re no fun, girly,” Julia pouts.

“Well,” Gunner says, clearing his throat. “
We
are walkin’ out of here now. Zane, it’s always a pleasure and make sure to put your foot down, okay. Faith, darlin,’ we’ll see you tomorrow or the next day.” Zane gives him a look. “Night, baby girl, and you too, Crazy Julia.”

After all the goodbyes, everyone files out, leaving Zane and me alone. Finally.

Well, here goes—

“Come here, Faith,” Zane says, sitting on the love seat. I go to him and he sits me on his lap. “Alright, give it to me. Lay it on me while I’m nice and fuzzy from Rylee’s words. Do it like a Band-Aid.”

“Okay, honey.” I pause and take a deep breath. “After Jake died, Rylee and I moved back stateside. With the money from Jake’s life insurance and the money I’d earned playin’ ball, we were set for a comfortable life. I had my pregnancy to keep me goin’ and I had Rylee, but it was still a very hard and dark time for me. Jake was no longer with me and I was—well lost. I went back to school for my master’s, but that didn’t make me feel any better, so I started helpin’ Gunner with Phoenix when he needed it. The company was still new and tryin’ to make a name for itself. I started out helpin’ him with paperwork and doin’ regular secretarial stuff, and then it turned to more. Working there seemed to bring me a sense of peace. It calmed me. I felt closer to Jake’s memory helpin’ build his dream into a reality.”

I pause and look at him. He smiles and nods in encouragement.

“Eventually, we started getting’ more and more job offers. Some of the jobs were people in need who couldn’t afford the high fees of the more established security companies. I started meetin’ with clients and organizin’ assignments. We discovered I had a knack for bein’ bossy and people listened to me after they realized I was serious and could get the job done. One thing led to another and I started takin’ more and more responsibility, until I basically took over the runnin’ of Phoenix. Of course, many thought I’d fail—mainly the heads of other companies and other people here and there. They said, ‘Women are weak, they have no place in this type of work,’ but I proved them all wrong.”

“How’d you do that?” He asks.

“I convinced the guys to train me. I already knew the basics of self-defense from having grown up with a military father and then bein’ an Army Ranger’s wife, but I wanted to know more. I wanted to know so that I wouldn’t be a hypocrite—I wanted to know the job I was sendin’ men out to do. I busted my butt off. There were times I couldn’t move because my body hurt so much, but I didn’t quit. I ended up goin’ on some assignments when Carmen and Jacob could watch the girls; the less dangerous ones. People saw the effort and dedication I put into the company and word spread that I wasn’t a pushover. It was enough for me to gain the respect necessary to be taken serious and things kinda went outta control from there. Jobs started comin’ to us from everywhere—word spread about the dedication and ability of the corporation. It seemed like overnight we were the new “it” company, the ones to hire, and we started recruitin’ more and more people. In the span of a few years, Phoenix has gone from small-time to being worldwide.