Hello Everyone! I had some serious muse issues, but I'm hoping to be back to finish all of my stories soon. I hope you enjoy this chapter, pretty short, but there is more to come. Have a good day, and thank you to all of your messages, they really did motivate me to come back!

SAM

With Mercedes tucked along my side, I really don't want to move. But I have to. Reality—and danger—are lurking just around the corner, on the other side of daylight, which is just a few short hours away. Mercedes is tracing the tattoo on the left side of my chest, like she often does when we lie naked together. I don't know if it's soothing to her, but it is to me. Her fingers start to move more and more slowly until they stop. Her breathing becomes deep and even. She's so still I know she's asleep. I'm sure she's exhausted. But there's nothing I can do about that yet. I slide out from under her as gently as I can, but I still wake her.

"Rest, baby. I'll be right back." I can see that her eyes are open and focused on mine, so I know she heard me. She doesn't answer, though. She just smiles.

After straightening my clothes, I head out through the office to the club. Cam and Gavin are sitting at the bar, pouring shots from a bottle of whiskey.

"Help yourself," I remark smartly as I approach.

"Oh, don't worry. We have," Gavin replies with a cheeky grin.

I pull up a stool and a shot, downing it in one quick swallow. The burn is welcomed. It reminds me that there will be much pain and loss if I don't do this just right. The first time. There's no doubt that I won't get a second chance.

"I was thinking about it, and I feel like the only place Mercedes will really be safe is with her mother."

"That's what you were doing back there? Thinking about that chick's mother?" Cam asks snidely. "If she mentions needing a real man, send her my way."

"Spending so much time alone with a bunch of men on a boat, I'm sure you could recommend one." Gavin spits whiskey across the bar.

Cam stands so quickly his stool falls over. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I stand, too. "It means that you even think about touching her, talking to her, so much as looking at her, and we're gonna have a big, big problem, bro."

Before Cam and I can get chest to chest, Gavin steps between us. Again. "I'm not going to be able to leave you two alone at all, am I?"

He gives us each a little shove, which, coming from Gavin, is nearly enough to send us back a step. Nearly, but not quite. Gavin pours three more shots and slides one to me and one to Cam, picking up the third and holding it up between us.

"To safety and success. Salut!"

Cam and I are still eyeing each other, but we toast to Gavin. It's a good sentiment, one worth taking a moment to recognize. After a short pause, I clear my throat, saying pointedly, "As I was saying, I was thinking that the only place Mercedes can really be safe is at her mother's. Since her parents divorced, Mercedes hasn't been close to her. They rarely talk, and I doubt anyone would be able to find her there very easily. In fact, I'm not even sure where she lives. Seems like I heard Mercedes mention Savannah, but I can't be sure. At any rate, I'll find out."

"So you're sending her there, hoping they won't follow you? And that you'll make it back in time?" Cam asks sharply.

I grit my teeth and try not to take exception to his tone. "No, I'm sending her with Gavin. You and I are going to be taking care of the trade tomorrow."

Cam smirks. "Afraid to leave her alone with me, huh?"

"Yes. I am. She needs protection. Competent protection. That's why I'm sending Gavin. I know he's capable of keeping her safe."

Cam rolls his eyes but says nothing. At least he's learning to keep his mouth shut. I turn to Gavin. "Man, I'm trusting you."

He looks me in the eye, and I try to convey all that I mean when I say that. I'm trusting him to respect me by not touching her. I'm trusting him to keep my secrets, to keep Mercedes safe, to do whatever he has to do to protect her. This is not a simple request, and he knows it. The fact that he pauses to really consider what I'm asking makes me feel somewhat better, like he's not taking it lightly.

"I know, mate. You know I've got your back. And hers. We're brothers."

Gavin holds out his hand, arm bent at the elbow. When I take it, we're both agreeing to do right by one another, no matter what the cost. This isn't a game. We both know that. "Brothers," I repeat.

"I hope he's a better brother to you than he was to me," Cam mumbles from the other side of Gavin as he pours himself another drink. I ignore him.

"I'll find out exactly where you're taking her, where her mom is living now. Give me a few minutes' head start and then meet me at the hotel. Sound good?"

Gavin nods. "Sounds good. And safe. Just make sure you're not followed." I give Gavin a look, and he grins and throws up his hands. "Sorry. Habit. I know you're as careful as you can be."

"Especially when it's important."

He nods again. "And this girl is obviously very important."

