At All Cost

29- Red

Natalie's P.O.V.

Dylan and I listened quietly in the hallway upstairs as John talked with Derek and the others downstairs. We heard the door shut after John left but waited until Nico came to tell us it was safe to come back down.

As I walked down the stairs hand and hand with Dylan. I thought about how stupid I was, using Nico's gun and how it would point back to the Ryne's.

"Natalie, are you alright?" Sofia asked, placing a hand on my elbow.

"I screwed up, didn't I?" I whispered. Turning towards Derek I gave him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize that using Nico's gun was going to lead John here. How could I have been so stupid?"

"Hey," Derek came up to me. "The story I gave him was a believable one. Things like this happen, the guns I sell, my customers sometimes trade. You could have easily picked it up in the streets."

"Really?"

Derek nodded.

Aaron nodded my way too before he continued with the conversation we we're  having before John showed up.

The pictures I took in John's office not only showed John profiting from trafficking women but a lot more children too. I was sick to my stomach and didn't want to believe that the man I once loved could be this horrible and I couldn't even imagine what he would do to our daughter if he ever found out about her.

Justin went to work when they got back to town but Dylan has been by my side, not leaving me once. Captain Grey wanted Dylan close anyways, one to keep an eye on the Ryne's and then me. John still didn't know Dylan was a cop and I was scared what was going to happen when he did find out. I watched him put a bullet in a cop before without blinking an eye and I knew he wouldn't hesitate with Dylan.

As the men talked, I sat back quietly listening, thinking of ways I could help. I knew they wouldn't willingly let me do a damn thing but they also know I'm stubborn and will stop at nothing to get what I want. 

******

A few days later, while Sofia was showering I was playing with Derek and Sofia's son; Noah, on the living room floor while the men talked business in the kitchen.

I was secretly trying to listen from the other room but it was hard when Noah was playing.

"Hey Noah, are you hungry? Would you like a cookie?"

He got a big smile on his face, "Yes!"

"I thought so, me too. Come on, sweetie."

Walking into the kitchen with Noah on my hip we went straight for the cookies. Handing him one, I noticed the talking had stopped.

"Lunch is right around the corner and you're feeding my son cookies?" Derek said with a smile.

"He said he was hungry and it's just one."

"Auntie Natalie asked if I wanted a cookie." Noah beamed.

"Well aren't you a little traitor." I teased as I tickled him. He started laughing, giving me a hug.

"So what's going on in here?" I questioned in hopes by some miracle these secretive men would tell me something.

"We need to talk privately. Can you please take Noah upstairs." Derek asked.

Dylan looked at me with pleading eyes and mouthed, "Please."

I rolled my eyes and picked Noah up, "Come on buddy."

"Actually, I think Natalie should stay for this." Aaron said, surprising me.

I smiled and instantly turned around, "I'm okay with that."