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I don’t think they even breathed.
Even Nick’s brows rose at the sum.
“Damn,” T muttered. “Now I really am going to need to work on that Christmas list.”
But Nick shook his head. “No, you won’t. Because we’re not touching that money.”
Confusion flared and mingled with anger. “Why?”
Nick moved closer, slid his hand around to cup the back of my neck, and tilted my head up to him. “Because that’syourmoney, princess. Your money your father left you. He wanted you to have a way out in case you needed it, so that’s what it’s going to be,yourway out.”
A pang of pain cut through my chest. All I could hear was his words when he’d told me one day I’d want more. But even though the pain took hold, I saw the desperation in his eyes. He wanted me to be strong, to be careful. He wanted me to be safe…and this was his way of doing that, of making sure that I was never dependent on anyone else again for the rest of my life.
“So you keep that information somewhere safe. I’ll get you a new phone at the next stop and we can set you up with a One Password account. How’s that sound?”
“Then all we need to do is find a place to live.” I stared into his eyes.
“Speaking of…” Tobias muttered as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a brochure he’d somehow stashed away. “I found this.”
He handed the folded brochure over to Nick. All I saw was green…and the most stunning mountains I’d ever seen in my life as Nick released my neck and took the paper.
“Apparently, it’s a new town and new community. It says‘We pride ourselves on protection and privacy’. They’re calling it—”
“Tutum?” Nick muttered.
“Safe.” Caleb’s voice made us all turn toward him. He met our stares and motioned his head to the brochure in Nick’s hand. “My Latin is a little rusty, but I’m pretty certain it meanssafe.”
Tobias grabbed his phone and punched in the details. “Yeah, you’re right. So, what do you think?”
The view of the mountains alone was enough to make excitement soar inside me.
“Then it looks like we’re heading to Tutum,” Nick muttered. “We look, if we don’t like it, then we move on, okay?”
I nodded, knowing in my heart we weren’t just going to like it…we were going to love it.
Epilogue
VIVIENNE
“Wait!”I cried, watching Ryth and her brothers drive away.
Agony tore through my chest as they accelerated hard, then braked to a stop. My heart hammered, taking flight for a second as the driver’s door opened. But they hadn’t stopped for me. A dog came tearing around the corner of the building, limping as she ran, until she leaped through the door and disappeared into the car.
Then they left in a hail of bullets.
But I didn’t get to say goodbye. Tears shimmered in my eyes as London grabbed my arm and hauled me backwards, barking orders at his sons as the roller door closed.
“We can’t be seen!” London roared, his stare merciless as he glared at his sons. “You understand that?”
The blond asshole lifted his phone, pressed an icon, and started speaking, giving commands as we were pushed toward the back of the building.
“One wrong move,” London warned Ryth’s father. “And I’ll have them killed before they reach the city limits.”
There was a flare of anger in Jack Castlemaine’s eyes. His hands fisted at his sides. For a second, I thought he was going to lunge and take London to the floor. I didn't know what I’d do if that happened. But I never got a chance to find out. He glanced my way, then leashed that anger inside as the growl of a car’s engine sounded close to the door where we stood.
Gunfire cracked out, the sound so loud it was deafening. I lifted my hands to cover my ears, but I didn’t have a chance to shield myself before London grabbed my arm, his grip cruel as he pushed me toward the door as it swung inward and a man wearing a black vest and carrying an automatic rifle stepped in and looked at London. “My men are holding them back. We move now.”
A quick nod, and London drove me forward, out the door and toward the waiting car. Jack followed closely behind, guiding me to the open car door. Everything happened in a hail of bullets and guttural screams. I was virtually thrown across the seat of the Explorer. Rough hands pushed me forward until I fell to the floor of the car.
