by T N Lowe
“No problem. Keep my sister safe and call if you need anything,” Liam orders before leaving and heading into the hallway, closing the door behind him.
Rylie’s apartment has a semi open floor plan with dining and living rooms forming one large room, A half wall separates the kitchen from the entertaining area preventing me from seeing Rylie. She painted the walls throughout the apartment a soft suede brown color allowing the family photos hanging in the living room to take center stage. A large black leather sectional sofa fills the living room and opposite the sofa is a large glass dining table with black legs and chairs fills the dining room. Leading me to believe, my girl likes to entertain.
Wandering into the kitchen, I find Rylie standing in front of the stove swaying her hips and singing along with the song. Coming up behind her, I place a gentle kiss on her neck, “If this is what I have to look forward to, I may never leave.”
Rylie laughs, “Now you know my evil plan.” Turning in my arms, she presses her lips, sweetly, to mine. Pulling away too quickly, she asks, “Can you pull down two plates from the cupboard behind you?”
Setting the plates on the counter Rylie spoons rice and chicken stir-fry onto the plates, then pulls a bottle of white wine from the fridge. Reaching into the cupboard next to the fridge, she removes two wine glasses. “Bring the plates and follow me,” she commands, turning the music off with her phone.
I fall in behind her as she carries the glasses and wine bottle, leading me into a small dining room. After setting the plates on the table, I take the bottle of wine from Rylie, open it and pour a healthy amount into each glass. Sitting across from her, I ask, “How are you doing with all this?”
“It’s overwhelming. I guess I hoped everything would go back to normal after we returned from Mexico. My dad suggested that I see a therapist. They’ve been helping work through the kidnapping and meeting my bastard of a father. But I can’t tell them about the mole and The Family. It feels like we’re on the verge of ruin.”
“I’m glad you’re talking to someone. But you know, what you can’t tell your therapist, you can always talk to me about,” I offer.
“Thank you, Tomas, for everything,” Rylie chirps sweetly.
At our first meeting, I thought Rylie was another rich, spoiled brat. But as I have spent more time with her, I’ve learned she is anything but. Rylie works hard for what she wants; she could have ridden her Dad and brother’s coattails and attended Harvard Law like they had, but instead, she wanted to make it on her own and went to Georgetown, with the added benefit of staying close to her parents and brothers. Rylie is also fiercely loyal. In Mexico, she was more worried about getting Shauna away from her father-in-law than her own safety. And she loves her family with everything she has. In short, Rylie Love is my dream girl. “What I told your brothers is true, I care for you. I know it’s crazy because we just met a few weeks ago, but I want you in my life.”
“I feel the same way. I thought it was hero worship, but the more time I spend with you….well, I know it’s more….it’s real.”
Taking her hand in mine, I bring it to my lips and kiss her knuckles softly. I keep holding Rylie’s hand as we eat in silence; not knowing what to say after declaring my feelings. Done eating dinner, I help Rylie load the dishwasher. After putting soap in the machine and starting it, she asks, “Want to watch a movie?”
“Sure, but would you mind showing me to my room so I can unpack first?”
“Okay.”
I pick up my bag from by the front door and follow Rylie through the living room and down the hall to the second door on the left. She opens it, and I look around, the walls are the same suede color in the rest of the apartment. The room is large with only a king size white platform bed (similar to what you would find at IKEA), matching bedside tables flanking the bed, and a thirty-inch TV mounted to the wall opposite the bed. Looking closer the right bedside table is overflowing with romance novels. “Is this your room?” I ask a little confused.
“Yes,” she answers demurely as a slight hint of pink colors her cheeks.
“Is this a one-bedroom apartment? ‘Cause I can sleep on the couch,” I offer still confused.
“No,” she answers softly. “I have three bedrooms.”
Then it dawns on me; “You want me to sleep in your room, with you?”
“Yes,” Rylie whispers, her cheeks, turning a bright red.
