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  “No. No matter how disgusting it is, it’d be better if I watched it than you.”

  “That’s debatable.”

  Birdie puts her hand over mine. “No. I’m serious. You’re a man and it would be revictimizing these girls to have a man watch them go through whatever it is that your uncle put them through. Let me do it. I’m only going to watch enough so that we can be sure it’ll put your uncle behind bars.”

  I still hesitate, not wanting Birdie to see this shit. She moves the mouse from under my hand. “Trust me,” she says quietly.

  I guess this is what it means to have a partner in life. I nod and get out of the chair. Birdie sits down quickly. I hear a click and then stripper music fills the air, much like what is playing down the hall. Birdie’s breathing quickens and I can tell whatever she’s watching isn’t good. I hear another click. “How do you copy this?”

  “We’ll take the whole hard drive.” I walk over to the server and unplug the drive from the unit. There are several backups and I take those, too. “Put these in the car.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Shut down that damn party.”

  I make sure Birdie gets to the door before returning to the entertainment center. The party is still in high gear with the music blaring. Everyone is still there but there are now drugs being passed around. I take a couple pictures with my phone before cutting the music and firing up all the lights. Everyone stops and for a moment it looks like some weird, adult version of freeze tag. I jerk my head in the direction of the girls to get out. Some of them don’t move right away, but the others that are still conscious take the incapacitated ones by the shoulders and begin to shuffle toward the door. A huffing Birdie appears behind me.

  “You handle the girls and I’ll handle my uncle, okay?”

  “Yeah. I’ll call a bunch of cabs.”

  “And the police.”

  Birdie’s eyes widen. “You sure?”

  “Absolutely. Talk to the girls and see who is up for that. If they’re not, don’t pressure them. Get all their names, too, so I can send them some money.” I push her out the door and turn around and face my uncle, who has gotten to his feet. The other directors are stuck in their chairs, likely thinking about how much trouble they’re going to be in and how much it’s going to cost to buy their way out of this mess.

  “Nick, my son!” booms Uncle Jim. He waddles over, hitching his pants up over the big gut he’s developed eating off my mom’s plates. “Good God, man, why did you run off?” He pulls me in for a hug, which I dodge by arrowing toward the liquor cabinet. “I’ve been worried sick. I sent detectives to hunt you down.”

  “I’m sure you did.” Which is why I’ve been hiding out in a small town four hours south of here. I pour myself a glass of bourbon and nod to the small, nearly bald man to my left. “Nice to see you, Harry. The girl you had on your knee looked to be the same age as your daughter, Amanda. A friend of hers?”

  Harry nearly coughs up a lung before waving his hand. “It’s not what you think, Nick.”

  “I have an appointment,” announces a thin, gangly old man who I recognize as Jeff Baldwin. He once owned a small tech firm before it got acquired by a bigger tech firm. Now he sits on boards and gives money to charity, although I doubt those organizations will welcome him back after word of these events get out.

  “Where are you staying these days, Baldwin? When the police come, I want to be able to give them the right address.”

  Uncle Jim releases a forced laugh. “Son, what are you talking about? The drugs? Everyone does it these days. No sense in getting those nice young ladies in trouble because they’d rather swallow a pill than drink. It’s what the youth do.”

  “It’s not me you need to convince.” I down the rest of the liquor and set my glass back onto the drink cart.

  Baldwin turns to me with narrowed eyes. “What do you want?”

  He’s the dealmaker, I guess. “I only need to have seven percent more shares to have control over the company so the first person who pushes me over the top gets to walk.” An excited murmur ripples through the directors.

  “This is already your company,” cries Uncle Jim. He holds his arms out wide. “I’ve been taking care of it for you, just as my brother asked.”

  I stare him down, this ugly motherfucker who had my dad run off the road. I may never be able to prove it, but I can take him down. I can strip away everything he cares about the most—money, power, prestige. My revenge starts now. “As I said, Baldwin, first one to my office with a proffer of stocks gets out of this mess. The rest of you, I have on tape. Literally.”

  Eyes widen. There are some uncharacteristically high-pitched gasps that leak out. “It’s Saturday!” protests Harry.

  “Lawyers work on Saturdays. They just charge more, which I don’t give a flying fuck about,” I reply pleasantly. I pick up the heavy cut crystal, pour a finger of bourbon into it and start toward the exit. I pause when I get to my uncle. “I know you killed my parents, you disgusting roach’s ass. I don’t care that you aren’t going to prison. I’m going to make your life so miserable that you’ll be begging for death.” I don’t give him time to respond. Instead I smash the cut crystal and the booze against his forehead and watch him crash to the floor. Blood seeps out of the cut, mixing with the sticky liquor. I drop the glass on the top of his body. “This was a solid piece of crystal. I’ll have to remember to buy that brand again.” I step on his head as I leave. There’s a satisfying crunching sound as my boot heel meets cartilage. I may have even ground my heel against an eye socket as I was walking out.

  The front door is open and I can see the flashing of police car lights zooming up the drive. The sirens are starting to get louder. Behind me there’s a clattering of feet and huffing noises. Three men are in front of me. Baldwin shoves his card into my hand. “I have eight percent. You can have it for half the price.”

