Free Devil in Disguise by Heather Huffman Page B

was a front for a human trafficking ring,” he finally answered. “Once I’d seen enough to make me suspicious, I knew they wouldn’t let me simply leave. It was bad enough they knew about Rachel, that they would threaten her if I tried to retire. If I’d come home to visit you, then your family would have been in danger, too.”
    “You were a trafficker?” Neena sat up so suddenly the baby started to fuss.
    Charlie extracted the baby from her arms. “Why don’t I take her?” he offered before his wife’s temper could wake their sleeping daughter.
    Conrad’s scowl would have made most men tremble. “I wasn’t a trafficker. I was casino security, but the hotel was being used for the operation. It’s hard to work there and not see things, not be closer to things than you want to be.”
    Neena frowned in thought. Rachel found herself resisting the urge to reach for Conrad’s hand in a show of support. Things between them had been vacillating between weirdly tense and something vaguely resembling their former closeness.
    “I’ve just never known you to turn a blind eye to something. How did you stay there for three years, even if you only had an inkling of what was going on?” Neena pressed.
    Rachel knew Neena wasn’t being judgmental; she was merely trying to understand. But the look on Conrad’s face was more than Rachel could bear. Whether it was a welcome gesture or not, she placed a protective hand on Conrad’s leg and said, “He was protecting me. It was my fault he was trapped there. And when he learned for certain who they really were, he risked his life to save my sister. They tried to kill him for what he did; he still hasn’t recovered his strength. I owe him everything.”
    “I knew you still loved him.” Neena gladly went back to what appeared to be her favorite topic just as Charlie reclaimed his chair, having tucked their daughter in.
    “Oh good, we’re back to this.”
    “I…” Rachel paused, looking to Conrad, who waited for her response with raised eyebrows. “I have been too overwhelmed by life the past week to even begin to process what I do or do not feel for Conrad. But I am going to help him get back on his feet. I owe him that much.”
    “You don’t owe me anything,” he said softly, sadly, laying his hand on hers.
    Rachel nudged him, trying to lighten the mood. “We can argue about that later.”
    “When do you two leave for Louisiana?” Charlie asked.
    “Tomorrow,” Conrad answered. “I’m afraid I’m a pretty distinctive guy. The longer I stay here, the more danger I put you in.”
    “I’m not sure how I feel about the two of you being in that cabin out in the middle of nowhere all alone,” Charlie mused.
    “Are you going to insist on marrying us first?” Rachel teased, regretting it the instant the words were out of her mouth, seeing how Neena lit up at the thought.
    “I meant for safety reasons,” Charlie corrected before succumbing to laughter.
    Conrad eyed his sister warily. “Oh boy. I’ve seen that look before.”
    “Don’t get too excited,” Rachel quickly amended. “It’s not even a possibility because we’re both in hiding. I think applying for a marriage certificate would attract some attention.”
    “I applied for a marriage certificate while in hiding,” Neena reminded her.
    Conrad sighed heavily. “It’s a moot point, Neena, because I’m not marrying Rachel while she still has some misguided sense of owing me, so you can stop planning the wedding.”
    “You wouldn’t marry me?” Rachel didn’t know why that stung as much as it did.
    “Not in the middle of this madness.”
    “Oh,” Neena pouted.
    “Oh.” Rachel’s voice was small; her shoulders fell.
    Charlie chuckled. “I recognize that tone.  You’re in trouble with both of them now. You might want to start backpedaling, my friend.”
    “You’re both nuts,” Conrad informed the women in his life before stalking off.
    “Well, that was embarrassing.” Rachel