Hard Fought (A Stepbrother Warriors Novel) (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"I just want you to be sure."

"I am sure. Are you?" I answer, looking frankly up
at Carter's bright green eyes. Working with him lately has made it even more
difficult to resist him.

"You know I am, but you have more to lose than
me."

"They deserve to know why all this security has been
following them. Maybe only Jack and I are directly in danger, but Bree has
already been collateral damage. Who knows what could happen next?"

Carter nods just as Bree bounces into the room. "What's
up? Is this a family meeting, like they have on sitcoms?"

"Something like that," I answer.

"Nothing like that," Carter counters, and I can't
help but smile. Jack walks in a moment later, and takes a seat across the room
from Bree. Carter still doesn't know about their relationship, so they're still
taking pains to hide it. Anne breezes in as he sits, and Carter moves behind
her to close the door to the den.

Before I can get a word out, Anne takes a deep breath.
"If this is about you two, just say it. We'll manage to work it out
somehow."

I blink in confusion and alarm. "Wait, what?"

"If you and Carter are...you know...just tell me."

"Oh, no!" I respond. "No. No, no. That's not
what this is about."
Though of course she's not entirely off base.
Bree
and Jack both cover their mouths to keep from laughing as Anne turns bright
purple.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaims. "I thought I
sensed something...I don't know. Oh, jeez, I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, no, it's alright," I hasten to interrupt.
"It's actually about something entirely different. It's about all the
security." I glance at Carter and he gives me a nod. "I know my
father said that there was no specific threat, but actually that's not true.
He's been secretly funding a Mexican cartel so that they could gain control
over ports on the country's Western coast and then allow Burke Shipping free
access."

To my surprise, Anne bursts out laughing, then glances
around the room. "Wait, are you being serious? That's insane!"

"Companies have been getting involved in armed
conflicts for decades, if not centuries, Mom, supporting the side that will
benefit them the most financially," Carter breaks in somberly. Anne's face
pales and she glances back to me. I take a deep breath, grateful for Carter's
support, and continue.

"The problem, besides the legal and ethical concerns of
course, is that the other cartel is now royally pissed off, and has a habit of
going after their enemies' children as retribution. Right now, their enemy is
Burke Shipping, our father is its face, and that makes us the target," I
say, turning to Jack.

"That is quite an accusation," Jack says evenly.

"I know. I think you should all see this," I say,
bending down to press play on my computer, which I left sitting open on the
coffee table. The tape of Bree's accident plays and I hear her gasp as she
recognizes herself in the images.

"I didn't know there was a tape," she murmurs
quietly.

"It was being kept hidden," Carter tells her.

"So you didn't just trip...and that man just left her
there," Anne says. "Why would they do that?"

"Because...because..." Bree responds airily, then closes
her eyes. A slight frown creases her forehead, and I can see she's struggling
to remember something. I glance at Jack. He looks strained, watching his
girlfriend dredge up painful memories while he can't do anything to help her.
She opens her eyes. "The car did that on purpose. I remember it...and then
I hit my head when I dove off the road, and the man came up, and he said
something. 'It's not her,' he said."

"Who?" Anne asks.

"Alexa," Carter tells her. "They are
specifically targeting Jack and Alexa, and saw a young woman leaving the house,
and mistook Bree for Alexa until they were up close. That's why they didn't
shoot her."

"
Shoot
her?" Jack exclaims, nearly jumping
out of his chair.

"See the way he reaches behind him, into his
waistband?" Carter says, rewinding the tape. "He's going for a
gun."

Anne stands abruptly. "No, no. This is too much. I just
can't...Bree, do you believe all this?"

Bree pauses, then looks across the table to Jack. "You
and Alexa know your father best. What do you think?"

Jack leans back in his chair. "I know my father and
Alexa have had their problems, but my little sister is probably the smartest
person I know. Smarter than our father, even. If she says this is what's going
on, then I believe her."

"Jack...thank you," I breathe, touched beyond
words by his vote of confidence.

"And...I've been getting some letters. I've always
gotten threats, but these are more specific, and mentioning Burke and Dad...Now
I'm sorry I didn't mention them before, but I didn't want anyone to worry."

"Ray wouldn't do something like this! He wouldn't put
you in danger," Anne argues. I watch as a storm of emotions flits across
her face as she struggles to understand this new information about the man to
whom she's engaged. "You don't see him like I do. When we're alone, he's
so tender, so loving, and proud of his children, both of you!"

