Page 20 of Her Keeper
Because she touched a piece of my heart that no one’s ever touched before,I didn’t tell him.Because I think she might actually care about me. Because I think I might actually care about her.
I didn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t. Those thoughts were mine, and mine alone.
But that didn’t change anything.
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” I told him simply. “I don’t want my father’s men getting to her. I want to save her life. But I can’t do it without help. Are you going to help me?”
Every ounce of his anger melted away the moment I said that, and he started for the door. “Of course I’m going to help you, asshole. She’s my baby sister. Where are we looking first? Because I have thoughts.”
I stifled my grin and walked after him, thanking whoever was looking out for me that he’d come back to his senses so easily.
Because I was going to save the woman I loved, but I needed help. Alfonso and I had defeated almost everyone we’d ever come up against.
I just hoped we could get through this, too. Get Penny and get her safe. So I could finally get between her and whoever was gunning for her.
9
PENNY
“But is there anyone we call other than Alfonso?” Sloane asked for the third time. “I realize he’s your brother and he has connections, but one of those connections is to Michael.”
“No one is saying it’s the only option,” Brooks returned. “But it’s the best option, Sloane. He’s not going to turn on his own sister.”
Sloane shot her a sarcastic glance. “You know as well as I do that people in this world turn on their family all the fucking time, Sloane. Let’s not be naive. We’re not going to risk Penny’s life on the idea that Alfonso might turn out to be a good guy.”
“Heisa good guy!” I argued.
The problem was, he was also furious with me for a number of reasons. Did I think he’d turn me over to Michael? I’d like to think not, but I couldn’t say that with absolutely surety.
That was why I was on Sloane’s side in this argument.
“Brooks, you know everyone in the city. Don’t you know someone who can provide some cover for us?” I asked.
“I still don’t see why we can’t just get in my car and drive the hell out of the city,” Sloane added.
Another good point, though the first time she’d suggested it Brooks had told her it wasn’t going to be possible. If the head of the Rossi family had put a hit out on me there would be people watching every major exit from the city—including the train stations. They’d be on us in moments if we ran. Which was why we needed someone to provide some sort of distraction.
With luck, everyone would be looking at them rather than us when we crossed city lines and headed for the country.
Unfortunately, Brooks had yet to suggest anyone other than Alfonso for the job.
The last thing I wanted was to ask my brother for help.Hey, bro, hate to bother you but you know how I’ve been working for Michael Rossi? It’s gone wrong just like you said it would and now I need to get out of town. Can you lend a girl a hand?
I hated the very thought of it. He’d tell me he told me so, right away, and then poke fun at me for needing help again. And he’d be right on both accounts.
I just didn’t see any way around calling him.
“Alfonso is the best choice,” Brooks said firmly. “I’ve gone through all my contacts and none of them is as powerful as he is. He’ll take Penny’s side against Michael if it comes to it, and he might not even have to do that. If he can call a meeting of the family, make sure everyone’s there to go over all the things that have been going wrong...”
“Everyone would be there,” I concluded. “Jimmy, Joseph, and Michael would be too interested in what Alfonso was saying to bother with keeping an eye on me.”
“It wouldn’t stop the freelancers,” Sloane argued.
“But would the Rossi family have let this out to anyone else?” Brooks asked. “I don’t think so. It’s no small thing to put a hit out on a woman. This is never done. They wouldn’t want to tell anyone they were doing it.”
Another good point, though it made my stomach to turn thinking about it.
I couldn’t believe I was a wanted woman. I’d been doing what I thought was best, protecting Michael, and had never thought it might end with me having a price put on my head. And yet here we were.
