Page 35 of Witness Protection

Chapter Eight

They’d been holed up for two days.

Cayden found out that Ricky had been trying to cash in on an open contract for Sophia. Oscar Esperanza ran one of the largest drug cartels in their end of the country. He was a ruthless bastard, known for killing women and children as scare tactics to keep his men loyal and associates from screwing him over. The vacuum left by Vasily’s death made everyone eager to fill in the void. Until the Morenov heir was dead, the three million was up for grabs.

“We can’t stay here much longer,” said Cayden.

Sophia was lying on his bed, stomach down. She’d been doodling on some scrap paper for the past hour. Her innocence was twisting his reality. “Why not?”

“Ricky wasn’t even a big player. Others will figure out where we are. I say we leave Friday morning at the latest.”

It was Wednesday evening, and he wanted to be gone before the weekend. Esperanza wanted Sophia dead, with countless killers looking to cash in on the big payday. Antonio Baretti and Hawk wanted Cayden. He was starting to feel like a trapped rat in his little hideout. It was only a matter of time until someone came knocking.

She sat up and crossed her legs, flipping her hair back. “What are you going to do with me, Cayden?”

When she said his name, it always hit a sore spot. Using first names was too personal. And the way she fucking said it…

“I’m not following.”

They’d been playing house for the past couple days, and they were getting way too comfortable together for his liking. For a hitman keeping a captive, he’d get an “F” rating.

“The people after me are willing to pay millions. If you don’t want the money, why keep me around? As long as you have me, there’ll be contracts on your head.”

“Fucked up, isn’t it?”

She sighed, dropping the papers beside her and standing up. “You must have a plan.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“You got your revenge. So now you either kill the witness or set her free. Isn’t that where we’re at?”

His jaw tightened.

He hated being put on the spot, especially when he’d been trying not to think too hard on the subject. He couldn’t kill Sophia.

What he wanted was to keep her.

He’d never had a family of his own, just the borrowed foster families. They had their own kids, their own agendas. Cayden had always been an inconvenience, a paycheck, a punching bag.

And worse.

He’d fantasized what life would be like if his parents were still alive, conjuring up make-believe worlds to dull the pain of reality. Those were childish games he’d grown out of. He’d been numb most of his adulthood.

Now, being alone with Sophia, he once again wondered what life would be like with a family. A family of his own. Women had never looked at him with love, just lust. The two were worlds apart. He was unlovable, but it didn’t make the desire for it any less. A woman like Sophia was beyond him, a fucking mafia princess. And who was he? Nothing. A joke. The jester. He shouldn’t even be looking in her direction. Not after what he’d been through. All his baggage and dirty little secrets would forever haunt him.

Then there was Hawk.

The hero.

Just hearing his name made Cayden’s hackles rise. Sophia didn’t deny they were an item. Vladimir made it clear that Hawk would do anything for Sophia, even die for her. Only a man in love would go that far.

So, he was between a rock and a hard place. He wouldn’t sell Sophia to Esperanza. The only other option would be to return her to Hawk. Maybe trade for his cat and end all this bullshit. What he wanted was to keep Sophia for himself, to make her love him, but he wasn’t a fool. He’d learned as a child that he couldn’t make another person love him, no matter how lonely he was or how deeply he craved it.

It felt better when he didn’t care.

Easier.

Simpler.

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