by Deena Patel
I opened my mouth to say something, but at that moment, a crew of ranch hands, at least twenty, greeted us. They were corralling and loading the stallions and foals for auction.
We said our hellos and made our way to the stable. I moved to slide off Misu, but Thomas jumped down from his horse and grabbed me by the waist, slipping me down the front of his body. My nipples peaked on contact.
He held me a few inches above the ground, so we were eye level. “I meant what I said. I’m not going to let you run. I will come after you the second you think about it.”
I rested my hands on top of his shoulder, peering into pools of golden brown. Apprehension and uncertainty gazed back at me. He gave off a self-assured and confident vibe, but inside he was as worried and unsure as I was. He wanted me but didn’t know how to keep me.
“I’m not going to run,” I said. “I’m trying, Thomas. I trust you. I really do. I want our relationship to work. I just have to get used to depending on someone other than myself. I’m going to make mistakes, just don’t give up on me.”
He lowered me to the ground, kissing my forehead.
I slid my hands around his waist and pressed my face into his chest. We stood like that for a few minutes until the sound of footsteps echoed behind us.
We walked hand in hand out of the stall and down the corridor. Thomas brought my fingers to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I know you’re scared, Carm, but you’re not alone. I’m your family now.”
“Thomas,” a voice called from outside the stables. “Thomas. Diego wants…” Sophia stopped talking and gaped at Thomas and me, then her eyes narrowed. “What’s she doing in here?”
I opened my mouth to respond, when Thomas tugged me a little behind him as if shielding me from Sophia. This was his fight, even if I was the target. Until I came to the ranch, I’d never had anyone fight my battles, but now having someone step in to protect me meant the world to me.
“Why wouldn’t she be? She’s my fiancée.”
“It can’t be real. I thought it was only because of the boys.” She shook her head with her hands against her temples. “But she isn’t one of us. She doesn’t belong here.”
“This is her home as much as it’s mine.” Thomas sighed. “Sophia, Lito shouldn’t have led you to believe anything would happen between us. We aren’t right for each other.”
“It’s not true. We’re…” She stopped midsentence, and then anger flashed across her face. She walked around to stand in front of me. “How could you? He isn’t a submissive. You horrible woman. You turned him. There’s a place in hell for someone like you.”
What the hell was that about?
I looked over at Thomas and noticed the deep red welts on the wrist of the hand he was using to hold mine. He’d done that to himself while we’d made love on the plane.
“Sophia, tread carefully,” Thomas warned, his face going cold. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No, I will not keep quiet.” She jerked my hand from Thomas’s. “You will not let her make you into something you’re not. Diego’s right. You don’t belong here. You’re poison.”
She raised her hand to strike me, but Thomas blocked her slap, squeezing her wrist. “Don’t ever try to lay a hand on her again. Do you hear me?” The cold anger in Thomas’s tone told me he was past calm with Sophia. “If you want to remain a welcome guest here, you’d better get your act together.”
She flinched, and tears spilled down her face. Her shoulders slumped, and she turned, running out of the stables.
We both remained still for a few moments, letting the scene that had just played out before us soak in. Thomas again protected me. I didn’t have to say anything. I peeked at him and found him watching me.
“Has it sunk in how much you mean to me? I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Not my family or Sophia, and sure as hell not Christof.”
I winced inside. Thomas mentioning Christof’s name reminded me of what I’d have to face once we returned to New York, but right now, I was safe, here with Thomas. He deserved to know how I felt.
My lips trembled, and I reached up, cupping his face. “Thomas, I l—”
“Mistress Carmen.”
I pulled my hand back and turned toward Elonso as he rushed into the stables and abruptly stopped, taking in my private moment with Thomas.
“I’m so sorry to disturb you, but you have an urgent call from Ms. Erickson. I told her you were out riding, but she insisted she get in touch with you.”
What could Jane want? Why didn’t she call my cell? I searched my jeans for my mobile and realized I’d never picked it up before leaving the bedroom.
Shit. Something important must have happened for Jane to call the ranch.
I glanced at Thomas.
“Go. Take care of business. We’ll talk after your call with Arya and Milla.” He drew me toward him and then whispered in my ear, “If it’s about Christof, I want to know immediately.”
I pulled back, saluted Thomas, and then grinned. “Yes, boss.”
“Smart-ass,” he responded, and turned toward a group of waiting ranch hands. I followed Elonso to the house.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
After a brisk walk, I entered the house to hear happy squeals and laughter coming from the living room. The boys had taken to their tia Isa with excitement. My heart warmed.
Family.
My boys had family.
“Stop hogging the boys. Give me one.”
My skin prickled. That was Diego. With gingerly steps, I tiptoed to peek into the room and saw the boys playing on the floor with Isabella and Diego.
“Come to Lito,” Diego said to Leo, who grabbed his grandfather’s beard and pulled hard. “You are a handful.”
Simon, not wanting to be left out, crawled to Diego and climbed onto his legs.
The joy on Diego’s face brought tears to my eyes.
