Page 83 of Deadly Conflicts

“I will.” James pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “Don’t worry about anything. This will be over before you know it.”

“That would be a nice change of pace.”

“I DON’T have any money,” Ally said, resting her hands on her bare knees. She was dressed in simple cotton sleep shorts and a tank top. She hadn’t been expecting company so didn’t bother to dress after Jake left. “I’m a secretary, for crying out loud.”

“Yes, but your brother is rich,” Vince said. “You’re going to call and tell him I need fifty grand – in cash – or he’s never going to see you again.”

“I’m not doing that.” Ally was frightened – Vince’s bone-breaking comments sending a chill through her – but she refused to back down. “I’m not helping you. You can die for all I care.”

“I will die if you don’t help me, Ally,” Vince said. “There are a lot of people out there who want to hurt me. I have to get out of here. I had a plan for that, but your brother ruined it.”

Ally was confused. She had no idea what Vince was talking about. “Do you owe the mob money or something? If so, we know someone who might be able to help.”

“No, I turned on some low-ranking mafia types out in California,” Vince explained. “They’re out to get me. I came home because I had a plan. That car was part of it. Your brothers ruined my plan when they found the car and now I don’t have enough money to run.”

“Well, that’s not really my fault,” Ally said. “You created your own problems. I think you should have to deal with them.”

“I was dealing with them until James decided to stick his nose into my business,” Vince snapped. “Now he’s going to fix the problem he made. I need money and he’s going to give it to me.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s going to happen.” James appeared in front of the open window, his hands raised. Ally’s eyes widened when she caught sight of her brother and all she could do was gasp. “Are you okay, little sister?”

Ally bobbed her head up and down.

“It’s going to be all right,” James said. “We’re here. We got your message with the security system. I won’t let him hurt you.”

“I hoped you got the message,” Ally said. “I … where’s Jake?”

“I’m right here.” Jake appeared in the hallway, causing Vince to cast his terrified eyes in that direction.

“How did you get in this house?” Vince was beside himself.

“I live here,” Jake replied calmly. “I know how to get in and out. James and I wanted to make sure we approached you from two different directions, so I came through the bedroom window while he went through the front.”

“Yeah, you really should’ve paid better attention when you forced your way in here,” James said, punching a code into the security system and then opening the front door to test it. He seemed calm – at ease even – but Ally knew better. “Ally did the exact right thing. She pressed the panic alarm and when she didn’t answer her phone the security company called Jake.”

“Then I called James,” Jake said. “The police are on their way, too.”

“You’re lying,” Vince hissed, blindly reaching for Ally’s hair. She easily avoided his hand and moved off the couch. Vince was too worried about James and Jake attacking to pay close attention to her.

“You’re unarmed,” Jake said. “You still broke into my house and terrorized my … angel. I’m pretty sure that’s going to cost you.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s right,” James said, internally snickering when he caught a hint of panic wafting off of Vince. The man was outnumbered and overwhelmed, and he didn’t even know about the three men entering through the kitchen door. “You should’ve never touched my sister.”

“You’ve got that right,” Jake said, taking Vince by surprise as he strode closer and grabbed his arm. Jake cocked his fist back and slammed it into Vince’s face, the sickening crunch of breaking bones filling the air as Vince listed to the side and slid down the side of the sofa. James watched with amusement as Ally closed the distance between herself and Jake, throwing her arms around his neck.

“I knew you would come for me,” she said. “I was surprised when I saw James, though. I thought for a second you weren’t going to be here.”

“We wanted to make sure his attention was split,” Jake explained, cupping the back of her head as he rocked her. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Just a little. He threw me into the couch.”

Jake growled as he glared at Vince, who lay unmoving on the floor.

“He must have a glass jaw,” James lamented. “He went down like a ton of bricks. I’m kind of sorry I didn’t get to hit him.”

“Join the club,” Grady said, walking into the living with a bored-looking Sven and Rodrigo flanking him. “I didn’t even get to see the takedown.”

“It wasn’t much of a takedown,” James said, moving past Vince so he could get a better look at Ally. She had red marks on her arm but otherwise seemed solid. “Are you okay? Mandy is out in Jake’s truck and she’s about to have a meltdown if she doesn’t see you.”