She leaned on the table again. “He did. And believe me, he’s going to pay for it.”
The man stood and pulled a gun from behind his back and held it at his side. “Rad’s a wanted man. Anyone associated with him and what he did could be implicated. You show up out of the blue asking about a kidnapped baby. Makes me wonder.” He rounded the table and pointed the gun at the side of her head. “Why would you comehere, to a place like this, alone?”
She tried not to show her fear, fisted her trembling hands and turned to him, putting the gun barrel right at her forehead. “I didn’t come here to fuck you. I came to get my niece. That’s all. She’s mine now. And that fuck, Rad, can burn in hell for killing my sister. In fact, I’ll send him there myself the next time I see him. Just give me what’s mine and I’ll walk out of here and you will never hear from me again.”
Lobo stared her down for a long moment, then nodded to the guys at the bar. “Check all the windows. Make sure no one is lurking outside.” He continued to stare her down. “If the fucking cops are waiting for you to come out so they can bust us... You’ll wish I killed you quick.”
She stepped into the gun, the barrel pressing into her skin. “I’m here alone. That fucker shot me and tried to burn me alive. I’m not here doing him any favors. He’s stupid. I’m not. Which is why I’m not about to make an enemy out of you. You’ve got a problem I can solve. Give her to me and it ends here between us.”
“What are you going to say when you show up with the kid?”
She couldn’t tell him she had a cop on her side, willing to let her get the baby without coming after the woman or the club who had her.
“I got an anonymous call that I’d find the baby, alone, outside the abandoned bait shop I saw about three miles back down the road. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never met any of you. Anyone says they saw me here, I’ll say I stopped in for directions.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t trust anyone. But if you’ve ever lost someone you loved, then you understand how badly I want the only piece of my sister that is left in this world. That little girl is her blood.Myblood. And I will fight to the death to get her back and make sure she is loved and cared for the rest of her life. You can trust that kind of devotion to family.” She pointedly looked at the men surrounding him. “Now, please, give her back to me.” Her voice cracked on the plea she hoped swayed him.
“She’s right here,” a soft voice called from the now-open door at the back of the room.
Cyn had a hard time not seeing the gun pointed right at her head, but stepped back and turned and ran to Lana, sleeping in her car seat. She fell to her knees, breathed a sigh of relief and leaned in and kissed her softly on the head. “Hello, beautiful.”
“She’s perfect,” the woman told her. “She slept well last night. I fed her an hour ago. She’ll be wanting another bottle an hour from now.” She set the diaper bag Cyn had picked out with her sister beside Cyn. “Plenty of diapers in the bag, though that asshole Rad left me with a baby and little else. I picked up some formula. It’s in the bag, too, along with a few outfits.” The woman touched her shoulder. “I think she misses her mom. She cries sometimes for no reason.”
Cyn looked up at the young woman. “Thank you for taking such good care of her.”
“It was my pleasure. And my brother will let you go with no further concern.”
Lobo growled behind her. “Fine. But if this comes back to bite me in the ass, I’m coming for you, Cyn. That new shop you’re opening in town... Maybe you open it, maybe I make sure you don’t.”
Cyn didn’t even acknowledge the threat or that he already knew who she was when she’d walked in the door. She stood and hugged the woman. “Anything you need, and I can help, you let me know. Obviously, you know how to find me.” She notched her head toward the woman’s brother.
She held out her phone. “Mind giving me your number? I’d love it if you shared pics of this little one. I’ve grown attached.”
Cyn took the phone, put in her contact information, handed it back, picked up the diaper bag and her niece in the car seat and turned for the door. As she passed Lobo she nodded to him and said, “Thank you for the hospitality. And the directions,” she added to let him know she’d keep up her end of the bargain.
Viper held up his hand toward the woman at the back. “Toss me your keys. I’ll get the base for the car seat out of your car and move it to hers.”
Cyn didn’t stop walking. She wanted out of that place and to be back with her Wilde man.
She walked out the door and into the sunlight, squinting, Viper on her tail.
The second the door slammed behind them, he whispered, “You handled that perfectly.”
“I’ve dealt with my fair share of controlling assholes.” Her mother had brought enough of them home over the years.
“You okay? The whole thing with the gun... I didn’t think it would go that far.”
“I’m fine.” She stopped by her car and looked down at her sleeping niece. “I just want to go home. Please.”
“Sure. No problem.” He raced to another car in the lot, opened the car door and pulled out the car seat base.
She had the truck door open and ready for him to put it inside. He did so efficiently and gave the base a good tug to make sure it was secure before he took the baby and latched the carrier to the base.
She tapped his shoulder to get his attention. “I don’t know why you did this. I don’t care. Thank you for getting her back to me.”
“Will you do something for me?”