by Lyra Parish
I waited inside with a newspaper at our regular table, with his coffee and a ham and cheese croissant. He passed the window, tapped on it, and I looked up from the classifieds. He came inside and removed his jacket. The green in the tie matched his eyes perfectly.
He leaned over and kissed me on the mouth, then sat.
“You look beautiful, love,” he said. His phone rang and he picked it up immediately.
“Sure. Yes. I’ll be back in ten minutes. Tell her to wait there,” he said.
I lifted my eyebrows and stared at him.
“I’ve got to go. Sorry, Jenn. It’s really important.” He stood and kissed me on the forehead, then left me there with two cups of hot coffee and sandwiches.
“It’s okay.”
“I’ll make it up to you tonight,” he said.
I looked out the window and made eye contact with Abbot.
He shrugged, and I waved for him to come in.
“No use letting it go to waste. Might as well join me,” I said.
He sat down with a side grin and sipped the coffee.
“Oh, it’s still warm. Thanks, Finnley,” Abbot said into the cup. Curiosity got the best of me, and I wanted to know what was so important that he had left our lunch date so quickly?
We finished our croissants, and when we stood, I noticed Finnley’s wool coat on the back of the chair. Abbot saw me staring at it and grabbed it.
“We are stopping by the Elite real quick,” I said.
Abbot lifted an eyebrow at me, almost as if he knew I was up to something, but he didn’t protest. I was sure he liked my antics.
We stepped outside. I looked up and down the sidewalk. Abbot put his arm around me and walked me to the driver’s side. A car zoomed by, almost knocking him off his footing. My nerves went haywire.
“It’s all right. Just some arsehole with no consideration. I’ll drive,” he said. I handed over the keys and walked around to the passenger side. My little V had barely been driven, and she still smelled like a new car. I ran my fingers across the dashboard and admired the embroidery on the seats, then sunk back into its comfort. Abbot knew exactly where we were going, and he drove fast, like he was on the open Autobahn. We arrived in less than five minutes. I got out of the car and grabbed the jacket, and he joined me inside.
I promptly walked to the elevator and pressed Finnley’s floor. Abbot leaned against the wall and watched the arrows. It wasn’t his first time at the Elite office.
Finnley’s secretary greeted me and asked us to have a seat while Finnley was in his meeting. Abbot and I waited at least twenty minutes. I gripped Finnley’s wool jacket so hard that my hand throbbed with pain. After another ten minutes, I walked right past her until I was eye-to-eye with the engraved golden plaque with Finnley’s name elegantly written across it in script. I swallowed before opening the door.
Finnley sat on the edge of his desk and spoke with a woman with dark brown hair. For a moment, I thought it might be Lori. His face when I walked in—shocked; no other word could describe it. I had completely caught him off-guard.
“I thought I would bring you your coat,” I said.
His mouth dropped open as the woman turned and looked at me.
Then my mouth dropped open. In front of me sat the spitting image of a younger version of my mother. It took a moment for me to find my words; there were too many stumbling through my mind, and I couldn’t think straight.
“Who are you?” I asked. My voice was meek and trembled.
She stood, and so did Finnley.
I walked up to her. “Who are you?” I demanded, finding my confidence at the bottom of my core.
“Hi, Jennifer. I’m Cait. Caitlyn Jenson.” She turned and looked at Finnley, then back at me.
“I didn’t want it to happen this way. I wanted it to be different when I told you,” she said.
“What are you talking about?”
“Jennifer”—she swallowed— “I’m your sister.”
My world crashed down around me, and I temporarily lost my balance.
“You’re lying. I don’t have any siblings,” I said.
Finnley lightly grabbed my arm and sat me down in the chair in front of his desk. My heart pounded so hard I couldn’t hear anything other than the beat. Finnley sat in the chair next to me and rubbed my back. His touch comforted me.
She waited until the shock wore off before she spoke. “Our parents had me when they were both sixteen and put me up for adoption. It was kept a secret. I only found out after I started researching my family tree and found out I was adopted. It took me years to find who my biological parents were and unfortunately, I was too late. While I was in Port Arthur, I found one of your old friends. Abigail, I think it was. I told her we were cousins. She didn’t question me much. So here I am.”
“I have no words. I-I—You … you were the one who met Abbie?”
Finnley continued to rub his hand across my back. “She called me and told me she was getting on a plane to Vegas. I had no choice. I was going to tell you tonight,” Finnley said.
“I’m an only child. My parents had me when they were twenty. I was their first.”
She held a sad smile and shook her head. Resentment flared and burned inside me. How could they not have told me this? They let their secret follow them to the grave. I had gone through everything in the house. I had no reason to believe that my parents had had another child. Nothing.
I stared out the window of his office. The clouds were gray and rain splashed against the glass, leaving streaks all the way down. Somehow, the universe knew exactly how I felt.
Deep down inside, I knew Caitlyn wasn’t lying. The almond shapes of her eyes and the dimple in her cheek gave her away. She was my mother and father’s daughter, and she looked so much like my mother that I ached for my parents. Unable to hold in my emotions any longer, tears streamed down my face. All of my life I had wanted a sibling. I had wanted someone to share my life with and after my parents died, I knew I was alone. Until now.
