Shiver of Deception (Soul of the Sinner- Book 5) Page 14

  She gave a choked, desperate laugh. “I guess this really is the end.” Her brow creased with worry.

  I held up a hand to silence her. Walking over to her, I covered her hands with mine. “We’ve done this before, baby. We were in the escape room and we managed to get out. We’ll just consider that practice for the real thing.”

  Her faint smile held a touch of sadness. “This isn’t a game, Oliver. We are about to...”

  I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers. She wasn’t going to give up, damn it. We didn’t get this far by giving up and not fighting.

  I pulled away from her and watched the warmness return to her dark eyes.

  “Let’s find the way out of here. There has to be a way. Columbo is too damn smart to only have one way out.”

  Bryn nodded and we got to work. It was taking us too long, and I felt light-headed. I needed air. I took off my shirt and used it as a rag to wipe the sweat from my brow.

  “Are you okay, Oliver?”

  I glanced over at one of the three Bryns and tried to figure out which one was talking to me.

  “Oliver… I am right here.” She moved my head so I was looking at the one to the right.

  “I’m fine… We need to find our way out fast.”

  I took a breath and watched as Bryn touched every inch of the wall. She was looking for a hidden door, and I stared at the empty bookcase. It was odd that Columbo would put a bookcase in his safe room, wasn’t it? I couldn’t remember seeing a single book in the entire house.

  “It’s the bookcase,” I mumbled as I walked over and started pulling out the shelves. Bryn and I glanced at each other when every shelf of the empty bookcase was on the floor.

  “Oliver, look at that.” She pointed to a button on the top shelf. It wasn’t raised and was designed to look just like the wood. When she pushed the button, the entire bookcase shifted to the right and it led to another door.

  We were both gasping for the clean air once we stepped out of the safe room. The hidden door led to the backyard. We fell to the ground and stared at the clear blue sky. I had never been so happy to see the sky before in my life.

  “We have to find my dad.”

  “Bryn, your dad is fine. He’s with the Delucas,” I tried to convince her.

  “No, he’s not. He was here with me until Columbo took him away.”

  What the hell was she talking about? “He was here?” I swung my head around to look at her. “We need to get back to Maurice’s. I need to find out what the hell is going on.”

  Bryn

  We hitchhiked back to Maurice’s. I could see the disgust on the blonde woman’s face when I got into the car, too. I guess she thought Oliver was alone when she picked him up. Alex practically pulled us inside when he opened the door to see us standing on the porch.

  “What the fuck, Oliver?” He looked briefly over his shoulder as Frank and the others appeared.

  “I had to go get her. I knew she was in that house and it would be only a matter of time before Columbo figured out his guys were dead,” Oliver explained.

  As the men gathered together and started to whisper, a baby cried in the background. I followed the sound and found Maya wiping tears away from a baby’s eyes. Her eyes met mine, and she gave me a small smile. She picked him up and walked over to me as I stood frozen just inside the door.

  “Bryn, this is Kaydence.”

  He was beautiful. I couldn’t help but notice he looked just like Steven.

  “How did you find him?”

  “Frank found him. Would you believe he used to be a cop? I guess it is a benefit to having connections on both sides of the law?” Maya nodded stoically.

  “I still don’t understand. They just gave him back to you?”

  Maya laughed. “Apparently, when the mob and cops show up, you do what is asked. They knew the agreement wasn’t permanent.”

  “What will you do now?”

  Her eyes glowed with excitement. “I am going to Chicago.”

  “Bryn, can we talk for a second?” Oliver appeared, and there was a spark of some indefinable emotion in his eyes. He took me to a bedroom and closed the door.

  “We have a problem. I wasn’t the only one to slip out. Your dad did, too. Thomas is out looking for him, but it doesn’t look good.” His eyes became flat and as unreadable as stone.

  “Columbo has him. You have to find him. You worked for him. You have to know where they would have taken him,” I begged, and a devilish look came into his eyes.

  He pulled out his cell and glanced at me as he pushed a button. “Thomas, go back to where you found me. He took him there.”

  Oliver rushed out of the room and yelled for the others. Within minutes, they were running out the door and I heard the tires of several cars squealing out of the driveway.

  I didn’t know where they were going, but I prayed it was not too late for my father. As I listened to Maya playing with her baby, I thought about my mother.

  She answered on the first ring. I told her that I was okay and that my father had made his appearance. She suddenly became quiet when I brought him up. She didn’t ask how he was doing or if he was still causing trouble, but I knew it was in the back of her mind.

  I found it odd that even though she is my mother, I felt the need to protect her from the truth. I didn’t tell her that he’d killed Steven or that Columbo took him and threatened to end his life. I hoped Oliver and the Delucas got to him before that happened.

  “Where are you now, Bryn?”

  In case she was being watched, I told her I was with a friend and that I would come to see her as soon as possible. I didn’t want her to worry about anything else. I was safe with Oliver, so I would be able to keep that promise. I told her I loved her before I hung up.

  “You’re a lucky girl,” Maya whispered.

  We sat across from each other waiting for the men to return. “How can you say that? I am sitting here waiting to find out if my father is dead or alive.”

