I hated how Angel was still foremost in my mind the next day. It was like no matter what I intended he was starting to get under my skin and I didn’t know how to stop it.

Just memories of the day before were enough to get me hot under the collar. Did he feel that way when he thought about us together? It did make me wonder.

But when I stopped outside the front door all thoughts of Angel faded away and the only thing on my mind was Bruno. I was going to pay my respects, it was the least I could do. With a handful of sunflowers I waited for Jack to bring the car around.

Jack arrived with the car and got out to open the car door me.

“Thanks Jack,” I murmured as I slid inside. I put the bunch of sunflowers on the seat beside me.

A heaviness settled in my chest, I hated going to the cemetery but it was the least I could do after what had happened and how Angel had kept it from me. I needed to pay my respects, even if it didn’t feel like enough it was all I could do now.

The trip to the cemetery didn’t take long. When the car entered the cemetery the heaviness in my chest intensified, it was difficult to take a breath. I was transported back to the day when I felt like my whole life had been tilted on its axis. The day I had buried my mom. I remember Angel beside me as I had considered what my life would be without my mother.

It was easier to look back on it now but at the moment, it had felt like the end of my world. I took a heavy breath as we drove down the main main before Jack took a side road.

Rows and rows of graves. I hadn’t visited my mom’s graves sight in a while. To ease my guilt I promised to stop by hers before I left.

When the car stopped I got out with the flowers when Jack opened the door for me.

He walked me down to where Bruno was buried. When he stopped at gravestone I read Bruno’s name. Memories of that night raced through my mind, making it difficult not to want to hyperventilate. Jack stood off to the side to give me some space.

“I’ll be fine here Jack. Go back to the car.” I didn’t look at him but I felt his hesitation to leave me.

“You can watch me safely from the car.” This time I lifted my eyes to meet his. I didn’t want an audience. It was too personal to share with someone else.

He looked between me and the gravestone before he nodded. He retreated back the way we came as I let out an emotional breath.

I got a little tearful as I bent down to place the flowers on the gravestone.

“I’m so sorry Bruno.” I took a deep shaky breath and exhaled. I felt so much guilt for getting him into trouble before he died and when I remembered how he had looked so scared when he had been shot I squeezed my eyes closed. A solitary tear slid down my face.

I stood and bowed my head slightly, my eyes fixed on the headstone of his grave.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner but I had no idea.” It was still difficult to contend with the fact that Angel had kept this from me.

I was torn between my growing feelings for Angel and the burning resentment of how he kept treating me like I wasn’t strong enough to handle the truth.

I hadn’t slept much that night. My muscles ached with tiredness. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened, it cycled through my mind on repeat. This morning I had overheard James and Angel talking briefly about a ‘cleanup’.

I knew what that meant. They had to cleanup the room and take care of the body of the man who James had shot. The one I had intended to kill.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling emotional that the guy who had taken his life had been taken care of.

It was the sound of voices that caught my attention. I peered back to see Jack talking to someone. It looked like the guy had parked Jack in and he was asking him to move.

It wasn’t like the place was so busy but I shrugged it off to concentrate on Bruno’s grave.

Hands reached for me. A hand over my mouth and then an arm wrapped around my waist literally lifting me off my feet. I struggled but I was no match for the strength of the person who shoved me into the backseat of the car.

Just as I righted myself and was about to let out a scream I saw the face of the man who had manhandled me.

Kaiden.

“What the hell Kaiden?” I gasped angrily at my brother.

The car I was in was already moving and I only had a moment to see Jack’s distressed features as he watched helplessly as the car left the cemetery.

“You’ve left me with no choice Kira,” he said.

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.” Was the only response I got.

“You can’t just do this?” I tried the door but it was locked. I glared at my brother.

There were two suited guys in the front.

“That’s where you are wrong Kira. I can.”

I didn’t like his high handed tone but I was stuck in the car and I couldn’t get out. I had left my bag in the car with Jack and I had no way of contacting Angel. He was not going to be happy with what my brother had done.

“You’re playing with fire Kaiden,” I warned, not caring who overheard what I said.

“No this is the only way to get you out of this mad situation.” He refused to look at me, staring straight ahead.

Now that I could take a closer look, the other guys in the car screamed law enforcement and I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

What lengths would my brother go to to try to ‘save me’?

“You just kidnapped your own sister,” I argued. Tired of the strong high handed men in my life who always believed they knew better than me.

