Page 43 of Royally Lucky

“Old enough to know children in this world are just a burden that gets sold or left.”

Andre made a rough sound that Kendrick knew meant his friend was on the verge of yelling or killing. Neither would be good in the small confines of the van.

“Any word from Keys on where Frankie might’ve run off to?” If the man did a runner, they would need to use resources from many places to track him down. The fact he’d been able to get someone inside the clubhouse, even though they’d caught the asshole in time, alarmed Kendrick.

“Keys said he’s got some hits. He told me to inform you that Frankie won’t be able to hide from him. I think his exact words were there wasn’t a hole deep enough or far enough away for the jackass to go that he couldn’t find him. My brother is like a bloodhound. Once he’s on the hunt, whoever he’s searching for is literally screwed, and not in a good way.” Cosmo snorted, spinning to face forward again.

Before his brother Jeter came home to be part of his ill-fated wedding to fucking Taysey, Kendrick had a small circle of people he trusted. Now, he was in a van with several men and one woman he honestly felt deep within his soul he’d give his life for, three rescued women, and Andre, who was clearly falling for a damaged woman.

What the fuck happened to the hardened Mafia Boss who killed first and asked questions last? Shit, his life had been simple a few months ago. Get up, get dressed, drink some coffee, and maybe order someone to kill another for an offense to his Family. Damn, those were the days. Now, he and a crew of men stormed into a casino to save one woman and end up saving several. Kendrick knew damn good and well, he’d be footing their medical and living expenses until they could handle living on their own. Hell, staring at the sisters, his heart ached for the lives they’d lost. Yeah, he’d be visiting their sperm and egg donors. The two women would be orphans within a few days, but they’d find blood didn’t always make you family. Aside from Jeter, his chosen family were the ones he would die for, he’d live for, and if it came to it, he’d suffer through a living hell for them. As for the other woman? He had a feeling Andre would take care of her, which meant she’d become part of his family if she allowed them to be.

SUTTON SAW THE MUSCLESin Kendrick’s jaws clenching each time he looked at the twins and the other woman. Her protective instincts roared to life as she heard Annalise speak of the girls' lives. Her own bitch of a mother had given her virginity away through her callousness, just as she suspected a similar situation went down between Annalise and her sister Annabelle on behalf of their father and Frankie. Although they might not have been virgins, they’d lost their innocence just the same. As for the other woman, she didn’t know her story yet, but she, too, would find safety within their world.

“Kendrick, we have to help them,” she whispered. The two girls were resting on the floor of the van. While she figuredAnnabelle slept thanks to the drugs and her body needing the rest, her sister lay quietly soaking in the quiet. At the same time, the other appeared as if she’d jump out of the van the second they stopped.

Kendrick’s arm came around Sutton’s shoulders. “I know I haven’t given you a reason to trust me. Hell, you’ve been taken twice within days of meeting me. Shit, that’s enough right there not to trust me.” He let out a frustrated breath. “Yet, I swear to all I hold dear, I’ll lay my life down for you. That’s an oath I don’t give freely to anyone. I want you to know these girls will also get the necessary help and financial security.”

She heard someone suck in a breath but didn’t dare take her eyes off the green ones staring down at her. Goodness, this man’s the most delectable thing she’s ever had the chance to be so close to. “I don’t want you or anyone to give their life for mine. Not that I want to ever find myself in the clutches—” She swallowed the bile threatening to come up in her throat. How the hell does thinking about what could’ve happened to her, make her stomach upheave while pulling together torn skin and blood feel like a walk in the park?

A hand on her neck, pushing her head between her knees, brought her mind back to the present.

“Breathe for me, Passerotta. In and out. Good girl. Now, do it again.”

“Here, give this to her.”

She concentrated on breathing while ignoring the two deep-toned voices speaking around her. The coppery scent of blood filled each inhale and exhale. God, she wasn’t sure if she could work in the medical profession any longer. PTSD. Yep, she was self-diagnosing herself in the back of a van.

“We’re almost back to the clubhouse. Do you need us to pull over so you can get some fresh air?” Kendrick asked through the fog filling her head.

Sutton took a deep breath before she sat up. “I’m okay.”

“Here, give her a few of these.” Cosmo held his hand out.

“Are those sour worms?” She eyed the colorful candy in his hands with a slight smile.

Cosmos dumped the offering into her palm with a nod. “My ole’ lady gets panic attacks sometimes. Go on, take ’em.”

She concentrated on the first pink and purple worm. The burst of flavor made her cheeks suck in at the sourness. Next, she selected green and yellow; its flavor was even sourer. After two more worms, her nerves and breathing didn’t feel so frazzled.

She knew eating sour candy worked in some cases of panic attacks or anxiety, whatever you called it, because the individual used the sense of taste as a distraction, prompting the mind to concentrate on the present by savoring each bite. Whatever the reasoning, it appeared to work on her. The intense flavor of sour candy jolted the senses, redirecting the brain's focus away from the overwhelming feelings of panic.

“Thank you, Cosmo. I’ll replace your stash,” she promised. Her hand closed around the remaining gummy.

“No worries, Sutton. We have a shitton of sour candy in our homes. We’re getting ready to go through security, folks.”

The slowing of the van alerted her to the validity of his words. She held onto Kendrick’s leg with her free hand. Annalise sat up, sitting crisscross next to her sister.

“What’s going to happen after?”

“You’ll be safe.” Sutton had no clue what else to say. How did you promise someone a future when your own was in the air?

“Annalise, you don’t need to worry about anything except getting better and helping your sister. For the next couple of weeks, your focus is helping us help you. We’re going to need more information from you to figure out what the next steps will be. Don’t freak out or think there are strings attached toour assistance. Trust me. Our business is to help those who have been hurt, not to hurt innocent people. As for the tracker that she mentioned inside her. We’ll have Doc look at both of you and if we find one, Doc will remove it.” Cosmo’s tone shifted from cordial to angry, but Sutton could hear the truth and hoped Annalise knew he was furious on her behalf, not at her.

They drove through the gates after two guards went through the van. Sutton sat with Annalise while Annabelle slept. Kendrick stayed next to her, glaring at the men. As prospects, their jobs included doing things around the property, including sitting at the guard house checking IDs and such. The one in charge today she’d met before after he’d wrecked his bike. He’d asked her to keep silent about the crash because, as a prospect, they weren’t allowed to ride except under supervision. He’d obviously broken a rule and wanted her to keep quiet. She told him several times HIPAA wouldn’t allow her to speak about her treatment of him to anyone. Yet, the moment he saw her in the van, she’d seen the fear flash in his eyes.

“All clear, brother.”

“Thanks, Patches. Doc already here?” Cosmo asked.

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