  “He’s alive. I don’t think that man of yours would allow anything to happen to him, not if it caused you one tear,” Maya advised firmly.

  I knew she was right. Oliver would never do anything to hurt me, despite what I’d believed. He was a criminal, but he had a heart of gold. He’d protected me more than any other man in my life. I thought there was nothing Oliver wouldn’t do to protect me.

  The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the entire house. Maya went off to bed after putting the baby to sleep. The silence gnawed at my nerves as I worried about Oliver and my father. What was taking him so long? It had been hours and not hearing anything yet couldn’t have been a good sign. It meant my father was dead and Oliver didn’t want to come back to tell me, or Columbo’s men got to them and Oliver was dead, too. I didn’t know what my life would be without Oliver in it.

  I remembered back to when Oliver started talking about our kids. Could I have a life as Mrs. Oliver… Mrs. Oliver? Fuck, I was in love with a man, and I didn’t even know his last name. I wondered if he was a Deluca as well? It didn’t even matter. What mattered was what was in my heart, and that’s where Oliver had implanted himself.

  Drawers being slammed shut in the other room startled me. I guess I fell asleep, so I didn’t hear anyone come back. I glanced at the clock to see it was two in the morning. Stretching, I followed the sound to find Maurice. His hair was out of place, and he jumped when he heard me enter the room. When he turned around, I noticed the blood on his face and his eyes were hooded like those of a hawk.

  “What happened?” I whispered.

  “He’s dead.” His hoarse whisper broke the silence.

  Oliver

  “You should have stayed behind, Pop!” I mumbled as Thomas, Frank, Alex, and I loaded every gun we had on us. I had one focus when we jumped into the car, and that was to get to Bryan Dorsey before Columbo put a bullet in him. I dropped the fucking ball, not noticing my father had decided to come along with us.

  “I am going to mak
e sure this shit ends tonight,” he answered with staid calmness.

  Alex and Frank glanced at me as I rolled my eyes, not wanting to deal with this right now. He was there and he knew how to shoot. At least, I felt slightly more confident in him having my back than Maurice having it. Granted, he did help me get out of the warehouse, but that wasn’t a shoot-out.

  Silence greeted us as we got out of the vehicle and snuck up to the warehouse, but Columbo’s car was parked by the door. I was right; he was there, and since he had Bryn’s father with him, that meant he was there, too.

  “He’s in here! He has him hanging from the same chain he had you hanging from!” Maurice yelled, and we all turned to find him standing on a garbage can, looking in the window.

  “What the fuck? Why don’t you just go honk the damn horn so he knows we're here?” Frank shouted.

  Thomas nodded for him to leave the window, and he hopped down and moved behind Alex.

  “You wanted me to stay behind, and you let the guy from Mayberry come along?” Pop asked with deceptive calm.

  A few seconds later, Columbo kicked open the door with his gun in hand. “I know you’re out here! I heard you! Come out and face me like a fucking man!”

  In the cover of darkness, with all of us hiding, no one noticed me give the signal. I was going to show myself. I would be the man to face him. It was for my woman and her father.

  “I’m here,” I responded as I walked out holding both hands in the air. My guns were safely tucked away but easy enough for me to get to.

  “Oliver… You are tougher than I thought. You killed three of my men and you’re still walking and in one piece. I really wish you wouldn’t have left them here. I hate blood.”

  “I think you know it’s over for you, Columbo. Just let Bryan Dorsey go and we’ll leave.”

  “He’s already dead,” he said in a deep tone.

  “No, he’s not. He is very much alive. You don’t have the balls to kill him. You brought him here because you assumed your hired help would do it for you. My guess is you called them, and when no one answered, you got nervous. You didn’t expect them all to be dead.”

  “He killed my son.” His voice hardened ruthlessly.

  “You’ll see him soon enough.” I smirked.

  I watched in slow motion as he lifted his gun and pointed it at me. As his finger slowly moved to the trigger, six shots rang out. His body jerked as each bullet hit him and he fell to the ground. I wiped the blood off my face and walked over to make sure he was dead.

  “Is he dead?” Alex questioned, and I noticed they were all circled around us, each still pointing their guns.

  “Yeah,” I confirmed.

  We walked in to find Bryan exactly where Maurice had told us. He was barely breathing and had bruises and blood covering his body. He looked like Columbo had beat the hell out of him. We released him from the chains, and he fell to the ground.

  “What are we going to do with him? He needs medical attention,” Frank murmured.

  “I have a first aid kit at the house,” Maurice offered, and we all stared at him. “It’s better than nothing, and I’m assuming you’re not going to take him to the emergency room.”

  Frank nodded and Maurice ran out to get the supplies. When he returned, we stared at him in disbelief when he walked in with Maya.

  “What the hell did you bring her for?” Thomas barked.

  “She said she could help,” he answered.

  We glared at her as she explained she’d gone to medical school. She overheard Maurice tell Bryn that someone died and stopped him before he left the house. When he explained that Bryan was badly injured, she suggested that she come along.

  She patched Bryan up with alcohol, gauze, thread, and needles. We were all shocked and hoping she didn’t say anything about the dead bodies that were still spread throughout the room.

