Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

E vangeline

“I’ll never forget when I reached one hundred thousand subscribers on Instagram,” I said to no one in particular. I was standing on a lovely deck overlooking lush greenery and trees for miles. The wind was blowing, making it a little chilly. The clouds were tumultuous, a combination of black and gray, the thick formations swirling and moving as if there was a horrific storm coming.

That suited the situation perfectly.

The house was incredible, filled with soldiers but they were doing everything in their power to stay out of my way, which was silly. I wasn’t fragile, no matter what I’d gone through. Yep. I’d been terrified when a crazed man had come into the room, managing to get his hand across my mouth before I could scream. However, I’d used the self-defense classes I’d taken within days of leaving the bastard a couple of years ago, gaining some headway almost immediately.

At least I’d known the bastard hadn’t been prepared for me lashing out. Two fingers in the eyes.

A punch to the groin.

One to the face.

By that point, the dude was mad and turning over furniture, but honestly, his fury likely had saved my life. In seeing the carnage both on Gage and in the room, strings of blood covering the walls, my reaction had been to laugh.

Now what kind of person did that make me?

I knew the answer.

One who was fed up with bullshit and lies.

So, here we were. I wasn’t going to back out of listening to the plans. Especially since I was going to the festivities tonight.

“And?” Gage asked as he walked closer to the outside door.

“Almost immediately I received decent sponsors, the ability to make money. As my subscribers grew and people started paying attention to what I was saying, travel companies started to contact me, restaurants. I could have gone to so many places for free but that wasn’t my point.”

“Interesting.”

I turned around to face him. “What I’m telling you, dearest Gage, is don’t underestimate the power of social media even in this case. To be honest with you, the worst thing in the world for these… vermin is public shame. Now that you’ve taken their money, they’re fighting mad but to unhinge them, they need public opinion. I know how to sway people. I could tell people the Sahara Desert is the place to be this summer and trips would be booked. Don’t forget to call the right media outlets, those with a huge social media presence. Even the older crowd pays attention to TikTok these days, whether they’ll admit it or not.”

He narrowed his eyes and Jeff walked over.

“She’s right, boss. We need to coordinate a media attack at the same time, or slightly before. I know Valerio teased some reporters but it’s time to put together a statement. When the shit hits the fan, the community will be under full scrutiny, which means folks will want to see the place.”

“Fucking brilliant. Both of you,” Gage said. “I love it. Let me make some phone calls. I have a few connections out here that would love to help us out.”

He was almost giddy as he turned around, grabbing his phone and heading out of the room.

Sighing, I glanced at Jeff. I liked the guy. He and his team knew what they were doing and I felt safe.

“You know. You’re much stronger than you give yourself credit for,” he told me.

“I have to be. Do you have children?”

He shook his head. “There isn’t a woman who could put up with me.”

“Nonsense, Jeff. You just need to find the right one, one who will embrace your job, at least what you can tell her. Having a family will center you.”

He nodded. “I guess you’re right. That’s what Gage has needed for years but he didn’t know or admit it.”

“Such is the way with men. Stubborn.”

His smile was different than before, as if a little bit of the huge mercenary had softened. “If everything goes according to plans, and I have no doubt it will, take your own advice. The two of you are perfect together. Even in a tragedy, you can often find the brightest light in the sky. My mother used to say that and I had no clue what she meant. She winked and told me I’d figure it out when the time was right.”

“Your mother was a bright, bright woman.”

He laughed and walked to the desk they’d taken over as a command center. “I had these purchased for you. The last thing we need is for you to look like, well you.”

I pulled out black jeans and a turtleneck, even a hair clip. “Wow. You shouldn’t have.”

“You’d be surprised how much dark clothing can help, although dark blue is better. There was no time to be picky. There are boots too. You need to keep your head tonight. Your child isn’t the object of violence or danger by anyone, including those freaks who live there. However, they will use Damien against you if necessary. Keep your cool. Act as if you’re a killer and stay strong. It will be over before you know it and you can sit back watching the news unfold. And I assure you it won’t be pretty.”

I touched his arm and you would have thought I’d given him a million dollars by the look on his face. “You’re too cool for school, Jeff. I don’t know if anyone says that any longer, but I don’t care.”

“Unconventional is fabulous in my world.”

Gage returned, a smile on his face. “All I had to do was call my buddy who knows every major network. He was like a kid in a candy store, eager and ready to help expose the bastards for what they are. We should have an amazing show on our hands by this time tomorrow. With the FBI involved, things are going to get dicey.”

“Valerio set it up?” Jeff asked.

“He did.” Gage rubbed his jaw.

“And you’re certain the bastards aren’t working for the community?”

