Page 9 of Lane

My sister screamed, and I moved to cover her in case Jordan turned the gun on her.

“Find my drugs,” he barked at his driver.

Jordan crossed the room toward us. “I’m not going to kill you,” he said. “You’ve been given a second chance.” He then focused on me. “Your sister was in bed with the wrong man. The three of us are going to make a deal.”

Jordan would let Eleanor go, as long as she said she was the one who killed her boyfriend. I had to be the witness to see it happen. Jordan wouldn’t be involved in any of it.

My world felt like it was spinning out of control, but I went along with the lie, willing to do anything for my sister. She didn’t deserve this life.

Once she was cleared and Jordan paid off the cops, who agreed it was self-defense in their report, I wasn’t sure what to do with all I’d witnessed.

A week later, Jordan appeared on my doorstep with an offer to work for him. I immediately declined, but he was persistent, especially when he called me in the middle of the night and asked for my help saving a life.

While I did everything I could to keep his guard out of the hospital and stitch him up, he told me about what he was trying to do for the city. How he donated money, held fundraisers, and wanted to see the city cleaned up.

Jordan still committed crimes, but there was a part of him I understood. I had worked part time in one of the clinics andsaw firsthand how much still had to be done in East Dremest. I knew how the cops were and how they picked and chose who they helped. Not all were that way, but the ones I’d witnessed were.

Everything in my head screamed at me to tell him no, but yes slid past my lips. Jordan agreed then and there to always watch out for my sister. My helping him had him protecting Eleanor.

The guard he put on Eleanor kept her alive when one of her deceased ex’s friends sought retribution and came to kill her. Her guard killed him instead.

A year later, my sister married him. Now, I had a niece or nephew on the way. Eleanor was due in two months.

My sister had found her happily ever after. I’d worked for Jordan after what he did for her. Sure, he was selfish when he showed up that day. It had nothing to do with Eleanor. Without him there, could I have taken down the man hurting her? Could I have saved her? Doubtful.

It wasn’t the best way to meet someone, but the end result was worth it.

“Your three o’clock is here.” I heard from my doorway.

“Thank you.” I left my phone on my desk and returned to my work as the memory of that day stayed fresh in my mind.

I couldn’t push it out for good. Every now and then, it would pop up, a ghost of what had happened the night my sister called and I met the notorious mafia boss who ran East Dremest.

Everything that happened put me on the path I was currently on. It put me in front of Raiden and made me feel things for him I hadn’t ever felt for another.

My life was lonely before I met Jordan, but I’d accepted it. I had my practice and patients. He brought me into a world where I met a man no one compared to.

My lonely existence was still present because Raiden was, as he always had been, a patient and nothing more.

4

LANE

Warmth seeped into me when I entered the building. I’d spent my morning walking through the shopping district of East Dremest. I didn’t think that was what they actually called it, but I did. It was store after store within blocks of each other. I’d bought some new clothes, but other than that, it was mostly to get out of the building.

The elevator opened, and Jordan, Raiden, and Oleander exited. Raiden looked me over from my expensive boots to the jeans that did wonders for my ass, up to my fitted sweater and my gray wool coat. When he got to my face, I winked.

“Raiden,” Jordan barked. He got back into the elevator. “Wrong fucking floor.”

“Where are you going?” I asked and piled in with them.

“Business meeting,” was all Jordan said. I didn’t expect him to give me extensive details.

“Can I come?”

“You want to join us?”

The elevator doors opened on the garage level. I stepped out, giving them room to do the same. “Yes, I’m bored. Please.”

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