Trust Me by Aliyah Burke Read Free Book Online Page B

half-note.
    As she waited, she stared at the man she’d always held a fondness for. He was closest with Wild but the devotion he had for all his brothers made her smile. The entire family was like that. But to her, Derek had always been the fun brother she’d never had. He would play pranks on her, go out to just have a blast doing things Adam wouldn’t.
    “He was here.”
    His three words weren’t a question, he made it a statement. One drenched in danger. “Let’s go.”
    She didn’t get up, unsure her legs would work. He pinned his gaze to her, the edge in it, sharp enough to cut.
    “Move now,” he ordered.
    She got to her feet. He took her hand in his and led her to the door. She noticed him touching his ear then he was speaking to someone else.
    “Another note. Nope, I don’t see anyone suspicious. Pull up footage of the bakery. It can’t have been much time I saw her go in and came in after her. No, I didn’t see anyone I didn’t recognize leave. They must have gone out the back. I’m not leaving her. We’ll be on our way back. I’m taking her with me.”
    Thankfully, his grip remained sure and strong. She recognized his Dodge truck and relief pushed through her. He didn’t let her go in the passenger side, but took her to the drivers and gestured her in that way. Derek dropped the bag of items to the floor between them and turned over the powerful engine.
    “Yes, in the truck now,” he said.
    “What?” She forced the word out from her teeth.
    “I’m talking to Adam. He wants to speak to you.”
    Seconds later, Adam’s deep voice filled the cab of Derek’s truck as the man began driving out of town.
    “Talk to me, Shelly Marie.”
    While she’d felt relief at Derek’s appearance it was nothing how she felt hearing Adam’s voice.
    “I was just sitting in the bakery and the waitress brought me a note. When I opened it, I saw ‘peek-a-boo’ and I don’t really remember much after that until Derek arrived.” She opted not to mention how she’d spilled hot coffee on her hand. It hurt but she’d experienced worse pain in her life, that bit wouldn’t kill her.
    Derek slashed a look in her direction but she just shook her head. Adam sounded pissed enough, he didn’t need to be pushed further. He took the speaker phone away and continued talking to his brother as they sped along the snowy road. She absently rubbed at her scars on her arm.
    There were things she should be doing instead of that but she couldn’t help it. How had she been found here? She hadn’t given away anything, but it never mattered. He always found her. It was time to leave, it would break her if something happened to any of the Wilder family, especially Mrs. Wilder or the babies in the family.
    She sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. Coming here had been a mistake.
     
    αβ
     
    Adam paced while waiting for Derek to bring Shelly Marie back. He’d not thought about her going into town as a dangerous thing. The ones lurking around his property were just out looking for a place to drink where they wouldn’t get caught, nothing more nefarious than that. He had some feelers out to a few other friends in places that Shelly Marie had been for more information on this fucker and his operational habits.
    But for this buttfuck to stroll into his town and slip his woman that note had pissed Adam off to no end. He waited by the window, also keeping an eye out for Derek’s truck. His phone rang and he jerked it up to his ear without checking the caller id.
    “Where are you?” he barked.
    “Worried about you, you fuck, don’t snap at me.” Wild growled in the back of his throat. “Where the holy hells are you? And why didn’t you call to let us know you’re okay?”
    “What are you talking about?” Unease skated up the back of his neck. “I’m at home.”
    “Christ. I thought you’d gone to meet Shelly Marie. Is she okay?”
    The unease bloomed into a field of flowers. Sure, she was with Derek but