Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 103

Will

It was a long shot, I knew, but after Caleb and Jacey rabbitted on me before I could tell them who I was and why I’d sought them out, I’d had little choice but to dig deeper.

That put an even deeper dent into the finances I’d hidden from my grandfather, but it turned out, high-end jewelers were more than happy to take six-million-dollar cufflinks.

Three private investigators and some well-placed bribe money later, I was looking down at McKenzie Killeen. Or Kent, as it turned out. Maybe if I’d gone in with Kent, the Killeens wouldn’t have run.

But that didn’t matter now. What did matter was a head of long, thick, honey-colored hair and the most emerald green eyes I’d ever seen. She had a heart-shaped face, perfect, pouty lips….

Which she licked with the pink tip of her tongue.

I was a multi-billionaire bachelor. I’d seen that look before. Only I’d dressed down quite a bit, so I knew that look was lust for my body and not my money. She had no idea who the hell I was. I could use that.

“Yes?” she said breathily. Then she shook herself and cleared her throat. “Yes?” she repeated with more conviction.

Yes, please fuck me, Will. I gave her my best, sexiest, most inviting smile.

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Sir?”

That shot me straight in the ego. I was eleven years her senior. I didn’t let my smile falter, however. “I’m Will.”

“Okay, Will…” she said with suspicion. “How did you know my name?”

Ah, yes. I had addressed her by name. The moment those green eyes met mine, I’d forgotten everything but my own name. “Sorry. I… do you mind if I sit down?”

McKenzie looked up and down the mall, probably to reassure herself that there were plenty of people around. There were. “It’s a free mall,” she shrugged.

I sank down into the grass, glad I’d worn jeans and a sweater rather than one of my suits. I’d even donned a pair of Hokas for the occasion instead of loafers. I regarded her for a moment. The intelligent spark in her eye and the set of her jaw told me she was a straight-shooter. I decided I’d better be as well, or she was going to rabbit on me, too. “I’m looking for your parents.”

She frowned and clutched her iPad against her chest. Her thighs tensed as though preparing to spring up and run. “Are you the guy who came to our house?”

“Yes,” I responded, my fingers twitching on my leg, ready to grab her if necessary. “But your parents didn’t give me a chance to explain why I was there. They thought I was someone else. Or, rather, that I worked for someone they’re afraid of. I don’t. Frankly, I’m scared of him, too.”

“Who?” she asked, and I gave her credit for not trying to run. Brave girl.

“Have you heard of William Masterson, Sr.?” I replied slowly. “He’s my grandfather. He gave your parents a really hard time when they were younger. He also caused my father to kill himself. He’s a very bad man, and I don’t blame Caleb and Jacey at all for running, but I’m in trouble with my grandfather now, too, and I don’t know what to do. I was hoping they could help me, but I scared them off.”

McKenzie’s lips thinned. “Yeah, you did. And I don’t even think my uncles know where they went. I sure don’t. I guess you’re out of luck.” She scrutinized me. “What did your grandfather do to my parents?”

“He trapped them, tried to kill them, made them do bad things for him… lots of stuff. Lots of bad, bad stuff. He’s got a lot of money, you see, and he got most of it from doing illegal things. Bad things,” I explained. “Your parents found out and testified against him. He’s in prison, but he’s still managing to do these bad things from there. I thought we were a legitimate company. I just found out about the rest. Now, my grandfather’s after me because I’m not being a good little heir and helping him hurt people.”

“I’m nineteen. Not nine. You can tell me what he did,” she reminded me.

True. I took a deep breath. “Human trafficking, arms and drug dealing, stripping countries of their resources illegally… I think he might even be involved in the blood diamond trade, but I’m not sure. There was just so… much. I don’t think I fully absorbed it all.”

“And my parents found out about it?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“And they testified against him, and he went to prison, and he’s still managing to do all this from prison?” she rephrased.

“Yes,” I said again.

“What do you think my parents can do about it?” she asked, confused.

“I… I honestly don’t know. I don’t know where else to turn,” I admitted.

“How about the police?” she suggested.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “I tried. Every time I reach out to the authorities, I end up talking to someone who’s being bribed by my grandfather. I’m actually on the run myself.”

“Okay, so… the press?” she said.

“Tried that, too. I’ve been locked out of all my social media. I tried going to several papers and news stations, but my grandfather’s always had someone there waiting for me. It’s like he can see my every move,” I sighed.

“And you thought it’d be a great idea to track down my parents and get them sucked into it, too?!” McKenzie protested.

I winced. “I didn’t feel like I had another choice.”

She rubbed her temples. “Okay. I’ll call Uncle Jake. I’m sure he’s the one who took care of everything before. He’ll know what to do.”

“Thank you. Do you want to use my phone?” I asked.

“You don’t think your grandfather is tracking you through your phone?” she replied.

“I doubt it. It’s a burner phone,” I said.

McKenzie shook her head. “No. I’ll call from a pay phone, just in case.” She stood. “Well, are you coming?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I teased her, and she blushed. Turnabout was fair play and all that.

We walked to a bar on Washington Avenue between the Northrup Mall and where I knew her dorm was. I stood to the side while she dialed a number, idly watching the news.

