The bright lights in the bedroom cut off, plunging the back of the vehicle into darkness.
A whimper broke the quiet. After a squeak of the mattress and a huff of frustration, the overhead light in the bedroom lit up the back of the RV again. “Is there another light—something less bright—I can leave on while I sleep?”
She wanted a nightlight? “In the bedroom?”
“Please.”
“You don’t want to sleep in the dark?”
“No.” Her voice shook.
Because she was afraid? After everything that had happened with Victor, maybe he shouldn’t be surprised. “Leave the light in the bathroom on.”
She sighed. Sheets rustled. Her footsteps padded toward the middle of the vehicle. Bright light flared through the white sheet before she headed back to bed.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
“Good night, Laila,” he called back.
She crawled between the sheets again. Ten minutes later, he hadn’t heard a peep.
Now he could focus on his other problem, like the fact that when he’d stopped for gas and checked in with Kane, the new guy had let him know that, in the wake of Kimber’s abduction, the Edgingtons were now using the safe house they had intended for Valeria and Laila for their own wives and kids. Trees understood that, absolutely. But where the hell should he be taking Laila once he got the green light to bring her in?
Since Zy was in charge, Trees grabbed his device and dialed his buddy, who thankfully picked up right away. “Hey, man.”
Trees frowned. Zy sounded distracted. “Hey. I figured I’d check in with you.”
“Yeah. Give me five?”
“You talking to me?” Trees asked.
“Sorry. Talking to Tessa,” Zy replied. Then some rustling and some nighttime sounds told him that his buddy had stepped outside. “What’s up?”
Shit, he’d been so wrapped up in his situation with Laila that he’d forgotten the bosses had removed the nonfraternization clause from everyone’s employment contracts this morning, allowing Zy and Tess to finally be together—so Zy could investigate whether she was their mole. In his opinion, it was a stupid idea. Zy was way too into Tessa to do any part of the job thoroughly except the fucking. “Did you finally take her to bed?”
“If I had, why would I tell a nosy prick like you?”
“So that’s a yes. Was it everything you thought it would be?”
“Let’s put it this way: I have an appointment to look at engagement rings tomorrow.”
Zy might be a rebel through and through, but he was rarely impulsive. “You’re that sure?”
“One hundred percent.”
Either Zy was convinced Tessa wasn’t selling them out…or he loved her too much to see it. Either was a blind spot that could be dangerous. “Wow. Congratulations, man. That’s awesome.”
What else could he say when his best friend sounded so damn happy?
“Well, even if I buy a ring tomorrow, she’s not going to say yes right then.”
“A little gun-shy?” Or a little guilty?
“Yeah, that’s what she says. And I get it.”
Tessa had been through a lot with her ex, so it was possible. Likely, even. Trees just wasn’t sure that was the reason for her reluctance to commit.
“But you didn’t call to ask about us,” Zy went on. “What’s up? You and Kane get everything worked out with the sisters?”
“Finally.” He sighed. “It was a fucking long, scary-ass day. But yeah, we’re on the road now. And I need to talk to you.” He spared Zy the gory details about the evening.
“What’s up?”
“Kane and I connected with Valeria, and she got her son back. They left a few hours ago in a minivan. He plans to drive straight through. But since the safe house reserved for Valeria isn’t available anymore, where do you want us to go? I’d ask one of the bosses, but with everything they have going on, I didn’t want to come to them with more problems.”
“Yeah.” Zy sighed, seemingly as stumped as he was. “Let me…call Cutter. He’s a local boy, and he and Shealyn are back from their honeymoon.”
Good thought. Zy might not consider himself any sort of leader, but he was a damn capable one.
“Since her sister’s wedding to Josiah got derailed by violence not long ago, they might be busy,” Trees pointed out.
“Well, we’re likely to have another situation like that on our hands if Cutter doesn’t spare me five minutes.”
“True. Yeah, call him, then let Kane know.”
“What about you and Laila?”
“I rented an RV.” He spilled to Zy about the cover story he’d developed on the fly at the store. “When the chatty woman started talking to us, Laila seemed terrified. She literally expects Emilo’s henchmen to jump her at any moment.” Not surprising since thugs had been on their tails for hours. “They messed her up.”
“She feels safe with you, though. Right?”
“As safe as she feels with any man, but it’s not much. She knows I’m a friend of Walker’s. It helped. A little. He’s apparently the good guy since he politely declined to rape her.” As he’d heard the story, she’d offered herself to Walker for some escape scheme when he’d been captured and held in Emilo Montilla’s compound. Since she was seemingly terrified of men, she’d obviously been desperate to escape.
“Jesus. So what’s your plan?”
“We’re going to make our way back slowly, be sure Valeria gets situated into whatever safe house you find for her. If it looks good, like no one is watching, then I’ll take Laila there. If it gets hit…my plan B is to take her to my place.” Though she would be furious at being separated from her sister.
“Well, it’s secure enough.”
“It should be, yeah. There’s just one problem.” Trees dropped his voice so she wouldn’t hear. “Laila is so damn sexy I can barely keep my eyes—and everything else—off of her.”
He felt like a shit for that. But he would never cross the line and come on to her. His desire wasn’t her problem.
“Does she suspect?”
Thanks to the close quarters and lack of privacy they’d endured during their years of service, Zy had seen that he wasn’t just tall but built big everywhere. “There are only so many ways to hide an erection like mine.”
“Yeah. Do you need to speed up your trip?”
Because she was too afraid to be around him? That couldn’t be a deciding factor. Her protection came first. “What happens if I do and Tierra Caliente figures out where Valeria is hiding? Laila will be collateral damage. After the hell I suspect she’s been through, she deserves some fucking safety, man.”
“Okay, let me see what I can toss together. You keep on keeping on, and I’ll touch base with Kane soon.”
Not a perfect answer, but the only one he was going to get now. Besides, in this big-ass vehicle, needing to avoid the interstate? It would take a day or two to reach Lafayette. “Great, buddy. Thanks.”
“Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Don’t hang up.” Trees had to give Zy some bad news.