Page 11 of Impossible Thrills

“Yes.” Her house had been on the bluff overlooking the ocean. She could’ve driven a golf cart to the course—if she’d been a golfer. Her home had sold for over six million dollars, a great boost to the four-million-dollar cash portion of the divorce settlement. At the advice of a financial planner, she’d put most of the money in investments. Which was fine, until she needed more for her children, and realized that many of the investments’ capital was ‘untouchable’ for years to come. Purchasing, renovating, and maintaining her four children’s homes and food, clothing, medicine, and more for the babies had taken up all her ‘liquid cash’ and depleted the monthly payments she received for her investments as fast as the money came into her account.

“I loaded up my … car.” Should she admit her car had been a limited-edition Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, valued at over two-hundred grand? The vehicle had been stolen the second night she’d been in Tecate. “With baby clothes, formula, and other supplies.” She said nothing about all the supplies being things she’d bought for Avalyn or things that neighbors, Johnny’s friends, and Johnny’s family had gifted them at the many baby showers they’d thrown for her during her pregnancy. “And I drove across the border to Tijuana, but I didn’t feel right about stopping there.”

All three of the men stopped eating and stared at her as if she’d grown a third eye. Nick’s fork was loaded with broccoli and halfway to his mouth. Their reaction should’ve been comical, but she could only imagine they thought she was crazy to go across the border to the dangerous town of Tijuana by herself. Johnny had been livid with her when he found out, not that he’d had any right to provide input on her life at that time. In her defense, it had been mid-morning, a quiet month for beheadings, and she didn’t have anything left to live for.

Suicide wasn’t a viable option, but being murdered hadn’t sounded too awful at that time of her life. Not something she was willing to share either. She was in a very good spot now. Her many babies filled her love tank, needed her, and loved her.

“So I kept driving the hour to Tecate,” she continued. “I prayed for direction and pulled into the nicest hotel I could find. I walked around the town for hours, trying to find the right space for my first children’s home. My car did survive that first night. Thankfully, since all my supplies were in there.” She smiled at the memory. She’d had a lot of cash in different pockets and in her purse and even some in the car. Her credit cards and most of her cash had survived.

None of the men moved an inch or returned her smile.

She toyed with her fork, studied her half-eaten steak, and continued, “I found an older couple at an outdoor café near the hotel the next morning. Gary and May were missionaries for their church—they went by Brother and Sister Parros at that time. I told them my vision, and they helped me.” Gary and May still lived at her Tecate home with her, and their church had been instrumental in every city she had homes in. Incredible people.

“By the end of the day, we’d found a large home just south of the U.S. border to rent, scrubbed it clean with the help of some locals, unloaded all my supplies, and bought more supplies. My car did not survive the second night, but we had my first baby dropped off in the middle of the night. Samuel.” She smiled. “He’s four now and the light and joy of everybody who gets to interact with him. Definitely worth losing my Porsche.”

The silence was so thick, she had no idea what to say. Nick dropped his broccoli-laden fork to the plate, and that seemed to break the spell over Jagger and Hays. They exchanged a loaded look while Nick rubbed at his beard and studied her.

“Have you lost your mind?” Jagger muttered darkly.

“Pardon me?”

Hays shot his friend a warning look. Nick said nothing. He stared at her, and she couldn’t read his expression. Well, maybe she could, and she feared he agreed with Jagger.

“Don’t warn me off,” Jagger threw at his friend. “A beautiful, unarmed, untrained, American woman just drives across the southern border, in a Porsche, breezes through Tijuana, and settles in Tecate by herself. I mean, great town, Tecate—drug lords, rival gangs fighting, beheadings of foreigners, and a flourishing market for human trafficking. All activities a gorgeous, classy lady from the wealthiest area in California can understand and stay safe from.”

Darcy’s spine straightened. She’d heard all of this before, but she had stayed safe. She had cameras and locks on the doors. When Johnny found out where she was, he had started sending his security guys to watch out for her and stay in the unfinished basement. It had been uncomfortable at first, but the security guys left her and the children alone and their presence had kept them from ever having an issue with local gangs, drug runners, or traffickers. Most importantly, the Lord watched out for her and her missionary friends and little ones.

“Do you not have a father, uncle, grandpa, boyfriend—” Jagger threw his hands in the air. “Somebody who cares about you and watches out for you?”

Darcy’s eyes stung. “If you’ll pardon me,” she said, standing and setting her napkin on her half-filled plate. “Tomorrow will be a big day. I’m going to get some rest.”

She hurried through the main area and toward the stairs. If she could make it to her room before she broke down, that would be ideal.

How could she explain to those three men who she’d enjoyed conversing with and been impressed with, and especially Nick who she was so drawn to, that she had no one … no father, no uncle, no grandfather, no husband, no boyfriend.

The one man she’d let into her heart had grown bored of her, cheated on her, and deserted her when she lost her baby. She couldn’t trust anyone but her missionary friends and her children.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and she broke into a run. She had to escape before Nick realized the truth—that she was made to love on little ones, but she wasn’t made for any adult man to love her.

She couldn’t trust a handsome and flirtatious man like Nick. That would be a mistake as big as marrying Johnny.

Chapter

Four

Nick stared, stunned. Darcy appeared brave and naïve at the same time. All he wanted to do was stay by her side, hold her hand, and protect her, but he couldn’t. No way.

Why hadn’t she revealed anything about her ex? Embarrassed or hiding something? Trattori’s money had financed her children’s homes. Everyone knew that. Was her innocent appeal a ploy? It was dragging him in fast. He feared he couldn’t see clearly because of how enthralled he was with her.

He tried to think through the possible angles. Mercedes had shared with everyone that he was Aiden’s top security op. What if Johnny had been tipped off that Aiden was investigating him? Could Darcy be playing the part of a benevolent angel to lure Nick in?

That made no sense. She was a benevolent angel, and how would Johnny know Nick would be on this show? Also, a wealthy lady didn’t live in dangerous and poverty-like circumstances and care for babies round the clock without being a charitable icon. If only he dared talk to her about her ex and trust what she revealed to him.

She excused herself and hurried from the room. He wanted to follow her. Would he push her away if he chased her now?

“Dude,” Hays whispered to Jagger as soon as she cleared the doorway. “You insensitive jerk.”

Jagger lifted his hands. “Somebody needs to tell her. Do you think she even has security? Beautiful, classy, and obviously wealthy, but as naïve as a boot who doesn’t realize what he signed up for and is going to get his butt handed to him. How has she not been kidnapped, raped, or trafficked already?”

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