by Banks, R. R.
“Good afternoon,” she says. “I'm Janice, the spa concierge, and I'm here to escort Ms. Weathers down for her appointment.”
Katie looks at me, arching her eyebrow. I give her a smile in return and pull her to me, circling my arms around her waist.
“Go,” I say. “Be pampered. Enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
“This is unbelievable, Aidan,” she says. “This is like something straight out of a movie.”
“That makes you my leading lady, then,” I reply. “Go be treated like one.”
“What are you going to do?”
I shrug. “Don't worry about me. You just worry about having a good time and relaxing.”
“I don't know what I've done to deserve all of this,” she says. “To deserve – you. Or this baby.”
There's an inscrutable look on her face, and a tidal wave of emotion behind her eyes. She's trying to hold it all in, but I can see it nonetheless. I place a soft kiss on her forehead.
“Have fun, Katie,” I say. “Enjoy yourself and relax.”
She gives me a smile, that expression still on her face, then finally turns and walks out. I watch her walking away with the spa concierge, talking excitedly to her as they step into the elevator, disappearing from my view.
* * *
“How in the hell did you know we were staying here?” I ask as I join Adam at the bar in the hotel lounge.
He gives me a lopsided smile. “Because I'm very good at my job.”
“Clearly,” I say and chuckle.
The lounge is dimly lit and tastefully appointed – as you'd expect in a high-class place like the Whitley. Soft jazz music plays, lending a hushed atmosphere to the place. It's only half-full and there’s no one at the bar except the two of us, so we have a little bit of privacy.
“How is it you Anderson boys always seem to find yourselves with the most beautiful women?”
I laugh. “Luck of the Irish, I assume.”
The bartender drops off my whiskey and a fresh beer for Adam. We drink in silence for a minute or two before he turns to me.
“I sent the entire dossier I've compiled to you,” he says. “But, let me just give you the quick and dirty details – Victor is a bad guy. Nasty guy.”
“Yeah, I gathered that,” I say. “Hit me with the highlights.”
He nods. “Well, he was an All-State safety in high school,” he says. “Big-time recruit. Ended up with a full ride, but blew out his knee. Scholarship disappeared, and he ended up in Atlanta.”
“Bitter and pissed off,” I say.
Adam takes another sip of his drink and nods. “Yeah, just a bit,” he says. “Has a jacket. A few assault charges. Vandalism. Nothing too major. Now, he runs with a group of bikers – the Steel Cobras. Though, from what I've gathered, he's more of a fringe guy.”
“Sounds like a fun crowd.”
“Oh, it gets better. A lot of those guys have jackets for heavier stuff – including murder,” he says. “Tough crowd. The Cobras are also known drug and gun runners. Apparently, they haven't been nailed for it yet, but the locals and the feds also think they're involved in human trafficking.”
“Oh, that's just wonderful.”
I motion to the bartender to bring a fresh round. He comes over a moment later and drops off two new drinks, taking away the empties, and disappearing without a word. That's one of the many good things about somewhere like the Whitley – the employees are discreet.
“I'm telling you this because these aren't guys you want to get on the wrong side of,” Adam says.
I sigh, rubbing my temples. “May not have a choice.”
“Then you better have a plan,” he says.
I take a sip of my drink, and look around the lounge, letting my mind work over the problem in front of me. That's when something occurs to me. And as I turn it over in my head and think over the timing of everything, I start to see the bigger picture in play – and it’s fucking chilling.
“You said Victor hasn’t made it with the Cobras yet,” I say.
He nods. “That's what I picked up, yeah.”
“What does it take to do that?”
“Usually killing a rival or something equally as awful.”
“What if Victor's job is to kidnap Katie and turn her over to the Cobras,” I say. “Then they sell her… or something equally heinous.”
A sour expression touches Adam's lips. “There's a comforting thought.”
“Can you verify it?”
He shrugs. “I'll poke around, but that's going to be tough to confirm,” he admits. “It's not like I can interview them about it directly.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say.
“I'll see what I can do though,” he replies.
“I appreciate it.”
“That's what you're paying me for,” he says and grins.
The more I think about it, the more I think I'm right. He's not going to try to kill Katie – there would be no profit, or anything in it for him if she were just dead. If I'm right – and I'm ninety-nine percent sure that I am – that works in my favor. If that is Victor's way of making it big with the Cobras, that means it's something he has to do on his own. He's not going to get any backing from the gang he's trying to prove himself to.
At least, I'm pretty sure he won't.
“Have you heard him talking about Katie?” I ask.
Adam nods. “Yeah,” he says. “A little bit. It's clear he's pissed and wants to get back at her for not just leaving him, but for making him look like a chump in front of his club. I haven't found any specific plans yet though. But, he's definitely carrying a torch for her.”
“You think he's going to take a run at her?”
“Based on my experience?” Adam asks. “Oh yeah. He's carrying so much hate for her, it's eating him up. In my mind, it's not a question of if, it's a question of when.”
I let out a long breath and swallow down half of my drink. I've been hoping that Victor is just blowing smoke or is playing games with her – like she wants to believe. I never entirely bought it, but I was being optimistic about it.
