“You l-like him?” Cat probed warily. “Don’t tell me you think you’re in love with him, Angela. You don’t even know him.”
“It’s none of your business, Catalina. I may not have known him for long, but I know the kind of man he is. He’s strong, honorable, considerate, smart and very protective.” Looking down at her hands to avoid her friends’ admonishing gazes, she admitted, “He reminds me of Dad.”
When she finally had the courage to look up, she found her two friends staring at her sympathetically. “Okay, honey. We’ll let it go for now,” Cat decided. “But if he hurts you, he will pay, and I plan on telling him that.”
Although she rolled her eyes, Angela was grateful for Cat’s support. She’d need her friends if Chase broke her heart. On the other hand, she really hoped Cat didn’t upset Chase. After all, the last thing she wanted was for him to decide a relationship with her was too much effort. She sighed aloud. Life was getting complicated.
Lost in thought, she missed all of Maddie and Cat’s questions until Maddie poked her. “Hey!” she whined, and they both laughed.
“Breakfast?” Maddie asked.
“Yes,” Angela answered as her stomach rumbled loudly.
“Any idea what they eat?” Maddie pointed to Sean and Chase who were engrossed in conversation near the bay window.
“Food,” Angela replied absently, her eyes lingering on Chase as images of the night before replayed in her mind. Her eyes glazed over until Cat dropped an ice cube down her back.
“Arggg!” she screamed, the cube slipping down her shirt and into the waistband of her pants. She wriggled frantically as rivulets of ice cold water from the melting cube trailed down her backside.
“Babe?” Chase arrived at her side and grasped her waist, holding her still.
“Ice down my back,” she gasped in response to his unasked question.
He shook his head, amused by her antics, before grabbing a small kitchen towel from the counter and patting her back dry as Sean watched in amusement.
“She looked like she needed to cool down,” Cat informed through her gales of laughter.
“Just remember, Cat,” Chase advised warningly. “I protect what is mine.” He held Cat’s gaze, his eyes dark and serious. Cat’s laughter faded at his tone. She swallowed the lump in her throat before nodding her understanding.
With those words, Chase staked his claim, and Angela knew her life would never be the same. When Chase turned his hot gaze on her, an electric current raced through her body. When the silence became unbearable, she brushed her lips across Chase’s before admonishing Cat. “That wasn’t very nice, Catalina Penelope Herrera. Now, what’s for breakfast, people? I’m hungry. Besides, I figured something out last night, and I need everyone’s help.”
Everyone jumped in with questions, but Angela held up her hand in the universal stop signal. “I’m not talking until I have food.”
Chapter 38
Twenty minutes later, they passed platters of eggs and sausage around the large, square oak table, which sat in front of the glass doors to the side patio. Angela took a large bite of her warm cinnamon roll covered with cream cheese frosting before speaking. “Okay, so I was thinking last night.”
“Wow, really?” Cat interrupted, her eyes flashing mischievously. “Is that what they call it nowadays?”
Angela glared. “I’m being serious here, Cat. The way I see it there are three chips and three necklaces.”
“Tell us something we don’t know.” Griffin plunked his elbows on the table and rolled his eyes.
“I would if you’d all stop interrupting!” Angela shouted.
“What are you thinking, Angel?” Chase rubbed a hand up and down her spine. Angela knew he was trying to soothe her, but his touch interfered with her ability to think so she pulled away.
“Dad had the three chips that day. He went to the jewelry store. We know he checked on my pendant, and I assume he bought Maddie and Cat’s the same day. What if he put the chips inside the pendants? They are big enough, aren’t they, Griffin?”
Griffin’s eyebrows shot up at Angela’s question, and he eyed the pendant around her neck.
“Does the heart open?” Chase asked, reaching around Angela’s neck and releasing the clasp.
“I think it must,” she replied, “but I can’t figure out how.”
“Come on,” Griffin objected. “I admit the chips would fit, but what makes you think Mac would hide them there?”
“When I talked to the jeweler, he told me that each piece of jewelry Dad had him make for me had a secret. Hidden engravings, that kind of thing. It would make sense that the pendant had a hidden compartment. Cat’s note said, ‘Peace be with you always in your heart.’ What if Dad meant it literally?”
“It’s a good theory, Angela,” Sean conceded as he leaned back in his chair. Pushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, he smiled grudgingly. “Good work. Any thoughts on how to get the hearts to open?”
She shook her head. “I played with mine for hours early this morning but haven’t figured it out yet. I thought about calling Mr. Jenkins, the jeweler, but ….”
“No!” Chase interrupted. Angela tensed and turned to argue with him, but he grasped her hand and kissed the back of it, defusing her anger. “Sorry, babe, but you’re still wanted for murder, remember? The FBI will be retracing Mac’s steps just like you did, and we just can’t risk contacting Mr. Jenkins right now.” Chase paused and squeezed her hand before gesturing toward Sean, “Luckily for us, Sean is a master puzzle solver.” He held out Angela’s necklace. “Care to take a crack at it?”
