“It’s my f-fault they died, Paxton. All my fault!” she wailed.
“Sweetheart, please calm down. It wasn’t anyone's fault but the bastards that pulled the trigger and whoever they work for.” I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
She kept going, once again talking faster and more frantic.
“I ran. I ran so damn fast. I bolted out the back door, grabbing my purse and knowing I had to find help. God, I was so scared with someone right behind me.”
My body tensed knowing she was running for her life. What would have happened if Capri had never been alive to come into mine?
“I thought if I could get to the police station everything would be okay. But Pax…” she said and I sucked in a breath.
It was the first time she hadn’t used my full name and it made me realize even more that she trusted me and was feeling the closeness that we were sharing.
“The cops work for the bad guys. Or at least some of them do. I was so relieved when I shot up the steps toward the door and there was a cop right there that I didn’t even realize how convenient it was—as if he was waiting just for me.”
I was so tense.
Her breathing was getting faster and it was as if she was reliving everything as she told it. Cheating husbands, deaths of loved ones, dirty cops, and running for her life.
“When the cop took me in, he took me to a private room as I was rambling about my parents being dead. Why were they not rushing to the bakery? Why not ask more cops to help us? That’s when I got a bad feeling and asked to use the restroom. When I decided to finally come out and see if I could find someone else, I overheard the guy talking to someone, telling them they had me.”
She pushed up on my chest and looked me in the eyes.
“I ran again and have been alone for four years now. But someone found me, Paxton. I knew that when I looked at the beady, cold eyes of the man at the bakery, but I don’t know who they are so that doesn’t help anyone. So, I knew that I had to run again. I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me.”
There was so much information to take in. I had so much I needed to tell the guys and God they were going to flip their shit. Capri was their friend. Lyric was going to be livid when he heard about the dirty cops. Everything she told me shouted loud and clear we were dealing with some seriously bad people.
I placed my hands on her cheeks. “I will be with you and the others will be careful. It isn’t the first time bad shit has happened with this group and they stick together. Hell, you ran out into the street to help Rowan and Brinley with no thought to yourself. They would do the same for you.”
But I would do everything I could to not only shield Capri, but everyone else too. My sister was pregnant, all the others had kids. I not only had the time to put into protecting Capri, but it was what I wanted to do.
She was mine to keep safe.
When doubt filled her eyes and she started to open her mouth, I spoke before she could say anything else. I knew after everything she told me, she thought once again she should leave.
“It’s time you made me a promise.” I cupped her cheek in the palm of my hand and looked directly into her eyes, giving her a pleading look. “Promise me you won’t run again and you will count on me to get you through this. Please, Capri.”
I gently leaned in and brushed a feather light kiss on her lips before pulling back again. A tear trickled down her cheek and I brushed it away with my thumb.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. We’ll get through this together.”
“Together,” she whispered in a confused tone as though she couldn’t quite believe it.
“Yeah, baby,together. Now promise me.”
I knew there was more to talk about but right then all I needed was that promise and the rest could be figured out the next day.
“I promise,” she said softly.
I released my hands from her cheeks and she lay her head back on my chest.
“Thank you, darlin’, that's music to my ears.”
“Don’t leave, okay,” she said, her voice muffled against my shirt.
I knew she meant right then but I hoped one day she would say that and mean forever. Shit things were getting real with my feelings, but I couldn’t help the way I felt about her.
“Not going anywhere, beautiful.”
