“Sir, she trusts me. She trusts Rafe. She works for my mother. Living at the Big House, we can make sure there’s somebody with her twenty-four/seven. If you want feds there, we can make it look like they’re working on the ranch, so she won’t be suspicious. It’s a win-win. Serena stays safe and the feds know exactly where she is when it’s time for her to testify.”
“You’ve both made valid points. Is this some kind of Boudreau thing—tag team the other guy until you get what you want?”
Rafe laughed. “No, but if it works, we might put it into our repertoire.”
“Antonio, I want reports every day. If there’s even a hint somebody’s found her, I’m yanking her into federal custody. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
Williamson huffed out a long breath. “I hope I’m not making the biggest mistake of my career. Copy me on the break-in report.”
“You’ve got it. I’ll have it in your e-mail by end of the day.” Antonio gave his brother a fist bump, ecstatic he’d won this round. Though he knew he had a lot of explaining to do, not only to Rafe, but to his family. They’d need to know the salient facts in order to keep Serena safe and protected, without making her feel suffocated. A big chore, but better than the alternative.
“Every day, Boudreau. I want a phone call every day with updates, or I’m pulling her out of there.”
“Understood. Thanks.”
He hung up and looked at Rafe. “That went well, don’t you think?”
“I think you’ve stepped in a huge smelly pile of problems is what I think. Serena? Sweet little Serena is related to that rotten scum?”
“Blows your mind. Yet it explains a lot. Why she’s always been a little reserved, never revealed much about her background. She passed a background check, because our mother always does one on new hires, even contractors. Guess she used a pretty darn good hacker for her ID.”
Rafe stood and grabbed his hat. “I’ve got a couple things to do before I head home. Unless you want me to go to the Big House with you to talk to Serena?”
“No, I’ve got it. I’ll figure out how to tell her by the time I get there.” I hope.
“We’ll watch over her, keep her safe.”
Antonio walked out with Rafe and headed for his car. Somehow, in the next hour, he needed to come up with a logical explanation to clue Serena in he knew about her past, knew her real identity, and he was her brand spanking shiny new bodyguard until the whole Big Jim situation was resolved.
It was going to be a long night.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Guys, I still think this is going overboard.” Serena stood by the passenger door as Douglas lifted her suitcase out of the trunk. “I’m perfectly fine staying at my place.”
At Douglas’ direct stare, she immediately closed her mouth. The big man didn’t need to stay a word to get his message across. She was staying with him and Ms. Patti until they figured out who’d invaded her townhouse and searched her stuff, and that was final. With a single phone call, Douglas had shown up at her townhouse, taken her bag, and loaded her in his truck without a single word. Before he’d helped her into the truck, he’d pulled her into his arms and wrapped her in a big bear hug. Somehow, with his simple act, she’d felt loved, safe and secure. Like she belonged. And now it was all going to disappear—just like she was going to vanish into the night.
Was it any wonder she’d grown to adore this family? From the very beginning, Ms. Patti had taken her under her wing and treated her like she was one of their own. Serena had soaked up the attention and affection like a half-starved pup, because it was unfamiliar and yet wonderful. She’d never had anything in her life which even compared with what the Boudreaus had, a loving family. A family who cared about the people around them, wanted only the best for each person in their close-knit group. It was so different from what she’d grown up understanding a family was, and what it meant. The second there’d been trouble, the entire Berkley clan turned their backs on her without a second thought. Big Jim held control over them all, with a tight fist and an iron hand. A shudder ran through her at the thought of her uncle. People thought they understood what monsters were. They had no real clue. Thankfully, he was behind bars, hopefully for the rest of his life, and couldn’t hurt her any more.
“Serena, Ms. Patti’s waiting for you inside. I’ll take your bag up to the guest room.”
“Thank you, Douglas, for everything.”
Before she’d made it halfway to the front door, Ms. Patti stood framed in the open doorway. Her diminutive body stood silhouetted in the filtered sunlight as she stepped forward onto the porch, the large white columns and two stories spread wide, and she had the impression the house held its arms open, welcoming her like the prodigal daughter who’d been gone for far too long. It almost felt like she was coming—home.
“Don’t just stand there, come on in. I’ve got sweet tea and banana nut muffins hot from the oven.” She looked past Serena toward her husband, and a gentle smile curved her lips upward. “I’ve packed a little something for you. It should tide you over ’til supper.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek as he strode past with the suitcase, and Ms. Patti’s eyes followed his every move, a look filled with so much love it almost brought Serena to tears. Oh, if only she could have somebody feel like that about her someday. But she wasn’t meant
