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Cain stepped down and opened her arms. “Thanks, son, and I’ll try to keep my head low. You remember one more thing, okay?”

“Anything for you.”

“It seems like a long way off, but when you turn seventeen, no more leaving you behind. That’s when I started, and my father before me. Think you can hold out that long?”

“Mama isn’t going to talk you out of this, is she?”

“She made me swear if by then you’re still interested in the family business, I’d teach you everything I know.”

Just as she expected, he stepped back and offered her his hand. To shake it meant the oath she’d made would be as binding as if she’d signed it in blood. With a serious face to match his, Cain took his hand and returned the firm grip. “You have a deal.”

His smile was back. Cain knew that four years and a couple of months seemed like a lifetime, but it was a target to shoot for.

“Thanks, Mom, for giving me the chance.”

“You should know me better than that. I’m not giving you anything you haven’t worked for and deserve. Remember that when you show up on your first day.” She laughed along with him and pointed up the stairs. “Go tell your mother good-bye so she can get over her crying jag before it’s time to go.”

“She’s dressed, right?”

“Everybody’s a comedian,” Cain said.

After a cup of coffee, Cain went back upstairs and stripped off the borrowed robe. “Everything settled with the boy?”

Emma lay on her side watching Cain with a smile on her blotchy face. Hayden had just left. “Whatever you told him sure made him look happy.”

“I just gave him the timeline we talked about. He always wants to go so bad and is disappointed when I leave him, so I gave him a realistic goal. Why? He wasn’t trying to talk you into taking him, was he?”

“No, he wants me to spend every minute when we get to New Orleans keeping you safe.” As sweet as that sentiment sounded, Cain was a little disappointed that he’d thought only of her and wrinkled her forehead.

Emma ran her fingers over the frown lines. “He wanted me to watch out for you since he knew you’d spend the same amount of time and effort taking care of me. I must be moving up in the world if I’m in your league.”

“Of course you’re in my league. You’re his mother. I tried, but I never could fill that part of his life you were responsible for.” Cain handed Emma the cup of coffee she’d fixed for her and lay down. “Though I did a pretty good job if he wants me to spend all my time watching you.”

“He’s twelve, honey. Tell me you haven’t already filled his head with tips on how to deal with girls?” She wrapped her hands around the warm cup and leaned against the strong body behind her.

“I’m going to tell you the same thing I tell the feds.” Emma pinched her on the leg.

“What?”

“I refuse to answer that on the grounds that it’ll incriminate me.”

As Cain’s hand landed on Emma’s middle and was deciding which direction to head, the door to their bedroom opened and a little head peeked in. Their first morning in the Rath house, Cain had learned a quick lesson on how to pull a punch when she woke up to a face about an inch from hers. Hannah might have been born looking like Cain, but she’d inherited Emma’s love of cuddling.

“Good morning, princess,” Cain said in a soft voice. She could tell by the slump of the shoulders and Hannah’s eyes that she wasn’t quite awake yet. Sharing this time with her in the morning was making Cain regret having to leave, but the sooner they got things under control, the sooner they’d be able to enjoy any special moments fully. “Did you have a good sleep?”

Hannah burrowed into Emma’s chest and put her hand in Cain’s. With the lethargy of early morning, she nodded and closed her eyes.

“Don’t want you to go, Mama.”

“I don’t want to go, but when we come back Mom is taking us all to live in New Orleans.”

“Promise?”

“I do, sweetheart. And even though Mama and I are leaving, we’ll be calling you all the time.”

Hannah seemed satisfied for the moment and closed her eyes again when Emma started singing to her.

Cain lay there content for the moment until she heard the front door open and close and Hayden’s footsteps on the stairs. Like his sister, he poked his head in and then walked to the bed when Cain waved him over.

“Watch out for her while we’re gone, and call me if you see anything out of the ordinary, okay?” Cain pulled her hand out of Hannah’s grasp and put it on the little girl’s back. “I know this isn’t what you had planned, but I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take good care of her. Could you just hurry it up and come get us? Baseball season is starting soon and I wanted to try out for the team.”

“You got it, kiddo.”

The four of them enjoyed one more breakfast together before Merrick and Katlin pulled the cars around to pack for the trip to the airstrip. Emma kissed both of the kids again and stepped off the porch to the car door Cain was holding open for her.

From the way her bottom lip was trembling, Cain could tell she was about to start crying again. “It’s not too late to change your mind, you know.”

“I want to go with you, honey. It doesn’t mean, though, that I won’t miss them.”

“I know, baby, and it’s what makes you a good mom.” Cain hugged her before helping her into the truck. They pulled away slowly so Hannah could wave to them, and she kept at it until they could no longer see her. Cain sat in the backseat with Emma and held her close. “I’ll make this as quick as I can.”

“I’m not worried about that, love. I know you’re going to try your hardest to make this as painless for everyone as possible. Just don’t ask me not to worry about you and the kids.”

“I’ll be fine, and the only thing that could happen to the kids is getting calluses on their hands from milking too many cows.” Cain pulled her closer and figured Emma had something on her mind she hadn’t found a way to express yet. “Why, are you worried?”

“It’s just that Bracato came after us in the house. Do you think he’d send someone out here to hurt them? And my mother’s coming home soon. I don’t want her to discover that Hannah’s at Maddie’s.”

A little of Cain’s anger escaped her control, and she tensed, but it had nothing to do with what Emma had said. She had pushed her recovery to the limits because she intended to pay Giovanni back for that insane afternoon at her house. And she was sure her men could deal with Carol Verde on the off chance that she came snooping around.

“That’s why I chose to bring them here, lass. This is a great place because it’s in plain sight. That’s why it was so easy to spot Kyle and his men. Anyone who doesn’t belong here will be dead before they step foot out of the car.”

Emma’s laugh sounded much better than her tears. “You’re incredibly sexy when you’re threatening bodily harm. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“I’m glad you think so. If that’s the case, the next couple of weeks should be rather interesting for you.” Cain cupped the smooth cheek and stole a kiss. “By the time I’m done, you’ll think I’m the sexiest person alive.”

“Too late on that one, studly. I already think that.”

The plane was sitting on the end of the short strip, and Muriel was there.

“Ah, good, the gang’s all here,” said Cain as she returned the wave.

“You didn’t tell me Muriel was coming with us.” Emma covered the hand on her middle and ran her fingers over Cain’s skin.

“She didn’t tell me definitely, so I thought we’d surprise you if she was able to make it. Look, she’s got a tan.”