Fallen Angel: Broken Saint Duet Part Two

by E. M. Gayle

  "Okay, well, we are going to let Gabe handle them for now and we are going to finish this show. Has anyone said anything about that?"

  She shook her head. "We're halfway and it's going great."

  I waited for the other shoe to drop.

  "What? Don't look at me like that. I'm serious. I don't know what the heck is going on back here, but out there, everyone is really happy. I expect presales to start breaking records before the night is over."

  I wanted to celebrate this moment so bad, but I was being pulled in so many directions, it was impossible to keep up with them all. "Go then," I urged. "Get the next group of girls out there. You don't need me."

  Trina leaned in, her eyes glassy from trying not to cry. "Thank you," she whispered at my ear a moment before she broke away and hustled across to the next line of girls waiting for their turn on the runway. As soon as I could tear my eyes away from the excitement across the room, I tapped out a message to Rock, letting him know what was going on.

  Ronin screwed the plan. Homeland Security here to investigate. Find him before he makes another move. Also, dad in audience with my sister! Have to help her.

  I hit send and closed my messaging app as Gabe descended on me.

  Chapter 18

  Rock

  * * *

  From the moment I kissed Nova goodbye, the world had gone to shit.

  Now, I was staring down at a text from the woman in question and left wondering what the hell had gone wrong.

  "I've got news." JD slapped down a file folder on the table in front of me.

  "Great. I hope it helps because the shit has hit the fan and I've got a lot to unfuck."

  "What happened?"

  "First yours. I need to think." Before I ended up backstage at a fashion show, strangling Ronin fucking Kavanaugh with my bare hands.

  "It's good news, and then a fuck-ton of bad news. The good is we don't believe Kavanaugh is actually here to marry your girl. That's likely his cover story, though, since he's actually come to avenge his family. Which also means she might be in more danger than you thought."

  "I hope that's not all you have because Ronin just let that shit out of the bag with Nova." I didn't need to tell him the details, especially if he already knew. My anger that Nova had never said a word about a first husband after all our talk about being honest still threatened my control. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about it. "Anything else?"

  "You tell me. The story I got is that Kavanaugh's grandfather came to Vegas five years ago to marry a Cullotta and form an alliance with one of the New York families. There was no information on a name for the bride, but the timing coincides perfectly with Nova's eighteenth birthday so it was easy enough to put two and two together. If that's what the plan was. The thing that bothers me is the fact Tel was unable to dig up any record of a marriage. Not only was a marriage certificate never filed, there wasn't even an application for one in the first place. We're not sure what to make of that yet, but it doesn't work with the rest of the information we've obtained. To make matters even more complicated, the senior capo from New York has been missing since the night he arrived in Vegas, and the family has been in a near constant state of chaos over it. A lot of infighting as the different branches fought for a new leader."

  Surprisingly, the depth of his information did enhance what I heard and made a little more sense out of Nova and Ronin's conversation. I'd need to think on it to see what I could do with it. Right now, I was pissed about Nova not telling me about her past and ready to throttle Ronin for trying to use it against her. But something about all of this nagged at me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. The fact my team missed all of this in their investigation? Agency resources sucked ass.

  "You don't seem too surprised by any of this."

  "Kavanaugh was waiting for Nova in her office. He pretty much revealed his reason for being here. Thanks to the app you had installed on her tablet, I heard every word. Although why that bastard would tell her now makes no sense. I think whatever his plans are he intends to complete them tonight. He's already sicced homeland security on her and she is being served a search warrant now."

  "He's creating a diversion."

  "Exactly."

  "So how do you plan on handling that?"

  "Not much I can do for the time being. My hands are legally tied. But we do know that Nova doesn't have those diamonds, so they aren't going to find anything, which means we're going to find that bastard and figure out exactly what he's up to. Then there's Cullotta. He's at the show sitting in the goddamned front row like he's some kind of fucked up proud father. Just waiting to pick her off the moment he can. He also brought her sister. Since she’s his leverage against Nova, we need to get to her."

  JD's face turned to granite but he nodded. I wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know. Several of the MC guys were already there in the audience, and still others were posing as workers backstage. So far all their bases were covered. So how Ronin had escaped their notice baffled me. He moved like a goddamned ghost.

  “Axel can track the girl. Got a picture?”

  “Yeah, hang on.” I rifled through the case files on my tablet until I found one and then forwarded it to him.

  He yanked out his phone. “That’ll work.” He tapped out a message and waited. “Okay he’s on the move. He’ll handle it.”

  “Let me know. I have to get word to Nova it’s taken care of. I’m not letting that fucker get to her.”

  "Tracker online?" JD asked. "Do we need more eyes on Nova?"

  "The tracker is good, and Houston is already en route to take Nova's back. He'll make sure she's covered for whatever bullshit Homeland tries to pull. We need eyes on Kavanaugh. He's the wild card in all this."

  "What about Cullotta? I wouldn't underestimate him."

  "He's not going anywhere without those diamonds. He'll go after Nova first chance he gets, and we'll be there to intercept, right? She is the priority."

