AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That wasn’t rude. It was merely me showing them they can’t treat me like shit. I refuse to roll over and take whatever rules my brother left in place. Just because he’s in charge of the business doesn’t mean he can dictate what I do.”
She said her brother, but I was quick to put together she wasn’t talking about Vaughn. Her eyes flickered with something each time she mentioned the man, but whatever emotions she was feeling, they weren’t soft and fluffy.
“You can win them over more with a smile than a glare,” I suggested.
“Not in this world, sweetness,” she murmured.
All thoughts of the other brother were pushed from my mind when I saw the home Sammy’s parents lived in. In another country, it would have been labeled a palace. Holy shit. “The gate and the wall and the guards should have prepared me for this.” I tried to keep the awe from my voice. “This place is insane.”
“Meh,” Sammy said dismissively. “It always felt more like a museum than a home. But it did have its perks for playing hide-and-seek.”
“I bet,” I laughed.
Once the car stopped, Vaughn hurriedly got out and opened Sammy’s door. Holding her hand, he stood protectively in front of her while I helped her out from behind until she was safely on her feet. She’d been unsteady when we’d left the plane earlier, but she seemed more balanced as she took a few steps forward.
But she didn’t get far before Vaughn grunted something and wrapped his arm around her waist. Holding her in place, he turned to offer me his hand. I didn’t hesitate to put mine in his, welcoming the warmth of his palm swallowing my own as I glanced at the mansion again.
“Don’t be nervous,” Sammy said soothingly as we started up the stone front steps.
Two men in suits shifted beside the doors, and I tried not to jerk in surprise. I hadn’t noticed them since they seemed to blend in with the scenery. Between the suits and the communication devices in their ears, security was like the White House. Their aviator sunglasses hid their eyes, but I felt them watching us as we approached.
“Papa might be having a bad day, so whatever he says, go along with it,” Sammy commented. “He’s usually more clearheaded in the mornings, so we can start fresh tomorrow if he’s having a bad day.”
“Grandma Alicia would get sundown syndrome, so I completely understand…” A loud bang-bang-bang echoed in the distance. A shot of unease made me stutter. “Wh-what was that?”
It couldn’t be… Gunfire? Not in this neighborhood.
Vaughn moved behind me, curling his big body around mine protectively as the secret service guys pulled guns from beneath their jackets. I felt frozen in place as they yelled for us to get inside.
“Everything is okay, wildfire. You’re safe.” Vaughn’s voice calmed me a little. If nothing else, I knew he would protect me.
“But there’s gunfire.” I tried not to panic as he and Sammy rushed us into the house, but then I heard a boom, and the ground beneath my feet felt like it was vibrating. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Maybe I’d fallen asleep on the plane. Oh God, please let me be asleep. “What is happening?”
“It’s New York,” Sammy shrugged, unfazed by any of the chaos going on around us. “Drive-bys happen every day.”
“I’m not stupid,” I snapped. Vaughn let me go to shut the front doors, and I glared at my friend. “All those guards. This house. You’re not just rich, you’re insane-rich. Are you part of the mafia?”
Fuck, why hadn’t I realized that sooner?
Sammy giggled. “You are so damn adorable. Yes. I guess you could say that.”
“Oh my God.” I felt so stupid. The palatial megamansion made more sense. They were mafia royalty. “But you’re a college professor.” I pointed at Vaughn, then Sammy. “And you’re an intern at an architecture firm.”
“A firm that is run by members of the Angel’s Halo MC,” Sammy pointed out. “News flash, sweetie. Everyone’s a little dirty in life. It’s up to you how messy you want to get.”
It felt like a slap to the face, but I knew she was right. The MC didn’t exactly stay under the radar back in Creswell Springs. No one ever talked about it, but it was obvious they ran the town. Hell, the sheriff was married to the MC president’s daughter. More than half the businesses off campus were owned by a brother. Even Lyric had married into the family.
I knew all of that, and yet, I hadn’t given it a second thought. Because if I did, I would have to admit I liked that the town felt secure being under the MC’s protection.
Mind whirling, I didn’t move when Sammy stumbled forward, too lost in my head to move. “Where’s Papa?” she demanded, and I finally noticed a man had come from the back of the house.
“I just locked him in the panic room in the library,” the man assured her.
Of course there is a panic room.
“You should have stayed with him!” she yelled.
Ignoring her, he looked over her head at Vaughn, as if waiting for instructions. “Boss?”
