Smoke Bomb (Smoke Series Book 3)

TRINITY

The wine bottle was almost empty. I’d taught Maddy how to make my favorite chocolate chip cookies, and we each had three of them. We hadn’t talked about anything very deep or personal. She entertained me with Cree stories and Blaise being a dad. I laughed so hard that I choked on my wine when she told me about Blaise’s first experience in changing a diaper.

I hadn’t laughed like this in … well, ever. It felt good to laugh and talk to someone. Maddy made it easy to relax around her.

“We need to do this more,” she said, still smiling.

“I would like that,” I told her.

She took another drink from her glass, then looked at me. “About today,” she began, and I inwardly winced.

I had expected this to come up, and when it hadn’t, I had been relieved. I didn’t want to mess up a great night with that.

“Listen, if you don’t want to talk about it, I get it. But just know, I’ve got a past too. I’ve dealt with some bad things. My emotional baggage is something I still struggle with.”

I frowned, and my gaze shifted to the picture on the wall of her, Blaise, and Cree. They looked happy. Perfect. As if they belonged on a television ad. I doubted she would understand the kind of emotional crap that haunted me.

“Yes, I’m very lucky,” she said, and I turned to see her looking up at the picture I’d been staring at. “Blaise Hughes loves me. That’s the only reason I’m even alive. I shouldn’t be. My mother died of breast cancer before I was three. I barely remember her. The man who I thought was my father wasn’t. The brother I had all my life wasn’t my brother.

“Long story short, my mom had run away, pregnant, and married a widower with a kid. Not planning on dying and leaving her child with him.” She sighed and shook her head. “I won’t bore you with all the details, but if Blaise hadn’t been watching over me, I’d have been a victim of sex trafficking, only it would have been the man I thought was my father handing me over to the men who planned on selling me.”

My mouth fell open as I stared at her. “Oh my God,” I whispered.

She nodded. “Yep.”

“Where is your dad now? I mean, the man you thought was your dad,” I asked.

“Dead. Both him and his son.”

Holy crap. “How? I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”

“Blaise said Huck saved you when Gage had you tied up with a gun to your head. You had been cleaning the house of a man who had wronged the family. Everyone in that house was to be taken down. You’re lucky. You knew from the first day what they were. I hadn’t. I was clueless and fell in love with Blaise before I knew he was the next boss. Anyway, they killed the men I thought were my family. Because they were going to sell me.”

I had no words. I sat there for a moment, letting that sink in, then asked, “Boss of what exactly?”

She laughed then. A soft one that sounded as perfect as she looked. “Maybe you don’t know what they are. I’m not surprised Huck hasn’t explained. They keep their secrets close. But you’re living in their home. Hayes was your fiancé, so you’re family now.” She shrugged, as if that made sense. “The boss is exactly what it sounds like. He’s the leader, calls the shots. The guys don’t just go around, killing people. It only happens when business goes bad. They beat all around the bush, explaining it to me, to make it sound better. I am going to just be blunt with you. They’re the Mafia.”

I started to smile. “You’re kidding, right?”

She shook her head. “Not even a little.”

Holy shit. Okay. Whew. I needed a minute.

“Horse racing is their main thing. They’re good at it, but the Hugheses come from a long line of crime bosses. They have those around them who work for them. Families pass it down from generation to generation. They’re wealthy and smart with money, but they’re powerful and connected. Those connections are how they control things.”

So many questions were swirling in my head, and I wasn’t sure what to ask first or if she’d even answer. Finally, I asked, “And Huck is one of them? Since he works for your husband?”

Her husband was a Hughes. That had to be it.

“Huck and his father and his father and his father. The Kingston men have been loyal to the Hugheses for generations,” she replied. “And, yes, Blaise is who Huck answers to because they’ve also been best friends their entire lives. When my father-in-law steps down, Blaise will take his position. But until then, Garrett is the boss.”

Huck was in the Mafia. I shook my head. Hayes hadn’t been.

“But Hayes was a Kingston.”

Maddy gave me a sad smile. “Yes, but their parents died when he was young. I’m sure you know that. He chose to stay with his grandparents and eventually the ministry. Huck only ever wanted this life. This world.”

I stared at this sweet, delicate blonde in front of me. The adorable little blond boy, full of laughter, and this house, which was so clearly a happy place. How was this family not only in the Mafia, but also the head of the Mafia? I’d never imagined it this way. But then all I knew about organized crime was what I’d seen on television.

“What Huck said today, that wasn’t like him. I was shocked and disappointed. I don’t know what is going on in his head, but he’s a good guy. He’s saved me more than once from people trying to kill me and from myself. He is someone I consider a friend. Although the words he said were horrible, the passion he said them with, I’ve never seen it from that man. He never shows his emotions like that. It was different. Don’t … don’t write him off just yet.”

