Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

E vangeline

Loneliness had been a part of my life since I could remember.

Sure, at times it had seemed as if I’d lived a normal life, with girls I could trust. Meanwhile, there hadn’t been one of them who hadn’t badmouthed every boy I’d talked about. I really hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but they’d been indoctrinated into the culture since they were very small.

I’d been lucky enough to avoid that until later in life.

I was angry, confused to a point, and ready to get on with my life.

My father had betrayed me. There had to be a reason and I knew it was on that jump drive. All I’d done after snatching the material had been to glance at everything I’d gotten. The private file on my father had seemed too painful even then.

Now I truly wondered what was on it. I’d looked. Wherever Gage had put it was a perfect hiding place. My guess was he hadn’t wanted me to decipher the content, or he’d taken it to his brothers. That made more sense because the man had been the first in my life not to lie to me.

Still, I’d shed more tears than I could count over my boy. I knew Damien was terrified. If Joseph had one of what I called his attacks, then the little boy had to be scared blind of his own father. However, I knew given Damien was the heir apparent, he wouldn’t be harmed. That was the only thing keeping me sane at this point.

I headed into the kitchen, finding Jeff there. The two huge men with tattoos and short cropped hair didn’t bother me in the least. They were polite, seemed to genuinely like Gage, and had been diligent in the two plus hours since the man I was falling hard for had been gone.

He was the one who seemed startled, lifting his head from the iPad he’d been using. “Miss Weathers. I’ll get out of your space.”

“Nonsense. This isn’t my house. You know it better than I do.”

He half smiled. “I’ve been here a couple times.”

I knew more than that.

“How long have you and Gage been friends?”

“Since we were kids,” he admitted. “A little punk on the playground. He won’t admit it, but I had to keep bullies off him. I think I was born six foot five.”

“That must have come in handy.”

He grinned and I liked his smile. “Yeah, I think it did. He tutored me on algebra and English, which helped me graduate. It was a win-win for all.”

“Is guarding people tough?”

The way he took a deep breath seemed as if I’d struck a nerve. “No, but losing them is. It didn’t matter who they were. It wasn’t just a job to me. It was personal.”

“I’m sorry.”

“The truth is losing folks comes with the job. However, it makes you try that much harder not to allow it to happen. Don’t worry. You’ve had the best men working to keep you safe.”

“I’m not worried, at least not while I’m here. But they are some sick people.”

“I know. But as my mama always told me. Good always wins out over evil.”

It was my turn to smile. “I hope you mama is right. I miss my little boy.”

“In no time he’ll be back in your arms. Underneath that suave bullshit Gage flashes is a man with raw substance. He might be a little deranged himself.” His grin was nearly infectious.

“Me? Deranged?”

When I heard Gage’s voice, a little swooning effect occurred in my body. “What took you so long, honey?”

“Well, the ball and chain had orders for me to stop at the store.” He brought in a huge bag full of items and all I could do was smile. I was kidding about the ice cream, but I had a feeling he’d taken me seriously.

“This ball and chain?” I pointed to myself.

“Oh, yeah. That one right there with the cute dimples.” Gage’s face suddenly turned serious. “Any instances?”

Now it was all business.

Jeff shook his head. “Very quiet. We were easily able to establish some perimeter security measures that will provide additional protection. Incidentally, I had to call animal control. A bear with a gunshot wound lumbered into our way.”

The guy was grinning. “Oops,” I said.

Gage’s eyes twinkled. “Yeah, well, long story and we’ll chat about it one day. Right now, things are getting a little heated. We’re leaving tomorrow to head to Connecticut, and I’d like your team, all the men you can spare to come with us. Possible?”

I stared at him. The plan had been made, which was fine, but one way or the other, I was going. Period. Whether he wanted me to or not.

“Yeah. I have a few other men I can call on. Did something happen?”

“Just a gut feeling since it’s all quiet on the eastern front.”

“That’s usually not a good sign,” Jeff admitted.

“No. We’ll have an entire team, but I don’t like the information I’ve read or seen. People have disappeared.” Gage was looking at me.

Sighing, I moved to the bag, trying to ignore the rest of the information. It was tough and I found myself shaking all over again. I hated this so much. The worry. The violence. The anger. The hatred. All coming from me.

“Yeah, I know. More than you think,” Jeff said. “Anyway, we’ll be ready tonight. Try and relax as much as you can. This will be a tough mission.”

Mission.

This was like going into battle with the devil himself. I honestly hadn’t wanted to think about how horrible the situation was, but it was impossible to ignore at this point.

To think I’d gone on a lovely vacation with people I’d trusted only to realize the new life I’d built for myself had been a glass house. It had been destined to be shattered when I least expected it.