“Mariposa,” I whisper, setting my bag down and taking her cheeks in my hands. “I would like nothing better than to sleep in your bed with you, but are you sure? I have no problems sleeping in the guest room or on the couch.”
“No, I want you to,” she blushes. “Sorry, I’m typically not so forward,” Rylie confesses to the floor.
Wrapping her in my arms, “Never be sorry for asking for what you want from me.” Crushing our lips together, I move us to the bed, laying Rylie in the middle. Breaking the kiss, I pull Rylie’s t-shirt off; bring my lips to her neck. I kiss my way to her breasts. She moans as I suck her right nipple into my mouth as I undo the button on her jeans. “Rylie, are you sure?”
“More than anything,” Rylie answers, pulling my shirt off and tossing it with hers on the floor.
Pulling away I push my jeans and boxers down, kicking them away then pull off Rylie’s jeans and panties. “Condom?”
“Top drawer of the nightstand,” Rylie replies.
Rolling the condom on deftly, I crawl up Rylie’s body and enter her in one thrust.
Cradling Rylie to my chest, I kiss the top of her head, “Do you work tomorrow?”
Rylie kisses my chest, “Yeah. I have to help Liam with the case and hopefully discover the mole’s identity. Are you working tomorrow?”
“No. I actually took some time off to decompress from my time undercover,” which is both the truth and a lie. I took time off to be at her beck and call, to keep her safe, and to decompress.
Looking up to me, she asks, “What are you going to do while I’m at work?”
I shrug, “Whatever you want or need me to do.”
“You’re going to spend your time from work doing whatever I need you to? Don’t you have friends or family you would rather spend time with?”
“No. I don’t have many friends here and all my family lives in Puerto Rico.”
“When was the last time you went home to see your family?” Rylie asks, pressing a kiss to my chest.
“Six months before I went undercover in Mexico.”
Rylie sits ups on the elbows, “You haven’t seen your parents in a year and a half? I would never be able to go that long without seeing my family.”
“I’m not close to my family as you are.”
“That’s a shame,” Rylie yawns.
Kissing her nose, “Sleep, we’ll talk more tomorrow.”
Rylie’s alarm goes off for the third time before she rolls from the bed and shuffles into the bathroom. Pulling on my jeans from yesterday, I walk down the hall to the kitchen and make coffee. Raiding the fridge I find bacon and eggs. Searching through the cupboards, I locate two frying pans and begin to cook the bacon and scramble five eggs.
“Smells amazing,” Rylie says, wrapping her arms around my waist. “And if you keep doing this, I will be forced to keep you. Most mornings, my breakfast consists of coffee.”
“Maybe that’s my evil plan,” I repeat her words from last night with a big smile. “Go sit down; I’ll bring it to you when it’s done.”
After plating the eggs and bacon, I join Rylie in the dining room. “You look stunning,” I compliment her. Today she is dressed in her hip-hugging gray pencil skirt and a baby pink blouse with nude pumps. Her long black hair is pulled into a high bun.
“Thank you,” Rylie says, taking a bite of her bacon.
“After breakfast, I’ll shower then drive you to work,” I say taking a bite of my eggs.
“You don’t…..,” Rylie begins to protest but stops when she sees the look on my face. “Fine, you can drive me to work, but I’ll
have Liam bring me home.”
“No. I will pick you up and bring you home.”
“There’s no way I’m winning this argument, is there?” Rylie resigns, taking a bite of her breakfast.
“Nope.”
Chapter Twenty-One - Erin
As we pull through the gates of the Love Estate, Jackson stops singing with the radio and asks, “This is where we are living?”
Landon chuckles, “We are staying here for a week, maybe two.”
“It looks like a fairy tale house from the books Mommy reads to me.”
“It does,” Landon agrees.
During one of Patrick and Lena’s visits to Colorado, Patrick told me he wanted to make every one of Lena’s dreams come true that is why he bought her a fairytale cottage. On the outside it is the real life version of a fairytale house complete with a river rock exterior and ivy climbing lattice structures on the side of the house. The shingles on the roof even have a thatched appearance. The only thing it is missing is a waterwheel and stream.