He played with Simon’s fingers and hugged Leo against him, kissing his chubby neck. “You boys are lucky. You have your papa’s good looks and your mama’s jewel eyes. What more can anyone ask for?”
At that moment, Diego looked up, and surprise flashed on his face. I inclined my head, and he did the same.
He’d accepted the boys.
We still had a lot to work through, but at least where it came to Leo and Simon, he was trying. Maybe one day he’d grow to like me.
I glanced at my watch. Shit. I needed to call Jane back fifteen minutes ago.
I rushed up the stairs to the bedroom. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and dialed Jane’s number.
Jane answered on the first ring. “Carmen, we have a big problem.”
“Well, hello to you, too. What’s going on?”
“Someone tried to break into your penthouse, and four of our satellite offices were burned down.”
A chill went up my spine, and my hand shook.
“What? When did this happen? Was anyone hurt?”
“No, no one was hurt. It happened about two hours ago. The incidences occurred simultaneously. Lex said the arson at the buildings was to distract from the break-in at your apartment.”
I didn’t have anything but basic household items there. What would be the purpose of trying to enter my apartment in the headquarters of the company? They had to have known it wouldn’t be easy to get up there.
“Did they get into the penthouse?”
“They only made it into your private elevator, but it locked down when the fingerprint reader didn’t recognize their fingerprints. The moment the elevator doors closed, the system shut down and alerted security.”
Thank God that Arya and Thomas had installed extra protection measures last year. After all the run-ins with Christof, we couldn’t be too secure.
An overwhelming urge to find Leo and Simon and run came over me. I clamped down the thought, taking deep breaths. I had to think of a plan, but first I needed all the details.
“Jane, I need you to make sure that all the staff for th
e satellite offices are taken care of and get Arya to call her friends at the FBI and INTERPOL.”
“Carmen, you’re taking this a lot calmer than I expected. I’m worried. Do you think we should shut down the headquarters until we resolve this?”
“We can’t afford to fall apart, Jane. You’re stronger than you think. We can’t let whoever did this win.”
Christof was behind this, I had no doubt. No one knew I’d left town. As far as anyone was aware, I was in my penthouse recovering from the flu.
My stomach dropped. That meant the break-in was meant for me.
“Do we have any details on the robbers?”
“The men refused to give any information. But Lex told me security found three vials of sedatives, two with children’s dosages and one for an adult. They were expecting you to be home.”
I swallowed, trying to calm my body, but my mind kept racing.
There was no returning to New York for the boys. It wasn’t safe.
The safest place for them is here, Carmen. There’s more security on this ranch than Fort Knox.
“Does Thomas know?”
“Max and Lex were conferencing with him a few minutes ago.”
“I guess that saves me from telling him,” I muttered to myself.
“I tried to contact you first, but I couldn’t reach you.”
“It’s not your fault.”
It was mine for losing track of time while getting my brains fucked out.
At that moment, Thomas walked into our room. His gaze told me he knew everything.
“Jane, I have to go. Keep me posted on what the investigators say. Make sure you keep your security with you, no matter what.”
“I learned my lesson once. I don’t need another one. Make sure you follow your own advice.”
“I will.” I stared back at Thomas.
I hung up, and before I knew it, I was in Thomas’s arms.
“Do you realize what could have happened if you’d stayed in New York?”
I buried my face in his shirt. “I’m scared. Christof needs me to access the funds and…” A shiver shook my body.
“He can use Leo and Simon to get you to cooperate. He knows you’ll do anything for them.”
The thought of anything happening to my babies paralyzed me. I had to leave. I was the target, and keeping them near me made them one, too.
“Thomas.” I stepped out of his hold. “I can’t stay here anymore. I have to put distance between me and our sons.”
“The hell you’re leaving.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You’ve lost your ever-loving mind if you think I’m going to let you take a step off this property.”
“Thomas. Please try to understand. My being here is endangering everyone.”
“And you leaving here only increases the possibility of our boys growing up without their mother.”
I wanted to argue, but both of our phones beeped with a text from Arya.
Get on the line now. I just discovered something that is bad, really bad. And make sure it’s a secure line.
I looked at Thomas, who was walking to the door.
“Let’s go. We’ll call her from my office.”
I followed Thomas to a series of doors near our bedroom. He slid a panel to the side, pressed his thumb to another panel, and then leaned down for a retinal scan. The door opened with a loud click.
“Nice office.” I shook my head as we stepped into a technology lab that could rival the one Arya had at her estate. “You’re just as bad as Arya with all the gadgets.”
There were rows of computer banks and terminals along one wall. The dark-gray-painted room gave off a bit of a spooky vibe with all the video and surveillance equipment positioned throughout.
“They come in handy.”
I walked over to a computer with a series of programs running. Line after line of code filled the screen. As I read the script, I looked over at Thomas.
“This is the virus Arya planted on Christof’s computer. How has he not detected you on his server?”
“You can read that?” The surprise on his face made me laugh. “I thought you didn’t have an IT background.”
