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Neutralized.
Eliminated.
Defused.
So many tactical words to avoid saying the fact of the matter. He’d killed the man. And it was entirely possible that perfect, innocent Cecelia had been watching. No doubt Kaylie saw him for what he really was now. A monster, not so different from the men who’d invaded his house and attacked them. The horror and fear had been so evident on their faces. Perhaps he made them feel just as unsafe.
He’d been foolish to think she’d overlook the fact that he was a well-trained murder machine. Tank gritted his teeth and marched back inside, pulling his phone to his ear as he did.
His first call was to Hollywood Dave. He explained what had happened and gave Dave the license plate for a BOLO.
“What else do you need, Tank?”
Tank shook his head and exhaled slowly, like releasing a pressure valve on the tension in his body. “You know the Moreno family?”
“From Jersey? What do they want here?”
“They’re after Kaylie and Cecelia.”
Dave let out a low whistle. “Never going to happen.”
Tank huffed. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”
“I got you, man. I’ll be in touch, man. Praying for you.”
Tank hung up with him and immediately dialed the next number. He stood on the porch, one step from the door.
“Miranda, I’m bringing two in for protective custody. Mom and daughter.” Miranda promised to get everything moving at BTS. Tank reached for the door and steeled himself to go inside and face the woman he’d come to care for more than he ever thought possible. He prepared himself for that look in her eyes he’d always seen from others.
“Kaylie? They’re gone. You can come out now.”
He found them in the kitchen, Lia clinging to the sweater that hung near Kaylie’s knees.
Kaylie wrapped a comforting arm around her daughter. Comforting her? Or was she protecting Lia from him? “Are you okay?” she asked softly.
“I’m fine,” he answered, knowing it sounded gruff. He couldn’t bring himself to spend too much time looking at them, too afraid of the apprehension or fear he’d see there.
“We’re moving you to Black Tower,” he announced. “It’s safer. Get your things and we’ll leave in five minutes.”
“But Anthony, your house—”
“Five minutes,” he reiterated. This wasn’t up for debate. He’d do whatever it took to protect them, and right now that meant getting both of them behind the secure walls of BTS headquarters.
Thankfully, Kaylie didn’t argue any further. She told Lia to stay while she got her things from the living room. Tank stayed in the entrance of the hallway, shielding the view of the body crumpled against the wall.
Less than five minutes later, Tank was loading their meager possessions into the back of his Range Rover. He slammed the door shut as Kaylie came through the door from the house.
“Wait, Lia needs a—”
Knowing what she was going to say, Tank simply opened the rear passenger door to reveal the brand new car seat he’d installed the night before. Thank heavens for twenty-four-hour delivery services. It was no small miracle he’d managed to get the seat installed, though. Squeezing his own frame into the back seat to access the anchor points had been claustrophobic, but he was grateful he hadn’t put off the task. Lia would be safe in his car, just like she was in his arms.
The moment he opened the door, there was a soft cry of surprise from Kaylie, and he felt her arms come around his waist. He froze at the unexpected contact. “Thank you,” she said softly. She squeezed a little tighter for a moment before letting him go.
The contact gave him a glimmer of hope that she might not have completely written him off yet. Tank ignored the strong urge to pull her into his arms for the rest of the afternoon. There was too much to be done for that.
Lia came out a few steps after her mother. She was unusually quiet, and her face lacked its usual carefree smile. He hated the fact that the little girl had been through so much. It wasn’t right that so much evil had already touched her short life. Tank kept his eyes on Lia as Kaylie helped her into the SUV, but she didn’t meet his eyes once.
Tank clenched his jaw and pushed away the desire to comfort the little girl. He knew he wasn’t the one who chased away bad dreams. Tank had always been the monster hiding in the shadows. He’d only make things worse by getting close and pretending he could act soft and reassuring. That was not in his skillset.
