Her entire body went rigid even as the tears flowed in never-ending streams down her cheeks.
“I hate him,” she hissed. “God, I hate him so much for what he did to my father. To me.”
Silas’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who, baby? What are you talking about?”
“The slick, lying, cheating insurance salesman who took advantage of my father’s desire to provide the means to fulfill my dream. He charged outrageous premiums and then filled the contract with so many confusing conditions, exclusions and fine print. God, the fine print pretty much made it possible for them not to pay the settlement for pretty much any trumped-up reason they chose to come up with. It was a scam. The salesman was a complete scam artist, and he took every penny my father had and then refused to make the payout when I filed the claim after his death. That’s why I can only afford to attendschool part-time and have to work two jobs as well as any odd jobs that crop up. I hate him,” she said, her voice breaking on a sob. “I hate him for what he did to my father. For giving him false belief that I would be taken care of.”
Cold rage filled Silas as he sat there and listened to Hayley’s story, forced to pretend idle interest and sympathy when he wanted—and fully intended—to hunt down the cheating bastard and make him pay. There was no way in hell he was going to let her continue to work herself into the ground, attending school only part-time. Not with talent like hers.
Determined to track down the bastard and ensure that he paid Hayley in full, plus interest and extra for her grief, for all the weeks she’d worked herself into exhaustion, he forced his voice to sound casual as he questioned her about the salesman.
By the time the knock at the door sounded, he had more than enough information to find the sleazy asshole, who would pay dearly for fucking over Hayley and her father.
12
Maddox, Justice and Zander filed solemnly into Silas’s apartment, casting curious glances at Silas’s agitated state. Silas motioned them to sit on the couches in the living room and then excused himself for a moment, saying that he wanted to check in on Hayley and ensure that the doctor was doing a thorough exam.
He entered his bedroom quietly, taking in the sight of Drake’s trusted physician cutting off Hayley’s clothing. Rage filled Silas, as did a fierce sense of possessiveness. It didn’t matter that the doctor was elderly, married and a loyal ally. Silas wanted no one to see what he considered his.
Hayley whimpered in pain as the doctor began his examination, softly asking her questions as a way to distract her from his gentle probing. Then Hayley’s gaze found Silas standing in the doorway, and relief filled her face. Her silent plea beckoned him closer and he found himself at her bedside, leaning down to smooth his hand over her forehead.
He bent to press his lips to the crown of her head. “It’s going to be all right now, princess. The doctor will take good care of you.”
“Will you stay?” she asked, her tone desperate, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty.
“I’ll only be in the next room a few moments while the doctor finishes his exam. There are matters I have to take care of, but I’ll be back very quickly, my sweet girl. I won’t leave you.”
She seemed to relax, her eyes glazed and dull with pain and the effects of the pain medication Silas had given her. Before he did something stupid like settle into the bed beside her and remain at her side, he swiftly exited the room, knowing his brothers had no clue why they’d been summoned to his apartment, a place others rarely encroached upon.
With no preamble and no explanation as to Hayley’s place in his life or how or why he had known she was in trouble, he quickly ran down the events of the night. By the time he’d finished, Maddox, Justice and Zander looked absolutely murderous, their expressions black and filled with rage.
“Son of a bitch,” Maddox swore. “I hope to fuck you killed the bastards.”
Silas shrugged. “My main concern was for Hayley and her well-being. You called in a cleanup crew? I wasn’t exactly... careful.”
As Drake’s primary enforcer, it was Silas’s job to always be careful and thorough. The fact that he was openly admitting he’d been none of those things tonight told his brothers far more than he wanted them to know.
“Thane, Jax and Hartley are on it,” Justice said grimly. “Though I think I’ll place a call and tell them to finish the job and then dump the bodies in the Hudson. I doubt scum like them are going to be missed.”
Silas only nodded. Then he glanced up at the only people he trusted in the world. “I have a... personal... favor to ask. I want a man on Hayley at all times when I can’t be with her or looking out for her. My loyalty is to Drake and to see to Evangeline’s protection. I can’t be in two places at once, and so I need someone on her when I can’t be there. And keep her out of sight as much as possible, your connection to her unknown. I can’t afford to make her a target. Ensure you never take the same route, never take her to any of the places we primarily frequent.No one can know about her,” he said with urgency, knowing full well the consequences were their enemies ever to learn of her existence. Or of her importance to... him.
“No problem,” Maddox said matter-of-factly. “We’ll rotate. Whoever isn’t assigned to Evangeline will be assigned to Hayley so that both women are covered twenty-four-seven.”
“Thank you,” Silas said. “I don’t want what happened tonight to ever happen to her again.” He paused before saying the next, making the sudden, impulsive decision even as he’d known precisely his course of action the moment he’d learned the reason for Hayley’s heartbreaking distress. In a quieter tone, he put forward his request. “I will have to be away for a day, two at the most, as soon as I know Hayley will be all right. It’s imperative she be protected while I’m gone, and kept tightly under wraps.”
Zander lifted an eyebrow. “Anything you need help with? You know we’ll do anything we can.”
“It’s a personal matter,” Silas said, his expression darkening. “Though you can do something for me that will make my job easier.”
His brothers looked expectantly at him, waiting for his request.
“I need you to find the whereabouts of the bottom-feeding son of a bitch who fucked over Hayley and her dad when he refused to pay Hayley the benefit from her father’s life insurance policy, one he was charged exorbitant amounts for. As a result, she’s dirt poor, struggling to make ends meet, only attending school part-time because she has to work multiple jobs just so she can eat and pursue her dream.”
He saw the question in their eyes and answered before it could be vocalized.
“I set her up in the apartment next to mine. The one Evangeline used for a few days.”
“But hadn’t you already made it all into one big apartment?” Justice asked.