Clearly, I was wrong and should have stuck with my cynical point of view from the start.
“Wonderful,” I say. “Does he know she’s pregnant?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything about it, but that doesn’t mean anything. I'm going to stay down here a little while longer,” Adam says. “Dig up whatever else I can and keep you updated.”
“I appreciate that, Adam.”
He gives me a tight smile. “If I were you, I'd prepare for the worst,” he says. “Sooner, rather than later. I'll do what I can on this end to help take the fangs out of the Cobras.”
I tap my glass against his. “Thank you, Adam,” I say. “My brothers were right about you.”
He gives me that lopsided grin again. “Of course, they were,” he says. “Did you actually have doubts?”
Katie
“Can we take the blindfold off yet?” I ask.
“Almost,” he says. “We're almost there.”
“You know, I'm beginning to think blindfolds are a fetish of yours.”
He chuckles softly. “Maybe they are,” he whispers in my ear.
We walk for another couple of minutes, slowly and haltingly. I'm not a big fan of walking around blindfolded, and even though I'm pretty positive he'd never walk me into a pole or a ditch, it's natural for me to be cautious.
“Okay, stop,” he says.
With a flourish, he whips off the blindfold and I find myself standing in front of the Georgia Aquarium. It's one of the largest, and best aquariums in the United States. Maybe even the world. Their exhibits, as well as the educational presentations, rival those of aquariums anywhere. It's a place I've always wanted to see and explore but never had the chance to.
I turn to Aidan and can't contain my excitement. I'm practically bouncing up and down, squealing with glee, as my heart races. I feel like a kid at Christmas, standing in front of
a tree filled with presents all marked for me.
“Oh my god!” I exclaim. “This is amazing. How did you know I've always wanted to visit?”
“What aspiring marine biologist wouldn't want to tour the premier aquarium in the States?” he says, his face beaming with delight. “Frankly, I'm surprised to hear you say this is your first time here.”
His words hit me like a kick in the gut, and I feel somewhat deflated. “Well, to be honest, I did come once,” I say. “But Victor was bored with it, and we left even though we were here for less than half an hour.”
The memory still angers me. He knew how badly I wanted to come. How badly I wanted to talk to the marine biologists on staff and pick their brains a little bit. But, he pouted and then grew angry when I begged him to stay. He said he just wasn't into it and that I should come back on my own time. Yeah, like he ever let me have my own time.
Sensing the downturn in my mood, Aidan puts his fingers under my chin and lifts my head up. He fixes his beautiful eyes on mine and smiles.
“Well, it's a good thing we have all day, then,” he says. “We can explore to our heart's content. And I’m not leaving until you're satisfied.”
That brings a smile back to my face and returns the lightness to my heart. Once again, I’m overwhelmed by the kindness and thoughtfulness of this man. I can't even put into words how it makes me feel to be so loved. I plant a soft kiss on his lips.
“Thank you, Aidan,” I say. “I can't even begin to tell you what this means to me.”
“You're welcome,” he replies. “I just want to make sure you’ll be okay walking around all day.”
“I'll be fine. Trust me, I'll be perfectly fine.”
One thing I hate about being this pregnant is feeling like an invalid. I need Aidan's help to get around sometimes, and even then, it's not always that easy. But, for something like this, something I've wanted to do for – I don't even know how long – I'll find a way to manage.
“Well, if you get tired, they have wheelchairs –”
I shoot him the finger. “Screw you,” I say and laugh.
He chuckles. “I’m being serious. I’m not trying to insult you,” he says. “I know what this place means to you, and I don't want you to have to cut it short because you're tired. I'm more than happy to push you around in a chair if you want. After all, I'm partly to blame for your condition.”
“Damn right you are,” I say and blow him a kiss.
I turn and look around, realizing for the first time that we're alone. There is literally nobody around. My heart sinks a little bit as the realization hits me.
“Damn,” I say. “I think it’s closed today. There’s nobody here but us.”
Aidan chuckles. “There better not be,” he says. “I didn't rent the place out for anyone but you.”
I look at him and feel my eyes grow wide as my mouth falls open. Surely, I couldn't have heard him right. I must have misunderstood. Seeing the look on my face only makes him smile wider. Makes him laugh.
“Yeah,” he says. “We have the run of the place today. Just us.”
I shake my head. “Aidan, this must have cost a fortune…”
“That's not for you to worry about,” he says. “This is my gift to you.”
My eyes sting as they well with tears. I shake my head, not knowing what to say. How do you thank somebody for a gift like this?
“W – why would you do that?” is all I can think to ask.
“Because I want you to be happy, Katie,” he says. “I want you to enjoy every minute of your life. And because I wanted you to get a chance to see everything you want to without battling the crowds to do it. I want you to talk to the other marine biologists here, and find your passion again.”
I give him a small smile. “Having a passion for it is one thing,” I say, a tinge of sadness in my voice. “Having the means to pursue it is something else.”
“Well, one step at a time, right?” he asks.