Kaiden was no better than Angel.

“That’s not what we call it.” He bit back.

“What do you call it Kaiden?” I asked, determined to figure out what my brother was up to.

I had already made my decision and he didn’t get to interfere in it.

Nothing good would come of this. I could just imagine Angel’s anger when he heard that I was taken. Did Jack even know it was my brother who took me? And I feared for my brother’s safety. He couldn’t disrespect Angel like this and come away unscathed.

But no matter how much I asked my brother refused to give any further details. This couldn’t be legal, surely I had rights.

“Don’t do this Kaiden,” I whispered, pleading with him.

“I have to,” he argued. “I’m the only one who gives a shit.”

My brother, since he made the choice to join the FBI, had rarely cursed. In the heat of the moment he was reverting back to the person he was before, the son of a lifelong gang member.

“That’s not true. Angel does.”

My brother flinched like I had struck him physically.

“You don’t know Angel. I do. And I know he up to something. He doesn’t do anything out of the goodness of his heart, there is always a reason why and I need to figure it out.”

I frowned. “What are you talking about Kaiden? Angel has always cared.”

“Maybe as a boy but not as a man. You have to trust me Kira.”

“How can I trust you?” I looked at the guys sitting in the front and remembered we had an audience. “You just kidnapped me while I was paying my respects to an old friend.”

“Bruno didn’t deserve what happened to him. He was a good man,” my brother said, his tone softening.

I pressed my lips together. I was in dangerous territory. My brother was broaching a subject I had no intention of speaking about in a car filled with FBI agents.

I had meant it when I had told him I would not spill any secrets, including how Bruno had died or the man who had been responsible for his death.

Finally, my brother looked at me. “Are you going to tell me what really happened?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, pretending to be exasperated with him.

I had no idea what story Angel or James would have come up with to ensure Bruno’s death did not link back to the family. They would have come up with a story that would have appeased the law but I had no idea what that story was.

The only thing I knew was the truth, of how he had been shot and bled out later.

Memories from that night nearly sent me into a panic but I knew the only way out of this situation was to keep my head.

“Tell the truth,” Kaiden prompted me from the other side of the metal table.

I was so angry with my brother. I kept my arms crossed over my chest and refused to utter even one word while I glared at him resentfully. This man across from me, I didn’t recognize. He had changed so much there was little that reminded of the boy I had grown up with.

He leaned forward. “You and I both know there was something more to Bruno’s death. This is your chance to honor your friend and tell us what happened.”

I couldn’t believe he was seriously trying to use my loyalty for a friend against the same loyalty I felt for the Knox family, for Angel.

“Just give me something Kira. Something I can use to protect you.” He pleaded. “I can’t save you if you don’t give something up.”

Save me. Why did every man in my life believe they needed to save me? And why did they always believe they knew best when they didn’t?

But I refused to allow him to try and manipulate me into doing what he thought was best. I had already made my choice and he wasn’t respecting it. If he believed for a second I was going to reveal secrets, he had another thing coming.

When he had decided to go into law enforcement I hadn’t been happy about it, but I had supported him in his choice and here he was trying to get me to change mine.

When I shifted slightly in the chair, my brother’s eyes held mine and for just a fleeting second they held hope that I was going to reveal what he wanted.

I cleared my throat. “I want a lawyer.”

I had rights and he couldn’t just trample them at will.

My brother’s face fell and his hands fisted. “Don’t do this Kira. I can feel you slipping through my fingers.” He sighed. “I wasn’t old enough to see what was happening to mother but I’m not going to stand by and do nothing while you follow the same path she went down.”

I refused to answer him. I wasn’t going to argue with him or allow him to try to think he could do this type of thing. He had crossed a line and I wasn’t going to be nice about it.

He pushed back from the table and rose. The chair fell back and I flinched. Our glare held for a few seconds before he strode from the room slamming the door behind him.

I let out a breath, trying to calm my nerves. I had never been brought in for questioning but knew that I had rights my brother couldn’t steamroll me over.

If they allowed me a phone call, I didn’t know who I would call. Despite my brother’s rash actions I didn’t want to get him into trouble with Angel but there was no way to cover this up, was there?

It didn’t take my brother long to return. His anger echoed in the stiffness of his stance and shoulders.

I wondered what he would say if he knew what I had tried to do the day before.

“Let’s go,” he said and turned to leave the room.

