by Ward, Alice
“Did you check in with John this morning?” he asked his father.
William shifted nervously on his chair and looked from me to Asher.
“Lauren knows everything,” Asher explained. “We can speak freely in front of her.”
“It’s not that,” William stammered. “I assumed you’d caught her up. I just got off the phone with John. I’m sorry, kids. The feds realized Lauren was missing late last night. Warrants have been issued for your arrest and your picture is being circulated around the world. The authorities have warned that all three of us should be considered armed and dangerous.”
“Damn it,” I sighed.
“It’s okay,” Asher insisted. “We knew this would happen. And it doesn’t change anything. We’re safe here.”
“I know. I was just hoping my parents would have a few more days of peace before they started worrying about me. I have a pretty good idea of what they’re going through right now,” I added, thinking back to the moment I’d learned Asher was on the run.
William cleared his throat. “My people in California are working on getting a message to your parents. It will take some time. The feds have them under intense surveillance. But they’ll know you’re safe soon.”
“Thank you for arranging that,” I replied.
“It’s the least I could do. I have to say, my son’s a lucky man to have a woman who loves him enough to leave her whole world behind.”
“I’m the lucky one,” I insisted, taking Asher’s hand. “So how did my cover unravel?”
William frowned. “The SEC indicted three of the EnvisionTech board members yesterday.” He paused, pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket, and read off the names. “Brian Harris, Harold Tatum, and Regina Miller.”
“All three of them?” Asher asked, his brow furrowed.
William nodded and put the notepad away. “From the look of it, Harris is the only one who was stealing before everything else happened. Tatum and Miller started lining their pockets shortly after the payroll money disappeared.”
Asher sighed. “Harold and Regina have always been opportunistic weasels. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised they started looting the company at the first sign of trouble. But I always thought Brian was a good guy.”
“I’m sorry, Asher,” William offered. “Anyway, when the agents couldn’t reach Lauren on her cell, they stopped by your house. Your attorney gave them the address of the Malibu condo you were supposed to be staying at. They dispatched a local team and canvassed the neighborhood. The people in the neighboring condo told them that your unit had been empty all week.”
“What am I being charged with?”
“So far, two counts of aiding and abetting and three counts of interfering with a federal investigation. We’re also now the leading suspects in the bank hack.”
“We knew that would happen as soon as we refunded the other accounts,” Asher reminded him.
“I know and I still say that was a dumb shit move,” William grimaced.
“It’s one thing to steal our own money, Dad. Stealing from innocent people is quite another. I agreed that a widespread hack was our best shot of throwing the suspicion off of us until Lauren was able to leave the country. Now that she’s here, I can no longer justify keeping the hard earned cash of strangers.”
“Asher’s right,” I agreed. “Our ultimate goal is to clear our names and go home. If we have a prayer of getting back to our old lives, we’re going to need the public to sympathize with us. That won’t happen if we act like selfish pricks.”
“I understand that, Lauren. But I think you’re making a mistake in assuming we’re all eventually going to be able to go home and pretend like none of this happened. We need to do whatever it takes to cover our asses and stay alive. If we can accomplish more than that, it’ll be icing on the cake.”
“I don’t see how keeping innocent people’s money covers our asses or keeps us alive,” I countered haughtily. I’d already had my fill of William and I was in no mood for his lecture.
“Of course you don’t understand,” he said, rolling his eyes with an air of impatience. “I don’t mean this as an insult, but you don’t understand any of this, Lauren. You couldn’t possibly imagine what we’re up against. No one would expect you to. Now, I know you’re not my biggest fan and that’s fine. But I’m an expert at dealing with these people. I know where they’re weak and I know how to take them down. I can protect both of you if you just stay out of my way.”
I opened my mouth to fire off a snarky reply and Asher gently squeezed my hand, silencing me.
“Dad, we’re not trying to make anything more difficult than it has to be. But there’s no point in Lauren and me fighting to get back to our lives if we’re not able to look ourselves in the mirror at the end of this.”
William sighed and reached for the bottle of rum on the table. He poured a double shot and sipped it, silently staring out at the ocean. It was clear something was on his mind so I finished my rum and filled my glass again while we waited for him to gather his thoughts. Finally, he cleared his throat and turned back to us.
“You know now that Lauren is here, maybe the two of you should just enjoy each other’s company and let me handle what needs to be done,” he suggested. “You’re newlyweds, after all. And that way, you won’t have anything to feel guilty about if and when all this is over.”
“There’s no way I’m agreeing to that,” I announced, my voice firm.
“Lauren’s right. Like it or not, we’re all in this together,” Asher insisted. He lowered his voice and turned to his father.
“She left her whole life to be here, Dad. She deserves a say in what we do. You’re right, too. You’re the expert when it comes to the family, but Lauren and I have held our own against some pretty tough shit. It would be a mistake to underestimate what we’re capable of.”
“I’m just trying to make this as easy for you as possible,” William explained. “That’s what parents do for their children. And I have a lot of catching up to do.”
