Stephan(38)

“Hi, Derick. I would ask how you found me, but I have a feeling I know.” I remembered the phone sales assistant telling me my new phone had a GPS tracking system.

“He turned the tracker on.” Derick confirmed what I was thinking.

“Is he in the car?” I knew I didn’t have to say who. Derick would know who I was talking about.

Derick’s gaze turned my way and he gave me a wicked smirk, his brown eyes lighting up with amusement. “My brother does have some brain cells, he knew sitting in a car for an hour and half ride home with you wouldn’t be very smart. He wants you extra calm.”

“I expected as much.” I hugged Jess and turned to Mrs. Stren. “Thanks so much for picking me up and having me here.”

Mrs. Stren hugged me. “You’re always welcome, Jade.” Lapping up the love, I was reluctant to ease away.

Closing my eyes, I squeezed Mrs. Stren, who’d been more of a mother to me than my own. “Thank you.” I pulled away and went over to Derick before I changed my mind and begged Mrs. Stren to take me in.

Derick’s arm slid around my waist and I was surprised by his affection. “Come on, sis. Let’s go. We have a decent size drive for this time of night.”

We walked down the hall and at the end near the stairs, I saw a man I was sure I’d seen about a couple of times. He was tall, about six-one, bulky, like he worked out a lot. He had rust-brown hair with silver streaks and green eyes that seemed to notice everything.

“I know Stephan told me to stay back but I have a bad feeling.”

“Who are you?” I stared at the man.

“I’m Brand.”

“Hi, Brand. Are you related to Derick?”

“Nope.”

What did he mean nope? Who was he then? They all walked down the stairs, Brand first. He gazed around everywhere like someone or something was about to pop out and kill them. I didn’t know Brand but I’d grown up around here. It may look a bad like a bad neighborhood but no one had been killed while I lived there.

“Brand, it’s fine. No one is going to jump out at us. I’ve lived in this neighborhood all my life.”

“That may be, princess, but I’m getting a bad feeling. I always listen to my gut.”

Princess? Why on Earth would Brand call me that? “My name is Jade. I am anything but a princess.”

Brand halted at the doors leading outside. “To this family, you’re a princess. They will treat you like one.”

I narrowed my gaze on Brand, how did he know this? Why did he think this? “I don’—”

“Quiet,” Brand said. “I need you to listen and do everything I say. Derick knows the drill. He was trained as soon as he could walk to know what to do when we are on alert. You haven’t. You follow behind me. If I say down you get down. If I tell you to do anything you do it without argument.”

Okay, this guy was freaking me out. I looked to Derick but he seemed calm like this happened all the time. “What the hell is going on, Derick?”

“Just follow Brand and I promise I’ll explain later.”

I stared at Derick. I was unsure, and I wanted explanations. “Fine, but you better explain what the hell is going on.”

“Let’s go, princess.” Brand opened the door and moved out of the building and I followed.

This was stupid. Brand was standing in front of me and Derick was close behind me. I was sandwiched between the two. I could see the car and frustrated with this silliness I stepped away from the guys and moved onto the walkway. “This is stupid, guys. I’m not playi—”

A loud fireworks bang sounded around me and I was tackled by Brand as he covered me with his body and yelled, “Owen, I need back up now. We need to get the packages to safety. David is in the car on standby.”

I tried to look around Brand’s body but he was so big I only caught glimpses of the surroundings. My heart was about to beat out of my chest and my body ached. I was terrified. We were being shot at.

Brand slowly lifted me and hunched over me as he rushed to the car where he opened the door and shoved me in. “Stay down.” I did as he instructed and Derick climbed in next to me.

“Keep down, Jade. David is going to get us out of here.”

Who was David and what was going on? I wanted to say something but my brain and my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I lay down in the car while David sped us away.

I don’t know how long I laid there in the car. I was scared. I wished Stephan was with me. I promised that if I got out of this I’d give Stephan a chance. Tears rolled down my cheek and I prayed I got out of this.

“You can both sit up now. Brand just called me to say we’re in the clear.”