  My father grunted. I didn't like the feeling I was getting from him, but it was going to have to work. I started to walk away and get myself in place, when I stopped and turned back. "I'd like you to stick with me."

  JD's eyebrows lifted nearly to his hairline. "Planning to be my babysitter?"

  "In case you haven't noticed, I don't have the backup of the FBI on this one. Not only have I let myself get personally involved, but I've diverged from protocol at every turn. I'm walking a tightrope out there."

  "Lots of moving pieces."

  "Exactly. Hence why we stick together. We can work better that way."

  The look JD gave me was pure skepticism, with a healthy dose of disbelief. "I get that you want first crack at Cullotta, but if you really want to help me this has to go a different way. It's too dangerous for you or your guys to make a move on Cullotta at the moment. Too many eyes and way too many cellphones to capture you on video. This is a really important event for Nova, so I'd prefer to keep the rest of this investigation discreet, if you get my drift."

  He answered with a grunt and I figured that was the best I was going to get. He thought I didn't understand the need for vengeance, but I did. All too well. I'd just chosen a different path than him all those years ago.

  "Let's go then." He sounded as about excited as I felt.

  I checked my gun one last time to ensure it was fully loaded with the safety in place. I then tucked it into the holster at my side and grabbed my jacket. I didn't bother asking JD if he was carrying.

  Of course he was.

  Chapter 19

  Nova

  * * *

  I wiped the sweat from my brow as the final model turned away and headed out onto the stage. The last ten hours had been the most grueling of my life. Between dresses that needed repairs, one of the models getting sick moments before she was due to hit the runway and a dozen other hiccups just like those, I was happy to see the show about to come to an end.

  Never mind the Homeland Security agents still working thei
r way somewhat discreetly through all of the backstage rooms in their quest to find those wretched diamonds. I cursed the moment I'd decided to steal them from Vincent's plane in the first place.

  Worst. Idea. Ever.

  Gabe's attorney had failed to thwart the agents from executing their warrant, but he'd convinced someone that the search and seizure either had to wait until the end of the show, or they could look without alarming or interfering.

  They'd chosen the latter.

  They'd started in my office, and after finding nothing useful, they'd methodically gone room by room. They weren't going to find anything unless someone suddenly realized the crystals on my medallion weren't crystals.

  Either way, my nerves were shot. Much more of this and I wouldn't be able to avoid the oncoming nervous breakdown.

  "Nova. They're calling for you."

  I lifted my head. "What?" Trina was standing just backstage with her clipboard and headset, looking at me with expectation in her eyes.

  "Josi is on her last turn, and the crowd is already chanting your name," she said.

  "What?" I apparently couldn't string any words together as the adrenaline of the night crashed over me.

  "Shit. Someone get her some water." Tina rushed over to me, and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Take slow, deep breaths. And don't make any sudden moves. I've got some experience with panic attacks, and I'll get you through this and out there before you know it."

  "I'm not having a panic attack. At least I don't think so. I've got a hell of a headache, but I'm dealing with it. I'm just overwhelmed. That was a lot of work."

  Trina and the other crew, now all standing at my side, smiled. "You bet your ass it was," one of them said.

  We all laughed. Everyone on my team deserved a raise, and I would be sure to give them one the minute we recovered from this show.

  "What's going on?" Josi joined us. She had been the very first model I ever worked with and I loved her like a sister. Of course, she towered over my five-foot nine frame, but that's why she was the model and I wasn't. Her body could make a paper sack look good.

  "Nova's having a panic attack."

  "I am NOT having a panic attack. I'm just overly excited about the end of the show. And I'm tired."

  Josi's smiled widened. "Girl, I hear you. We all deserve a hot soak and a bottle of wine tonight. But Nova, you've got to get out there. The crowd is going wild and they want you. Just listen."

  We all quieted down and I put all my focus on hearing the noise from the other side of the curtain. It took me a minute, but the chant finally came through.

  Nova. Nova. Nova. Nova. Nova.

  Tears immediately welled in my eyes, and I fought to keep them back.

  Trina sprang forward and gently pressed tissues to the corners. "Don't you dare. You can't ruin your makeup now. You are about to be photographed by every major news outlet and splashed across every internet site you can think of."

  She was right. I tipped my head back and blinked several times, taking those deep breaths she had recommended. After a few seconds, the burning at my tear ducts dissipated and I faced forward once again. "What about my hair? Is that still okay?"

  "Nova. You could go out there bawling your eyes out and you would still look gorgeous. Your hair is great, the dress is sublime, so just get out there and do your thing. Shine."

  God, I had the best team. I looked at each one of them as they alternately squeezed my hands and nudged me towards the curtain.

  "Break a leg," Josi called.

  I laughed. I'd always thought it was such a strange tradition to wish someone that, but I also appreciated the superstition behind it. As always, Trina was in perfect harmony with the show. Just as I was about to reach the curtain, it swooshed open, and I emerged directly onto the runway.

