Elisabeth Naughton - Hold On To Me

Ryan frowned and tossed his glasses on a stack of papers on the table. “I don’t buy it. I still think there’s something else going on. I’m gonna give all this info to my PI and see what he can find. There has to be more to this than just you.”

Mitch wasn’t sure what Ryan thought he’d find, but the emotional toll of everything was starting to take effect. He pulled out a chair and dropped into it, resting his elbow on the arm and rubbing his head. “It’s a waste of time.”

Holy hell, he couldn’t believe he was thinking it, but disappearing into the witness protection program wasn’t looking like such a bad idea anymore.

“Time’s about all you’ve got left,” Ryan said. “Let me research this before you do something you can’t undo.”

Ryan obviously knew what he was thinking. Mitch leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. In one night, his life had been shot to hell, just like his house. Reluctantly, he nodded.

The door pulled open, and the scent of fresh-brewed coffee filled the room. Kate set a mug in front of Mitch. “I had to brew a second pot. Sorry it took me so long.”

Forcing a smile he didn’t feel, Mitch looked at his sister, then reached for the steaming cup. “It’s okay. Thanks.”

Kate handed the second mug to Ryan, then looked between the two, her brow wrinkling with every passing second. “What did I miss?”

Ryan glanced at Mitch. Lifting the cup to his lips, Mitch shook his head. He didn’t want Kate worrying more than she already was, and diving into the whole Cypher connection? Yeah, that would only stress her out more.

Ryan’s features softened when he looked back at his wife. Reaching for her hand, he squeezed her fingers then pulled her close. “Not much. I’m going to have my PI do some digging. In the meantime, until we figure out what’s going on, Mitch is going to take Simone someplace where no one can find them.”

Mitch’s head came up. He looked over the mug toward his brother-in-law. “I’m what?”

Ryan grinned, clearly in CEO mode. “Kendrick has that house in Tahoe he just finished building. He and I talked a lot about it because I was thinking of doing the same thing for Katie and the kids.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “You were?”

One arm wrapped around her waist, Ryan smiled down at her. “Surprise. I’ve been shopping for some property up there. Figured it’d be a good place for us to get away from the city.”

“It’s too expensive.”

“Babe.” A you’re worth it smile spread across his face. “There is no such thing where you and the kids are concerned.” He leaned down and kissed her.

Mitch glanced quickly away, refocusing on his coffee. Most days he was thrilled the two had found each other again and that they were so happy, but tonight all it did was remind him he was never gonna have that. At least not with the woman he was still pathetically in love with.

Ryan looked toward Mitch again. “Kendrick’s house isn’t listed under his name. He bought it through a shadow corporation so his crazy stalker fans couldn’t find him. There’s no way anyone would link you to Kendrick at the house. It’s the perfect place for you two to hole up until I can gather more info.”

Hiding out in a snowy cabin in Tahoe with Simone. A place deep inside Mitch leapt with excitement over that thought. Another place urged him to run now. He was still pissed at her for everything she’d done and omitted, but now that he knew what was really going on, he just couldn’t blame her. And when he thought about the fact she could have been killed tonight, all because of him, a knot of regret lodged in the middle of his chest and made it hard to breathe.

“Simone will argue against this,” he said quietly

“Probably.” Ryan slid his free hand into the pocket of his jeans. “But if she knows we’re working on a solution that could keep her in San Francisco so she doesn’t have to run, I think that’ll change her mind. Because I get the impression she doesn’t really want to leave.”

“Me too,” Kate said. “This is home for her now. She’s having a hard time with the thought of leaving. I don’t know what happened between the two of you, Mitch, but it’s killing her. She doesn’t want to go, and a big part of that has to do with you.”

That knot twisted tighter. Mitch didn’t want her to go either. Regardless of whether or not she loved him, she obviously felt something for him. She wouldn’t have come to his house tonight if she didn’t.

“I don’t think Shannon should go with you,” Ryan said. “Until we know what’s really going on, I think it’s safer if she’s not even in the picture.”

Mitch agreed. “What are you thinking?”

Glancing down at his wife, Ryan said, “I’m think my parents should disappear with all the kids for a while. Kendrick gave me the name of an elite security firm he’s used. They’re supposed to be the best of the best. I want them where no one can find them.”