Asher set his jaw. “I managed to do just fine on my own long before you showed up in my life again. I’ve already asked you to stop thinking of me as the son you owe something to. At the moment, we’re just two men working together against a common enemy. Whether or not we become more than that depends largely on whether or not you can respect that Lauren and I are adults and capable of making our own decisions.”
William nodded and stood. “You’re right, Asher,” he replied, emphasizing the name with no sign of resentment. “I apologize if I overstepped. I assure you that wasn’t my intention. I’ll leave the two of you alone now. You know where I’ll be if you need me. Lauren, it was lovely to meet you.”
“Thank you, William,” I replied with a polite nod.
“We’ll see you later, Dad.”
“You kids have a good day.”
I watched William step off the deck and through the sand. He disappeared into the bungalow three doors down from us and Asher breathed a sigh of relief.
“That went better than I expected,” he confessed. “I appreciate you being so polite. But I’m also glad that you stood up to him. It’s good that we’ve set some boundaries.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought he’d be,” I grudgingly admitted. “He doesn’t seem to mind that you don’t go by Billy anymore.”
“My first day at Atwater, he told me he completely understood why I didn’t want his name. I don’t think he’s proud of anything he’s done.”
“He certainly seems confident in his abilities to take down the family,” I observed. “And he genuinely seems to want to have a relationship with you.”
“I have too much going on in my head to even think about that. I do appreciate everything he’s done lately. There’s no way I’d have survived Atwater without him. The adult in me really does want to just forgive and forget. But the kid in me… it’s complicated, that’s all.”
“I can’t even imagine. He seems willing to give
us some time and space to figure things out. You’re the only person who can make this decision. But I’m here if you need to talk it out.”
“Say it again,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms.
“Say what?” I giggled.
“You’re here,” he replied, kissing me delicately on the mouth. He pulled away and nuzzled his lips beneath my ear. “I missed you so much,” he continued. “I was so afraid I’d never see you again. And now, you’re here.”
I turned my chest into his and stared into his eyes. “I’m here, Asher. And if I have my way, I’ll never be away from you again.”
CHAPTER 5
When I’d imagined myself running away with Asher, I’d naively pictured us holed up in a romantic hideaway, making love and biding our time until things fell into place back home. Reality was much different.
The first few days on the island weren’t too difficult. I was so happy to be with Asher again, nothing else seemed to matter. But as the days wore on, the excitement of our reunion wore off. Every unexpected noise sent my pulse racing, certain that a SWAT team or a mob enforcer was about to break through our door. I spent my days trying to hold my tongue around William and my nights lying awake, torturing myself with thoughts of what my friends and family must be going through. By the end of the week, it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed. If Asher hadn’t insisted that I get some fresh air, I wouldn’t have.
“Come on,” he insisted, pulling me to a chaise lounge. I indulged him and stretched out across the chair. My gauzy white top blew in the gentle breeze and waves crashed against the shore. Under different circumstances, the scene would have been whimsical and relaxing. All I felt was desperation.
Asher sat down beside me, a pained look etched across his face. “I hate seeing you like this. I know it’s my fault. Tell me what to do, Lauren. Tell me how to make this easier for you. Say the word and I’ll have the pilot here to take you back home.”
I shook my head. “We can’t do that. I’d be arrested the moment the plane touched down,” I reminded him. I took his hand and gave it a light, comforting squeeze.
“This is hard for me,” I admitted. “But it doesn’t mean I don’t want to be here. I love you and I knew what I was signing up for when I asked you to be my husband. As miserable as I feel right now, I’d be worse if we were apart. I just need you to be patient with me.”
Asher relaxed his shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you don’t want to leave. But surely there’s something I can do to help you. Do you want to paint? I can try to round up some supplies.”
I thought of the demonic monster piece I’d painted during Rachel’s drama and shook my head.
“I don’t even want to think about what might come out of my head right now,” I confessed.
“That makes me feel worse.”
“You don’t get to feel worse. That will just make me feel worse and we’ll never break the cycle. I don’t blame you for what’s happening. If your choices were to run or die, I’m glad you ran. But things suck right now, baby. They’ve sucked for a long time and I’m fresh out of the energy it takes to pretend otherwise.”
“I get it,” he assured me. “I agree. Things are shittier than I ever expected them to get. Do you want some time alone?”
I shook my head and pulled him to my chest. “No. You’re the one thing I’m thankful for right now. I don’t want you to go anywhere.”
He kissed the top of my head. “It’s warmer than I expected. Would you like something cold to drink?”
I nodded and touched my lips to his. “Would you bring snacks too?”
“Anything you want, baby,” he replied with a wink.
Asher disappeared into the bungalow and I stared out at the ocean. My mind drifted to the loved ones I’d left back home.
Please God, take care of them. Send them some sort of sign, some sort of comfort. And please give them the strength to forgive me for the Hell I’ve put them through.