Gage laughed. “Trust me. They hate the organization and have been trying to take them down for years. From what I understand, the CIA is getting involved as well. International wire fraud.”

Jeff snickered. “Perfect. The bastards won’t know what hit them.”

I honestly hoped that would be the case. Sighing, I folded my arms, thinking of my sweet little boy. I only hoped by this time tomorrow, he’d be in my arms. Giggling. Throwing his arms around my neck.

Telling me he missed his mommy.

I prayed all the coordination, the planning, and the soldiers brought with us would matter. If not, I wasn’t certain I could survive spending the rest of my life without my son. Somehow, I doubted my handsome protector would allow that to occur.

As Valerio walked into the room, already chatting about what was going to happen all over again, Gage lifted his head to stare at me. It was always fascinating to me how much emotion could be relayed with piercing eyes. Plus, the man’s jaw was clenched to the point I had a feeling he was grinding his teeth. But there was promise in his expression. And even stranger?

Love.

Maybe I was overblowing what I was seeing, but the few times my mother had seemed like a real mother, a friend instead of a pawn, she’d mentioned that I should never allow anyone to make a determination as to who I fell in love with. I should be allowed to dream like any other girl of her wedding, the perfect prince.

She’d even wistfully told me about a boy she’d loved in college only to hear he’d been killed in a drive-by shooting. When I’d asked her what had happened, she’d laughed but tears had filled her eyes. I think I’d been twelve, but I’d known then something was terribly wrong with my family.

And now? I had a man I could easily fantasize about but even more, a man I could love.

Or so I prayed.

I headed back outside, the anticipation of what was going to happen keeping my stomach in knots. I was no longer certain what time it was. It just didn’t matter until twilight started to settle in. By now, the community leaders had heard the mercenaries they hired were non-communicative. That would put them more on edge, which would mean they were heavily armed.

With the breeze, I was chilled to the bone and kept my arms folded. I continued to hear their powerful voices, the discussion intense and pointed. They were true soldiers and up until recently, I hadn’t realized a war was going on. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I must have. It was time to stop feeling sorry for myself.

There was a beautiful little garden just off the greenest patch of grass complete with roses and wildflowers, a beautiful trellis, and other flowering plants I didn’t recognize. It appeared there was a winding path in the middle and I was drawn to it. I loved nature, had always appreciated flowers of every kind. I headed off the deck, noticing at least two soldiers carrying assault rifles within yards of where I was. They glanced at me but didn’t react. It was almost funny that seeing them in the first place seemed normal.

Maybe I could turn into a mercenary.

The thought was ridiculous but possible. I was a better shot than any of them knew. The dude I’d had training me couldn’t have cared less if I was a woman. He was rough, unforgiving, and had made me go through exercises until I’d go home exhausted.

But I was grateful for it.

I moved to the path, taking my time walking in. I was pleasantly surprised seeing a stunning little fountain with a gorgeous outdoor sitting area that offered relaxation and privacy. I could see curling up on the oversized couch with a good book in my hand. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d read a book. How ridiculous.

No, I did know.

The last time I’d read Pinocchio to Damien, his favorite.

I tried not to cry, which was getting harder with every passing minute. To know I was in the same city as him was killing me. I sat down on the edge of the sofa, trying to reflect on all the good times I’d had when I was able to control my life.

Gage’s sudden appearance with two drinks in his hands didn’t scare me. It simply brought an array of emotions that I was surprised existed. I continued to feel so much turmoil deep inside, the uncertainty killing me. But I couldn’t deny the security and comfort offered when Gage was close. There was a hum between us that was so electrified, it was like we were walking near a high voltage fence.

He walked closer, still studying me the same way he’d done before. There was such powerful emotion in his eyes, such intensity that it felt like I was being pulled into a different world. Without saying anything, he sat down next to me, handing me the drink, which I knew instinctively was whiskey.

“How did you know this is what I craved?” I asked, trying to be a little playful.

He chuckled and glanced at the fountain. “I know more about you than you think I do.”

“Okay. Then tell me about the real Evangeline since I’m no longer certain what I’m made of.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. You do know exactly who you are and where you want to go in your life.”

“Go for it.”

“You’ve always wanted independence, enjoying the thought of being in the spotlight to a point but preferring to be the master, the CEO of your organization. I can see you enjoying living on a farm with huge horses and cattle while maybe owning a beach house. Not too big. Not too swanky. Just a place where you can kick up your feet, read a book, and unplug. You’re unconventional in your appreciation of liquor and foods. While you likely adore going to wineries, it’s more about the experience of the tasting, not the drinking. You can easily fit in with any social group, but you honestly prefer just being a girl in bare feet and jeans, curled up with a dog on one side while your son plays on the floor.”