"Mom, no one is arguing he doesn't love you,"
Carter says gently. "But he
has
put his children in danger. And
you, and your children."

"What exactly do you expect me to do here?" Anne
counters. "There's a story, some letters, and a tape, and a man who
reaches behind him for something we can't see. What do you expect me to
do?"

I clear my throat. "Well, we thought if we could all
talk to him together, tell him we don't feel safe, maybe he would reconsider
the deal. With a substantial payoff, maybe the cartel would—"

 "No. I won't be any part of this. I can't believe
you would all turn against him. After all he's done for you. Carter, he saved
your life, for god's sake!" she says, turning to her eldest.

"I didn't ask him to do that," Carter replies, his
jaw clenching. "And he's never let me forget it."

"Bree, this beautiful house, space and time for you to
write in—" she counters, turning to her daughter.

"Mom, I know you've had tough times before, but you
made it through then. We did it together, and we could do it again. Golden
handcuffs are still handcuffs," Bree whispers.

Anne rears back as though she's been slapped. Her face
contorts with emotion, and she storms out of the room. I see Jack smiling
proudly at Bree before he looks up at me.

"So, Lex, what now?" he asks. I shift
uncomfortably and turn to Carter.

"What do you think?"

"I think you already know what to do," he points
out. I take a deep breath.

"We should all go to him together. Maybe with Jack
there, that'll be enough. But we have to do it tonight so that we catch him off
balance," I decide.

Chapter Thirty

I stare out the back window of my bedroom onto the ocean.
The water is only visible in spots next to fishing lights where the beams
bounce off the flickering waves. Things are coming to a head, and I can't help
but feel there won't be any turning back after tonight. There's a quiet knock
at my door and I jump.

"Come in," I call, pulling the throw blanket a
little tighter around my shoulders. I smile as I see Carter enter. He walks
slowly into the room and leans on the wall next to me, crossing his thick arms
over his chest.

"I don't know if this means much...but I'm proud of
you."

Tears spring to my eyes. "It means a lot,
actually."

"And maybe your father will back out of the deal,"
he adds. "I think Jack's opinion of him means a lot, and he won't want to
seem diminished in his eyes."

"Maybe," I consider. "God, how did this
become my life? Remember when I was just worried about paying for school? It
does seem especially cruel that he wouldn't give me money for tuition when I
know now that he was putting my life in danger for millions of dollars," I
add with a bitter laugh.

"You'll go back to school," Carter says.

"Yeah?"

"Yup. You could start in the summer semester. Just a
couple classes to dip your toe in, maybe get a part-time job to help pay for
it."

"That sounds nice. Getting out of class in the late
afternoon, in the sweltering heat, and going home to make dinner. And you'd be
there, I think."

"I would already have dinner made, actually."

I break out into a silly grin. "You would?"

"Oh, absolutely. I'm pretty handy in the kitchen. And
then after dinner, you could do your homework, while I watch some TV, and then
we'll get into our bed—"

"So we're already living together at this point?"
I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"Well, to save money on rent..." he replies, light
dancing in his green eyes.

"We're taking things slow, remember?" I murmur,
leaning into him. I inhale his scent, and every nerve ending in my body lights
up. He bends his head forward and softly brushes his lips against mine. My
mouth opens and our tongues slip together as his arms wrap around my waist. My
hands wrap behind his neck and my fingers dig through his hair. I break off
with a giggle. "This is really poor timing."

"You're right," he says, taking a deep, steadying
breath. "You just have quite an effect on me. It's not that I'm trying to
speed things up—"

"No, I know. I find it difficult, too, but I think
it'll be worth it. For both of us. But maybe you could come back later tonight,
and we could just...hang out? Like normal people?"

"Normal people, you say? Interesting...I'll think about
it," he replies with a smile. He lets his arms fall back, but grasps my
hand at the last second. "When do you want to talk to your father?"

"As soon as he comes home," I reply. Carter nods,
and walks slowly to the door.

"It'll work out," he says, turning back.

"I know," I reply, more confidently than I feel.
As the door shuts behind him, I look back out to the water one last time, then
cross to my bureau. I'm wearing only shorts and a t-shirt, and I want something
a little more serious on when I confront my father. I'm just pulling on a pair
of slacks when there's another knock at the door.