“Don’t damage it!” Angela shivered at Chase’s words. It was the last gift her father would ever give her.
“I’ll try not to,” Sean promised as he inspected the pendant. While he examined the piece of jewelry, Maddie and Cat removed theirs as well and began studying them.
“Got a magnifying glass?” Sean requested.
Maddie screwed up her face, thinking hard. “I’m not sure. I’ll see if I can find one.” As she stood, Griffin reached for her necklace and started examining it.
About an hour later, Griffin shouted. “I’ve got it!” He lifted a small magnifying glass from the table and held it over the heart. “See there, along the side? There’s a faint seam. I think there’s supposed to be a pressure switch somewhere which opens the seam. Since we can’t find the switch, I think we should pry it open.”
“Wait!” Angela objected as Griffin placed the pliers near the spot he’d pointed out. “If you pry it open, it’ll probably never close again.” She glanced at Chase for confirmation, and he inclined his head in agreement.
“Hold on!” Sean entered the fray. “Chase, come here.” Chase let go of Angela’s hand and approached his friend quickly.
“Squeeze here.” Sean indicated the bottom of the heart. As Chase applied slight pressure with his thumb and forefinger, Sean twisted the loop at the top of the heart. Seconds later, a slight gap appeared near the seam. Sean used his fingernail to open the heart. “Bingo,” he breathed, as he revealed a small computer chip.
Griffin moved quickly toward the two men, aiming to recapture his work. Angela pocketed the pendant once he dropped it. “Give me that,” Griffin demanded.
“No way in hell,” Sean replied. “You created this whole mess. Put innocent people at risk for your own gain. I can’t wait to see what Zach does to you.” A look of pure devilment crossed his face. “His creative punishments are hell to survive but fun to watch from a distance.”
Griffin paled and collapsed onto the couch. “I didn’t mean any harm,” he whined.
“Sure you didn’t,” Sean sneered. “You broke into the Exchange simply to prove you could do it. You had no financial incentive at all.” When Griffin refused to look him in the eye, he stated in disgust, “I’m too smart to buy your shit, Ocampo. If you want to stay alive, you’ll clean up your act. Chase’s boss doesn’t have any use for losers or users.”
Cha
se and Sean opened the remaining two hearts. As expected, a single chip resided inside each heart. They resealed the hearts and the girls placed them back around their necks. It was as good a place as any to store them right now.
Chapter 39
Chase reclined on the dock watching as Angela, Cat and Maddie frolicked in the man-made cove in front of the cottage. Once Griffin fell asleep on the rustic porch swing, Sean sauntered closer to the water and flopped down next to Chase. “Any regrets?” Sean gestured toward Angela, as she bounced up and down in the water laughing with her friends.
“Being with her? No.” He leaned back. “I’m a little worried about how Zach is going to respond to my relationship with his goddaughter though.”
Sean placed his chin in his hands and leaned on his elbows. “You’ve always been his golden boy. Maybe he’ll be pleased.” He smirked. “Of course, it’s far more likely he’ll kick your ass and send you to Siberia for an extended vacation.”
“Zach once told me Mac wanted her to have a normal life. I’m as far away from normal as you can get.” Chase’s head and heart were at war. His head wanted Zach’s approval of his relationship with Angela. His heart didn’t give a damn.
“For what it’s worth, man, I think you’re doing the right thing. You love her and she loves you, right?” Sean nudged him with his shoulder.
Chase averted his eyes but nodded once.
“Then, you’re gonna have to fight it out with Zach. She’s a grown woman. It’s not like he has any real authority over her.”
“Yeah, but he has authority over me. You just said it. He might send me God only knows where in order to keep me away from her.” Chase’s mouth turned down at that thought. He couldn’t imagine being away from Angela for months at a time. Weeks, maybe he could handle, but months or God forbid years, sounded unbearable. It’s what you do, man. You take the risks people with families cannot. Think of all the people who might have suffered if you hadn’t done your job. Chase listened as his conscience lectured until the devil on his shoulder intervened. Well, maybe it’s time someone else steps forward. You have a right to a life. You should be able to work and have a relationship with Angela as well.
“Tough choice, Romeo. It’s kinda cool though to watch you in love. I never thought it would happen.” Sean grinned broadly. “After all the shit you’ve given me about Emily over the years, it’s high time you struggled a bit yourself.”
“Thanks, Dutch.” Chase scowled at his friend whose eyes twinkled. “Of course, you could be living happily with Emily if you’d just speak up.”
“Right!” Sean snapped back. “What can I offer her? A life lived in fear? Hey, honey, I love you. I know you’ve spent the last few years distancing yourself from your dad so no one would use you against him again, but I want you to give up that life and return to twenty-four hour bodyguards and other protective measures so we can be together.” Sean groaned and rolled over, placing his hands behind his head. “Sounds awful selfish to me.”