His words were laced with admiration, something no one else had relayed to me. I adored him for it. As a heavier breeze shifted across us, I tugged hair from my face as I turned toward him. “That’s profound. No one has ever seen me the way I see myself.”

“It’s not rocket science, baby. If anyone would take more than five minutes to get to know you, they’d see how special you are.” Gage’s voice was husky, as always, dripping with lust. But this wasn’t about romance or even sex.

I took a sip of my drink, trying not to be both angry and sad. “When this is all over, what do you want?”

He seemed surprised by my question. “What do I want?”

As I looked at him, the way he was searching my eyes all over again was so telling yet provided me such strength. “Maybe I should ask, how has this changed you?”

A slight laugh left his mouth, but he didn’t find anything funny about my question. I hadn’t much attention but on this late afternoon, he had the bad boy look down pat. It was as if he’d been transformed into a biker or… no, someone with dark power. I guessed killing people could do that to you.

He was wearing a tight black tee shirt that hugged every muscle perfectly, reminding me just how insanely built he was. The suits he wore hid so much of his gorgeous physique. While I knew the right attire was necessary in business, he needed to dress this way more often. Including the skintight black jeans and shit-kicker boots that made him look even more badass. All he needed was a black leather jacket and no one would recognize him.

Then again, there wasn’t a person in the group who wasn’t dressed similarly, although the men who were true soldiers with military backgrounds had dark fatigues on. I hadn’t known they made them in anything but green.

“The truth is, before I met you and all this happened, I took life for granted. I know that sounds trite but it’s true. I didn’t have a shitty family, my mother sweet and loving, two built-in brothers that while giving me shit when I was younger, took me under their wings. Being a ruthless businessman came easily for all three of us, the resorts just an offspring that might have been about boredom more than anything, although we make money hand over fist. You can only take hearing a woman pontificate about ensuring her late husband’s wealth is fully utilized and invested wisely while she holds and strokes a Pomeranian so many times.”

“That isn’t the truth,” I laughed.

“Yep, it is. It was the first time in dealing with a client I had difficulty keeping my poker face.” There was such fire in his eyes, as if he’d been thinking about this. God knew, he wasn’t sleeping well. Neither was I.

“Okay. I know what is driving you crazy in life. What do you want?”

“When we had the ice cream the other day and walked on the beach, there was a sense of danger that I couldn’t ignore but at the same time, I enjoyed the moment. It was as if for the first time in my life I was able to be just me. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to ignore the blessings I have in my life. Not at all. But there are more important things in the world and they’re simple. You brought that to me. You had a light surrounding you from minute one that couldn’t be ignored.”

I couldn’t help myself, brushing the stubble on his chin with my knuckle. “I like your beard. It makes you look a bit unruly, dangerous.”

“Oh, I get it. You like dangerous men.”

“I think I do, especially when they become my strong, virile protectors.”

“Virile, huh?” he teased. “I’ll show you just how virile I am later when we’re successful.” He didn’t give me time to fall back into my despair, kissing me like this might be the last one we shared.

His lips were so soft, meant for kissing for hours. He wrapped one arm around me, pulling me as close as the position on the couch would allow. I was floored by how incredible it felt in his arms, even now. And as he swept his tongue from one side to the other, the taste of whiskey burning my tongue, it reminded me we were both very much alive.

With so much to lose.

He allowed the moment of intimacy to linger, pulling away but licking my lips before dragging his tongue from one side of my jaw to the other. The feel of him this way, almost desperate yet still so passionate, set my world on fire.

Strong.

Invincible.

Determined.

Dangerous.

What could be a better combination?

“What time are we leaving?” I asked, trying to sound casual, as if my heart wasn’t in my throat.

“Around seven. Everything is in place but we’re going to go over it again.”

“Jeff bought me some dark clothes. He’s kinda cool.”

Gage grinned. “Yeah, he is. You’re going to stay in the background until we find your son.”

“I want a weapon.”

He seemed almost startled by me asking. “I can’t allow that to happen.”

“I know how to use one. I might have mentioned, after leaving the bastard, I took self-defense courses plus I went to the gun range, paying an expert to teach me all the basics until I became very good at shooting. Only then did I purchase a weapon of my own. Don’t worry. Damien had no chance of getting to it.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Alright. I’ll give you a weapon, but I’ll also provide you with a piece of advice. Allow the experts to handle members of the community. No matter what happens, you don’t need to ruin your life because of any of them.”

“Understood but I promised myself I wouldn’t become a victim again. I mean it.”

“God, woman. I adore your resolve.”

“I hope you adore other things.”

He grinned as he stood, his nostrils flaring. “You have no idea. You are… everything.”

Everything.

If only he understood how that single word made me feel, the tingles sweeping through me.

If only things could be different. Normal.

Whatever normal was.