Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Vincenzo

Zion was shouting directions to Thomas, and Beau's SUV moved behind ours. The van and caddy were relentlessly following us and no matter where Zion told them to go, we couldn't shake them.

"We can't go to the house with them following us," Thomas said as he turned left and then right, taking side roads.

"The hospital." Fred took out his wallet and pulled out a key card. "I can get us into the parking garage. If you can get us enough space between the Cadillac and the van, they won't be able to follow us inside without a key."

"Perfect." I smiled. "Thomas, relay the plan to Beau and make it happen. No room for failure."

"Yes, sir."

We all kept quite while Zion gave Thomas directions. I kept an eye on the cars, and when we took our fifth turn in under a minute, they finally began to fall behind.

"Almost there," Zion informed us. "Turn right at the next light, and the garage entrance will be on your left."

Fred handed Thomas his key card just as he turned, and the bar rose. As soon as we were clear, he hit the gas and quickly but efficiently drove all the way up to the top level. Beau was able to get in behind us before the bar fell, but the caddie and van didn't seem to get in.

"This is a private garage just for staff, so unless they have a key of their own, they won't be able to get in." Fred pointed to an open spot on the top. "That's my friend Meghan's spot. Park there; she's off shift for now."

Not only did the staff have their own garage but their own spots—very nice.

"Where's your spot?" I asked.

"Second level."

"Beau's going to drive down and double-check that they didn't get in," Thomas announced as he reversed into the spot.

"Drones are in the air." Zion was on top of it.

"You have drones?" It was the first time I'd heard Aiden speak in a while.

"I dispatched them from the house; they'll be here momentarily. They'll search for the van and Cadillac once we confirm they aren't here. We can figure out where they came from," Zion answered without lifting his head from his device.

"We've had them flying periodically within my property since we've been here. It's how we knew no one was near, or at least nobody we could detect."

Aiden faced forward again without commenting. I wondered if he was worried about that. I recognized that by telling him, I was leaving him open to tell someone. I had to get his cell phone from him and find out who he'd been texting all this time.

"Beau says the garage is all clear, and the drones are giving me visuals outside, they're gone. I'm going to have them backtrack and see if they can locate the vehicles." Zion was clicking away, and I left him to it.

"We should wait a little while longer to be certain they're gone and not hiding somewhere."

Fred nodded. "Good plan in theory, but if they're lying in wait, they still might catch us."

I smiled at the man and damn, I wanted to kiss him every time he bit his lip. "We won't go anywhere until we're sure it's safe."

We stayed there for half an hour. Beau's SUV went out first, and we followed five minutes later. If anyone was following, we couldn't see. Zion had one drone trail behind us, keeping an eye out while the other was searching the area for those vehicles.

Typical drones didn't have the range Lex Talionis's did. These were very special, and I was sure the government would love to get their hands on them.

Once we were all safely inside the house, Axel and Fred began checking everyone out for injury. Aside from some bumps and bruises from swerving and our SUV ramming into the truck, everyone was okay.

"I'm going to shower." We'd just finished dinner when Fred stood. "If you and Zion find anything, please let me know." He left, Aiden right behind him. I faced Zion, who shook his head.

"No sighting for those cars. I've looked under overpasses, parking lots, went through some abandoned warehouses."

"Send a team out tonight. Get them to drive around, and perhaps they'll find them. Send them all the info on makes, models, and license plates."

"Yes, sir."

I stood and hoped Fred would still be in the shower by the time I made it to his room. Once I was closer, I could see his door was ajar, but the sound of water indicated he was in the en suite.

I pushed the door open and froze. Aiden was sitting in one of the chairs, staring out the window. Accusing him of being someplace he wasn't welcome without proof would be foolish.

I stepped back and knocked on the doorjamb. Aiden turned, and the second he saw me he narrowed his eyes.

"Fred's in the shower. You'll have to try again later."

I didn't step into the room, but I also didn't move. "And I am guessing he asked you to sit there and wait for him to be done?"

He leered at me and if I were a lesser man, I'd probably have shivered. "And what if he did?" He stood slowly and faced me. "Did you think you were special?"

"What are you talking about?" I wasn't going to take the bait. If Aiden had something to say, I'd make him say it.

"I know you were together last night, I could hear you…" He stepped closer. "Everyone in the house could."

"And you think after Fred comes out of the shower, and he sees you sitting in here, he's going to jump your bones? He has standards."

"Many nights, I stayed in Fred's room. I was always there for him, protecting him and watching over him. Do you think you can hold a candle to the years and the loyalty the two of us have for each other? All you could do was seduce him with your cock; it's a standard I've never had to stoop to."

"Aiden." Fred's voice was like a whip.

Neither one of us had heard the water shut off, and we'd been too focused on one another to realize he'd entered the bedroom.

He was standing there in a towel, his hair a mess on the top of his head, droplets dancing along the planes of his torso. His eyes were ablaze with anger, and I'd never seen anything more stunning.

"Fred." Aiden had the decency to shy away from the half-naked man; I did not. I wanted to drink him in.

"Why are you in here, and why are you once more showing disrespect to a boss?"

"Me? He's in your room too."

"Difference is, I asked him to come and let me know if he'd found anything, which I'm assuming is the reason?" He looked at me, and I nodded. While I hadn't found anything, I wanted to update him on what Zion said.

"I don't recognize you anymore, Fred." Aiden gestured to me. "You're sleeping with the enemy, making rash decisions, not listening to me when I advise you—it's like you died and were replaced with someone else."

Fred slipped on his glasses that were on the night table and stepped up to Aiden.

"The night I watched my uncle Sean and Aine get brutally killed, part of me did die, Aiden. It's a piece of me that will never grow back. In its place is a dark hole that feeds on revenge, and until I have that I'll never heal, I'll never be whole. Your ideas, while cautious, aren't going to get me any closer to putting a bullet in the head of whoever ruined my life. I won't tell you again to respect rank; next time I will dismiss you and call in someone else."

He stepped away. Aiden's face was ashen, but Fred wasn't done. "You say you don't recognize me, but it's you who is unrecognizable, Aiden. You're turning into a person I don't want to know. I miss the man you were, and I wish he'd come home. So upon your return to your room, if you happen to find him, I'd very much like to see him at breakfast tomorrow."

Aiden didn't say anything; as he turned to leave I stepped out of his way and watched him walk to his room, never once turning around.