Ryan had obviously already realized the Cyphers would make the connection between Mitch and his brother-in-law. And having lost his family once before, he wasn’t about to let it happen again.

“Are you sure about this?” Kate whispered.

He leaned down and kissed his wife’s wrinkled brow. “Don’t worry, Katie. Nothing’s going to happen to the kids. And I’m pretty sure my folks will be thrilled to have them all under foot for a while. Even Shannon. They adore her.”

“Simone will never agree to letting Shannon out of her sight,” Mitch cautioned.

“Yes, she will,” Ryan said. “If we all convince her it’s the safest thing for her daughter.”

Kate wrapped both arms around Ryan’s waist. “I’m ready for things to just be normal, you know?”

“You and me both.” He hugged her back. “And they will be. Soon.”

She drew back, ran a hand over her curly hair, and sent Mitch a weary look. “I’m gonna go lie down. Something tells me I’m going to need my rest for tomorrow.”

Ryan reluctantly let go of her hand and watched her leave the conference room with a sappy, I’m head over heels in love look on his face.

When the door closed behind her, Mitch asked the question that had been foremost in his mind since Kate had stepped into the room. “What about her?”

“No one’s touching her,” Ryan said with dead calm. “She and I’ll get out of the city until we know more too. I’m not about to let anything happen to her either.”

Mitch glanced down at the half-empty cup in his hand. Ryan’s plan made sense, but there was one very major flaw.

“You have to tell her the truth,” Ryan said quietly.

Yep. That was the flaw. Mitch knew Ryan was talking about Mitch’s association with the Cyphers, but right now all he could think about was the look of utter betrayal on Simone’s face when she’d found that earring. “I will.”

“I’m serious, Mitch. If you’ve learned anything from me, it’s that secrets—big ones like this—can destroy everything. I nearly lost Katie because I thought I was protecting her by not telling her the truth. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Tell Simone everything. Up front. No holds barred. She’ll understand.”

Mitch wasn’t so sure. And he couldn’t take the risk. Not yet. The first thing he needed to do was get Simone to agree to leave with him so they all had time to figure out what was really going on. If he let loose about his association with the Cyphers too soon, she’d cut and run faster than Speedy Gonzalez.

“I will.”

“This is important, Mitch. You gotta tell her everything.”

He looked up. He and Ryan had been friends for years, since long before Ryan had started dating his younger sister, and in all those years, he’d never flat-out lied to Ryan. But tonight he did. Because telling Simone the truth wasn’t an option. At least not yet.

“I will,” he said again. “I’ll tell her everything. Don’t worry. I’m not as dumb as you.”

A sad smile spread across Ryan’s lips. “You are. You’re just too stupid to realize it. Now, let’s call Kendrick and wake his ass up so you can get into his house.”

Simone wasn’t sure how she’d let herself be talked into this stupid idea.

She looked out the passenger window of the sleek black Audi SUV Ryan had arranged for her and Mitch and watched the forest rush by. Her skin felt prickly, her head too jumbled with what-ifs, and whenever she chanced a look at Mitch beside her in the driver’s seat, wearing those faded jeans, that loose gray Henley, and the black knit skullcap Ryan had gotten for him, she was reminded of only one fact: he was the last person she should be with.

Nothing had been resolved between them, he was still as pissed at her as before, and each time she closed her eyes, all she could see was that earring she’d found on his bed. Being alone with him was like waiting for a bomb to detonate.

“I think we should go back.” She turned away from the window and fixed her gaze on the snazzy console of the new vehicle, so much nicer than that interior of the beat-up old Land Rover he loved.

“We’ve been over this a hundred times already.”

Frustration welled inside her. He wasn’t even bothering to look at her. “I know. I just… Shannon would be better off with me.” Where Simone could see her and touch her and make sure the girl didn’t do something stupid, like run off again.

“Shannon’s safer where she’s at. Ryan’s people will make sure no one finds her. End of story.”

His voice was blunt and unyielding—a lot like Ryan’s when he set his mind on something—and Simone didn’t like it. Crossing her arms over her chest, the red cable knit sweater Kate had brought her scratchy against her skin, she looked out the windshield and worked to keep her temper in check. A light rain had started falling the farther they drove into the California mountains heading east, and she was starting to worry it might turn to snow before they got wherever it was they were going.