Finnley held my hand. Concern filled his face.
“I’m sorry. It’s just unbelievable,” I said.
“I’m going to leave you two alone,” Finnley said. He rubbed my back. I heard the door click behind him. When he was out of the room, she turned and looked at me.
“I couldn’t believe it either, until I did. I went through the list of emotions, and after I accepted everything I thought I knew and replaced it all with the reality of what had really happened, I knew what I had to do. I had to find them. I had to find you.”
“You look so much like my mother. Our mother. It’s frightening almost,” I whispered.
“That’s what Abigail said. She was hesitant until she realized I looked like you. I tried to find pictures of them online but couldn’t.”
“I have photo albums with me. I’m sorry. I’m still in shock. So you’re twenty-six? What do you do for a living? Where do you live? Are you married? Do you have kids? I have so many questions for you,” I said.
“Yes, I’m twenty-six. I’m an interior designer, and I live in Houston. Not married. No kids. And that’s okay. What about you? It seems Mr. Felton has a crush on you.”
I laughed for the first time that day. “Twenty-two, but I feel like I’m thirty. I graduated with a degree in accounting, and I live here, in Vegas. Engaged to Mr. Felton. No kids and not for a long time,” I said.
“Engaged? Wow. Congratulations. He seems to have you in his best interest. I could tell there was something there. Whenever he talks about you, his whole demeanor changes. He’s not so uptight. One day you’ll have to tell me how you met. I want to know everything about you. About your life. About our parents. Your dreams. Your goals. I’ve felt so alone for so long, and now that I’m sitting in front of you, I just want to bombard you with questions. It’s taken me years to find you. Lots of research and time. I finally feel like a million pounds has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m sorry. I’m rambling.”
“You sound
like her too, and your mannerisms, the way you talk with your hands when you’re nervous,” I said. After a few more moments, I ran my palms over my face and wiped away the wetness from the tears.
She smiled at me and placed her hand on my back. It was such a sweet gesture. She was comforting me. I should be the one comforting her, because she hadn’t gotten to live a life with us. I should have been telling her how sorry I was she had been put up for adoption. But the words didn’t come.
“Where are you staying?” I asked.
“I’m staying at the Bellagio,” she said.
I chuckled slightly, and she gave me a quizzical look.
“That’s where I stayed when I first arrived. You can stay with us. We live on the outskirts, but still really close to the strip.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose.”
I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “You wouldn’t be.”
“Okay, then,” she said.
We stood, and for the first time, I hugged my sister. Sister. The word seemed foreign and awkward.
“I’m so glad I found you,” she said.
We walked to the door and opened it. Outside in the hallway stood Abbot and Finnley.
“Holy shit,” Abbot said. “They look just like each other.”
Finnley elbowed him in the side and gave us both a huge smile.
“Excuse us,” I said to everyone and pulled Finnley into his office. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it with his arms crossed.
I looked up at him. “She can’t stay at the Bellagio. It isn’t safe. She has to stay with us.”
“I know,” he said. And that was it. No use arguing, and no need to try and convince him otherwise. He knew. He opened his arms, and I fell into them. He smoothed the hair on my head and spoke softly. “It’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”
JENNIFER
Nineteen
Finnley had a few appointments in the afternoon and couldn’t leave work. Abbot drove me home, and I barely said a word to him. Not prying or forcing me to speak when I didn’t want to was one of his better qualities. I didn’t even care that he was driving way too fast downtown, or that the pavement was slick from rain. Nothing really mattered, other than the fact I had a sister. Finnley had arranged for Charlie to take Caitlyn around town and pay for whatever she needed. She had refused, but he had insisted, and being as persistent as he was, he’d won. His secretary cancelled her stay at the Bellagio, and she was set to arrive at our house at six, which meant I had four hours to compose myself.
I couldn’t think of anything else.
“Holy fuck,” Abbot yelled and jerked the wheel off the road. My seatbelt locked, and I was instantly in panic mode. Dust lifted from the road as the car spun around. I turned my head to try and figure out what had happened. A black van had swerved halfway off the road and then sped up.
“I don’t fucking think so,” Abbot said. He slammed on the gas pedal, spitting rocks and dust in our wake. “Call Finnley,” he said and threw the cellphone toward me. I picked it up with shaky hands and dialed Finnley’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“Someone just ran us off the road. Shit,” I said.
Abbot pulled a gun from inside his coat. It had a silencer on the end. He racked the slide and it clicked.
“Jennifer. What is going on?” Finnley sounded calm, but I knew him better than that.
We were only a few feet behind the van, following it, tailing it. It swerved off the road, and the rear tires shot gravel at the car. Abbot rolled down the window and aimed the gun out.
“Hold on to the wheel, Jennifer. Keep it steady. Don’t fucking let go of it no matter what,” he said.
I dropped the phone in my lap and steered from the passenger side. Abbot let go of the wheel and placed both hands on the gun, aimed, and fired. Direct hit on the back tire.
He sat back down in the car and grabbed the steering wheel as the van spun off the road. I could hear Finnley yelling on the phone, and I picked it up with shaky hands.