Who knew one could find a hero nestled in a kink club on the coolest island on the planet. Or that he’d be so devilishly handsome. I was thankful for his help and could never repay him. A single tear slipped past my lashes until I noticed the four ice cream containers, whipped cream, two kinds of sugar cones, and sprinkles in different colors. When I laughed, both men looked in my direction.

“You took me seriously.” I was thrilled more than he could know even though it was a ridiculous thing to feel at this point.

“You are eating that ice cream. At least a cone’s worth. Period.”

This time I saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

“She has you trained. Boss. I’ll leave you to your… ice cream.”

As soon as Gage turned around, he immediately ripped off his tie and his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. “Now, I’m going to go change and when I return, we’re going to make a cone together. We’re going to walk the beach because I know you’re dying to dig your toes in the sand. After that, we’ll make dinner and enjoy an evening together.”

“I am going tomorrow.”

He walked closer, his face pinched. “I know I can’t stop you but it’s going to worry me.”

“I’ll feel safer with you than I would anywhere else.”

He looked away briefly then nodded. “You will follow my orders.”

“To the letter.”

“Then fine. Just remember there’s a lot at stake.”

“I know that, Gage. But you need to remember that while he was conceived in violence, Damien’s birth almost killing me, he was welcomed in love. There was nothing like watching him flourish, his eyes lighting up with every new accomplishment. I enjoyed reading to him so much, the little man giggling when something delighted him. When he spoke his first word, which thankfully was Mama, I cried all night long.”

“Oh, honey.”

“He has a special room complete with a racecar bed. He used to love staring at the ceiling because I had a special mobile highlighted by one of his lamps that made it appear as if his ceiling was a racetrack. And the first Christmas when he really understood Santa was magical. I’d never wanted a child. I’d never thought of myself as mother material. I was too selfish, too impatient, too professionally minded. I didn’t have a ticking clock or worry that one day I couldn’t have a child because of my age. I just didn’t think about it. But when he was first placed into my arms, I knew then I could have a passel of kids, at least six and I would be perfectly happy. Maybe that’s sick or old-fashioned but it’s how I feel.”

“I think it’s beautiful.”

I lifted my head, looking into his eyes. “Of all the bad I’ve experienced, the horrors that most people should never, ever go through, I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant reliving having Damien all over again.” I could see a heavy weight placed on him, but he nodded in complete understanding. “What’s wrong? Other than the obvious. I can tell you know something.”

His sigh was heavy, his anger swelling all over again.

“The family sources hired either from Connecticut or sent there to gather information found out your house was trashed.”

I wasn’t certain why the news made me laugh but it did. Whether inappropriate or not, it was so like Joseph. “My ex throwing a temper tantrum again. I once watched him break literally every dish in the house after a bad business call. He tossed plates and glasses against the wall. It was pretty comical by that point but when I dared laugh, I was backhanded into another room. The man is truly deranged. I was hopeful he would lose it entirely but he’s holding onto enough mental faculties to get whatever he wants.”

“Let’s just say I used his mental instability against him.”

“Meaning what?”

He couldn’t seem to help himself, grinning like a kid. “Meaning the three Royal brothers crafted an email that should push his buttons.”

I opened my eyes wide. “That’s risky and dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, babe. You forget the kind of people we’ve done business with our entire lives.”

“And don’t think these people are like anything you’ve ever dealt with. They can smile and stab you at the same time.”

“I understand.”

God, I hoped he did.

I’d never seen him look so concerned before. And I’d seen more emotions crossing his face in a few days than likely he’d wanted me to see. We stood staring at each other for about a full minute. At times no words were needed.

I touched his face first, barely brushing the tips of my fingers across his stubbled cheek. It was fascinating how a three-day shadow could accentuate a man’s chiseled face.

He was rubbing my arms, his eyes darting back and forth. I could tell there were things he wanted to say, maybe additional reminders he wanted to provide but he smiled instead. “Okay. I’m going to change and you’re going to select ice creams before they all melt all over the counter.”

I glanced at the cartons and noticed the condensation. “Oops.”

His laugh was boisterous, even if it was for effect. Still, he popped me on the butt for emphasis before backing away and heading out of the room.

There was no reason for me to start shaking as violently as I did, but not only was there a sudden rush of adrenaline, my fear was palpable, my mouth dry. Only a few times had I experienced terrible sensations, those in my mind that were more about envisioning the future or knowing when something bad was going to happen. I wasn’t counting the horrible time spent with Joseph.

Other than the primal hunt.

I held out my arms, staring at my shaking hands. I was a very strong woman, but if all this horror was based on me alone, I wouldn’t give a shit if the man I was… falling for turned into a murderer. That wasn’t something I’d admit to anyone but that’s the way I felt.

Placing my child’s life in danger didn’t just place a final red flag on Joseph’s character; it was the kind of thing where I could slice with a knife or pull the trigger on a gun without hesitation or question of my sanity or morality.