Feed of her farm home came up on the screen and I stared, watching as flames leapt high into the air. The building was clearly already beyond saving, even though the fire department was diligently hosing it down.

Three suspected dead in house fire, read the headline at the bottom.

McKenzie made a sound of consternation behind me. “He’s not answer—”

I grabbed her arm and tried to yank her into my arms to shield her from seeing the three pictures that came up of her Uncle Jake, Uncle Billy, and Uncle Horace. But she struggled away from me.

“What do you think you’re—oh my God.” She stared up at the screen with wide, horrified eyes.

“I should never have tried to find your parents,” I gritted out, hate for my grandfather boiling in my gut. It was his doing, I knew it.

She stood, shaking, staring at the screen.

I was trying to figure out what to do when two men in suits came into the college bar. They stood out like flamingos at a pigeon convention. “We need to go,” I told her, grabbing her arm again.

“You… that… my…” she stuttered, still trying to wrap her head around what she was seeing.

I’d had a similar moment of complete shock not three weeks ago. While I understood, I also knew we were both in danger now. “McKenzie,” I said, giving her a shake. “They’re here for us.”

She didn’t seem to comprehend for a moment, and I wondered if I’d have to lift her over my shoulder and carry her out. But she finally saw the suited goons who were coming toward us. Turning pale, she spun around and bolted for the back door.

I was just glad there was a back door. I ran after her.

“Stay away from me!” she yelled when I came out the back door in her wake. “You’re the reason all this is happening!”

“Yes,” I admitted. “But now you’re in danger because of me. We need to get out of here. I’m not going to let you face them alone.”

“You just got done telling me your grandfather’s keeping tabs on you no matter where you go! How does that help me?!” she shouted while we ran back toward the mall.

She had a point. I felt responsible for her now, though. I’d destroyed a nineteen-year-old’s world because of my own desperation. “I have resources. We’ll just—”

A state police squad car skidded to a stop next to the sidewalk just in front of us. The passenger window rolled down.

“Get in!” a voice rasped.

“Not on your life,” I said and tried to grab McKenzie.

Much to my surprise, she went straight to the squad. “Uncle Jake!”

“Get in!” he repeated.

She launched herself into the back seat. I slid in after her. “He was talking to me, not you!” she snapped at me.

“No time.” Jake pressed his foot down on the gas, and we sped over the Washington Avenue Bridge.

“Uncle Jake, it’s this guy’s fault. His name is—” she began.

“William Masterson III,” he finished for her.

“Right. Will. He says people can track him anywhere,” she continued. “He doesn’t know how…”

“I would expect you’ve got a tracker under your skin, Mr. Masterson,” Jake said.

Under my skin?! “Like a pet?!”

“Something like that, except more sophisticated. We’ll stop somewhere, and I’ll check.” He stifled a groan.

“Uncle Jake, are you okay?” McKenzie asked.

“I will be, sweetheart.” He pulled into a parking ramp, then turned to me. “Get out of the car and come to the driver’s door. Right now.”

Not knowing what else to do, and seeing as this was a cop, I got out of the car and went over to his door.

“Open it,” he said.

“Oka-ay,” I agreed and opened the door. What I saw made me freeze. “Sir, you’re…”

The bloody, bullet-riddled man nodded. “Just kneel down. I have an idea where they might have put it.”

I wanted to argue, but I didn’t. I didn’t think us getting found was going to get the officer much help. I knelt down.

He coughed, then moved bloody fingers along the base of my skull. He found a bump there I’d had all my life and nodded. “I thought so.”

“That’s not bone?” I asked.

“Not even a little bit.” He reached a shaking hand in his pocket and took out a knife. “This isn’t gonna tickle.”

“Do it,” I said flatly, grinding my teeth together against any cries of pain.

It hurt, him slicing me open, then digging around a bit. And I probably should have been more afraid he was going to sever my spinal cord or something. But right then, I was just too angry at my grandfather to think of anything but hate.

I heard his pocket knife click shut, and then his shaking hand held out a bloody electronic tag of some sort in front of my face.

“Step on that, won’t you?” he asked.

“With pleasure,” I responded. I dropped it on the concrete, then ground my heel into it. “I think it’s best if we go now.”

Jake nodded slowly. “I programmed a location into the burner phone in the cupholder there. You need to drive to it.”

“Okay. So, let’s…” I quickly held out my arms as he slumped sideways, barely catching him before he fell out of the car.

“You’re going to be driving,” he wheezed. “I’m just about dead. Someone will come to that location who can help you. Take care of McKenzie.”

“Uncle Jake! No!!!” she screamed as he took one, last, rattling breath.

“Sweet J—” I stopped myself as a black sedan with dark, tinted windows came around the curve of the parking ramp. “We’ve got to go.” I carefully lowered Jake’s body to the concrete.

She was trying like hell to open her door, but it seemed he’d locked it before he died. “Uncle Jake!!!”

“McKenzie,” I repeated. “We’ve got to go. They’re here.” I settled Jake’s body away from the car and hopped in the driver’s seat.

As I threw the car into gear and sped for the exit, she pressed her face to the back window.

“Uncle Jake!!!” she kept screaming. “Uncle Jake!!!”