"You forget something?" I ask as it opens.

"Sorry, ma'am," Roger says from the doorway.

"Oh, I thought you were someone else. Wait, what are
you sorry for?" I ask with a frown. There are footsteps behind him on the
stairwell and he moves aside as two men hurry into my bedroom. "What the
hell?" I exclaim as one heads into my closet and begins shoving clothes
into a bag.

"Mr. Stratton has asked us to move you out," Roger
informs me. "Immediately."

"What are you talking about?" I ask, as a sinking
feeling fills my stomach.

"He said to tell you that Carter is waiting to escort
you to a new location."

"OK..." I grumble. I suppose if Carter is involved
than it's fine, but it's so sudden. Could there have been a new threat against
the family from El Nuevo Muerto, and now we have to find a safe place? "Do
you know—"

"I can't tell you anything else," Roger says
stiffly, then pauses. "Just doing my job."

"I might not be so worried if it didn't sound like
you're already trying to placate your conscience," I reply, studying his
face. He winces slightly, but doesn't say anything else. I take a deep breath.
The other two men have finished rummaging through my closet and bureau. One
even went into my bathroom, presumably for my toiletries. They stand next to
Roger with two full duffels and my purse and give him a nod.

"Your father's waiting outside," he explains. I
look around my room and take a deep breath.

"Seems I have no choice," I say with a grim smile,
and follow Roger down the steps. At the door of the boat house, I'm surprised
to see him turn left and take the steps down to the dock. I look around him and
see one of the security boats pulled up across from the yacht. As I step
onboard, my father emerges from the helm. The security men board with me, and
my father nods at Roger, who unmoors the boat.

My father and I stare at each other. In the darkness, it's
hard to see his eyes, but I'm sure they're emotionless anyway. I have to raise
my voice to be heard above the speedboat's engine.

"Anne told you," I say flatly.

"Correct," he replies.

"And Carter isn’t here."

"Also correct. You're improving."

"So where are you taking me?" I ask, sitting down
on the side of the boat. Spray kicks up just behind me as we fly over the
waves.

"We're dropping you off at a marina downtown. From
there, you can do what you want."

"You're leaving me in the middle of the city with no
security protection when you know my life is in danger, because you put it in
danger," I summarize.

"That's not how I'd put it. I'd say that you are trying
to drive a wedge between myself and my fiancée, and I'm no longer willing to
financially support you by allowing you to stay in my house."

"Potato, potahto, right? And what will you tell
everyone? Wait, let me guess: I got mad at you for being too overprotective and
moved out in a huff."

"Very good!"

"They're going to think it's quite a coincidence,
especially since we had all planned to talk to you together tonight. Anne
didn't know about that."

I can just see him frown, but it disappears quickly.
"Maybe you intercepted me as I was being dropped off and we had words.
I'll think of something." He studies me for a moment. "You do seem
remarkably calm, especially for you."

I sigh, and stare out at the waves. "I guess I'm just
exhausted. I warned Jack and Bree about the danger, and as for myself, I'll
manage. I'm stronger than you think."

"I doubt it, but I'm glad you're feeling
confident," he replies coolly. The marina lights shine brighter as we near
it, and we weave in and out of the few boats out at night.

"Why'd you give me security at all?" I ask.
"Why not just leave me high and dry from the moment I came home? Then El
Nuevo Muerto couldv'e killed me and the debt wouldv'e been paid."

"Come on, Alexa. Think of how strange that would have
looked to the rest of the family, if they'd been provided security and you
hadn't. But that's why I only gave you one guard, and a gimp with PTSD at
that."

My anger flares for the first time at his derisive description
of Carter. Frankly, I'd like to fling myself across the boat and strangle him,
but I know I don't really have a chance.

"I think you may have underestimated him," is all
I say, and then turn back to look at the waves. We pull up to a slip and one of
the security men quickly tosses my duffels onto the planks and hands me my
purse. I don't have to look inside to know my cell phone's not there.

I step out of the boat and turn back, considering my father.
"You know, I've been wondering why you care so much about what Anne thinks
of you. You never seemed to care about anyone else's opinion. And I decided
that it's because you think having someone like her love you will redeem you
somehow. But you can only hide your true self from her for so long."

He's silent for a moment. "Good luck, Alexa," he
finally says. The boat begins to pull away. "You're going to need
it!"