Cobra (Blue Angel Security Book 1), page 46
“No, Dyani. Y-you aren’t dreaming. I’m r-really here,” I say as my tears slow down.
“All these years,” she hiccups. “I was so scared. What happened to you? Where did you go?”
“I know. I’m so sorry. I wish I could’ve told you—”
“Are you safe?” she pulls away from me, searching my face.
“It’s a long story, Dyani. But yes, I’m safe. Safer than I’ve been in a very long time. What about you? Please tell me you’re safe. I couldn’t live with myself if you got harmed because of me.”
“Yes, I’m safe. I don’t think I was too important to them. No one came after me. I live alone and have for a while now. Mama and Dad moved to Florida. She couldn’t give up the sunshine and Dad was tired of all the progressive changes to California. So they moved about five years ago.”
“But you never left?”
“I couldn’t. You were my best friend. If you ever came back here, I had to be here. I just couldn’t imagine not ever seeing you again. And what about you? Who’s the man with the baby?” she asks, wearily eyeing Luca.
“He’s my fiancé and the little boy he’s holding is our son.” Luca, hearing the brief introduction, moves forward, walking up behind me. “Dyani, I’d like for you meet Luca, and our son, CJ.”
“Hello, Dyani. It’s a privilege to finally meet you. I’ve heard quite a bit about you over the years.”
“You’ve talked about me? You didn’t forget me?” she asks with tears flowing again.
“Dyani, I never forgot you. How could I? We’ve been best friends since before we could walk. Hell, we were crib mates. I love you! The only reason I never came looking for you was because I knew Damon would come after you if I did. I needed to keep the only family I had left safe. Even if that meant never speaking to you again. You’re all that mattered to me.”
“I looked for you everywhere after the trial, but no one would tell me anything. It was like you had vanished into thin air.”
“I did, sort of. I was moved into witness protection,” I say, seeing firsthand what the years of worrying have done to my best friend.
“Witness protection? Where do you live now? What’s your name?” she quietly asks.
“My name is now Josslyn Storm. Everyone except this guy calls me Jaycee these days.”
“Jaycee Storm, I like it.”
“Don’t get used to it.” Luca barely contains his growl to Dyani. “She should have been Jaycee or Josslyn whichever one you choose to call her, Quartez by now. But she’s a stubborn woman and hasn’t set a date to marry me, even though I asked her to marry me a year ago.”
“What’s the holdup? Do you not want to get married, Phoeb? Jaycee, that’s going to take some getting used to. All I’ve ever known you by, is Phoebe.”
“I know. We’ll take my new name one day at a time. But the answer to your question is yes, Dyani. I do want to marry him and until seeing you, I had no idea why I was dragging my feet. Now I know. I can’t marry the love of my life without my best friend by my side. Please, say you’ll come home with me to New York. Please?”
“New York?”
“Yes, New York. You’ll love it. And my new friends are absolutely going to love you. Speaking of which, one of them is with me in California. Her name is Kylee. She kind of reminds me of you. I think that’s why we became instant friends. Anyway, that’s enough of that for now. You can meet them all in a few days. Please, Dyani? Come home with me, with us?” After several long moments, Dyani breaks into a smile that I haven’t seen since the night before my attack and beams at me.
“Two questions before I answer. First, please tell me they have a Dunkin, because this girl will not survive on Starbucks alone. And second, how many times have you been home to California since you left?”
“First question,” I smirk. “We have three Dunkins within a five-mile stretch, but we have this little mom and pop diner that serves the best coffee ever. It’s better than any chain store and the owner is a complete riot. And second, this is my first time back. I came here today to introduce Mom and Dad to Luca and CJ. I know it sounds horrible, but I couldn’t see them. I wasn’t ready,” I bow my head, ashamed to admit my real reasons. “I could’ve come back here months ago, but I kept making up excuses. I was scared to see the permanent markers they were gone forever.”
“Jaycee, there’s no shame in admitting you were scared. Hell, if that was my parents, I’d be acting like a baby. Which, by the way your’s is so freaking cute and when we’re out of here, I’m calling dibs on snuggles. But since you are here, are you ready? I’m sure they’d like to meet their grandson and future son-in-law before we head home to New York.”
“You’re really coming home with me?”
“Yes, Jaycee. We made promises to each other years ago. We will always be each other’s ride or die. Now let’s go see Mom and Dad. We have a flight to catch.”
“We sure do,” I say as she squeezes my hand.
“You joining us, big fella?” Dyani hollers back at Luca.
“Always. There’s no other place for me, other than right by her side. Forever.”
WARNING
Trigger or Content Warning—
Luca and Jaycee’s book takes on many turns in their unexpected journey to find their HEA, which is guaranteed at the end. For those who need to know the situations they face along the way here they are:
kidnapping
stalking
sexual violence
ABOUT NIKKI
Nikki Leigh is a contemporary romance author, who loves everything about it. From swoony country boys to die hard alpha heroes with no filters, she promises to make you laugh, scream, and even cry but in the end, she’ll stitch you back together.
In her free time, which isn’t much, you’ll find her reading, or having fun with her family. She happily married at the tender age of seventeen and since then, has been blessed with four beautiful daughters and seven amazing grandchildren. When she’s not building legos or playing babies with them, she’s peacefully immersed in one of her favorite author’s words.
Nikki is what some readers will say is a baby author. Only published since 2021, she already has several titles under her belt and coming later this year will publish her first paranormal romance tale.
She loves to hear from her readers, so be her guest and stalk her on one of her many platforms.
ALSO BY NIKKI
The Boys of Tonopah
Blind Expectations
His Change of Heart
Taking a Chance
Claiming Our Forever
Whiskey Falls
Mistletoe Kisses
Angel Kisses
Upcoming Books—
Baron: Fated Mates of Thorne Bay (Aug 2023)
Winter Kisses (December 2023)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my amazing support team:
Ashley (Belle Ames Designs)
Girl, I adore you! From proofreading to designing my covers, you truly have me covered! The moment we met and you said let me take your covers to a world they’ve never been, I was sold. The creativity you applied to them is breathtaking. When I said I needed new darker, hotter covers to help launch me into next year’s trope, you delivered a cover that now I’m obsessed over! And if that’s not enough, then you tackled my manuscript with barely any notice and polished it to near perfection. You really are my one stop shop. Thank you so much for coming along on this wild and crazy ride with me and here’s to the next one!
Jaimee, Jennifer, Little D, & Crystal
You ladies have been my greatest cheerleaders going through this book. Through all the ups and downs and crazy ideas that ran through my mind you all kept me centered. I could not have completed this book without your thoughts and insights, and for that I will always be eternally grateful.
To all my readers and bloggers, seriously you all ROCK! Without your support I wouldn’t be here, so thank you for everything you have done for me!!
To My Girls
You four young ladies have made every struggle, every tear I’ve cried in the nearly 30 years that I’ve been a Mama worth it all. There’s not a single day that I don’t remember how blessed I truly have been, even if some days are harder to remember that blessing. I love you all the moon and stars, you four are my entire world…
My Love
Last but certainly not least, my husband, my rock, my partner in crime. Vinnie— You have given me more love and support during this crazy adventure than I thought was possible. I cannot begin to possibly express how grateful I am for the love and patience you show me daily. The closer we got to this deadline, the crazier our home became. You never once complained about another crock pot dinner, another night of take out or the endless chores that went incomplete, you just rolled up your sleeves after working all day yourself and asked me where I needed you the most. I couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated partner than the one I was lucky enough to be blessed with. I love you forever and always…
Nikki Leigh, Cobra (Blue Angel Security Book 1)
