Sweet Seduction Shield(24)

McLaren was going to be put away for a very long time, but even behind bars he was reaching out to throttle me. And he'd use Daisy. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. What the hell did I do now? How did I stop this? How did I fix this? How did I make the world safe again for my daughter? For us?

That blasted book. Why did I have to steal it? What possessed me to think it could make a difference? That it could stop McLaren, destroy his world, and free Rick? The names listed in that ledger, the business transactions meticulously outlined by Rick on behalf of his 'boss'. It was the stuff of thrillers. The sort of thing you'd see in movies, and I'd naively thought that I could be the heroine and sneak the information to the press.

It had been in my possession just one day, a short twenty-four hours, before McLaren knew it was missing and confronted Rick. My husband had no idea where it was, but Rick wasn't stupid, completely enthralled in McLaren's world, but not so dim he couldn't work out who had taken the ledger and for what reason. Rick knew it had been me, but he covered for me. He told McLaren a lie, fed him bullshit and made him look elsewhere.

Then came running home to me.

But Roan McLaren wasn't unintelligent either, and he'd had Rick followed.

I sucked in a harsh burst of air and shakily let it out again. A hitched sound caught in my chest, up in my throat. I closed my eyes, blinking more tears free, and crushed Daisy to my chest. She'd stopped crying, I think she'd fallen asleep from exhaustion, so thankfully she wasn't witnessing my breakdown first hand.

How the fuck did I solve this?

How?

I don't know how long I sat there holding a sleeping Daisy in my arms, but the ache started up across my shoulders and down my back well before I made the move to slip her beneath the covers on the bed. I stood over her for a long time, taking in every beautiful feature, every similarity to Rick, every likeness of mine. Every part of her that was her own. There's something truly miraculous about looking down at your child when they sleep. Realising you brought this helpless, precious being into the world. Knowing their safety and livelihood was dependent on you.

I didn't have any answers, but I did know alone we couldn't pull this off. We needed to stay here, because here was safer than home. The only thing I could pray for was a quick arrest of McLaren's man and a quick resolution to his trial. Once all the players were securely behind locked bars, then the threat would be gone.

Wouldn't it?

I frowned, rubbed my forehead and decided a shower was very much needed. Abi had placed clean jeans and a t-shirt in the bathroom, not a complete outfit, but at least a start. I stared at my pale face in the mirror for a while, then decided I really didn't need to be getting even more depressed over how washed out I looked. So, ducked under the hot spray and gladly used some of Abi and Ben's shampoo and conditioner.

Smelling a million times better, I dressed in the outfit, minus underwear, as I'd bundled all of my clothes up hoping Abi would allow me to impose on her further, by using her washing machine. It was an entirely unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling to walk out to the kitchen knowing people - strangers - were there and I was going commando. I'm not one to forgo a bra, and the t-shirt Abi had given me wasn't loose. The jeans were snug as well, but at least there was no VPL.

An amused breath of air escaped me as I entered the room, rumbling conversation letting me know Ben and Pierce were there, the odd lighter note announcing Abi's presence as well. I carried my rolled up clothes in a bundle in front of my chest. A useless attempt to cover up my lack of attire.

"Hey," Abi said when she spotted me. "Everything fit OK?"

And that brought both men's eyes to my top, followed swiftly by my jeans. Ben smirked and returned his attention to his mug of coffee. Pierce just stared and didn't look away.

"Ah, fine. Thanks," I replied.

"How's Daisy?" Pierce asked, eyes thankfully on my face now, as Abi hurried over and took my washing from my hands without me having to ask.

"I'll do these," she murmured and was gone from the room in a flash.

"Sleeping," I answered Pierce. "Worn out. Emotional."

"And you?" he asked, concern etched in every word.

Ben's chair pushed back and I watched him walk to the sink, fill his mug with water, then without casting either of us a glance, he left the way Abi had. I hadn't said a word while I watched him.

"Do you want to sit down, Marie?" Pierce asked, returning my attention to him. "Fresh coffee in the pot," he added.

I let a long breath of air out. "I could go a coffee."

"Sit," he said softly. I guess it could have been considered an order, but his tone changed the command to a request.

I followed the nod of his head to the chair next to his and sat, as he reached over and nabbed a clean mug, pouring coffee into it from a plunger pot.