Secrets Collide (Bluegrass Brothers)

one of the reasons he was retiring. His own little sister had a baby, and he was tired of being an absentee brother and uncle.
    “I know, squirt. Give me a call when you get settled. You’re going to school on the other side of the country from your parents, which I know is why you chose it, but know that I’m just three hours away if you need a place to crash for a weekend.”
    “Thanks. Happy retirement.” Taylor kissed Cy’s cheek and he grabbed her up in a big hug.
    “Talk to you soon, squirt.”
    “Hey, Davidson. You need a ride home?” Douglas shouted from across the bar.
    “Nah. It’s not too far, I’ll just walk.” Cy tossed a hundred-dollar bill on the bar and walked out into the warm air. He had moved to L.A. a little over ten years ago and he still hadn’t gotten used to the smell of the air. But now he was finally going home for good.
     
    Cy shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and bent his head down as he navigated his way through clusters of men and women making their way to bars. He was going back to his apartment and getting his things ready to be shipped to Keeneston in the next few days. It couldn’t come soon enough. He was tired of the grind, the women, the hotels, the directors—the whole thing. What he really wanted was to go back home, take over his part of the farm from his youngest brother, Pierce, and maybe open a small dirt track for race cars and motorcycles.
    He stopped after a couple blocks and looked around. If he cut through this side street he could shave off ten minutes. The sooner he got packed, the sooner he could get home to see his family.
    Cy turned down the alley and passed the backside of apartment building after apartment building. Shouting snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see a beautiful woman hurling herself down the fire escape at breakneck speed. A little way above her two men chased after her.
    Instinct kicked him into gear.  Sprinting toward the emergency ladder, Cy looked for a way to get the ladder down. The only way was three stories above him. The woman was going to have to make it that far by herself, but as soon as she released that lever, he’d be there to help her.
    “Come on, come on, pull the lever,” Cy whispered impatiently as he watched her jump off the stairs and onto the landing.
    After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled the lever and the ladder started sliding down to the ground. The woman turned and grabbed the side of the ladder, but when she looked up at the men chasing her, her foot missed the next step and slipped. Cy watched helplessly as the woman slid all the way down the ladder, her body hitting against it as she held onto the outside rails with all her might.
    Jumping to action, Cy held out his arms preparing to catch the falling woman. She came down the ladder with such uncontrolled speed that he had to jump back or risk getting knocked out by her flailing feet.
    She hit the pavement hard and stumbled backward, right into his chest. “Good evening. May I be of assistance?” he asked with a smile, completely out of place compared to the woman’s terror-filled face. Instead of answering, the woman screamed and stomped her foot on his. “Umph! Look, lady, I’m a good guy. Now get behind me.” Cy shoved her behind him and charged the man coming down the ladder.
    Reaching up, he grabbed hold of the man’s legs and yanked hard. The man’s chin slammed into the metal step and snapped back. Cy saw a circular tattoo on the underside of his wrist as he fell back with blood trickling from his mouth. The impact of his body hitting the ground was enough to knock him out.
    “This doesn’t concern you. Walk away before you die for this girl,” the man with the shaved head said with a slight Russian accent from the top of the ladder. He knew Cy held the advantage and didn’t go any farther down.
    “Or what, you’ll come down here and kill me? Then come on, baldy.” Cy put his hands on his hips and stared up at the man.
    “I won’t have to come down there.” The man pushed back his coat, exposing a gun.
    “Well, shit.” Cy leaped back, grabbed the trembling woman by her arm, and shoved her down the street. A bullet hit the brick building just in front of them and Cy shoved her into a narrow alley between two apartment buildings. “Who are you, lady?”
    “Gemma. Gemma Perry. Who are you? Er . . . and thank you for saving me. That doesn’t seem like enough of a thank-you, though. You