“Your life’s not that dangerous anymore,” Chase shot back. “Surely, you could find a middle ground.”
“Where her safety is concerned? Hell, no! She’s better off without me. This way she can find a normal husband, one who works a nine to five job and has no enemies who might take her or their children. She still has nightmares about the kidnapping. I highly doubt they’ll ever go away at this point. That last thing she needs is to return to that kind of life.”
Just as the two men quieted, Angela silently swam toward them. Hoisting her dripping body onto the dock, she stood over Chase and dripped water on his bare torso.
“Babe,” he grumbled, fighting back the smile that threatened to appear.
“Thought you might need to cool off,” she teased, shaking her hair and spraying him lightly with water droplets.
“I’d complain you’re blocking my sun, but I have to admit I’m enjoying the view,” he retorted, smiling up at her.
Plopping down on the dock next to him, she complained, “What sun?”
Chase traced a finger along her nose. “Looks like a storm’s rolling in,” he agreed as the sky darkened and the waves started churning.
Chapter 40
Once they returned to the cottage, Chase and Sean snapped back into work mode, plotting and planning. After showering, Angela learned that Chase had headed back outside. While Sean was helping Maddie with dinner, she slipped out the front door to find him.
After checking the dock, the small cove and the back of the cottage, she sighed and stepped into the wooded area to the east of the cottage. As she wandered deeper into the darkening forest, she could hear the trickle of the small stream. She cast a quick look over her shoulder and realized that she could no longer see the cottage. A branch cracked nearby, and she froze in place. She reached for her gun but her hand met only air. She had left her gun in the nightstand drawer when she changed into her swimsuit. As she turned and prepared to run back in the direction from which she came, a muscular arm came out of nowhere and grabbed her. She kicked and struggled against the powerful forearms holding her in place to no avail. Turning her head, she opened her mouth to bite whatever skin she could reach when a voice whispered, “Stop it.”
She stopped fighting, her body going limp. Chase spun her around and shook her once. “What the hell do you think you are doing?” he demanded in a near shout.
“I-I was looking for you,” she choked out.
“In a dark wooded area with no protection?” he yelled. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“No. I just thought I’d poke my head in and see if I could find you, but I walked further than I thought.” When he continued to glare at her, she continued. “When I realized I couldn’t see the cottage, I was going to turn back but then I heard the branch break. I’m sorry.” She pushed a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “I know. Sometimes, I just don’t think things through. I just wanted to see you. You’ve been outside for a while and I was worried.”
He sighed, pulling her against his chest and tucking her head under his chin. Angela listened to his racing heart for a few seconds before his grip eased. “No harm done,” he conceded, kissing the top of her head, “this time. But don’t do it again. How did you know where I was?”
“I didn’t,” she confessed. “I checked by the lake first and then behind the cottage. I figured this was as good a place as any to try next.”
“I was up in that tree.” He pointed to a huge cedar tree a few yards away.
“Why?” She snuggled into his embrace, slightly chilled by the cooling night air.
Chase rubbed his hands up and down her arms, offering what warmth he could. Gesturing to the binoculars around his neck, he replied, “Thought I’d try to get an aerial view of what was going on.”
She simply nodded, enjoying the sense of peace and security she always felt in his arms.
“We should go back,” he whispered softly as he licked the shell of her ear. Instead of replying, she tilted her head, granting him better access.
“Babe,” he groaned, moving to trail open mouth kisses along her neck. He playfully nipped at her jaw line before twining his hand in her dark curls and turning her head. His mouth descended and his lips devoured hers, licking, tasting, and plundering. Seconds turned to minutes. Angela lost track of time as she savored the feel of Chase’s body against hers while his mouth made love to hers. They were both panting when Chase pulled back and removed his hands from under her shirt. Angela twined her arms around his neck and tried to pull him back toward her, but he stepped away after placing one final kiss on her dark pink, swollen lips.
“Come on, babe. I’ll walk you back.” He laced their fingers together as he led her through the dark thicket of trees.
“I take it we’re not going to finish what we started,” she groused, frowning at the man next to her. “Later,” he assured her, his voice tight with need and his eyes dark with passion and promise.
Chapter 41
Hand in
hand, they strolled back through the woods toward the well-lit cottage. Lightning flashed just as they stepped onto the porch and Angela sat down on the porch swing.
“Babe?” Chase leaned against the railing and motioned toward the door.
“Come on. Live a little,” Angela teased swinging back and forth. “I love watching the storm roll in.”
Chase remained where he was and she rolled her eyes, patting the spot next to her. “Sit and watch with me. It’s perfectly safe. Please.”
Chase glanced over his shoulder at the darkening sky but sat down. “I disagree with your assessment.” His tone was bland but Angela had a feeling he was spoiling for a fight.
“Really? You think the storm’s going to hurt me?’
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