“Degrading. And I didn’t do anything wrong.” She held onto the blanket tightly. “If my brother wanted out, why didn’t he just disappear? He had to know these men were dangerous.”
“You go rouge on these guys, they tend to go after your family,” Jaden said quietly. His words seemed to strike Lauren like a physical blow.
“He stuck around to protect me.” She lowered her gaze. “Sounds like something the old Max would do.”
Gunner took off his raingear. “If someone like Ruiz wanted his territory they might take him in order to extort money.”
“I’m certain Menendez’s boys were on the beach,” Jaden said.
Gunner paused for one thoughtful moment. He glanced at his phone. “Gabriel will be here in a minute. Says he has something to show you.”
Lauren twisted her hands together. “Could they be after me to hurt my brother even more?”
Jaden took her hand to reassure her. “I’m afraid so. If he gave them any indication hurting you would be his ultimate pain.”
“Our intel says you don’t have any other family,” Gunner said quietly.
Lauren’s back teeth clenched.
Chapter 15
Lauren didn’t talk about the past with anyone. She’d told Jaden more in the short time she’d known him than any other human being. She didn’t tell any of her employees at the flower shop. Or customers even though she made arrangements for their tables for holidays and heard all about the big meals they had planned and the family and laughter they anticipated.
If it would help Max, she would have to. She took in a fortifying breath. “There’s no one else. I mean, they could be alive. Who really knows? I’d be the last one to be told.”
Gunner’s green eyes darkened with what looked like sorrow when he said, “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this. Our intelligence says your mother passed away five years ago.”
A few tears welled in Lauren’s eyes. Pain that shouldn’t be there pierced her insides anyway. It shouldn’t matter that her mother was gone. It shouldn’t hit Lauren this hard. After all, her mother was a stranger. They hadn’t seen in each other in more than a decade and the woman certainly hadn’t been around when she was growing up. At least not sober. And yet, she was still her mother. Lauren fought the urge to release the emotion burning her chest.
The rain pattern shifted to a rhythmic pulse as Jaden pulled weapons from cabinets, tucked them in his waistband, and handed others to Gunner. He looked ready to wage war.
“Are you sure it was her?” she asked.
“We’re confident. She’d been sick for a few years leading to her death. She lived in a trailer park in rural Arkansas with a man identified as Jeb Stanton. Does that name sound familiar?”
Lauren shook her head, steeling herself against the tsunami of emotion building.
Gunner continued, “We couldn’t find your father.”
Tears fell. Lauren took in a fortifying breath. She was determined not to lose it. She’d been expecting news like this about her parents someday. Confirmation hurt.
Next thing she knew Jaden was by her side, his comforting arm around her waist.
“Good luck finding him,” Lauren said. “God knows I tried.”
“On your birth certificate, your mother wrote—”
She pushed out a little puff of air. “Mike Mouse. I know. She had a fixation for all things Mickey Mouse from her childhood. Had quite the sense of humor didn’t she?”
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” Jaden’s comforting arm tightened around her.
“I can’t ignore it forever,” she responded.
“She ever talk about your father?” he asked.
“Said he ran out on us before she had time to tell him she was pregnant with me. Max is the oldest. So, no, I never met my father. He doesn’t even know I’m alive. He might as well be dead for all I know of him.”
“She didn’t mention his real name?” Jaden continued.
“Never.”
“Max never mentioned it either?” Gunner asked.
“We’re only two years apart. He was a baby when our father left. Why?” she asked defensively.
Gunner pursed his lips. “I know this is difficult to talk about. But it’s important. We don’t know what information might be critical to figuring this thing out. It’s a long shot, I know, that your parents could be connected to this. I had to ask.”
Were it not for his genuine look of concern Lauren might have been more upset with where this was going.
The only thing rooting her to reality was Jaden. With his strong arm wrapped around her waist, she could handle anything thrown her way.
“These guys kill if you happen to stand on the wrong side of the street. Life means nothing to them. But why go after Lauren? She has nothing to do with her brother,” Jaden said.
Gunner nodded his agreement. “It wouldn’t take much to agitate them. Menendez is especially ruthless. He might have taken Max’s leaving personally and decided to get revenge before killing Max.”
Jaden’s forehead creased even more with concerned lines. “They seem especially intent on finding her. The only other reason I can think of is if they’re planning on forcing her to use her shop in order to launder money to the U.S.?”
Gunner seemed locked in thought for a long moment. “It’s possible. We’ve seen it before.”
What have you gotten yourself into, Max? Without warning, tears streamed and, for once, she didn’t fight them.
A few moments later, she felt herself being repositioned until her face burrowed in Jaden’s chest. He murmured soothing words into her hair. “Take your time. This is a lot to absorb. I’m right here. I won’t leave you.”
Gathering her strength, she wiped her tears and looked toward Gunner. “When do we leave?”
“We’ll take you home as soon as we get weather clearance.”
She shook her head empathetically. “I’m not going home. I’m going with you to get Max.”
“No can do. It’s too dangerous,” Jaden said quickly.
“How can I even think about going home?”
“Gunner and I will get
