Page 76 of Escape You

“You know why I did it.”

“If I weren’t pregnant, would you have turned Tyler in? You know, before Leo did.” An icy current flushed down my spine at the idea of losing Tyler. This secret of his could be the death of him.

“Possibly.” He looked away. “He has a real thing for you. He’s one of the good ones.”

“Right.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Um. I’m gonna go handle Leo. You’re okay here? I can send some beer up if you want.”

“That might help. I hate hospitals.” He shifted his weight on the bed. I’d never seen him look so uncomfortable. The pain he could handle, but being trapped here was killing him.

“Get better. I need you back on your feet. I’m letting the crew take a break, but then I have a few things lined up for next month.”

“Of course, you do. Send me your plans, and I’ll get started.”

“I will.” I adjusted his pillow. “Tomorrow.”

Outside the hospital, Tom waited for me behind the steering wheel of my Escalade. “Are you officially my driver?”

He jumped out of the car and gingerly opened the door for me. “Vic’s teaching me.”

“Wow, he’s really gone soft in his old age.” I climbed in the back seat. “Here’s your first assignment. Bring Leo to me.”

“Will do, Boss.” He nodded at me in the rearview mirror. “Where to?”

“Allie’s Bar.” I needed to talk to her about our next shipment. My visit there was for business only, though I couldn’t help the desire flowing through me at the thought of going back to the place where I’d met Tyler not so long ago. Why the hell was I missing him?

Tom dropped me off and took off to fetch Leo. I strolled into the bar, happy things were back to normal. “Hey, Allie.”

“Hey, to what do I owe the pleasure?” She walked around the bar to hug me.

“I have a job for you.”

“Great. Sit.”

I gave her the details for our next gig. Nothing major like our cartel job but decent enough to keep the crew happy and on track. The Rogue River, the council, and the neighboring bosses were finally on board with letting me take over the crew. Especially after they got a good taste of what could happen if we didn’t stick together.

This was exactly what I wanted. Why did it feel like something was missing? Had Tyler gone home to Atlanta? Or maybe the ATF reassigned him to a post on the West Coast to keep him away from me. That had been their plan before Clifton had come up with the great idea of getting Tyler to pose as Chase Rossi.

“Mia?” Allie waved her hand in front of my face. “You there?”

“Yeah, sorry. What?”

“Leo’s here.” She raised an eyebrow toward the door.

“Right.” I donned a leather glove on my right hand. Lead and unborn babies were not a good mix. I didn’t know why I’d Googled that. Maybe there was a chance I was fit to be a mother?

Leo bolted toward me as soon as Tom let him go. He mumbled something about being sorry. The usual plea of a snitch who didn’t get away shit. I should have gone with my original gut feeling. It wasn’t too late for that. I drew my weapon and shot him in the leg. I should have done just that the day I’d found out he was breaking into Rogue River homes, terrorizing the same people we were here to protect.

If I had killed him back then for his transgression, he would not have sold me out to Rossi. He never would have told on Tyler. A lump churned in my stomach angrily every time I thought about Tyler bleeding to death in an abandoned parking lot just because this asshole couldn’t get his loyalties straight. But I wasn’t here for revenge. Leo, his wife, and daughter were part of this family. They deserved better. I would make sure Leo delivered on that bit for them.

I sat on my haunches next to him while he writhed in pain, tears streaming down his cheeks as he cradled his knee. “What did you think would happen when you turned your back on your own family? For your daughter’s sake, I’m letting you live. From now on, this limp will be your reminder that we don’t leave this crew. And that traitors never win. Say it.”

“Traitors never win.” He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. He was about to pass out. Most likely from the pain.

“You’re alive because I say so. Don’t ever fucking forget that. If you ever talk about Tyler to anyone again, I will personally dig a ditch and put you there.”

“I won’t, Boss.”

“Take him to the hospital and call his wife.”

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