  Bryan groaned in pain, and I felt relieved because him still being conscious meant he would likely live. I didn’t think I could face Bryn if I let her father die.

  Maya stood and walked over to us as we huddled in the corner. “He’s going to be in a lot of pain, but he’ll live.”

  “Maya, we need to talk about what you see in this room,” Frank began.

  At the sound of his voice, she lifted her head and listened. She held her hands up to stop him. “No, we don’t. What is in this room means my baby is safe. It means I can raise him to be a good man.” Her voice faded to a hushed stillness.

  “It also means your baby is in charge of the Columbo empire,” Alex added in a lower, huskier tone.

  Maya turned away to look at the dead bodies sprawled across the floor. She walked over and stood above Columbo. A single tear fell down her face as she glanced at him.

  “Oliver,” she whispered.

  I walked over to her and gave her a grudging nod.

  “It’s all yours.”

  With a sidelong glance of confusion, I asked, “What is all mine?” She couldn’t be saying what I thought she was.

  “The Columbo empire. I don’t want my son to have any part of it. I would rather it go to someone decent. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have my son.”

  My body stiffened in shock. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

  “Of course, it is. Kaydence is the only blood family. They all know he is, which is why I had to hide him. Once they find out he’s dead, they will announce Kaydence as the head of the family,” she exclaimed.

  “I don’t think…” I began to say before Pop cut me off.

  “She’s right, son. The family will announce Kaydence as the Don. Of course, he is a minor, so Maya will be in charge until he’s of age. However, she can relinquish all control and hand it over to someone else. If she wants that person to be you, I am all for it.” His voice was firm, final.

  What the fuck is happening here? She wanted to hand over the Columbo empire to me. I felt twelve set of eyes on me and I started to feel faint.

  “Will you accept?” she questioned.

  “Only if you accept my conditions. I am going to work with the Delucas. The Columbo empire will be considered a part of the Deluca empire, and you and Kaydence will be taken care of for the rest of your lives.”

  She took a deep breath, punctuated with several even gasps. “It’s a deal.”

  Bryn

  “He’s dead,” Maurice stated, and I stopped breathing. Who was dead? I couldn’t even form the words to ask the question. He rushed out of the room, and I watched from the window as he got in the car. Maya rushed out and said something to him and gave me a nod before she jumped in the car with him.

  I guessed I was babysitting. I begged to God that Oliver and my father were still alive. I hoped they were all alive, except for Columbo. Was it bad that I picked the one I wanted to die? All life is precious, but I couldn’t help but think how much more peaceful my life and Maya’s would be if he didn’t make it.

  I was so thankful that Kaydence was asleep and that we didn’t wake him. If he woke up, I wouldn’t know what to do with him.

  I stared at the clock wishing that someone would show up and tell me what was going on. Please, let them be okay.

  Several hours later, I heard car doors slamming. I rushed to the door as it was pushed open, and Thomas and Alex carried my father inside. He was bruised, and I could tell he had been badly beaten. All that mattered right then was that he was alive. They wouldn’t have brought him here if he was dead.

  I quickly glanced back at the door, waiting for Oliver to walk inside. Please, let him be alive. Maya walked in, followed by Frank and Oliver’s father, who closed the door behind them. The tears started to pour down my face as I dropped to my knees. Please, God, why did you have to take him?

  Maya put her hand on my shoulder and tilted her head. “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly.

  “Oliver,” I whispered as I shook my head.

  “He’s outside taking a call.” She smiled.

  I wiped a tear away, jumping to my feet
and running to the door.

  There he was. He was alive, holding the phone, and I glanced at my sexy, bruised man. His beautiful dark eyes, hair, and that sexy beard that made me want him on sight. He lifted his eyes when he caught me staring at him.

  When he ended his call, I rushed into his arms. He felt so good with his fingers pressing into my back. I thrust my fingers through his thick hair. His large hand took my face and held it gently. Claiming my lips, he crushed me to him. His lips were hard and searching. Blood pounded in my brain, leaped from my heart, and made my knees tremble.

  “I have missed you so much,” I whispered as I pulled away and looked into his eyes.

  “I love you,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

  “I love you, too.”

  He pulled away, and I watched as he dropped to one knee. “Marry me?”

  I think my heart tried to jump out of my chest. I dropped to my knees next to him and gave the only answer I would ever give. “Yes!”

  His tongue traced the soft fullness of my lips. We were getting married. He was going to be mine forever, and I’d be his. Burying my face in his neck, I breathed a kiss there.

  Oliver pulled away and kissed the tip of my nose, then my eyes, and finally, he satisfyingly kissed my soft mouth. “Tonight, I am going to celebrate,” he promised.

  “You are going to celebrate? How are you going to do that?” I hoped I would be involved in the celebration.

  “I am going to start out by undressing you. Once your clothes are out of the way, I am going to bury my face in your pussy. After I’ve eaten enough, I am going to bury my cock in you.” At his husky words, I was instantly drenched and ready for him to start the celebration.

  “We should let you celebrate now,” I teased, pulling his lips to mine.