I don't answer. I don't know what to say. It's true, of course. I just haven't really thought of it that way—of her being important to me or the exact degree to which she's important to me. But it's a lot. There's no doubt about that.

"Just stick with the plan and do what I ask, and I think we can pull this off." I look behind Gavin to Cam. He's pretending to ignore me. "Can I trust you to do what needs to be done?"

Slowly, Cam turns his cool eyes on me. "Yes, but when it's over, and you and your girlfriend are all safe and sound, it's my turn. My turn to get what I want."

Revenge is in his eyes. I recognize it because I fought the urge for a lot of years. And I lost, for the most part. I just found less…violent ways to exact it. Or at least to try. Giving up these books will set me back years—all my plans to use the legal system to incriminate the Russian mafia and to free my father—but it's worth it to make sure Mercedes's safe. I can start again, maybe talk some sense into Cam and get him to let me use what he's got. I don't know, but I can't worry about all that now. Tonight, the most important thing is getting Mercedes to safety. Tomorrow will come soon enough.

"Fair enough. But right now, it's my way." He looks at me long and hard before he nods.

MERCEDES

Rest? While he's out there plotting and planning with his not-dead twin brother and probably-more-than-he-seems club manager? I think not! By the time Sam comes back in, I'm up and dressed. Waiting. As always, just the sight of him kindles a fire in the pit of my stomach. His very presence touches me. It's undeniable. I take a deep breath, pushing those feelings aside so I can think.

"So, what's the plan?"

Sam looks back out into his office. "Have a seat. We'll be right back out."

I hear snickering that presumably belongs to the pleasant and mildly flirtatious Gavin. I can't imagine Cam snickering. I can barely imagine him smiling. I think his default mode is "menace." Sam closes the door and turns to me. I can see by his expression that he thinks I'm not going to like what he's about to say, which makes me think I won't. I sigh.

"This must be a humdinger."

He chuckles. "What? I haven't even said anything yet."

"You don't have to. That look says it all. It makes my butt pucker."

"Makes your butt pucker?" I nod, and he laughs outright. Shaking his head, an amused expression still on his face, Sam reaches out and pulls me into his arms, snugging me up against his chest. "You're crazy, you know that, right?"

"Of course. Was it supposed to be a secret?"

"No, I think that ship has sailed."

I turn my head slightly and bite his flat male nipple.

"Ouch! Keep doing that and you'll get the best damn spanking you've ever had."

"I've never been spanked before, so the bar is set very low."

"Well, that'll be the first thing on the agenda when I get you back home, then."

I lean farther back. "Get me back home? Where am I going?"

Sam sighs. "Your mother's house. It's the safest place for you right now."

I push out of his arms. "What? You can't be serious! There are a dozen places I can think of right off the top of my head that would be safe and give me a reasonable expectation of retaining my sanity. Why in the world would you want me there?"

"Because there is a recent trail to almost everyone else in your life. Everyone except her. You haven't talked to her in how long?"

"A couple years, but that's not the point."

"That's exactly the point. Where else would you be less expected to go?"

My mind goes completely blank, probably because he's right. Dammit! "Fine, but you'll have to let me drive myself. She would never understand something like this."

Already, Sam is shaking his head. "Nope. Sorry. Gavin will be taking you and staying with you until it's time to bring you back."

"What? No way! If I must take someone, why can't it be you?" The more I think of it, the more I like that scenario. That way, Sam would be sure to be safe.

"Gavin is the most…capable one of us. You'll be safe with him, no matter what comes up."

"Are you expecting an army of mafia bandits to accost me at my mother's house?"

"I'm not expecting anything. But I'm going to be prepared for…whatever."

"If Gavin's the most capable one, maybe you should send him to make the trade with Cam."

"I have to go. I have to do this. I can't trust Cam with it. I need to make sure it gets done and it gets done right. I can't have them threatening you, Mercedes. This has to stop."

"But…but…" I can't think of a single argument other than I want him with me and I want him to be safe. Neither of those is enough to change his mind, though.

"This is the best way. The only way. Just trust me. Can you do that?"

Sam's head is tilted slightly to the side and he's looking deep into my eyes. He's so sincere. I feel the sting of tears at the backs of my eyes. With a fist lodged in my throat, I don't even try to speak. I just nod and drop my eyes to Sam's mouth. Tenderly, he pulls me back into his arms. He strokes my hair and rubs circles on my back.

"I'll keep you safe. I promise."

"It's not me I'm worried about," I murmur against his chest.