Exiting the car and helping Jackson from his car seat, Patrick opens the front door and makes a beeline for me. “Thank God you’re finally here. I’m leaving for the airport now. I should be back in a couple of days. I’ll check in twice a day. But if you need anything or if anything happens, call me.”
“Have a safe trip. We will keep them safe,” I reassure him, kissing his mocha cheek.
“Billy is inside if you need anything.”
“Thank you. We’ll be spending most of our time at the house, but if we need to go anywhere, Landon and Cain will stay here to watch Lena and Andrew.”
“We’ll take care of them,” Landon repeats, joining our conversation, our bags in hand.
Patrick moves to his car and we move to the front door where Lena greets us. “Thank you for coming. You really didn’t have to. Patrick is so overprotective.”
“It’s not a bother, and Jackson loves your house,” I reply, setting him on his feet to hug Lena.
“It’s a princess house,” Jackson chimes, wrapping his little arms around my leg. “Are you a princess?”
Lena giggles, “A princess of sorts.” Turning back to me, she asks, “Are Fi-Fi and Cain here too?”
I shake my head, “Not yet. They should be here shortly. Alice and Laney didn’t want to leave Brianna’s house.”
“The joys of being a parent. Andrew does the same thing when we leave my dad’s house. Now let me show you to your rooms so you get settled.”
Lena escorts us through the mansion to our room. The inside of the mansion matches the outside with soft arches and elegant crown molding. The furnishings and decorations are the perfect match of old world and modern. Opening a set of double doors Lena leads us into a large master suite decorated in soft blues and yellows, making it feel warm and inviting. Opening another door, she explains, “This is Jackson’s room and the master bath is through that door,” pointing to a door across the room.
“Thank you, Lena; this is perfect,” Landon tells her.
“If you need anything, let me know,” Lena says before leaving us to put our things away.
After Cain, Fi-Fi, and the kids arrive and settle into their own suite down the hall from ours Lena shows us to the den. The couches have been pushed to one side of the room and a wooden dining table with chairs now fills the space Kegan is sitting at the head of the table with his laptop in front of him pounding away at the keys. “Thank you for this Lena. We appreciate it,” Cain approves, looking around the room.
“It was no problem. Patrick and I appreciate everyone’s help. If you need anything, please let Laura, our housekeeper, know,” Lena assures us as Andrew starts to cry in the other room.
“Where do you want to start?” Kegan asks, sitting down and set his laptop on the table.
“Rylie sent me the list of names involved in the lawsuit. Why don’t Fi-Fi and I look into them while you and Cain look at the man responsible for writing the algorithm,” I offer.
“Remember to use a proxy server so no one can track our IP address,” Kegan instructs everyone.
“For those of us who don’t speak geek, what is a proxy server,” Fi-Fi asks, and Cain rolls his eyes.
“It’s like a gateway between your computer and the internet. You enter the proxy server site into the Internet. From there, you can search the Internet for what you’re looking for without being traced. If someone is tracking your IP address, it will lead them to the proxy server and not to you,” Kegan explains.
“Is there one specific one we should use?” I ask.
Kegan shrugs then looks at Cain, “I like Hidester, but there are several sites,” Cain answers.
Two hours later Lena comes into the study, “Tomas Ramirez is here. Is it okay to let him in?”
“Of course,” Fi-FI answers.
“Okay. Laura, please let Mr. Ramirez in and escort him into the study,” Lena directs into the intercom.
Moments later, Laura escorts Tomas into the study. “Tomas, it’s nice to see you again and thank you for your help,” Lena drawls, shaking his hand.
“It’s my pleasure,” Tomas replies. “I took Rylie to work and came by to possibly help with the investigation.”