  “A quarter.”

  “Deal.” He wipes a hand over his forehead. “My attorney is sending you the papers. How do I get out of here?”

  I point toward the back. “I’d run along the shore until I cleared the property and then call an Uber.”

  “Oh, good plan. Good plan.” He takes off.

  Harry is next. “I’ve got five percent.”

  I lean against the wall. One of the police cars has reached the front door. A female cop steps out. “I said, first come, first serve.” I smile at Harry and reach out to pinch his cheek—hard. “Besides, I lied to Baldwin. He’s not getting away with jackshit.”

  “You’re welshing on a deal?” Harry cries.

  “I’m putting a pervert in prison. I hope the two of you can be cell mates.” I drag Harry forward, pulling on his fleshy cheek, all the way through the entry and out the door. The policewoman stops halfway up the stairs. “Who’s this?”

  “The first of your criminals, ma’am.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Birdie

  I nervously pace back and forth waiting for the police to arrive. I had everyone move to the side of the house, not wanting to run into any of the men who might be trying to get the hell out of here before the cops arrived, which should be any minute now. A few of the girls took off on their own. I’d gotten them to at least give me a number where I could reach them, promising them it would be me who reached out to them and I wouldn't give anyone else their information without asking them first. They seemed hesitant but I reassured them that I would only reach out if it was about protection or to help them.

  Each second that ticks by feels as though it’s an hour. The worry that fills my stomach about what is happening inside threatens to make me sick. Even though I’m confident in Nick, he is technically in the presence of a killer. His uncle had no issue offing his parents and I feel as though he could do the same to Nick. Not only that, but I can’t imagine everything Nick is feeling with being back in his childhood home. The disgust and sadness he must feel at the sight of his uncle, who’s turned into a despicable
human being. It makes me sick to think about it. The whole drive here he told me about his childhood. It was the kind that every kid dreams of having. I couldn't help but think while listening to his stories that Nick would be the same kind of loving husband and father to his own family. Look how hard he is fighting for his grandma now. To restore what his mom and dad worked so hard for. He truly is an honorable man.

  I look up to see one of the young girls is shivering and crying. She’s probably coming down from the high she was on. I walk over to sit next to her. I pull my sweater over my head and put it on her, hoping that my presence will comfort her in some way. Sometimes just knowing someone is there with you can mean more than any words.

  My mind drifts back to the video that I watched of Nick's uncle and what he’d done to these poor innocent girls. They are so young. Too young to experience what they had at his hands. I don’t know how they got on this path but I know that Nick will do whatever he can to help them. I’ve been lucky myself that I didn't follow my mother. Who knows where I could have ended up? It often takes the right people to come into your life at the perfect moment to change everything and maybe that is something Nick and I could do for these girls if they let us. I don’t know what their life situations are, but no one deserves what I saw on that tape.

  Who knows how long Nick’s uncle has been doing this? At least now he is going to be stopped forever. I don’t believe for a second that he wasn't doing these sorts of things before Nick’s parents passed. Now he’s just gotten more cocky about it, thinking he is untouchable. That’s what money and power does to some people. It makes them feel as though they are above the law. I’m guessing Nick’s uncle thought he would get rid of whatever was standing in his way. He started with Nick’s parents and I truly believe that if Nick and Gran hadn’t gone on the run, they would’ve been next.

  I hear the sirens coming close now and know it’s only a matter of seconds before the cops reach us. A loud crash comes from inside, breaking me from my thoughts. I’m about to stand up and run to see what’s going on, thinking that something bad is happening to Nick, when the young girl’s hand reaches out to grab mine. I fight with myself about what to do. But I know that this girl is probably scared and needs me. Nick can take care of himself and the cops will be here any second. I know that Nick would want me to stay with the girl so that’s what I do. I grab her hand and sit next to her without either of us saying a word. The intention is to comfort her but she winds up having the same effect on me.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I reassure her. I let out a sigh of relief when an ambulance pulls up. “Let’s get you checked out.” I stand, still holding the girl’s hand. She wobbles on her feet and I’m not sure if it’s because she’s on something or her heels. Either way, I help her over to the ambulance.

  “Thank you.” She gives my hand a squeeze.

  “You don’t have to thank me,” I tell her. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Really?” Her eyes widen.

  “I promise.” I give her a smile as the medics start to look her over. I overhear one of them calling for a few more ambulances for some of the other girls. I had no idea how this was going to turn out. I thought we were coming to find missing files and paperwork. Thank God we came. This is so much bigger than Nick getting his business back and his uncle getting what is coming to him. These girls need help and there are a handful of men who need to be taken down right along with Nick’s uncle.

  “Birdie!” I turn at the sound of my name being called to see Nick. I take off in a dead run for him. I can’t help myself. I fling myself into his arms, wrapping myself around him.

  “Are you okay?” I ask as I bury my face in his neck.

  “I am now.” His hold on me tightens.

