“Agreed,” Angelo said. “Roarke, is there no way to get these guys arrested? Surely they must be committing crimes in New York?”
“No doubt they are,” Roarke said, but they’re great at covering it up. We have eyes on them there. If they make one false move we’ll have them picked up. We’ll know if they leave New York.”
Thad, who’d had been quiet all this time, turned tired eyes to Angleo. “Are you sure this woman is worth all this? She’s kept herself safe all these years without anyone’s help. Now that we’ve intervened she’s got a target on her back, Angelo. Wouldn’t it just be easier to let her go? To let her run on her own? She could disappear a lot easier on her own, and those men wouldn’t be able to follow her.”
“It sounds like she’s always had a target on her back,” Jared said quietly. “She’s just been clever enough to stay one step ahead. There’s no guarantee if she leaves now she’ll be able to lose them.”
It took Angelo long moment to swallow down the intense feeling of betrayal he felt. Jared at least understood the situation. How could Thad not see what needed to be done? Kara couldn’t run forever. Sheshouldn’thave to.
“If someone was coming after Veronica and Lyra, would you let her run away unprotected?” Angelo glared at Thad.
Thad’s hazel-green eyes sharpened, as though the idea woke up his most protective instincts. “Angelo, that’s comparing apples to oranges?—”
“Don’t you see? It’sallfruit,” Angelo’s voice turned into a growl. “My woman is in danger and I’m going to end the threat.”
“Yourwoman?” Thad echoed. “What do you even know about her?”
Angelo was in Thad’s face before he could think and jabbed a finger into his friend’s chest. “She’s never had a life that’s been safe or secure. She’s never had one moment of real peace. She lives out of one suitcase. Kara’s living on borrowed time and she doesn’t even know herself. She doesn’t have a favorite color, no hobbies no skills.Nothing. Because no one protected her or stood up for her. That stops now. Either help me or get out of my way.”
Jared, who’d been about to drink his coffee was staring open mouthed at Angelo. Roarke looked approving of Angelo’s outburst and was smiling slightly. He turned his focus back to his friend.
Thad’s gaze, so intense, didn’t surrender to Angelo’s dominance, he nearly adjusted his energy to match it. “I’mhere, Angelo. You’re like a brother to me. I just needed to know why we’re doing this. If you have feelings for this woman…”
“Kara. Say her name,” Angelo demanded.
“Kara,” Thad said, his tone softening.
“Whether I have feelings for her or not doesn’t matter.” He drew in a deep breathe. “No woman should have to live that way. It’s not living. That should be enough for you to want to help me.”
“I’ll help,” Thad said resolutely. “But Veronica and Lyra’s safety comes first.”
“I know,” Angelo replied. “If you have to get out of this to protect them I’ll understand.”
A sudden crash from his bedroom made his head jerk.
“Kara!” He was running before he even thought twice, terrible visions filling his head. The others were right behind him.
When he stumbled into his bedroom he found the drawers on his dresser all pulled out in sheer chaos. A full dressed Kara was on the floor, her hand bleeding as she sat next to the bedroom window. The window was broken, the window he’d never gotten around to fixing, that would crash down when someone tried to open it…which she obviously had.
Kara’s battered, old suitcase was just beneath the window, her clothes strewn all over the floor as though the suitcase had burst open. Kara held the back of her bleeding hand to her mouth as though to choke down a sob. She’d tried to pack and escape out the window…
“Oh,tesoro mio, what happened?” He crouched down beside her, trying to reach for her but she jerked away. “Don’t hide from me,” he murmured. His chest was so tight with pain that he found it hard to breathe. “Please, Kara. What happened?”
“I was… trying to leave,” she gasped between sobs.
“Leave?” He didn’t understand.
She nodded, her blue eyes flooding with tears. “You don’t need to help me just because you feel obligated to. Your friend is right. I’ll be fine on my own. I was fine until I met you.”
She’d heard them talking.
God, he was an idiot. He could only imagine what the conversation must’ve sounded like to her.
“Principessa,” he soothed. “Don’t leave.Please.” He ignored the three men who had crowded into his bedroom behind him.
“I knew staying here was a bad idea. I never should … should’ve let you talk me into this stupid plan.” She cradled her bleeding hand against her chest. The sight of her bloodinfuriated and frightened him. He had hurt her with his thoughtless conversation with his friends.
“Thad, grab the first aid kit from my bathroom cabinet above the toilet he ordered over his shoulder. Thad passed by them to get into the bathroom.