I stood and followed him out. “Where are we going?”

He refused to answer me but I continued to trail him, hoping he had come to his senses and was going to let me go.

When we got into the car I felt apprehensive about his motives. Then when I refinished the route back to the cemetery my curiosity peaked.

Why was he taking me back there? I studied my brother’s stiff features. He was angry that I hadn’t given him any information, even knowing how loyal I was to Angel and the family. Was this the point where he would finally understand I would never betray the secrets I held close.

He stopped nearby our mother’s grave. I exited the car as he came around to lead me to where our mother had been laid to rest.

When we reached the gravestone that had our mother’s name engraved on it we halted.

“Take a long hard look Kira. This is going to be your future if you don’t break free from this life and Angel.”

I gave him a side glance, taking in his defeated tone and the way he stared intently at our mother’s grave.

I swallowed. “You need to trust me Kaiden. I know what I’m doing.”

He sighed before his eyes found mine. “You’re blind Kira. From where I’m standing it’s already happening. And by the time you see it, it will be too late.”

His words settled in my chest, making me feel heavy with emotion.

“I’m not giving up. I will find the proof to prove Angel’s intentions are not honorable.”

With that parting shot he turned and left me standing alone while I grappled with what he had said. I looked back over my shoulder to see him get into the car. His eyes held mine for a few moments before he started the car and left me.

It felt like he was leaving me more in an emotional way than in the physical distance he was putting between us.

Only minutes later a car arrived in the same spot my brother had only been moments ago. I immediately recognized the man as one of Angel’s guys. He hurried to me.

“Miss ward, are you okay?” he asked, looking concerned.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, even though I wasn’t sure I was emotionally okay. “How did you know I was here?”

“Mr. Knox sent me.”

He ushered me into the car as he called Angel to let him know that he had me. I wasn’t sure he knew I was going to be there. I stared out the window feeling a sense of trepidation of how I was going to explain what happened to Angel.

There was a flurry of activity as the car pulled up in front of the house. Angel was already opening the door when it stopped.

I didn’t want to lie to Angel but I couldn’t get my brother into trouble, even if I didn’t agree with what he had done. It had been high handed and out of line. I feared for the repercussion he would face from Angel.

Angel steered me to his study in silence and closed the door behind him.

I lowered myself into the closest chair. My mind racing ahead to figure out a way to keep what my brother had tried to do from Angel. While I understood my brother’s intention was good despite his execution, Angel would not be so forgiving.

“He crossed a line today,” Angel said, staying where he was by the door as he studied me.

He knew it was my brother who had taken me.

I remained silent, unsure how to navigate my way through this mine field.

“What did he want Kira?” His cold eyes sent a shiver through me.

What did I say? I couldn’t tell him the truth for fear of what he would do to my brother?

I shrugged dismissively like it wasn’t a big deal. “He was trying to talk me out of marrying you.”

He continued to study me and I couldn’t tell if he believe me or not.

“And?” The question was soft spoken.

“He didn’t change my mind,” I admitted. The statement was true, no matter how hard he had tried he hadn’t been able to say me from my decision to stay with Angel. “I have agreed to marry you and I won’t allow my meddling brother to change my mind.”

“Good.” He walked over to me and picked up my hand with the engagement ring on my finger. He studied it. “I’ve decided to bring the wedding forward.”

My skin burned beneath his touch. “Why?” My eyes lifted to his.

“Waiting is only putting you in more danger.”

He had a point but I couldn’t help thinking if that was the only reason for his decision to move the wedding up. But if the threat against my life had increased, would that be something he would share with me? Knowing Angel he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t want to worry me.

“Does this have something to do with the Vincents?” I asked, unable to keep the fear from fluttering to the surface. It was hard not to think back to what I read about them.

He pressed his lips together as he studied me. “I don’t want to reveal any details, you are just going to have to trust me.”

After the whole Bruno thing I wasn’t sure I could blindly trust him, but I knew I didn’t want to know of any new details he might have uncovered in the threat against me. The less I knew the better when it came to the Vincents.

I swallowed slowly as our eyes held.

“I won’t let anything happen to you Kira,” he said softly when he saw my expression. His hand reached for my cheek and caressed it slowly.

I knew he would do everything he could to keep me safe, but the irrational fear kept me wondering if it was possible for him to keep me safe. I wanted to believe him with every fibre of my being that I was safe and any fear I harbored I could let go of but I couldn’t.