***
John Rogers checked in two days after my arrival on the island to let us know that the message had been delivered to my family. John explained to Asher that our place was under twenty-four-hour FBI surveillance. Jackson was the only person able to move freely through the city, probably because his connection to the case was the most distant. I was sure his last name and high ranking government connections had something to do with it too. John tailed him to a small bistro, where he was having lunch with his realtor. The message was delivered on the back of a cocktail napkin by the men’s confused but well tipped waitress.
I was relieved and thankful that the people I cared about knew I was safe. But nothing would assuage my guilt. The longer I spent on the island, the more convinced I became that I’d never be able to return home. And I was certain that no matter what happened, I’d never be the person I was before. After everything I’d been through, I couldn’t imagine a time would come when I wasn’t constantly looking over my shoulder for the bad guy.
I heard footsteps on the deck and groaned to myself.
I didn’t hear the door open. Which means that has to be William.
I took a few deep breaths and looked over my shoulder.
“Good afternoon, Lauren. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” he greeted me. He sat down on the long, narrow bench next to the deck railing and crossed one leg over the other.
“Yes. The breeze feels good.”
He nodded and looked awkwardly out to the ocean. “Is Asher around?” he asked without turning back to me.
“He’s inside getting drinks. You’re welcome to let yourself in.”
William and I had adopted a sort of polite contempt for each other after our first conversation. In my heart, I knew he was no more to blame for our situation than Asher. Like his son, he’d never had a chance at having a normal life. He’d made the best decisions he could with the knowledge he had to go on. But as much as I understood him, I couldn’t like him. He was blunt and crass, and I knew that while he was innocent of the crimes that had sent him to prison, there was no telling what crimes he’d gotten away with. When I looked at him, I couldn’t help but wonder how many people had died at his hands.
“I’ll wait for him here, unless you think he needs help.”
“Is he expecting you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. I just got another update from John. We have some decisions to make.”
I rose to my feet and padded toward the bungalow. “I’ll tell him you’re here and make sure he gets three glasses.”
I opened the door and nearly ran face first into my husband. “Your dad is here,” I explained. “He has another update. I’ll grab another glass of punch and join you in just a second.”
“Okay, baby.”
I pulled a pitcher of rum punch from the refrigerator and filled a plastic tumbler. I took a long drink, filled it again, and stepped back outside. Asher and William were huddled over the snack tray, filling their mouths with pretzels. I sat down beside Asher and we stared across the deck at his father.
“So is this good news or bad news?” Asher finally asked.
“A little of both,” William warned. “Which do you want first?”
“The good news,” I insisted. “I know that’s not the order you’re supposed to go in. But we’ve had nothing but bad news for months. I need a change of pace.”
“Tell us the good news, I guess,” Asher agreed with a shrug. He perched on the edge of the chair, one hand entwined with mine and the other balled up anxiously on his knee.
“The Chavez organization is crumbling,” he announced with a smile. “It seems some of the people we’ve been speaking to felt death was too easy of an end for the family. Rival families are turning over all sorts of records to the police. Nothing that implicates them, of course, but the evidence against the Chavez’s is overwhelming. The top five ranking members of the New York operation have already been arrested. The family’s also under investigation in Boston, Chicago, Las Angeles
, and Dallas. All of the monster’s heads seem to be getting cut off at the same time. The family may actually fall for good this time.”
I blew out a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Asher squeezed my hand and smiled back at William.
“That’s the best news I’ve ever heard… second best,” he corrected himself. He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
“This is wonderful,” I agreed. “This is what we’ve been waiting for. Does this mean we can go home?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Asher warned. “What’s the bad news, Dad?”
“The bad news is that while the arrests are in the works, not all of the Chavez’s are behind bars yet. And the ones still on the loose are pissed as fuck at us. Every time they turn around, someone in their ranks is either popping up dead or getting thrown behind bars. They know we’re the ones responsible. I imagine they’re expecting us to make a move to take over the organization. And they’re coming for us,” he finished with a resigned sigh. He finished his punch in one gulp and set the empty glass on the railing.
“What do you mean they’re coming for us?” Asher demanded, jumping to his feet. “Don’t you think you could have led with that news?”
William shrugged. “I let you two decide what to hear first. Calm down, son. I’ve already called Phillipe. He’ll be here to pick us up in two hours. By the time any of the Chavez people get here, we’ll be long gone.”
“You’re certain they’re on their way here?” I asked. “How did they find us?”
“Two midlevel thugs are headed in this general direction. I didn’t think it was advisable to stick around long enough for them to narrow down our specific location. I packed while I was still on the phone with John and called the pilot right after. You two need to get your things together and decide where you want to go from here.”
It unsettled me how calm William seemed, knowing that two people were traveling across an ocean to murder us. My heart was beating so loud in my chest I could barely hear myself think and I felt like someone was closing a vice around my lungs. Asher paced the deck, frantically trying to gather his thoughts. But William remained seated, completely unfazed, and ate another handful of pretzels.
