Free Blake, Abby - Mikayla's Family [A Bride for Eight Brothers 6] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) by Abby Blake

been Jet’s lover and wondered just how much she knew about the man.
    “How did you know Jet?” she asked. Despite the frown on Bryce’s face, Mikayla really wanted to know the answer. It seemed strange that a man so calculating could’ve endeared himself to anyone. The woman’s expression grew angry, and for a moment Mikayla regretted her impulsive question, but then Leila seemed to relax. She smiled, the dreamy type of goofy grin that new love, or maybe fanatical love, engenders.
    “We’ve always been together,” she said with a sigh. “We knew even in middle school that we were destined to be soul mates.” Mikayla glanced at Tracey and saw her emotions reflected in her friend’s face. If Jet had been deeply in love with this woman, it seemed unlikely that he could’ve romanced so many others into the human trafficking ring he’d been a part of.
    “So you helped him with the human trafficking?” Ashton asked casually. He may have retired from the police force, but he obviously was still thinking like a police officer.
    “Of course not,” Leila answered, looking very annoyed. “I studied for years to become a judge. I didn’t have time to be involved in Jet’s business.” She turned her full attention to Ashton, the gun shaking slightly in her hand as her anger grew. “He was an employment consultant—not a slave trader! Jet found employment for people all over the universe. He never did anything illegal. If it hadn’t been for your lies,” she yelled turning the gun toward Mikayla once more, “he’d still be alive. You killed him. You’re the reason he’s dead.”
    Terrified that Bryce was about to step in front of her and provoke the deranged woman into shooting him, Mikayla stepped closer to the gun.
    “No, Leila,” she said quietly, hoping somehow to get through the woman’s madness. “Jet abducted women. He pretended to love them and then left them on a planet where the only way to survive is by prostitution.”
    “You lie,” the woman said, but this time her words were less vehement, less convincing.
    “I’m sorry, Leila. I’m not lying. The only reason I went anywhere with Jet is because I thought he loved me.” Bryce looked angry enough to turn Mikayla over his knee. He obviously wasn’t happy with her stepping closer to the woman with a bomb, but he stayed where he was, most likely realizing that the wrong move right now could get them all killed.
    “But I did everything for him. I–I waited. I–I was faithful. I was everything he wanted me to be. He loved me.” A small sob escaped the woman’s throat. “You lie. He loved me.” But again the words were soft, unconvincing, seemingly said aloud to try and quell the internal doubt that Mikayla’s words evoked.
    “Leila, put down the gun so that we can end this. We can figure this out without violence,” Bryce said in a soothing, deep voice.
    Ashton had stepped between Tracey and the gun while Leila’s attention had been on Mikayla. Leila handed the gun to Bryce and they all breathed a little easier as tears began to flow down Leila’s face. But as Mikayla moved closer to Leila, wanting to offer comfort to a woman who was essentially another of Jet’s victims, the woman’s demeanor suddenly changed.
    “Run.” It was an order delivered with a disturbing grin and strange glint in her eyes. “You want to live? Run.” Leila stood, her hand touching her neck as she fingered the explosive device. “Run,” she screeched in a voice barely human.
    Ashton grabbed Tracey and shielded her as they ran to the front of the house. Bryce grabbed Mikayla to do the same, but they both hesitated when Lachlan stepped through the door behind Leila. He pressed something against her throat at the same time that Ryan grabbed the woman’s hand away from her neck. Bryce rushed closer and grabbed the explosive.
    Leila crumpled, falling into Lachlan’s grip as she lost consciousness. He lowered her to the floor, and Bryce quickly removed