“The more, the merrier. Have a seat,” I answer and Cain grabs another laptop and sets it next to mine. “You can help Fi-Fi and me look into the people involved in the lawsuit.”
“Any way I can help,” Tomas offers.
Giving Tomas a few names from the list Rylie sent me, Cain announces, “I think I found something.”
“What,” everyone gasps together.
“Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is I found the programmer who wrote the algorithm. His name was Miles Blue. The bad news is that he was murdered three weeks ago in what the police ruled as a mugging gone wrong.”
“How in the hell does that help?” Kegan asks.
“Well, I dug further into Mr. Blue and found that he was an outspoken member of The Curtain.”
“What is The Curtain?” Tomas asks.
“They are a bandwagon group. Jumping from one cause to the next. But a couple of years ago, they became a terrorist group demanding changes in the government.” I explain.
“Doesn’t sound that bad. And other groups have had the same idea,” Tomas states.
“True. But The Curtain is willing to go to extremes to be heard; like car bombings and sending threats to Congressmen and Senators,” Fi-Fi adds.
“It sounds like they took some lessons from the IRA,” Kegan voices.
“There are a few similarities between the two groups. The FBI has them labeled as a domestic terrorist group,” I explain.
“Either Miles discovered The Family on his own or, the more likely scenario is, someone told him. He must have developed the algorithm to locate the members and show the world the truth,” Cain explains.
“The real question might be, who could have told Miles Blue about The Family?” I ask.
“Erin, Patrick would like to speak to you,” Lena says, handing me the cordless house phone.
“How’s it going in Philly?” I ask.
“Better than expected. Maks located the people who helped his father,” Patrick answers.
“Wow, that was fast!”
“Maks believes in swift justice, especially where Shauna is involved. Let’s say everyone in the Vory will think twice before betraying the brotherhood.”
“Will you be home soon?”
“Not yet, Maks is building a security team. Hopefully, I’ll be home in a few days. Have you made any progress on locating our mole?”
“Cain and Kegan discovered the author of the algorithm, Miles Blue.”
The line goes silent as Patrick processes the information, “I’ve never heard of him.”
“Me either. But we’ve dug deeper and found that he was an outspoken member of The Curtain.”
“Great,” Patrick groans. “This keeps getting better and better. And what do you mean was a member, d
id he grow a brain and quit?”
“No. He was murdered three weeks ago in a supposed mugging gone wrong. I called the local police to get a copy of the report.”
“Fuck,” Patrick bellows. “Do you know where he got his information from?”
“We were able to get some information from his social media sites….oh, and get this. He was an admirer of Bane Davis.”
“Bane Davis, as in your ex-” Patrick asks.
“The one and only.”
“Better and better,” Patrick mumbles. “Find anything else?”
“No. But Kegan and Cain are writing a program to help locate all his associates.”
“Let me know if you find anything.”
“Will do.”
“How is Lena doing? She keeps telling me she’s fine, but something in her voice tells me she is not so fine.”
“She is stressed. You are out of town, someone is threatening her family and their way of life, she has extra people in her house, and she is pregnant to top it off.”
“Well, when you put it that way……,” Patrick chuckles.
“Don’t worry; we are taking good care of her and Andrew.”
“Thank you. I wanted to let you know Li Wei and Jai will be arriving tomorrow. They’ll spend the day with Hui, Liam, and the boys, then meet with us the following day.”
“I’ll check in with them after they land.”
“Good. How are Tomas and Rylie doing?”
“Tomas is handling her.”
Patrick chuckles, “I don’t envy him. My sister is the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.”
“You’re right. Is there anything else you need me to do?”
“No, and thank you for everything. See you in a couple of days,” Patrick sighs, but doesn’t end the call.
I listen for a beat, then ask, “Patrick?”
“I thought it was wrong, your mom and dad keeping you and Cain from all this. And then after the way you found out, Branden almost killing you. I never said so, but I’m sorry. It wasn’t right and I should have told you.”
“Patrick,” I try to cut in, but he keeps going.