There was nothing to write off. She didn’t know that though. I was a burden he hadn’t asked for, and as mad as I wanted to be at him, his words had held truth.

A chime went off, and Maddy stood up. “Uh, someone is here.”

We were two women, alone with a kid.

We had passed a mansion on our drive back here that she had referred to as the big house. But we were about a mile away from that house.

I stood up to go with her. She went over to one of the paintings of Cree on the wall and opened it like a door. My eyes widened as she pressed in a code, and another metal door opened. She reached in and pulled out a gun.

Oh shit.

She glanced back at me and smiled. “It’s probably nothing. Whoever it is got through the guards at the main gate, mansion, and our gate. I’m just being careful since the guys are gone.”

I managed a nod, but no words were coming out. She walked casually back through the house and held the gun at her side. I stayed back, unsure of what I should do. When she got to the door, she opened another secret compartment on the wall behind what looked like artwork, and a screen appeared. On it was an attractive, well-dressed guy with dark hair standing outside the front door.

She laughed and shook her head. “Nosy,” she muttered, closing the artwork and going to answer the door.

“What are you doing? Why didn’t you call first?” Maddy asked as she held the door open for him to come inside.

The guy walked inside and looked down at the gun in her hand. “Nice. You’ve gone all badass. Have a baby with the future boss and start answering the door with a Glock in your hand,” the guy drawled, then winked at her.

Maddy closed the door and rolled her eyes. “Trinity, meet Trev Hughes. My brother-in-law and oftentimes a smart-ass.”

Trev was dark, where his older brother was light. He also didn’t look intimidating, or maybe it was that he didn’t have an air of power radiating off him.

“Trev, this is Trinity. My house guest,” she informed him. “I’d offer you wine, but it’s almost gone.”

Trev gave me a crooked smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Trinity,” he said. “Like she said, I’m the better-looking brother.”

I laughed, and his grin spread.

“Come on in and join us. You knew she was here, and you’re being nosy. Admit it,” Maddy said as she walked past us and back toward the great room.

“Maybe I came to see my little buddy,” Trev said, then winked at me this time.

Major flirt. But I liked him.

“Cree has been in bed for two hours. You know that,” she said as she put the gun back in its hiding place.

Trev walked over to the nearest leather chair and dropped down into it, then turned his smile on Maddy. “You might almost be finished with the wine, but what about Blaise’s whiskey stash?”

“You know where the bar is,” she replied and sat back down on the sofa.

I walked over and returned to the spot I’d been in before Trev arrived. He was watching me.

“Tell me, Trinity, how is life with the guys?”

I shrugged. “Fine,” I lied.

“You need to work on your lying skills. That sucked,” he told me.

That was a touchy subject I wasn’t about to venture into.

“Trev, don’t stir the pot, please,” Maddy said. “Huck isn’t Blaise.”

He didn’t seem concerned, and truthfully, he didn’t need to be.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty-one.”

“Just one year older. I like older women.”

Maddy grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. “I am serious. Stop.”

Trev held up his hands. “I was just making small talk,” he said. “Trinity, how do you feel about Grand Theft Auto?”

Did everyone know what was on the background check? My face heated, and I dropped my gaze to stare at my hands in my lap. Apparently, the family had passed around the details of my past.

“Did I say something wrong? If you don’t like video games, it’s cool.” Trev’s voice sounded concerned.

Video games? Oh. He wasn’t asking me about the real thing.

I laughed then and lifted my eyes up to meet his. He had an unsure look on his face as he stared at me.

“I like video games. I used to play with Hayes sometimes,” I told him.

He nodded and kept looking at me. “Did you think I meant real grand theft auto?” he asked.

I pressed my lips together, unsure of how to explain this. I didn’t want them to know that I’d been arrested for it, although I hadn’t been charged.

Trev leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees as he held my gaze. “Holy fuck. You’ve stolen a car.” Then, he threw his head back and laughed.

I glanced at Maddy, worried she’d think I was a bad person to have in her home, but she was smiling at me. Did she know about my history? Had Blaise let her read my background information?

“Blaise knows the truth,” she said softly. “The real truth.” Her smile was reassuring.

“We’re going to the game room. It’s time to see how good your skills are. Maddy sucks at it. Don’t let me down,” Trev said, standing up and holding out his hand for me.

I glanced at Maddy, and she nodded. Standing up, I put my hand in his, and he held it up in the air.

“Come on, you naughty little felon. Let’s go play.”