Damien was a sweet boy who hadn’t deserved to be born into such a freak show. Some might say I was to blame but I’d also been fooled by my parents. I’d tried to ignore that fact for so long that pretending had been normal. One day I’d need to figure out why I allowed that to happen. For now? I had to place even more trust in a man who by all rights should have ignored the woman who had a plea for help.

But he’d stepped up to the rescue, becoming a real hero in a sea of fake assholes. And how sad and maybe scary that I really just wanted him to become a mercenary.

I laughed and grabbed a couple of cartons of ice cream. Everything in life had become surreal.

Including ice cream and sprinkles.

Gage

Ice cream.

I used to love it as a kid. Mom had a favorite little ice cream store she’d take all three of us to starting when I was very young. I’d never forget both Valerio and Braxton making fun of something so childish. But I’d never seen them so happy as the moment sugar cones were placed in their hands.

I stood just outside my office door, listening to the sound of the waves, the high tide allowing them to sweep further up on the beach from the bright moon’s pull. I had a drink in my hand, although by now I was certain it was watered down to whatever degree a single ice cube could cause.

While I’d anticipated a couple of days before if we went through with this operation Evangeline would want to go, and it was only fair to allow her to do so, I was more worried than I’d let on. There were too many odd obstacles with this. It wasn’t like any mission I’d heard about. This wasn’t a battle with an enemy over who made the best offer for a job or who provided the kind of wealth management services that clients simply couldn’t ignore.

And for all the scuffles and fights I’d engaged in over the years, including with wealthy men, I’d anticipated their movements and harsh slurs from across the room before anything physical had occurred.

Ruthless but not killers.

The three Royal boys had been teased about that given some of our actions had bordered on mafia type behavior.

That would change as of tomorrow. I was certain of it.

I felt a presence and not only did I stiffen, I placed my hand on my weapon.

“Relax, boss. Two of my men just canvassed the outer perimeter. I’ve checked my contacts and the dark web. It’s still quiet.”

“I don’t like quiet. I have a bad feeling that just won’t go away.” For some reason, it seemed sweltering tonight, or maybe I was just more anxious than usual. The walk on the beach in bare feet with ice cream cones in our hands, the light breeze blowing through our hair had been wonderful and would have been the best thing in the world except…

Two men had followed us with visible guns. It had taken her a full ten minutes with me coaxing her to stop thinking about them. The time spent had been wonderful, but we’d both known it was destined to be short lived.

“We’ll be leaving at six in the morning. You really should get some rest.”

“I doubt that will happen. Check the cameras again. I’m telling you that we’re missing something.”

Jeff flanked my side. “Look. If that’s the case, then whoever these people hired should be considered true Black Ops. Those would be only people who would know how to disengage the new security placed on the system on the perimeter. They would also need to anticipate you had a hard-wired security system placed on the house and immediate grounds, managing to stealthily get through my men, past the camera, catching the trip wires and cutting the right wire. Or they’d need the most sophisticated off-site system available, which few people in the world own. That would allow them to remotely temporarily knock out the security system in its entirety just at the right moment to swoop in and kidnap Evangeline, which I suspect is the first goal.”

“What you’re telling me is it’s impossible?” I knew the answer.

He sighed, looking away. “No, not impossible, just improbable.”

“I didn’t make a fortune and neither did my father or my brothers by not paying attention to the improbable. This organization, however greedy and old-fashioned they might seem, have money squirreled away to the tune of billions. Valerio found some offshore accounts that rival ours.”

“You should allow me to have my guys hack them. We can place a hold on their funds.”

I hadn’t thought about that. “Not a bad idea and you can do that on the plane. Now, with finding the private dicks roaming their beloved community, someone is going to guess we’re headed in. If so, they would likely prefer to take their prize before we arrive at their city, doing our best to make it look like a war zone.”

“Understood.”

“Is there a way to find out if anyone is attacking our system remotely?”

He shook his head. “Yeah, of course, but we don’t have that equipment here.”

I wanted to be angry with him but that would be ridiculous. This wasn’t supposed to be like a military operation. Although in my mind, I had a bad feeling that’s what it was turning out to be.

He could obviously tell even in the dark I was more than just concerned. “If they are doing that, the people in charge would need to be no more than a couple hundred meters out. I can have a couple men check for any vans that are just hanging out on the street or in parking lots.”

“Good. That will make me feel better.”

“I’ll call my men.”

He’d no sooner than pulled out his phone when we heard a horrible scream coming from upstairs.

And at that moment, both an unsettled and amazing feeling washed through me.

The bastards would stop at nothing to take or kill Evangeline.

But I would fight to the death to save the woman l wanted to spend the rest of my life with.