Just because I hadn’t gone into a profession with computers didn’t mean I knew nothing about them. I was proficient enough that Arya had tapped me as tester during the trial phase of Arcane.
“Who do you think proofread the code Arya wrote for the MI6 project?”
“I assumed it was Mil. I know one of your master’s is in computer science, but I thought your focus was architecture.”
I scowled at him. “You assumed wrong. Architects use computers, too. Unlike Mila, I actually enjoy the programing side of things.”
Thomas walked over to me, studying me.
“If I weren’t already in love with you, I’d fall in love right now. My sexy Mistress is a secret computer geek.”
“Funny. Now answer the question.”
“Because this program is proprietary and illegal, and outside of our small circle, no one knows it exists. That’s why I was so mad when I found out Arya attached it to the hacker’s computer.”
“Has it revealed anything?”
“Not the last time I checked. Arya is supposed to contact me if she finds anything from the analytics she’s running.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I guessed with all the activity at my penthouse and facilities, it was better to take Christof news in smaller doses.
I moved to the conference screen and logged onto the conference server. “We should call Arya before she has a heart attack.”
“One thing before we call her.” Thomas cupped the back of my head. “I haven’t forgotten about our conversation from a few moments ago. From this point on, I’m going to be with you every second of the day and night.”
I frowned. “Thomas, despite what happens between us in private, I’m not a submissive. Don’t for one minute think I’m going to let you walk all over me. I won’t take security lightly, but I still have a business to run.”
Before Thomas could argue, the conference screen began to ring. I answered the call and Milla came on screen with Lex, Arya, and Max in the background. She took a seat next to Lex and ran a weary hand over her face.
“Hey, Mil. What’s the emergency?”
“Carm, we’re in a major shit storm over here. Not only are we dealing with the media frenzy around the facility arsons, but word leaked that someone tried to break into your place. And then on top of that we had a security breach on MCD servers.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. That’s what I got for thinking I’d get bad news in small doses. The media was something inevitable when a high-profile company had fires, but the security breach was my main concern.
“When did the breach occur? Jane never mentioned anything about it.”
“We thought it best to kept it to ourselves. The fewer people who know, the better. Arya’s software blocked all access and routed it to the fake server but…” She paused. “You aren’t going to like what I’m about to say.”
“Keep going.”
“Whoever did this knew we’d intercept it. They left a trail in the form of an encrypted video file in the historical files for MCD. Arya’s already contacted the security agencies. It’s bad, Carm.”
I glanced to the side as Thomas rolled two chairs in front of the screen. I took one and he the other.
Arya tinkered on her laptop, then looked up. “I’m putting the file on the screen.”
Christof’s face appeared. Thomas took my hand in his as we waited for the video to start.
“Hello, krasivaya dama. I am sorry to disturb your time away from New York. You can’t know how disappointed I was to learn you weren’t available for the appointment I’d scheduled for you.” A slight smile touched his lips. “I’d never have guessed you for someone who runs when faced with adversity.
“I know Mrs. Dane and Mrs. Duncan are watching this with you. I was surprised to learn that all traces of Ms.
Dane’s financial impropriety over the past decade have been removed. As you can guess, this news has resulted in significant losses for my organization. We can just add that to the list of transgressions that require restitution. But remember, there is always a trail. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have discovered the fund lost over ten years ago.”
What the hell was he talking about? I glanced at Milla, who cringed, and then at Arya, who wouldn’t look in my direction and continued typing on her laptop.
“I wanted to let you know that your lovely faces are always in the back of my mind. I’ve viewed our interaction as a sort of sparring for the past few years, and now it is time to collect. In forty billion ways.
“Ms. Dane, I will contact you with instructions, and remember what I said when we met: do not mistake politeness for weakness. There are five children involved, after all. Do svidaniya, Ms. Dane.”
The video ended, and all I could think about was that if I didn’t get Christof the money, he’d come after Arya, Milla, and me through our children.
We had to protect our babies.
Thomas stood, walked to the back of the room, poured himself a shot of something, drank it deep, and returned. “What would the four of you say about bringing your families here to the ranch?”
Max looked over at the people in the room with him, and they all nodded. “We’ll be there by nightfall.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Around ten in the evening, I made my way up to my bedroom. Arya, Max, Milla, and Lex had arrived by late afternoon, and from the moment they stepped foot in the door, we were making calls and preparing for whatever Christof had planned for us.
Arya had taken over Thomas’s lab while Milla and I handled the daily ArMil and MCD tasks to make it seem as business as usual. With the auction preparations still in full swing, Lex and Max decided to help Thomas finish up so he wasn’t distracted when we met with agents from various agencies who were coming to the ranch in the morning.
I closed the door to my room and walked straight toward the bathroom. A hot shower would help calm the uneasiness in my stomach. Something about this whole thing still didn’t make sense to me. Deep down I was positive Christof was part of the embezzlement, but nothing in any of the financials or hidden accounts Milla and I scoured pointed to anyone with Russian ties. How was Christof able to hide any connection to my father?