  The crowd surged to their feet. Flashbulbs went off, one right after another, as I continued my walk to the end of the stage. At first I could see almost nothing, reminding me what the models went through every time they came out with a new outfit to show off. But after a few minutes, my eyes began to adjust, and I could start to see people as well as the various lights moving around stage to follow my progress. With my smile plastered to my face, I internally counted out the steps as we'd done in rehearsals.

  With little experience at this, Josi had given me the rundown on her tips and tricks. People were shouting, but there was simply too much going on for me to make out their comments or questions. That would all have to wait until the press conference scheduled for tomorrow.

  I recognized many of the faces as press I had either dealt with or worked with in the past, but the first truly familiar face was that of—Ronin.

  He had a great seat right up front and not too far away from the press. Not the seat I had arranged for him. He'd have paid handsomely to upgrade. He smiled at me, and I got the impression of a predatory wolf who gave no fucks about anyone but himself, which seemed fitting.

  Shithead.

  It took a lot of self-control not to flip him the bird or worse for what he'd done and the position he'd put me in. The minute I was off this stage, he and I were going to have a lot of words.

  I turned to face a different direction. I wasn't going to give him any more satisfaction than he was already taking on his own.

  Nina and Zia were there, as were their respective men, Gabe and Vincent. They were wildly clapping and shouting at me, and Zia gave me a thumbs up. It thrilled me to see them so happy, but I knew for Gabe, this moment wasn't the celebration he'd been expecting.

  I owed him and Nina so much for taking such an expensive gamble on me and my designs, and this mess I had brought to their door was not how I wanted to repay them. My only hope seemed to be in Homeland Security not finding anything worth a further investigation. I had to fight the urge not to cover the diamonds. I had not been thinking about parading them in front of everyone and God when I'd gotten the brilliant idea to glue them to my dress.

  The smiles from my friends, however, reminded me that this might be my only chance to enjoy the fact my designs were being applauded by the entire room. Compartmentalizing my fear of being caught, Ronin's motives, and what else my father might have in store for me, I smiled back at them and waved.

  I had to have faith that Rock and his family were at my back, like they’d promised.

  Did enjoying this moment make me some kind of sociopath?

  I hoped not because I'd paid in blood, sweat, and tears to get to this moment and I wasn't giving it up. Fuck Ronin, and fuck those diamonds.

  As I continued to the end of the runway, I paused and turned left and right, making sure that the photographers could catch my dress at every angle. While designed for me, it was one of my favorites from the collection and we would release it to the public in the coming months if there was enough interest.

  About to turn around and head back to the main stage, I caught the eye of someone even more familiar. And my blood went absolutely frigid. The look my father gave me was cold and hateful enough to turn anyone into stone.

  I still couldn't believe this was how he'd chosen to get my attention. Thus far, no one had figured out who I really was, and I desperately wanted to keep it that way. And not for the first time, I was grateful I'd taken the time to legally change my name.

  So what the hell was he hoping to accomplish with this stunt? He didn't smile when I caught his gaze with mine, and my own pasted-on smile nearly faltered. The last time I'd seen him had not gone well, and he looked no happier to see me now. Ice cold fear prickled my skin like a thousand tiny needles poking me at once. All of Rock's warnings rushed through my brain. If he was right, and my father knew about the diamonds….

  My stomach pitched and for a minute I thought I was going to throw up right here on the runway, when I realized I'd missed my cue to turn around. All I had to do was raise my hand to the crowd once more and wave, walk backstage, and this would all be over.

  As the event had progressed, more and more security had ar
rived backstage, and I could only assume that had been Rock's doing. They were waiting for me just fifty yards away.

  A few more dozen flashes, I dropped my arm, and walked back to the curtain. It opened when I approached, and I caught sight of one more face from the corner of my eye. Rock.

  I almost tripped. Dammit. The myriad of events converging at once made it nearly impossible to focus. This whole darn mess was out of control. All I really wanted to do was smack the smirk from Ronin's face, tell my father and his stupid goon to go fuck themselves, and then let Rock know how I really felt about him and hope like hell that after what he'd overheard, things were not ruined between us. I wanted him always. Overprotective alpha male nonsense included.

  First though, I had to face the impossible and talk to my father.

  He would take the diamonds and then Rock would swoop in and arrest him. Having blood diamonds in his possession pretty much guaranteed a lifetime prison sentence. Consorting with terrorists was a no joke offense according to Rock. I still wasn't convinced prison would be enough to put a stop to him. Anthony Cullotta had a lifetime of experience slithering out of difficult and impossible situations. However, for Rock's sake, I had to try.

  I wish I'd thought of that when we'd been together instead of staying focused on how much he'd hurt me. That was the problem in a nutshell, though wasn't it?

  A couple of seconds later, the curtain closed behind me and everyone backstage rushed me. Flowers and champagne were handed around as we were all inundated by well-wishers and many congratulations. My heart swelled, but my head ached. I was also having trouble catching my breath.

  "Oh my God, Nova. That was amazing." Despite everything, it was hard not to be infected by Trina's excitement. She was right. Against all odds and an enormous amount of roadblocks, we'd done it.

  "I could not have done it without you."