  “You did it,” I tell him, leaning back to look at him. Out of the corner of my eye I watch as men in handcuffs are escorted out of the house. I ignore them; all my focus is on Nick now.

  “We did it,” he corrects as he leans forward, resting his forehead to mine. “Where is your sweater, little bird?” He reluctantly puts me down on my feet, pulling off his own jacket and putting it on me. I forgot I was only in a small undershirt. It is freezing out but my mind is far from thinking about that.

  “We did, but this is far from over.”

  He pulls me back, holding me close. “Yeah, but we’re getting there. I have no doubt that with you by my side that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

  “Come on.” Nick leads us toward the bathroom of the hotel. An ominous feeling still sits inside of me. “We’re going to fix this. We’ll make those girls’ lives better.” I nod in agreement, knowing he will make good on his word. There is something about Nick and me together that gives me the confidence to know that we can do anything we set our minds to. Just like we saved his family's legacy. I need to focus on the positive. What we found is sad but we can help in making a change. It would have been worse if we’d never made this trip up here.

  He walks over, turning on the shower before coming back to me. “Going to wash away the filth of tonight.” He pulls my top off, then reaches behind me to unsnap my bra. He drops to his knees in front of me, helping me out of my boots. I rest my hands on his broad shoulders as he tries to get the leather pants down my legs. I laugh, almost falling over.

  “Five dollars you say?” he asks, recalling about how much I’d spent on them when I’d found them in the thrift store.

  “Yep. It was a-” I was going to say “steal” but he rips them before I can finish.

  “No panties.” I’m not sure if he’s happy about that or not. You can’t wear panties with leather pants or the lines will show. It's not like I own a thong. He leans in, kissing my mound and I’m taking that as he likes it.

  “You’re lucky you’re rich because you’re getting me new ones.”

  He smirks up at me as he stands. Those things made my butt look good.

  “As long as you don’t leave the house in them.” He starts pulling off his clothes. My eyes roam over his body, getting a good look at him. The man is perfection and all mine. He lifts me up as I laugh and carries me to the shower. It takes him only seconds to turn us both under the warm water. We slowly soap each other up and wash away the filth that clings to us from the events earlier. Nick takes extra time when he’s washing my breasts, claiming they’re extra dirty and need more attention. I smile and let him. I just want his hands on me. He doesn't need to make up reasons. I was never going to stop him. I love this man and he loves me.

  After thoroughly washing me, he begins to trail kisses from my collarbone down to my breasts. He plumps one in his hand as he sucks the other into his mouth. I moan at how good it feels. His mouth is warm on my puckered nipple.

  “I thought you were cleaning me?”

  I can feel him smile around my nipple.

  “I was, but now I’m making you dirty again.” He releases my nipple and drops to his knees. Before I know what’s happening, he lifts my left leg and his hot mouth is on me. I arch my back so that my hips are pushing into him. Wanting what his mouth is promising.

  I dig my fingers into his hair, letting him take me over the edge. We may have only had that first night together, but it’s like Nick knows every inch of my body, as though we’ve done this thousands of times. He doesn't only eat me into one orgasm but right into another before lifting me and taking me to the bed, neither of us caring that we’re wet.

  “Going to make love to you.” He comes down over me.

  “Everything you do to me is with love.” I pull him down for a kiss as he pushes inside of me. I moan his name into his mouth as he slowly makes love to me.

  “I love you,” I cry when the third orgasm rolls through my body. I feel his warm release inside of me.

  “I love you, too.” He rolls, taking me with him. My eyes fall closed as I cuddle in next to him. My life is going to change and I know it will be for the better. A part of me truly believes that when Nick got in the car that day with
his gran that his parents sent him right to me, knowing that we belonged together. I believed that even more when he told me the story about his parents. They knew we needed each other and they made sure we found one another. I smile into his chest, thinking about how I initially thought he was stalking me that first day. Okay, maybe he had been a little bit.

  Who knew that forgetting my loyalty card would be one of the best mistakes of my life?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Nick

  “Dude, your deliveries are here,” says a kid in a blue jumpsuit. The stitching over his left breast says his name is Stanley. He doesn’t look like a Stanley. I’m irritated for some reason, but I force a grin.

  “I’m only the hired help, my friend.” I slap him on the back and point him in the direction of Birdie. “The woman with the pink cap is who you want to see.”

  “Are you the computer guy?” Birdie calls.

  The kid’s jaw falls open when he spies her and he stutters, “Y-y-yes, ma’am.”

  I give him a friendly knock on the head. “That’s my wife so you want to watch how you look at her.”

  He blushes and pulls the brim of his own hat lower. “Sorry. I’ll go get the cart.”

  He’s gone by the time Birdie reaches me. “I thought he was the computer delivery guy?” she asks.

  I throw an arm around her shoulders and pull her close to my side. The strawberry scent of her shampoo fills my lungs. A raw feeling in my gut starts to churn. Fuck, I want her. I always do, though. “He is. He went to get them.”

  “Did you threaten him?” She eyes me with suspicion.

  I blink innocently. “When would I ever do that?”

  She punches me in the biceps. “Yesterday you growled at the barista.”