I look at the front doors to the aquarium and then back at him, feeling a nervous fluttering in both my chest and stomach. I haven't felt this excited in so long, I almost forgot what it felt like.
“So, we really have this whole place to ourselves?”
He nods. “We do.”
“All day?”
“All day.”
“Oh my god. This is amazing!”
I grab him by the hand and make him run – well, briskly waddle – to the doors with me. I can't wait to get inside and see everything. At first, it's a little eerie being all by ourselves. Our voices echo around the cavernous place, and it almost feels like we're the last two people on Earth. The staff is there, of course. All of them are smiling and polite – most of the looking a little relieved to not have to deal with the hordes of people who descend upon this place every day.
We walk through all the various exhibits, and I soak it all in, absorbing everything, talking to some of the exhibit attendants, learning even more. Snippets of things I learned in school and on my own flash through my mind and I can't seem to stop talking about it. I tell Aidan the most obscure, useless factoids about this fish, or that habitat – literally every stray nugget of information that passes through my head at any given moment.
And through it all, Aidan never complains. He listens attentively, never looking bored or uninterested. It's so refreshing to be with someone who understands the passion I have for these animals and this subject. A man who encourages that fire to grow instead of trying to snuff it out.
He is doting, caring, and attentive to my every need and desire, and I know it's not just because I'm pregnant. It's because Aidan cares about me. Even if I wasn’t bloated and pregnant, I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Aidan would still be just as attentive to me. And I love that about him.
“Mr. Anderson?”
We turn and find a short woman with a bob of blonde hair shot through with gray, wearing a suit, standing there smiling at us. Aidan looks at her and smiles.
“Martha,” he says. “Nice to see you.”
She smiles. “Very nice to see you as well,” she says. “Are you two enjoying your day so far?”
Aidan glances over at me and nods. “I think so,” he says.
“Definitely so,” I quickly interject. “This is beyond amazing.”
“Thank you again for letting us do this,” he says.
“Of course,” she replies. “And believe me when I say, the Aquarium truly appreciates your generous endowment.”
“Think nothing of it,” he says and then looks at me with a sparkle in his eye that melts my heart. “I'm gaining a new appreciation for what it is you do here.”
“I'm so very pleased to hear that,” she says. “It wouldn't be possible without wonderful patrons like yourselves.”
I'm again struck by the thought of how much it must have cost him to rent the entire place out. How much did he plunk down to give us run of the place? I imagine Martha here is one of the Aquarium bigwigs, so to have her come out to deliver a personal thank you tells me that it must have been a pretty penny. Quite a few of them, in fact. But, Aidan did it – for me – without batting an eye.
“I was wondering if the two of you were ready for the next phase of your tour?”
I look over at him curiously. “Next phase?”
His smile is so wide, I'm almost afraid his face is going to freeze like that. “Next phase,” he says and then turns back to Martha. “Yes, if you're ready for us, thank you.”
“Absolutely,” she says.
We follow her through one of the halls, and she leads us to a sealed door. Martha swipes her keycard across a pad and an electric chirp rings out as the lights on the pad glow green. The door slides open, and Martha ushers us through.
We find ourselves in the back area of the Aquarium, and I can tell this is more than just a “go touch the dolphins, behind the scenes” experience. Those are very tightly controlled and come off feeling a little artificial and staged. What Aidan set up for us is a
true look at the actual functioning of the Aquarium. A tour with the people who actually work to care for these animals. The people who do the very things I've always wanted to do.
I put my hands over my mouth as my heart feels like it's spinning out of control, and I'm overcome by a powerful wave of emotion. Aidan puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me tight against him. I lean my head on his shoulder and try to take in the moment.
Martha turns to us, a smile on her face. “You're welcome to go wherever you'd like, and look at everything,” she says. “I just ask that you be very careful, and to not touch anything unless you're under the direct supervision of one of our staff.”
“Of course,” Aidan says.
“Thank you, Martha,” I say, unable to peel the smile off my face.
Martha smiles and gives us a nod. “Well, I'll leave you to it then,” she says. “Enjoy yourselves.”
I watch her walk off and then turn to him. “How in the hell did you pull this off?” I ask.
He shrugs but flashes me an enigmatic little smile. “I'm a man with connections.”
“Clearly,” I say.
Hand-in-hand, we walk through the back areas of the Aquarium, taking it all in. I can barely keep my excitement and awe in check. Especially when we come to the enclosure that houses a huge variety of fish, as well as several whale sharks. The entire scene is breathtaking to me, and I stop and admire it for several minutes. Aidan stands with me, holding my hand, as we stare at it in silence.
“I don't know how to ever thank you for all of this,” I say, my voice barely more than a whisper. “This is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced in my life.”
He plants a soft kiss on the top of my head. “Then we clearly need to give you more experiences.”
We spend the next several hours talking with some of the trainers and marine biologists, and by the end of the day, I feel like I've learned more than I did in three semesters at college. We take one more lap around the place so I can revisit some of my favorite exhibits and are standing before the manatee tank when Martha approaches us again.