“Jennifer!” he said.
“Finnley. We are on Highway 95.”
“I’m here, baby. I’m right here. I’m heading that way.”
The van slammed into a telephone pole on the side of the road. Smoke rose from the hood. My heart raced as Abbot slammed on the brakes and made a U-turn. Then he turned and looked at me.
“Now listen. Climb in the driver’s seat, and if something happens to me, you drive the fuck away. You drive fast. You got it?”
I nodded.
“I don’t give a shit what happens. Do not get out of this car. You drive away.” Abbot searched my face. I nodded again.
“What did he say?” Finnley asked.
As soon as Abbot exited, I climbed behind the steering wheel and watched as he stood confidently behind the van. He held the gun to his chest with one finger on the trigger and peeked inside the back, tinted windows. I slid farther down in the seat just in case something happened.
“Finn. I’m here. Abbot just got out of the car.” My voice shook and was barely over a whisper.
“Listen to Abbot. He knows what he is doing. You’re safe with him. I’m leaving right now and I promise I’ll find you.”
Abbot tried to open the back door, but it was locked. He stayed low as he went around to the driver’s side. With his elbow, he broke the glass, unlocked the door, and pulled a man out and onto the ground. Blood dripped from the man’s forehead, but Abbot didn’t seem to care. I don’t think he had the “taking prisoners” type of mindset. He grabbed the man by his collar and slammed him harder to the ground. Abbot yelled something, but I couldn’t hear a word he said. Not one word. I could only hear the ringing in my ears. Then I watched as Abbot placed his gun to the man’s temple and pulled the trigger.
I dropped the phone.
I covered my mouth and screamed. Abbot picked the man’s pockets and pulled out a cellphone and wallet. Then I watched as three men burst from the back of the van and waited for Abbot. From what I could tell, they were carrying knives, and one had his gun drawn. Before Abbot could tuck the gun back into the holster strapped to his chest, the men rushed around the van. Abbot heard their feet pushing gravel, so he placed his back against the metal of the van and cocked his gun. He rushed around the other side and aimed his weapon. It all happened so fast; the three men didn’t even get to see their killer’s face.
Before Abbot came to the car, he opened the back of the van. It was stacked high with explosives. After a few minutes, he was running toward the car screaming for me to drive. He jumped inside and screamed at me, “Get the fuck out of here now.”
I didn’t hesitate and slammed on the gas.
A boom echoed around us as pieces of metal flew and fell. In the distance, flames and black smoke rose to the sky.
Abbot buckled his seatbelt and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter where I go in this fuckin’ world, the scum are always the fuckin’ same.” His nostrils flared as he sucked in deep breaths.
I pulled over on the side of the road and leaned against the steering wheel. Abbot’s cellphone rang and he picked it up.
“We’re fine.” Abbot laughed. He was the calm before the storm. “Some arsehole was driving a van full of explosives and tried to run us off the road. I know we were the targets, maybe even the Elite building. Guess he didn’t realize I live for this shit.”
Today was too much for me to handle. I could hear Finnley saying something on the other line but couldn’t make it out.
“She’s fine. I’m bringing her there now. I’ll keep you updated with what I find,” Abbot said then hung up.
“I’ll drive,” he said.
I didn’t move.
“Jenn. Seriously. Trade me before someone else comes after us.”
I sprang into action, and we switched places. The entire way back I was on high alert, panicked almost. My nerves were shot. My emotions ran loose while my heart hammered. I spiraled into a pit of memories of being
taken. Jesse was after me.
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come,” Abbot said as he drove forward.
“Shakespeare,” I whispered.
His eyes never left the road. We pulled up to the house, and I couldn’t do anything but try to process what had happened.
Abbot turned to me. “Are you okay? Jennifer, are you okay?”
I turned toward him. I never noticed his eyes were blue, dark blue, with little specs of darker blue in his irises. I think it was the first time that I had really looked at him and seen who and what he was: a killer.
“Are you okay?” he asked again.
Three knocks on the window caused me to jump. I gasped for air.
“I think she’s in shock,” Abbot said. “She needs to go inside.”
Finnley pulled me out of the car and walked me up the stairs. He undressed me down to my bra and panties, then unfolded the blankets from the bed and laid me down. Then he crawled in next to me and held me. Together we were two pieces of different puzzles that fit perfectly together.
Not a word was muttered. I closed my eyes and tried to forget the men who had died today. To forget the look on Abbot’s face, or how he felt no remorse after he had ended them. He made it seem easy, like he didn’t have to process what he was doing. Abbot was a robotic killer with the motions of murder memorized.
I rolled over to face Finnley.
“He killed several men without even thinking twice about it,” I said.
Finnley ran his thumb down my jaw and across my lips. “If it’s between you getting hurt and someone else, Abbot will always choose you. That’s what he is here for. Just think if he weren’t with you. What would have happened? I can’t lose you, Jennifer. I won’t.”
He pulled me closer until we were chest to chest, and we lay there. “You’re in shock. You need to try to rest,” he whispered. Finnley kissed my forehead and turned off the light, though the afternoon sun scattered across the floors. He left me to deal with my demons alone.
