Talon (Uncompromising #1)(114)
Stone’s hands flew to his face and the weaponless LC rushed me.
I swung my gun up and aimed at his head. “Just give me a reason to kill you.”
The LC froze and Stone cursed. “You’re a fucking dead man.”
“You first,” I said calmly.
Neil walked up and stood next to me.
Pinching his nose, Stone shoved to his feet and kicked at the asshole still holding his throat. “Get up.” Glaring at me, he spit at my feet. “This isn’t over.”
Relentless, I threw it back. “That’s what your son said.”
Stone took a step toward me.
“Leave,” Neil commanded.
Stone dragged his eyes away from me to look at Neil. Radiating hatred and rage, he turned and walked out with his bodyguards on his heels.
I waited till they were out of sight before I glanced at Neil. “You got nothin’ better to do than follow me?”
“André called. Said both your and Stone’s vehicles showed up in the same location.”
André and his fucking tracking shit. I didn’t know if I should be pissed or thankful. “So you came all the way to Daytona?” Neil lived in Ocala.
“Never left. Business.” He scanned the cribs. “How were you going to get one home?”
My adrenaline pumping like a motherfucker, I fought to switch gears. “Delivery.”
“I have the truck.”
“Great.” Jesus fuck. “You stole all his money?”
“Not me.”
“You told Maldonado’s guys where to find it?”
“And his weapons,” he said without any intonation. “Not much of the compound left. Or LCs. Candle’s still alive. He shoots like he’s military trained.”
My head swam. “When did this happen?”
“Last night.” Neil inclined his head at a crib. “That one.”
“Christ.” I grabbed the crib and lifted it across the top of the shopping cart. “Warn me next time.”
“Do you have a car seat?”
“No. And I’m fuckin’ serious. I shoulda been there with you.”
“Your priority was with the woman and child.”
“You can say her name. She’s a real fuckin’ person,” I snapped, not even knowing why I was pissed at him. He’d more than done me a solid and I owed him.
Neil leveled me with a stare and I thought he was going to unleash a proverb on me but instead he surprised the fuck out of me for the second time. “Last night was gratitude. Thirty-two to one.”
I stared, knowing exactly what he was talking about. “Thirty-one,” I corrected. “I lost one of them.” I’d tried like hell but the little girl he’d brought me one night in Afghanistan had lost too much blood. Her small body had fought to live but in the end, her injuries were too great.
“You gave her a chance she never would’ve had.”
Humble fuck. “No, you did.”
He nodded. “What else does Nicole need?”
Christ.
For the next twenty minutes, Neil and I shopped. I didn’t know which was more surreal, the fact that Neil was helping me pick out baby shit or that Stone had walked away alive. Neil was right. My priority now was Siren and Maddie. If I’d been there last night, I would’ve gone after Stone. And going to jail for murder wouldn’t help Siren.
We loaded all the furniture, diapers, clothes and toys I’d bought into his truck and he followed me back to the house. I thought about calling Siren and warning her I was coming back with company but I didn’t know if she and Maddie were still napping.
Neil and I carried everything upstairs and the first thing I was hit with was the smell of dinner cooking. The second was the sight of Siren and Maddie on the deck. The slider doors were wide open, a slight ocean breeze was blowing, and the setting sun had turned the sky into a thousand colors of hope.
The two of them looked up at me.
Jesus, I could get used to this. “There are my two favorite girls.”
“Hi.” Siren stood and smiled shyly while I kissed her cheek then she glanced over my shoulder. “Hello, Neil.”
Maddie’s thumb went in her mouth but she smiled.
“Nicole,” he said quietly.
“Can you stay for dinner?”
Neil glanced at me.
“Least I can offer for the help.” He knew I didn’t mean crib shopping.
“Thank you but I have a previous engagement.” Neil nodded at Siren then looked at Maddie. “Hello, Maddie.” He held his hands out. “May I?”
Neil was big and tall and scary as shit and I would’ve sworn on my mother’s grave that Maddie wouldn’t have gone to him but I should’ve known better. Maddie leaned forward with her arms out like Neil was the Pied fucking Piper.